NDLI: Michoacan Pastorela Mask Performance

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Michoacan Pastorela Mask Performance

Content Provider	IGNCA - Man and Mask
Spatial Coverage	Michoacan, Mexico
Description	Soon after the Spanish conquered the Aztec empire in the 16th century, Spanish monks (hermitanos) tried to inculcate Christian beliefs through the use of religious plays, frequently using masks. One of the plays transported from Spain was the popular Pastorela, or Shepherd's play. The story tells of a group of shepherds who hear of the birth of Jesus and go to see the Christ child. They are thwarted in their journey by devils, who see the birth of Christ as the immanent end of their control of mankind, and they are aided by a Christian monk. The devils are finally defeated by St. Michael. In Mexico, as in Spain, this play is performed during the period between Christmas Eve (December 24th) and the day of Epiphany (January 6th). Though versions of this imported play are performed all over Mexico, the Purepecha Native American people of Michoacan have evolved a particularly lively variant, weaving in other festival and mask traditons, adding new text and dances, elaborating the masks of the devils with indigenous motifs, and collapsing time frames so that he shepards are replace by latter day ranchers and by comic feos (ugly folk), who dance indiscriminately with the devils and with the monks. While the play with full text is rarely performed now, a capsule version, stressing the struggle between the powers of the devil and the Catholic faith and ending with a communal dance. Of particular interest is the inclusion of the pre-Columbian tradition of the Viejitos to make a bridge between the old and new faiths.
File Format	MP4 / MPG4
Access Restriction	Open
Subject Keyword	Ancient Human Practice Anthropology Anthropomorphic Art Work Art History Aztec Empire Ceremonies and Practices Christian Monk Decorative Mask Disguise Drama Theraphy Meso-America the Caribbean And South America Mexico Michoacan Pastorela Masks Museum Object Ornamentation Performance Performing Art Ritual Mask Sculpture Shepherd's play Spanish Monk St. Michael
Content Type	Video
Resource Type	Visual Artwork

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