TITLE: Vampiro (Diablo)
TYPE: mask
GENERAL REGION: Latin America
COUNTRY: Mexico
SUBREGION: Michoacán
ETHNICITY: Purépecha
DESCRIPTION: Vampiro-Diablo (vampire-devil) mask
CATALOG ID: LAMX053
MAKER: Federico Eduardo Sierra Morales (Tocuaro)
CEREMONY: Pastorela
AGE: 2015
MAIN MATERIAL: wood
OTHER MATERIALS: paint
The Pastorela drama of Michoacán reenacts the the mythical journey of the three wise men to visit Jesus of Nazareth at his birth. It is commonly performed around Christmastime and involves several masked characters, including hermits, Maringuilla (Mary), comic characters, and the Diablo (Devil). The Devil plays a key dramatic role as he attempts to impede the wise men from reaching Bethlehem.
The maker of this specific mask, master artisan Federico Sierra of Tocuaro, chose to name this mask Vampiro (vampire), but it represents the Devil character in the play.
