posted by AetnaJo on Oct 1
Tastoan Warrior Masks
The Tastoan people are a part of a tradition that spans more than a century in the municipality of Tonala, Mexico. Every 25th of July the Tastoan Warriors hold a tradition in Tonala, Mexico. They are known to have a ritual in the feast day of Santiago (also known as Saint James) in which many of the Tonala’s male residents transform themselves into the legendary Tastoanes to take part in a performance that represents their struggle against the patron saint of Spain.
The Tastoan performance can be traced back to the Spain of centuries past. Their performance comes from the 12th century, when the first performances were commonly interpreted as the representation of the Spanish conquest of Mexico in the 1500’s.
The term Tastoan is derived from the Nahuatl word Tlatoani, which means lord or spokesperson. Tastoan is like a type of primitive instinct that is asleep all year, but when the date draws near, it wakes up and starts to prepare for one more battle against Santiago.
The males who participate as Tastoanes in the annual event undergo a transformation of sorts when they dress for the performance. They are in their masks and fixing their wigs… and then they are no longer the same, they have a different spirit and are now Mexican Tastoan Warriors. The original identities of the Tastoan performers disappear the moment they put on their masks, which are an integral part of the tradition. Originally, the Tastoanes crafted their masks of clay but due to the fragility and heaviness of the clay masks, they were eventually replaced by leather. Other aspects of the mask creation have changed as well. Previously painted with anilines and now painted with acrylics.
The custom of Tastoanes involved the reuse of the mask’s base from one year to another. They would throw the masks in a container with water and start to pull off all the parts; the nose, the eyes and so on. It was like killing one Tastoan to give life to another one. Today, it is customary for the performers to craft complete new masks each year.
There are some findings into the creation of the Tatoanes Warrior Masks. It describes the indigenous warriors during a battle in Tonala. The scribe said that the indigenous people of this region were so fierce in battle that he saw one indigenous warrior who had been wounded by a spear on two occasions and yet continued to fight against a Spanish warrior who was on horseback. He said, “They were so fierce that they appeared to be demons.
2. Right-Click then Copy
3. Paste the HTML code into your webpage
October 19th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
[...] The custom of Tastoanes involved the reuse of the mask’s base from one year to another. They would throw the masks in a container with water and start to pull off all the parts; the nose, the eyes and so on. … The scribe said that the indigenous people of this region were so fierce in battle that he saw one indigenous warrior who had been wounded by a spear on two occasions and yet continued to fight against a Spanish warrior who was on horseback. …Next Page [...]
[Translate]
October 24th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Hola and thank You. Enjoy. AetnaJB
[Translate]
November 19th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
Hola and thank you for the archive in Popular People. I’m honored.
[Translate]
December 12th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
tkhnksjl…
tkhnksjl… Great Article
[Translate]
December 12th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
Hola,
Thanks for visiting us. I would like to send some free Mexican recipes. Plz send your current email address. Enjoy
AetnaJo
[Translate]
December 30th, 2009 at 4:46 am
Good Morning!!! http://www.mexican-wholesale.com is one of the most excellent informational websites of its kind. I take advantage of reading it every day. All the best.
[Translate]
December 30th, 2009 at 11:12 am
Hola,
Thank you. I wish you and yours a happy new year. Enjoy!
AetnaJoB
[Translate]
March 10th, 2010 at 5:36 am
You have really great taste on catch article titles, even when you are not interested in this topic you push to read it
[Translate]
March 10th, 2010 at 1:17 pm
Hola Franklin,
Thanks for the compliments. I was telling someone yesterday that it’s a good place to escape to and experience Mexico. If you enjoy cooking or eating LOL, look into http://www.Mexican-goods.com for amazing and free Mexican recipes. In the meantime,
Enjoy!
AetnaJoey
[Translate]