REGION: Latin America
COUNTRY: Costa Rica
YEAR PRINTED: 2008
VALUE: sheet of 115 and 155 colónes
These stamps comprise a set of issued by Costa Rica to commemorate its masking tradition. The two masks represent diablos (devils) from the Boruca (sometimes written Brunka) people, who use them in their annual Baile de los Diablos around New Year’s Day, as well as the Juego de los Diablitos. The surrounding sheet is decorated with a photograph of the masks being used during an annual dance. Evident in the photograph is a torito (little bull) mask, a stock character used in the dance to represent the invading Spaniards during the Conquest.
