What do vejigante masks represent?
The vejigantes represent either the devil in the battle between good and evil, or the Moors that Saint James fought during the Catholic Reconquista of Spain. The name originates from the Spanish word for bladder, vejiga.
What are vejigante masks made of?
In Loíza, the vejigante masks are made from coconut, whose cortex has been carved out to allow a human face. The eyes and mouth are carved out of the coconut with an addition of bamboo teeth. The costume is made of “a jumper” that has a lot of extra fabric at the arms to simulate wings.
What is the deal with vejigantes?
The vejigante is the person in costume who carries a vejiga (cow bladder) gigante (giant). The cow bladder is inflated and dried in the sun, then filled with seeds or beans and the vejiga is used by the vejigante as a “weapon” during the parades and celebrations, as they playfully bop people with the rattle.
How do you pronounce vejigante?
vejigante
- beh. – hee. – gahn. – teh.
- be. – xi. – ɣan. – te.
- ve. – ji. – gan. – te.
Who made the vejigante masks?
Ponce Father and Son Vejigante Mask Makers Caraballo learned to make vejigantes from a neighbor, Francisca Salvador, who was the matriarch of a family that had been making masks for three-generations. Her son Juan Alindato and his son, also named Juan, are well-known Ponce artisans.
How do you make a Ponce Carnival Mask?
- Place the dinner plate on 1 piece of posterboard. Trace the plate with a pencil to make a large circle.
- Make a 3″-4″ cut into the bottom of the circle.
- Place the flour in the bowl.
- Dip the newspaper strips into the paste and place them across your mask, covering all of the posterboard.
- Make horns!
- Paint your mask!
How do you say Vejigante?
The vejigante, pronounced ve-hee-GAN-teh is a character that represents an enemy or monster and can be seen in Puerto Rico during festivals such as Carnaval, Fiestas de Santiago Apóstol (in honor of St. James ), and other days of celebrations.
What is the origin of the vejigantes masks?
History of the Vejigante Mask The origins of the tradition go back to 12th century medieval Spain. The vejigante represented the evil Moors who were defeated by St. James. People dressed as demons (vejigantes) in a procession thrown to honor St.
Who made the vejigante mask?
The vejigante masks made in Loiza are distinct from those made elsewhere in Puerto Rico, because they are made of coconuts, a tradition not observed elsewhere. Raul Ayala made his first mask when he was fifteen, and learned from his father, Don Castor Ayala, who began selling them to others in the community in 1940.