Ecuadorian Corpus Cristi Festival Mask: "Aya Uma" Spirit Mask

Ecuadorian Corpus Cristi Festival Mask: "Aya Uma" Spirit Mask

Collection: Spiritual Connections

Object Category: Masks
Object Type: Ritual Masks

Country: Ecuador
Continent: South America
Geographic Region: Southern America
Materials: Wool
width: 15 in; height: 23 in; depth: .5 in

This Devil mask is called "Aya Uma", literally "spirit head.' Blending Catholicism with Quechua traditions, the mask is worn during the Corpus Cristi festival in Imbabura, Ecuador. Corpus Cristi overlaps the Inti Raymi celebration

The Aya Uma mask represents a mythological character with two faces and five to 12 horns. The two faces represent night and day, or past and present. The Aya Uma is considered the spirit of the mountain, which comes down to the communities to accompany the town people during the Inti Raymi celebration dedicated to the sun, the moon and nature. Thus, whoever wants to be the Aya Uma must be an honest, hardworking, responsible and respected person among the community.

Led by two celebrants wearing Aya Uma masks, two lines of dancers go around in circles, representing the two solstices and two equinoxes that take place during the year. The dancers stamp their feet while they circle around, as a way to invite Mother Earth to participate in the party, so that it recuperates its vital energies and is ready to begin the new agricultural cycle where the maize and other crops will be cultivated again.
Source:
http://www.otavalospanish.com/html/excursions1.html
https://www.maskmuseum.org/mask/diablo-umo-1/