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Vintage Cojó Mask from La Danza Correr del Pochó

$175.00

Vintage Cojó Mask from La Danza Correr del Pochó ca. the 1970s – measures roughly 6″ x 6″ and 4.5″ in depth

During Carnival and the saint’s holiday of Tenosique, local Chontal people perform La Danza Correr del Pochó, or less formally, El Pochó. El Pochó is a pre-Christian god that the missionaries tried to characterize as evil.  As a result, modern festivals end in the defeat and burning of Pochó. The Danze del Pochó has three main characters: cojóes, the pochoveras, and the tigres. They dance to the music of native flutes and drums. Cojóes are representations of the first Chontal people. The reason for the mask is said to be that Pochó immediately considered human beings his enemy, and so the Chontals wore masks so that Pochó could not recognize them.