The celebration of hidden faces
The National Dancing Masks Festival of Coscomatepec brings together thousands of people across Mexico who keep their roots alive with these rituals.
ReadDetails of Color (2023-12-15) by Edson Ramos Luna (photogapher)Colectivo Rokunin
In hundreds of towns across Mexico, during the community's most important celebration, some inhabitants cover their faces with fantastic masks, take on the identity of legendary characters or animals, and flood the streets to the rhythm of the music.
Certain events left a mark on the collective memory of their ancestors: a battle against the invader, an unexpected visit that brought wealth, the alliance of several communities, a children's game that transformed the town, evangelization, the loss of their territory...
Tiger's Gaze (2024-12-14) by Edson Ramos Luna (photogapher)Colectivo Rokunin
Living narrative
Trauma, joy, fear, faith, rage, strength, unity, rebellion, love for the land, nostalgia for the departed. The emotions of the past are brought back to life through dance. The towns tell their own stories through movement, music, and attire as memorable as their histories.
Transformation
Everyday identities are left behind: the teacher, the mother, the engineer, the farmer, or the grandfather disappear, giving way to clowns, elders, beasts, warriors, and queens.
Much more than a mask
From the headdress to the shoes, every small detail of the attire contributes to this transformation. Fantasy becomes reality: legendary characters walk and dance through the streets, shouting, scaring, cheering, or playing pranks on people.
Unmistakable Image (2024-12-13) by Edson Ramos Luna (photogapher)Colectivo Rokunin
Art makes it possible
The work of local artisans brings true treasures to life in the form of masks and costumes to make it possible. Their dances are a magnificent collective masterpiece.
Life Resonates in Every Step (2023-12-17) by Edson Ramos Luna (photogapher)Colectivo Rokunin
Dressed in landscape
Part of the transitory identity of the dancers is often built with natural elements of the natural elements of the ecosystems where they live.
Herd on the Attack (2024-12-14) by Edson Ramos Luna (photogapher)Colectivo Rokunin
Accessories, costumes, hats, and of course masks are treated like the treasures they are, touched up and restored every year.
First Dances (2024-12-14) by Edson Ramos Luna (photogapher)Colectivo Rokunin
Legacy
They can also be inherited from the more experienced members of the groups to those who follow in their steps, just as all the knowledge of this cultural expression is passed down: a great legacy of stories, rhythms, choreographies, affection, and respect.
Intergenerational magic
Many dancers fondly remember a childhood in which they first admired their ancestors and then accompanied them on the streets for the first time.
Continuity
Intangible heritage is transmitted and kept alive, in many cases, from a very young age.
A lifetime
The role models are always those individuals who have spent decades sharing their passion for these rituals and all the arts involved in the process.
Togetherness
During the dances and all their preparations, bonds are strengthened between generations.
Community
This is how these festive rites emerge from the communities and, at the same time, help sustain them.
Crowded Street (2023-12-17) by Edson Ramos Luna (photogapher)Colectivo Rokunin
Gathered riches
This infinite diversity of dances spreads across the vast Mexican territory, at different times of the year. In the past, they could only be enjoyed together in the imagination. A few years ago, a group of people from Coscomatepec (Veracruz) wanted to make that dream a reality.
The first call for the National Dancing Masks Festival, in December 2021, was a resounding success that has continued through four editions.
On December 13, 14, and 15, 2024, the town served as the stage for 40 traditional dances from thirteen states: San Luis Potosí, Jalisco, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, State of Mexico, Puebla, Veracruz, Morelos, Michoacán, Guerrero, Tabasco, Oaxaca, and Chiapas.
More than 1,500 dancers attracted 50,000 visitors to Coscomatepec—almost as many as the town's inhabitants—for this grand tribute to the roots of Mexico's diverse peoples.
Unrecognizable (2024-12-14) by Edson Ramos Luna (photogapher)Colectivo Rokunin
Mask-making masters of America
Since 2021, this festival has also become a meeting point for artists who shape, carve, or decorate masks. In the latest edition, more than 60 artists arrived from Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Chile, and the Dominican Republic.
The Moment to Shine
The National Dancing Masks Festival has become an another important event in each town's calendar, bringing their roots and identity to life. Seeing such diversity before their eyes allows the audience to better understand and appreciate these cultural treasures.
Recognition and pride
Gathering with dancers and artisans from over the country makes the immense value of their rituals even more evident. Parachico, tiger, Santiago, kúrpite, tecuan, pochovera, tancoy... they all speak the same language, and conversing drives them to continue preserving this legacy.
Endless Range of Color (2024-12-15) by Edson Ramos Luna (photogapher)Colectivo Rokunin
A heritage in bloom
The National Dancing Masks Festival strives to promote and share the cultural heritage of hundreds of towns in Mexico and beyond, serving as a living museum and a space for cultural communities to connect.
Festival Nacional de Máscaras Danzantes 2024
Coscomatepec, Veracruz, México
Photography: Edson Ramos Luna, Moisés González.
Video: Moisés González.
Text and Editing: Teresa Morte.
Direction and coordination: Itzel Mendoza.
