Afro-Mexico: Dancing between Myth and Reality

2. Masked Dances: Devils and Beasts of the Costa Chica [Contains Image Plates]

2Devils and Beasts of the Costa Chica Masked Dances This chapter describes and illustrates three dances commonly performed in the states of Oaxaca and Guerrero: the Devil Dance, the Turtle Dance, and the Toro de Petate, or Straw Bull Dance. Each of thesedancesiscloselylinkedtoAfro-Mexicancommunities.There are other Afro-Mexican dances that deserve further study: the Tiger Dance and the Tejorones, for example. My selections are based in part on the photographic and research documentation that was available. Dance practitioners most often describe the three dances listed above, and both Jackson and Pellicer have photographed them. Most important, the Devil Dance, the Turtle Dance, and the Toro de Petate each contain discrete, valiant character types that appear only in Afro-Mexican communities. As performance documents they exhibit characteristics that are valued by the communities that stage them. Performers present these dances on public streets and represent mythical beings or animals, performing the roles of angry devils, cantankerous bulls, or brooding turtles. The mythical creatures dance side by side with humans, who subdue or challenge them. Interplay between humans and beings lie at the center of dramas that unfold on the street and progress through public space. By “dancing in the streets” the actor-dancers call attention to their perspective on the lives that surround them. In the previous chapter I described how society has viewed the Afro-Mexican populations . This chapter provides a response. Dance description and photographs demonstrate ways in which Afro-Mexicans represent themselves and their perspectives through languages of gesture. The “Dis” behind the Mask Aggression, containment, violence, and sexuality are narrative themes that emerge in Costa Chica masked dances. Devil, bull, or turtle disguises allow dancers to act out theatrical scenarios that include attacks, public whippings, sexual overtures, and other dis- | 4 1 | Rio Viejo, Oaxaca (1994). Masked dances represent the hidden face of the Afro-Mexican Costa Chica. Here a Straw Bull Dance Pancho wears wide spats and a cowherd’s hat. The costume is an elaborate version of ranchers’ clothing. Photo by George O. Jackson. | 4 2 | A F R O - M E X I C O Collantes, Oaxaca (1994). The “Devil” captures associations with evil and wrongdoing. Historical records indicate that under colonial rule some Afro-Mexicans renounced the Christian god because of the unfair conditions under which they lived. The Devil Dance is a physical embodiment of this renunciation. Most Devil Dance masks are horned and have a long beard. All dancers except the Minga wear this mask. Photo by George O. Jackson. reputable acts. In all three dances the Afro-Mexican performers wear masks; they impersonate supernatural beings and emerge in public to frighten bystanders. Masking creates a sense of anonymity for the performers while metaphysically transporting both performers and audience members into the realm of archetypal myth. Masked dances subvert societal norms by allowing performers to portray outrageous acts under the guise of characters. The mask can serve multiple purposes. On the one hand, the mask hides the person underneath so that he or she may not be recognized. On the other hand, the human being underneath ani- M A S K E D D A N C E S | 4 3 | mates the mask. The mask does not necessarily eradicate the human identity. Rather the persona of the performer melds with the character to create a composite moving force capable of performing actions. John Picton writes about the concept of the mask in his article on masking in Africa. He insists that wearing a mask does not necessarily mean that a metaphysical transformation has taken place. It may mean nothing more than that the performer is wearing a mask. Nevertheless, the mask may be used in a ceremonial way to evoke a metaphysical force. If this is the case, then the transformation may happen before the mask is even placed on the face.1 Usually in a ceremonial context, the performer enacting the character moves through a series of preparatory rituals or blessings before donning the outward representation of the “being.” The transformation is thus gradual. In theatrical staging, wearing a mask implies the adoption of a fictional or imaginary character . I believe that the performance “transformation” process for Afro-Mexican dances depends entirely on context. For paid performances or spontaneous demonstrations, the process may be theatrical. The performer is capable of reenacting the motions and actions of the dance without metaphysical transformation. However , in a ceremonial setting...