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ASM Podcasts
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| Pt.1 | About the Tour (enhanced) ~ Save & Listen |
| Pt.2 | A World of Mexican Masks (enhanced) ~ Save & Listen Upon entering the exhibition, visitors see a wall full of masks. This outstanding mask collection continues to fascinate people. Meet Zarco Guerrero, a mask maker and educator living in Mesa, Arizona, who serves as our guide for the tour. Museum staff members discuss the allure of the masks, some history of the collection and how the museum works to preserve the masks. Hear from exhibit designer and co-curator Davison Koenig, exhibit co-curator Diane Dittemore, and conservator Teresa Moreno. |
| Pt.3 | Of and for the Gods (enhanced) ~ Save & Listen Masks in Mexican culture have been important since Precolombian times. Tigre (jaguar) masks were part of religious ceremonies and represented fertility and power before the arrival of the Spanish. Today, in some rural towns, the jaguar dances are performed annually, continuing these ancient traditions. Gayle Castañeda of the Castañeda Museum of Ethnic Costume shares her knowledge. |
| Pt.4 | The Reign of Spain (enhanced) ~ Save & Listen When the Spanish came to the Americas they played off the indigenous tradition of masked dramas. They used masks to overcome the language barrier, telling stories of their own greatness and spreading the message of Christianity. Dr. Lydia Otero of the University of Arizona shares her insights. |
| Pt.5 | Parachicos Masked Drama (enhanced) ~ Save & Listen Masked dance dramas continue to be important elements of holiday celebrations in Mexico. Many versions exist of the story behind the Dance of the Parachicos. A common element is the blond-haired and blue-eyed Parachicos who were very kind to the young son of a wealthy woman who had become sick. In turn, she expressed her gratitude for his recovery by distributing food to the village. Gayle Castañeda of the Castañeda Museum of Ethnic Costume shares the story. |
| Pt.6 | Viejitos Masked Drama (enhanced) ~ Save & Listen The Dance of the Viejitos is loved for the humor and range of emotions that are expressed. Although the dancers are young men, they play the characters of old men who share their life stories and, for a short time, relive their youth. Gayle Castañeda of the Castañeda Museum of Ethnic Costume shares the story. |
| Pt.7 | Negritos Masked Drama (enhanced) ~ Save & Listen The Negrito masks of Uruapan, Michoacan are very distinctive and good examples of fine craftsmanship and artistry. Masks depicting black men represent many roles of black people in colonial Mexican society. Gayle Castañeda of the Castañeda Museum of Ethnic Costume talks about these various roles. |
| Pt.8 | Día de los Muertos (enhanced) ~ Save & Listen In Mexico, death is commemorated on Día de los Muertos, at the start of November. Rather than a somber occasion, it is a time to celebrate life. The masks help you enter in the mood of celebration. Dr. Lydia Otero of the University of Arizona shares her insights. |
| Pt.9 | Lucha Libre (enhanced) ~ Save & Listen Lucha Libre fighters are pop culture icons in Mexico today. In the wrestling ring, they enact the age-old drama of good vs. evil. The masks they wear are important aspects of the match to both spectators and luchadores. Learn about this fascinating sport and cultural phenomena from exhibit co-curator Davison Koenig and wrestlers Sol de Oriente and El Cuervo, and Eddie Veralde, a Nogales trainer of wrestlers. |
| Pt.10 | Northwest Mexico (enhanced) ~ Save & Listen Masks are a part of secular and holy ceremonies and celebrations in Yoeme (Yaqui), Mayo and Tarahumara cultures of northern Mexico and southern Arizona. Among these communities there are variations in how the masks are decorated and the attitudes held about them. For some, certain masks are holy and will be burned after the ceremonies they are a part of; for others, some masks can be sold to outsiders. Yaqui educator and cultural specialist Felipe Molina shares his intimate knowledge of Yaqui masks traditions. ASM store manager Martin Kim talks about the difference between Yoeme and Mayo masks made in Sonora, Mexico, and the difference between those and the ones made in the Yaqui villages in Tucson, Arizona, USA. |
| Pt.11 | El Taller (enhanced) ~ Save & Listen This section of the exhibition is a recreation of a mask carver's workshop. Craftsmen use many tools and materials to create their masks while they draw inspiration from both the traditional and the modern. Mask maker and our guide, Zarco Guerrero excites us with his knowledge of his craft. |
| Pt.12 | The Essence of a Mask (enhanced) ~ Save & Listen For those interested in collecting masks there are many elements to consider. Masks in Mexico are created for different reasons: as folk art, as components of religious ceremonies or traditional celebrations, as talismans... The story behind the mask may be the most valuable thing about it. ASM store manager Martin Kim shares his knowledge and understanding of collecting traditional art forms. |
Special Thanks to Gateway for their support of the Masks of Mexico Audio Tour.
Many thanks also to the University of Arizona Disability Resources Center for transcribing the tour episodes.
Episodes 2–13: Masks of Mexico Audio Tour ~ Audio-only Version
A student-produced audio tour of the Masks of Mexico: Santos, Diablos
y Más exhibition. The tour is also available in an enhanced version which includes images. Please see our FAQ for more information about which version is best for you. Although the tour episodes follow the order of the exhibition sections, you can listen in any order that strikes your fancy.
| Pt.1 | About the Tour ~ Listen Now / Read Transcript The Masks of Mexico audio tour was created by students Erich Healy, David Kemper, Shannon Kolder, and Adan Martinez-Kee as part of an internship at the University of Arizona. They worked under the direction of Lisa Falk, ASM director of education. The audio tour is a companion to the exhibition Masks of Mexico: Santos, Diablos y Más at the Arizona State Museum. |
| Pt.2 | A World of Mexican Masks ~ Listen Now / Read Transcript Upon entering the exhibition, visitors see a wall full of masks. This outstanding mask collection continues to fascinate people. Meet Zarco Guerrero, a mask maker and educator living in Mesa, Arizona, who serves as our guide for the tour. Museum staff members discuss the allure of the masks, some history of the collection and how the museum works to preserve the masks. Hear from exhibit designer and co-curator Davison Koenig, exhibit co-curator Diane Dittemore, and conservator Teresa Moreno. |
| Pt.3 | Of and for the Gods ~ Listen Now / Read Transcript Masks in Mexican culture have been important since Precolombian times. Tigre (jaguar) masks were part of religious ceremonies and represented fertility and power before the arrival of the Spanish. Today, in some rural towns, the jaguar dances are performed annually, continuing these ancient traditions. Gayle Castañeda of the Castañeda Museum of Ethnic Costume shares her knowledge. |
| Pt.4 | The Reign of Spain ~ Listen Now / Read Transcript When the Spanish came to the Americas they played off the indigenous tradition of masked dramas. They used masks to overcome the language barrier, telling stories of their own greatness and spreading the message of Christianity. Dr. Lydia Otero of the University of Arizona shares her insights. |
| Pt.5 | Parachicos Masked Drama ~ Listen Now / Read Transcript Masked dance dramas continue to be important elements of holiday celebrations in Mexico. Many versions exist of the story behind the Dance of the Parachicos. A common element is the blond-haired and blue-eyed Parachicos who were very kind to the young son of a wealthy woman who had become sick. In turn, she expressed her gratitude for his recovery by distributing food to the village. Gayle Castañeda of the Castañeda Museum of Ethnic Costume shares the story. |
| Pt.6 | Viejitos Masked Drama ~ Listen Now / Read Transcript The Dance of the Viejitos is loved for the humor and range of emotions that are expressed. Although the dancers are young men, they play the characters of old men who share their life stories and, for a short time, relive their youth. Gayle Castañeda of the Castañeda Museum of Ethnic Costume shares the story. |
| Pt.7 | Negritos Masked Drama ~ Listen Now / Read Transcript The Negrito masks of Uruapan, Michoacan are very distinctive and good examples of fine craftsmanship and artistry. Masks depicting black men represent many roles of black people in colonial Mexican society. Gayle Castañeda of the Castañeda Museum of Ethnic Costume talks about these various roles. |
| Pt.8 | Día de los Muertos ~ Listen Now / Read Transcript In Mexico, death is commemorated on Día de los Muertos, at the start of November. Rather than a somber occasion, it is a time to celebrate life. The masks help you enter in the mood of celebration. Dr. Lydia Otero of the University of Arizona shares her insights. |
| Pt.9 | Lucha Libre ~ Listen Now / Read Transcript Lucha Libre fighters are pop culture icons in Mexico today. In the wrestling ring, they enact the age-old drama of good vs. evil. The masks they wear are important aspects of the match to both spectators and luchadores. Learn about this fascinating sport and cultural phenomena from exhibit co-curator Davison Koenig and wrestlers Sol de Oriente and El Cuervo, and Eddie Veralde, a Nogales trainer of wrestlers. |
| Pt.10 | Northwest Mexico ~ Listen Now / Read Transcript Masks are a part of secular and holy ceremonies and celebrations in Yoeme (Yaqui), Mayo and Tarahumara cultures of northern Mexico and southern Arizona. Among these communities there are variations in how the masks are decorated and the attitudes held about them. For some, certain masks are holy and will be burned after the ceremonies they are a part of; for others, some masks can be sold to outsiders. Yaqui educator and cultural specialist Felipe Molina shares his intimate knowledge of Yaqui masks traditions. ASM store manager Martin Kim talks about the difference between Yoeme and Mayo masks made in Sonora, Mexico, and the difference between those and the ones made in the Yaqui villages in Tucson, Arizona, USA. |
| Pt.11 | El Taller ~ Listen Now / Read Transcript This section of the exhibition is a recreation of a mask carver's workshop. Craftsmen use many tools and materials to create their masks while they draw inspiration from both the traditional and the modern. Mask maker and our guide, Zarco Guerrero excites us with his knowledge of his craft. |
| Pt.12 | The Essence of a Mask ~ Listen Now / Read Transcript For those interested in collecting masks there are many elements to consider. Masks in Mexico are created for different reasons: as folk art, as components of religious ceremonies or traditional celebrations, as talismans... The story behind the mask may be the most valuable thing about it. ASM store manager Martin Kim shares his knowledge and understanding of collecting traditional art forms. |
Special Thanks to Gateway for their support of the Masks of Mexico Audio Tour.
Many thanks also to the University of Arizona Disability Resources Center for transcribing the tour episodes.
Episode 1: Las Super Luchas ~ Listen Now / Read Transcript
Professional free-style masked wrestling in Mexico is deeply embedded in popular culture and is known as Lucha Libre. This "poor man's theater," which explores universal themes of good and evil, grew out of traditions of masked dances and ceremonies that extend back to pre-Hispanic times.
This audio feature was created by Nelson Warnell of KUAZ Radio at the University of Arizona for Arizona Spotlight (April 14, 2006). Used with permission.
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