Buzz
In the past, the garments we wore were not just for warmth. They often served as artistic expressions, rich with symbolism that reflected our cultures and beliefs.
Some tribes, who do not even wear clothing, still incorporate costumes into their rituals, with roles and meanings that are, today, scarcely understood. As time marches on and the world becomes more uniform, these costumes are fading from use and memory—and the stories they carry are slipping away.
10. Yup'Ik Shamans
The Yup’ik people hail from the icy, harsh winters of Siberia, where food can often be scarce. When hunters ventured out to gather sustenance, they depended on the magical guidance of shamans.
Yup’ik shamans wore extraordinary hand-carved wooden masks, adorned with vibrant paintings, and led ceremonies designed to ensure successful hunting. These rituals acted as prayers, calling upon spirits to ensure the animals they sought would be appeased.
Additionally, they functioned as the village’s medicine men. Whenever illness struck, they would invoke spiritual helpers to chase away the malevolent forces causing the affliction.
However, with the arrival of Europeans from the north, the Yup’ik people were converted to Christianity. Traditional dances were prohibited, and the masks were reduced to mere decorative pieces, hung on walls as art.
9. Navajo Chants
In the 1930s, photographer Edward Curtis lived with the Navajo people. He captured their ceremonial attire, driven by a desire to preserve the memory of a culture he feared was fading away.
He photographed the Navajo people wearing striking masks during their rituals, designed to represent their gods. This particular image depicts Nayenezgani, the Slayer of Alien Gods, invoked for miraculous births or assistance in battles.
During their chants, a man would don a costume that mimicked one of their gods, performing dances and acting out dramatic scenes. The chants served as narratives, calling upon spirits for assistance, which might bring good fortune or expel malevolent forces.
8. The Sekl’nam Spirit
The Selk’nam people, who resided in what is now Argentina and Chile, wore costumes straight out of Silent Hill. These costumes weren't just unnervingly eerie—they were intentionally designed to scare children.
These costumes were worn during an initiation ritual marking the transition to manhood. Young men were led into a dark lodge, completely unaware of what awaited them. Then, someone wearing one of these costumes would leap out, pretending to be a demonic spirit.
The intent wasn’t just to scare for the sake of it—the Sekl’nam used this practice to impart their creation myth and a life lesson. After frightening the boy, they would reveal that women once ruled the world. In those times, the women wore these very masks to frighten the men. But one day, the Sun Man realized these were just women, not spirits. He and the men then beat the women and took control.
While not exactly the most politically correct creation story, this is the belief the Sekl’nam held and passed down to teach boys the importance of overcoming fear.
7. Aztec Masks
Aztec masks weren’t merely designed to resemble human skulls—some of them were made from actual skulls. Aztec warriors would sometimes remove a victim’s face and fashion it into a mask.
The warriors weren’t the ones creating the masks—they simply provided the skulls. They would bring them to a temple, where the skulls were covered with black stone, wood, and obsidian. Occasionally, teeth and eyes were added to complete the masks.
The masks would then be displayed as artistic creations. Some were placed on the bodies of deceased nobles, to be worn in the grave.
6. Asaro Mudmen
The Asaro Mudmen head into battle covered in white clay, their heads adorned with unsettling masks.
According to their folklore, the Asaro began painting themselves white after an attack by an enemy tribe. The survivors fled, seeking refuge in the white clay of the Asaro River.
When they emerged to reclaim their homeland, they were completely coated in white. The enemy tribe, believing them to be ghosts, fled in fear—achieving victory without the need for a single weapon.
Afterward, the Asaro Mudmen began wearing white body paint and masks depicting the faces of spirits whenever they went to war. The costumes were a form of psychological warfare, designed to instill fear in their enemies and cause panic before any battle even began.
5. Tibetan Citipati Masks
Tibetan monks participate in festivals known as Cham Dances, where they don costumes and perform dances as acts of prayer and meditation. There are numerous masks and costumes on display, but none are more chilling than the Citipati mask.
This mask represents a pair of Buddhist deities known as the Citiapi. In life, they were monks so deeply committed to meditation that they failed to notice when a thief broke in and severed their heads.
In the afterlife, they vowed to avenge themselves on thieves, seeking to kill any who came near. However, since the Citiapi are dead, they can’t harm anyone unless they enter a cemetery. So, they rarely get a chance for revenge. Instead, they spend their time blowing horns and dancing—which makes death sound rather enjoyable.
4. Mongolian Shamans
Before Buddhism nearly wiped out Mongolia’s shamans, the land was filled with mystical figures who wore intricate and powerful costumes. They believed that their attire granted them magical abilities. Deer antlers would enhance their speed, eagle feathers gave them strength, and owl feathers allowed them to see in the dark.
A Mongolian shaman was selected when someone began to experience hallucinations. This was seen as a sign that the person could access the divine world of gods and spirits, prompting a shaman to come and guide them in the ways of Mongolian mysticism.
It was a pretty coveted role—part of the job involved smoking herbs and drinking alcohol when things went awry. If a significant issue arose, it was believed to be the work of evil spirits, so the shaman would induce a trance-like state to enter the spirit realm and resolve the issue.
3. The Oldest Mask Ever Found
Using masks in rituals is a long-standing tradition that dates back over 9,000 years.
This marks the age of the oldest mask ever discovered, found in the Judean Hills. It's so ancient that we can only guess its original purpose, although researchers have observed a few key features.
One notable detail is that the masks don’t follow random patterns. Some appear to be modeled after the skulls of elderly men—and potentially the faces of the deceased. They also seem to represent distinct human faces, not just generalized images.
Historians believe that these masks were designed to resemble the faces of the dead. Farmers would wear them as part of storytelling, letting children see the face of a departed ancestor while hearing stories about them.
2. Warumungu Ceremonial Paints
The Warumungu people, an indigenous group once based in northern Australia, held vibrant ceremonies adorned with intricate body paint and costumes. These customs, passed down through generations, were vital in maintaining their cultural heritage before they were displaced from their ancestral lands.
The men of the tribe would paint each other with vivid red and white bands, crafting hats from tree bark. They would reenact hunting scenes, romantic encounters, and battles. At times, they would perform stories of their ancestors or demonstrate the roles that spirits played in their lives.
These rituals were designed to educate the men of the tribe and seek assistance from spirits. However, the teachings conveyed in these ceremonies were kept strictly confidential. Outsiders and women weren’t allowed to observe.
1. Kwakiutl Ceremonial Dances
The Kwakiutl, indigenous people from British Columbia, reside along the waterways that separate Vancouver Island from the mainland. They are known for creating some of the most stunning Native American artwork. For the Kwakiutl, art was not just a craft, but an essential aspect of their culture, one that every young person was expected to master.
Their elaborate costumes were showcased during potlatches, ceremonial gatherings where the Kwakiutl would come together to exchange gifts, arrange marriages, and announce changes in their social hierarchy.
During these events, they would frequently don masks and perform dances intended to invoke powerful spirits or reenact the tales of how their ancestors coexisted with supernatural beings.
