Home / 2017 Guatemala / Ecuador 661
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Incense smoldering in primitive censers made from cofee cans at the front doors of Iglesia Santo Tomas - P7271730
Finally, we went to Moreria Santo Tomas, a family-run workshop which produces wooden masks, the signature handicraft of Chichicastenango. The workshop dates back over 100 years. They create wooden masks and costumes for a variety of festivals, which they sell and rent. - P7271733
Door, Moreria Santo Tomas - P7271732
Door, Moreria Santo Tomas - P7271734
Costumes, Moreria Santo Tomas - P7271752
Humberto wears a bunny mask - P7271758
I wasn't sure if we would buy another mask today, as our mask display space at home is getting pretty crowded. But we fell in love with an antique looking diablo (devil). It turns out that this is, specifically, Lucifer. Effigies of him are often displayed on altars alongside Maximon / San Simon. According to Jim Pieper in Guatemala's Folk Saints, "Lucifer is not usually prayed to for action but for inaction. Prayers and offerings are made so that one will be left alone and not tempted, acted against, or pursued by the negative forces of the lower spiritual world." (page 197). Lucifer masks are used in various morality dance plays. There were several Lucifer masks of different styles, but the one that we purchased has horns and pointy teeth which reminded me of a piranha. It is roughly the same size and overall shape as a wooden Dogon mask we bought in Mali, so we thought it would make a nice addition to our collection. - P7271760
We went from room to room, admiring each and every mask. Motifs ran the gamut from Mayan (jaguars, Hero Twins, skulls, owls) to Colonial (Spaniards, monks, angels, saints devils). - P7271764
San Simon, Moreria Santo Tomas - P7271792
Sewing costumes at Moreria Santo Tomas - P7270001
Ian Ivan - P7270003
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Paulina's sister Isabela takes our order at her restaurant - P7270014
Isabela's delicious chicken tacos - P7270020
Steph with Isabela's precocious granddaughter Maritsa