A masquerade ceremony (or masked rite, festival, procession or dance) is a cultural or religious event involving the wearing of masks. The practice has been seen throughout history from the prehistoric era to present day. They have a variety of themes. Their meanings can range from anything including life, death, and fertility. In the Dogon religion, the traditional beliefs of the Dogon people of Mali, there are several mask dances, including the Sigi festival.[1][2] The Sigi entered the Guinness Book of Records as the "Longest religious ceremony".[3]
Among other examples are West African and African diaspora masquerades such as Egungun masquerades, Eyo masquerades, Northern Edo masquerades, the Omabe festival of Nsukka, the Akatakpa festival of Obollo-Afor, Caribbean Carnival (which is called "Mas"), Jonkonnu, and Mardi Gras Indians.
- ^ Bruijn, Mirjam de; & Dijk, Rijk van, The Social Life of Connectivity in Africa, Palgrave Macmillan (2012), pp. 250, 264, ISBN 9781137278012. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
- ^ Adjaye, Joseph K., Time in the Black Experience (Issue 167 of Contributions in Afro-American and African studies, ISSN 0069-9624), Greenwood Publishing Group (1994), p. 92, ISBN 9780313291180. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
- ^ "Longest religious ceremony : Sigui Mask Festival", Guinness World Records. Retrieved March 13, 2020.