The Masquerade
Since long time ago, people in Costa Rica has
adopted the tradition of making masks for special activities like holidays,
birthdays, marriages… people usually dance wearing a mask while a “Cimarrona” (kind of band) plays happy music using instruments like trumpets,
drums and tambourines.
There are 4 basic types of masks; you can
choose the one that goes better with your personality.
1. Careta: 1-sided mask that only covers the
front of your face
2. De Casco: 3D mask that covers your entire
head
3. Gigantescas: masks that make the person looking very tall, like giants
4. Enanos: Dwarf masks that cover person from
head to waist, turning them into a dwarf.
There are a lot of ways to make a mask. Each
person has their own style and technique, but this is the basic process for
making a mask:
Materials:
·
Mud
(clay)
·
Glue
·
Newspapers
·
Paint
The Step By Step Process:
1. Have the clay (mud) handy.
2. Use the mud to shape your mask with your thumbs.
3. Cut the paper into pieces.
4. Cover the mold with the pieces of paper and
glue it
5. Wait until it dries.
6. Paint as you prefer.
In Costa Rica there is an special day to
celebrate this tradition, the October 31th that was declared by the
Ministre of Culture as the national day of the Masquerade.
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