Decoding the Traditional Masks of Sibundoy
There is no denying the beauty of Sibundoy’s traditional masks, but they aren't just pretty, they’re telling you a story. Each expression, color, and pattern found in these masks holds a hidden meaning. The colors stand for qualities, the patterns relate to animals or cosmic ideas, and the face itself tells you who it is or what they’re feeling. Once you learn to read all three pieces, you will be able to see the story behind each unique mask.
Color
Sibundoy’s masks are alive with color. Some of these colors are just for decoration but most have a deeper meaning. Most masks are dominated by one or two colors with a few supporting colors thrown in. The most prominent colors give the mask its meaning while the others enhance its beauty. Sometimes the theme is easy to spot but there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to mask design and sometimes figuring out the main color can be open to interpretation.
White - Innocence
Kamsá artists love their color, so finding a white and black themed mask is a bit of a rare treat. For the people of Sibundoy, white symbolizes innocence and purity. The face is still fresh and untainted by the complexities and difficulties of life.
In this example, half of the face is white and the other half has color. The white half represents the past self, innocent and naive, while the orange side represents the life that they have lived and all of their experiences. The two halves together make the person whole. Together they make the person who they are today.
Blue - Hope
The color blue symbolizes hope for the future. Life has not always been easy in this region but it is hard not to be hopeful in this small, bountiful valley, protected by its ring of jungled mountains.
Red - Strength
Red means strength. In a rainforest dominated by green, any flash of red stands out. When you see the fire truck and chili reds of the seeds originally used for masks it's no wonder the color symbolizes strength and power.
Green and Red - Harmony Between Man and Nature
When green and red are used together, the mask is emphasizing the importance of harmony between man and nature. The Inga and Kamsa people of Sibundoy believe that nature is an essential part of life, and that all people should work to live in harmony with it. The people have a deep knowledge of local plants and cultivate varieties that aren’t found anywhere else!
Patterns
It’s not just the colors that are trying to tell you something; the patterns are too. These symbols can be hard to spot, but once you learn to recognize them, you will see them all over Colombian art. While the basic idea of each symbol stays the same, artists will often reimagine the design in creative ways or only use a piece of it.
Sun Symbol - Strength and Life
The sun symbolizes strength and the giving of life. It is represented by a diamond with many lines radiating out from each of its four sides. The masks usually only show one half of the symbol, often on the forehead or cheeks.
Field of Stars - The Cosmos
The cosmos represents the entirety of existence. Everything can’t be written with just one symbol, so the idea of the cosmos is communicated with a repeating pattern of diamonds that represents a field of stars.
Woven Basket
Another common pattern is modeled after traditional woven baskets. While these repeating hexagons don’t have a specific meaning they do make one of the most dramatic patterns with their high contrast.
Frog Symbol - Fertility and Abundance
Frogs the world over symbolize fertility and abundance. The frog’s body is another diamond with four legs coming off of it that curl to form feet. Both poison dart frogs and tree frogs are common in the region and their songs can be heard in the village and surrounding hills. On this mask you can see half the frog symbol on the cheek.
Expression
As humans we’re hardwired to read and respond to faces. It’s the master wood carver’s job to sculpt those faces out of willow and pine. While the eyes are always expressive, it’s the mouth that tells you who is being represented or what they’re feeling.
Shaman - Guiding Visions
Few things are more strongly linked with this region than the shaman or “taita”. People travel great distances to visit these traditional healers, and some of their medicinal plants are found nowhere else on earth. These masks show a shaman whistling to guide someone through a traditional ayahuasca ceremony.
Pleasant thoughts - Reflecting on the Past
These masks are easily recognized by their calm smile. They show someone lost in pleasant memories; a simple, happy design.
Laughter - Joy of the Festival
These masks have been described as joy of the festival or laughter masks. Humor and light-heartedness are valued traits here and it is impossible to visit without feeling that sense of joy. As the artist Marcelino Chasoy says “laughter is an overdose of happiness”.
Indigenous Pride - Rejecting Colonialism
Even the most serious of the masks has its own sense of playfulness. The indigenous pride masks symbolize a rejection of colonialism and an insistence on local identity but done with a mischievous stuck out tongue. The tongue symbolizes rejection and bad taste. The people of Sibundoy have seen what the colonizers have to offer and they have decided they like their ways better.
Now that you know the secret to decoding Sibundoy’s masks, why not try reading a few yourself by hopping over to our masks and decor section. All of the masks we carry are handcarved and decorated by traditional Kamsá and Inga artisans.
Meet the artisan:
Marcelino Chasoy is half Inga and half Kamsá, and draws from both cultures in the making of his work. Marcelino is one of nine children and his workshop is a busy, family affair, where grandma makes everyone a home cooked meal for lunch.
