Is the Mascarada Costa Rica’s Version of Halloween?
On October 31st, Costa Rica celebrates the Día Nacional de la Mascarada Tradicional Costarricense, or National Day of the Traditional Costa Rican Mascarade. Both Halloween and the Mascarade share some similarities such as the fact that both use masks and costumes, both meld cultural traditions, and both illustrate our inclination as humans to come together to celebrate freely. That being said, la mascarada is not traditionally linked to Halloween in any way. In fact, the celebration of the Día Nacional de la Mascarada on October 31st was a reaction to the growing popularity of Halloween in Costa Rica in the late ’90s.
In 1996, the Comité Cultura Aqueserrí, or Aqueserrí Cultural Committee, in Aserrí, planned a mascarada event on October 31st of that year. The objective was to celebrate and showcase the country’s own masked traditions. A year later, the Ministry of Culture and Youth established the 1st official Día Nacional de la Mascarada Tradicional Costarricense.
A Brief History of La Mascarada in Costa Rica
Like so many things Costa Rican, la mascarada is a blend of both colonial and indigenous traditions. Early colonists brought los gigantes y cabezudos, or the giants and big heads, with them to Latin America. The giants represented historical figures or archetypes and towered over the crowd, conveying their importance. The big heads were short with disproportionately large heads, providing comedic relief.
Local indigenous peoples, such as the Borucas, also practiced rituals in which masked characters transformed into, or became possessed by, the deities their masks represented. Participation in these rituals gave dancers a privileged place in the community. The Buruca continue to practice the juego de los diablitos, or game of the devils, to this day. Devils, animals, and the conquistadors (including a representation of them as a bull) are all represented in this game.
Examples of the bull character in both the mascarada (left) and juego de los diablitos (right).
During the colonial era, los parlampanes celebrations started taking place in Cartago before the start of the bull fights. In these celebrations, residents would dress up papier-mâché masks, dance, and chase people in the crowds. Historians believe this early version of the Mascarada was influenced not only by the traditions of the colonists and indigenous peoples, but also those of African slaves. Los parlampanes evolved into the first official Mascarada in 1824, as a celebration in honor of Virgin of the Angels (also known as La Negrita), the patron of Costa Rica.
The Modern Mascarada in Costa Rica
The tradition of la mascarada continues in Costa Rica today. Nowadays, you’re likely to see payasos, or clowns, dressed as traditional characters like the witch, the old woman, the Grim Reaper, the devil, dwarves, and legendary creatures like la Segua, la Llorona, el Cadejos. To keep things up to date, you’ll also see modern characters like Pennywise, the Smurfs, Batman, Snoopy, important politicians and political authorities, and more.
While you may see a mascarada anywhere and at any time in Costa Rica, a few areas are known for their masquerades and mask makers. These include: Aserri, Brava, Cartago, Escazu, Santo Domingo, along with all the cities indicated in the map below.
Many of these communities have developed their own unique customs and mask styles. For example, in some places the payasos whip the bystanders with switches. The welts are a badge of courage for participants. This is no longer practiced in other communities where the payasos only chase bystanders. Either way, asking any Tico about their childhood memories of the mascarada is likely to elicit tales of fear and maybe even nightmares. And in that respect, perhaps the mascarada is Costa Rica’s equivalent of Halloween where adults guide children past pretend terrors.