Carnival Dominicano Masks and Descriptions Page 2

Traditions | Myths and Legends | Superstitions | Religious Beliefs | Celebrations of Patron Saints |

El Hombre en Zancos/ The Man on Stilts (from San Cristobal ) Have hugh costumes either high above their heads or they are walking on stilts.

Taimácaros (from  Puerto Plata ) are diablos wearing a mask that covers the entire body representing a Taino god or an ancient Spaniard, with a colorful shell covered belt at their waist.

Cachúa (from Barahona) has small spikes covering their devil mask many fashioned after the local creatures. The mask is covered with long, flowing, colored paper representing hair with their costumes having the bat looking wings, unique patterns and capes. These creatures jump around in the street and have whip cracking battles. The louder the crack the better.

Los Indios/ The Indians (from Santiago) dress to look like he Taino Indians and act out different scenes.

Los Pirulíes (from Cabral Baraona) - These are children dressed as Indians with a skirt made of coconut leaves.

El Doctor/ The Doctor (from San Cristobal ) wears glasses made of wire and dried orange skins, running throughout the crowd looking for women to cure. There are also entire medical crews acting out different scenarios.

El Jinchaíto is the main person of carnaval in Moca  They also have their other characters including Los Chacales, Los Búhos/ The Owls, Los Cibernéticos, Los Indeseables/ The Undesirable Ones, Los Coyotes/ The Cyotes, Los Diablos Azules/ The Blue Devils, Los Dragones/ The Dragons are among the most popular in this region.

Los Brujos/ The Witches. Sometimes these characters can be quite frightening. The one pictured on the left blew fire out of his mouth.

Los Galleros   This is a small play acted out in the streets between two farmers holding their roosters. They decide to fight their roosters in the middle of the street. While they are engaging in the fight the police arrive to stop the fight and arrest the men. This is one of the many play acting shows that occur during Carnival.

Roba la Gallina/ Chicken Robber (from San Cristobal and Salcedo) These fun characters are dressed in brightly colored dresses, with a huge butt and breasts, carrying an old umbrella and a big purse. This character hits all the Colmados begging for food and drink that he-she shares with the crowd representing its chicks. It is thought to come from the old tradition of tar and feathering a person that stole a chicken and making them walk through the streets. This bazaar person yells out silly rhymes (ti-ti, manatí, ton-ton, molondrón, roba la gallina, palo con ella) while he begs for food. This is a very popular Carnival character.

Guloyas (San Pedro de Macoris) dress in bright colors with long strips of cloth in red and yellow. The suit is decorated with mirrors. They dance around to the music of la flauta/ the flute, el cencerro/ bells la tambora/ drum.

Los Travestis/ The Transvestites are men dressing up as women that is to signify their machismo-ness. They are always a crowd favotire. (remember much of Carnival is opposites or the upside down world).

Califé is a social and cultural poet. He makes verses that make jest and comically criticizes the government and political figures. He wears black and white with a big black hat.

La Muerte en Yipe/ Death in a Jeep (Hermanas Miribal/ Salcedo) is a skeleton and skull costumed death figure that has wounds dripping with blood. The name comes from the days when the Death characters used to climb up on the backs of the jeeps that towed the floats during the carnival parades. They hold a scythe.

The Civiles/ Civilians (from Montecristi) fight the Toros/ Bulls with loud cracking whips known as látigos. El Toro wears a dotted, flat animal mask and a thick padded costume to protect against the wrath of Los Civiles who crack their large whips that they use to fight the bull. These characters have mock battles that are not mock when the whip hits you! The bull will be the victor in the upside down world of Carnival.

Las Marimantas (from Yerba Buena) - They cover their bodies in tree branches. Their heads are covered with a shell and the masks are made of cow leather.

Los Tiznaos/ The Stained One paint themselves with old motor oil that makes them a nasty shiny black. They run through the crowds accepting money so that they will not hug you.

Africanos use charcoal to blacken their flesh and wear loin cloths sometimes made from plantain leaves and do not wear shoes. They also carry a spear. Some wear afro wigs, paint their faces the color of the flag or wear gourd masks, all depending on what the character wants to do.

*Carnaval in Cuidad Colonial 2013 Picture Album

*Dominican Republic Carnaval 2012 Picture Slide Show

*Pictures of Carnaval Dominicano / Dominican Carnival 2010

*Carnival 2008 slide show

*Old Carnival picture slide show

For more information about Carnival masks go to dominicanmasks.com

Carnival groups websites: