September 2009
Lion-type mask
By Francisco Gamez Peña, Mayo
Gift of the Estate of Frank and Martha Secan
2007.8.18
The Mayo, who live along the Río Mayo and Río Fuerte regions of Sinaloa and Sonora, Mexico, share many customs and beliefs with the Yoeme of Tucson. They also share a common ancestry – both are descendants of the Cáhitan Indians who are indigenous to Mexico, though the two groups split in the late 1800s and early 1900s when persecution and warfare sent manyof the Yoeme fleeing to Southern Arizona. The Mayo still maintain their traditional customs, passed on for many generations, as well as a strong Catholic faith, introduced to the Mayo by the Spanish Jesuit priests around 1519. One of their customs is the carving of pascola masks made for the pascola dancer who performs at Mayo ceremonies (called fiestas) throughout the year. The name ‘pascola’ translates to ‘old man of the fiesta’ and he is considered essential to every fiesta. The Pascola is a clown, a dancer and a storyteller whose job it is to relate the past events and legends of the Mayo people.
The pascola’s most distinctive attribute is his wood-carved mask, which may depict facial features of humans or animals. The pascola wears the mask during ceremonies as a symbolic part of his garb. Because of his importance, the pascola is present at every ceremony, and so masks must always be available for him. Pascola masks are usually supplied by carvers, but sometimes are carved by the pascola himself. Thus, the carving tradition has been observed for centuries, from the early mask makers in Sonora, Mexico, to contemporary carvers still practicing their craft today. Although similar in appearance, there is a difference between Yoeme and Mayo mask styles, which may be explained by artistic preference and material availability. Mayo masks tend to be larger than Yoeme masks. The hair that is attached is also different – Mayo artisans usually use goat hair for their masks, and prefer to have longer eyebrow hair that falls over the mask’s face. This is a conscious choice to cover the pascola’s eyes while he is dancing.
One noted Mayo carver is Francisco Gamez Peña, who lives in San Jose, near Masiaca, Sonora. He is an exceptional carver, who learned the art of carving from his father when he was a boy. Francisco has become so skilled that he won a national award in Mexico for best use of natural materials in 2006. His masks are finely carved and distinctive because of the use of three rows of hair, rather than the usual one row, adding fullness to the look of the piece. Although he is best known as a mask carver, he also creates other accoutrements for the pascola including teneboim (cocoon leg rattles), coyole (belt), gourd rattles and water drums.
Traditional mask styles are human, coyote, and goat-type masks. Francisco, however, is known for his contemporary creations, including this lion-type mask complete with large, carved teeth and auburn hair horse hair. Even though traditional cross is placed on the lion’s forehead, this piece was likely created for commercial purposes rather than ceremonial.
This mask, along with other Mayo and Yoeme artworks, were donated to the Park by the Estate of Frank and Martha Secan. We are thrilled to have this piece on display in the educational exhibit Yoeme Carving: Generations of Wooden Faces, which can be seen in the Wells Fargo Foyer Gallery.
Tohono Chul Park has a small, selective collection of Southwest Native American pottery, basketry, weaving, and carvings. The collections emphasize works dating from 1940s to the present that illustrate the interconnections between Native peoples and the land, plants and animals.
In 2006, with future gifts of objects promised to its collections, the Park expanded and upgraded its storage and exhibition facilities to better preserve the growing number of objects. TCP displays its collections on a rotating basis at the Desert Discovery Education Center so that people can learn more about the natural and cultural diversity of our desert environment. Each month a piece from the collection is profiled online on our website.
Bahti, Tom. Southwest Indian Ceremonials. Las Vegas: KC Publications, 1982.
Fontana, Bernard and Edmund Faubert and Barney Burns. The Other Southwest: Indian Arts and Crafts of Northwest Mexico. Phoenix: The Heard Museum, 1977.
Kolaz, Tom. “Yoeme Pascola Masks From the Tucson Communities: A Look Back.” American Indian Art Magazine. Vol. 32. No. 3. Summer 2007. Pg. 50 – 61.
Painter, Muriel and E.B. Sayles. Faith, Flowers and Fiestas: The Yaqui Indian Year. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1962.
Tohono Chul Park has a small, selective collection of Southwest Native American pottery, basketry, weaving, and carvings. The collections emphasize works dating from 1940s to the present that illustrate the interconnections between Native peoples and the land, plants and animals.
In 2006, with future gifts of objects promised to its collections, the Park expanded and upgraded its storage and exhibition facilities to better preserve the growing number of objects. TCP displays its collections on a rotating basis at the Desert Discovery Education Center so that people can learn more about the natural and cultural diversity of our desert environment. Each month a piece from the collection is profiled online on our website.