Masquerade
A ceremonial dance in which a costumed performer embodies a spirit or ancestor.
Also: mask dance, egungun
A masquerade is a performance in which a masked and costumed dancer stands for a spirit, an ancestor or a force of nature, and so is treated with reverence. In West and Central Africa, masquerades appear at funerals, harvests and initiations, such as the Egungun of the Yoruba, which honours the dead, and the Poro and Sande societies of Sierra Leone and Liberia. The mask is carved from wood and decorated with cloth, raffia and shells, and the dancer's identity is kept secret. The dances are accompanied by drums and songs. In the Caribbean, carnival masquerades in Trinidad and Jamaica trace their history to these roots.
Region: Sub-Saharan Africa