Chihuahua, Mexico

12 inches long, painted wood

I believe this mask is worn at Easter pagent by one of the good-guy (Christian) Tarahumara. Also called Raramuri, which means running people, they are from the extreme northern part of Mexico and their closest relatives would be the Huichol, Mayo and Yaqui people. Like the others, their religion is closer to the original animism than that of the Catholic Church. They are famous for their long-distance running ability, which may have evolved because of their widely dispersed settlements in a rough landscape and their lack of modern technology.