Mask Carver © Marilyn Anderson. Woodcut, 9 1/16″ x 11 7/8″
Masks have a long history among the Guatemalan Maya and still play an important role in their religious and cultural expressions. Watching performances of traditional dancers wearing masks, it is easy to imagine the wearers taking on new identities and entering the world of their ancestors. Dancers depict mythological figures and historical characters in many different traditional plays and dances, wearing masks of animals such as deer, monkeys, and jaguars as well as red-faced Spanish conquistadors. Many masks are also now produced for tourists.