Masks from Mexico

We're back from an amazing trip to Cancun. We stayed in the "hotel zone" which was much more Americanized than I expected, but the color of the water was insane, and it was very relaxing.



Last time we were in Mexico, about two years ago, we stayed on the island of Isla Mujeres. We spotted a store full of amazing masks, and kept trying to visit but it was closed each time we went. I've thought about the masks that I spotted through the window ever since. So I was super excited when we day tripped to the island and found the store - (Galeria Aztlan, Av. Hidalgo #58, Local 1, Hotel Los Arcos, 998 8770419, aztlancaribe@hotmail.com) - and this time it was open!

We bought three masks, pictured below. We were told by the lovely lady (who's mother also sells masks out of a store in Mexico City) that they're all Aztec from Acapulco and quite old, and that the tiger is worn during a dance in April, and the devil for a dance vs. the angels in December.







We also loved these tiger masks - they're what I first spotted 2 years ago. We ultimately decided against them as they seemed very fragile and we weren't sure we could get them back in one piece (we were told it would be too expensive to ship, so we were hand carrying them home) plus they are a little freaky!









I just spotted these tiger masks on Ebay which are similar, and a fraction of the cost, but probably not as old and well made. They are described as follows: "Set of 2 Tiger Masks of the Tlacololeros Dance from Guerrero, Mexico (The Land of the Jaguar). Wood with real wild boar hair and teeth".