Loca Mask Item Number: 2946/6 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Small mask with a pink face and twisted, green and orange horns. There are two blue eyes, rimmed with silver chain-like trim, and on the outside a thick, bristly black fringe. The eyebrows are large, bulbous and decorated across the middle with a line of golden glitter and beads. The red, protruding upper lip has six mirrored teeth. The chin is decorated with a line of golden beads. There are green and blue sequins around the top and sides of the mask. The ridge down the centre of each horn is painted black with short white and black lines running diagonally up towards the edges on both sides. There are gold, green, and blue sequins along the horns’ ridges. Red tinsel wraps up the side of one horn. The back of the mask is an unpainted silver colour and the forehead is lined with foam. White elastic fabric is strung across the back between two holes on either side of the face. A black elastic fabric is looped between the white elastic and the hole at the top of the mask.

History Of Use

Crazy Woman (Loca) mask. Performed on the feast days of the Virgin of Candelaria. The Crazy Woman is sometimes described as Supay's wife.

Narrative

Purchased from a festival mask rental shop in Puno.