Masks: Armors of the Soul
Masks free us, and have been protecting our souls for thousands of years,
or at least we’ve always believed so.
Photos by http://www.carolinazerpa.com/
The concept of this series is masks in rituals and other similar approaches to the spiritual world by the human beings since tribal times. I find this practice deeply interesting and mysterious since it is present in several and unconnected cultures around the world. I consider the masks as a tool that the man has created in order to face its fears and even transform himself into a higher, more powerful being, it allows people to let go of who they are and, therefore, become what they wish to be while convincing the audience of it.
Personally, this concept has a great significance to me, in the first place because I come from South America, where African slaves, native Indians and Europeans blended racially as well as culturally. I’ve always been surrounded by this diversity in any possible matter and it has always amazed me. My uncle is an anthropologist that studies the native Indian societies that are still around, some of my friends practice or at least believe in some sort of shamanic magic, and also many of our national traditions involve a wide use of masks, such as dances, tales, school plays, etc.
I’ve never been attracted or practiced religious or magical rituals not even conventional ones, but I do realize that it is a part of who I am. It is not only because of where I come from geographically, but because I am a human being, and it is fascinating to get to dig a little more in to our collective soul.
Masks free us, and also have been protecting our souls for thousands of years, or at least we’ve always believed so.
