Africa | Leaping Bobo Bush mask dancer. Burkina Faso | ©Carol Beckwith Angela Fisher

Langania village, Tantanua dance (mask dance). At dawn, masked warriors come out from the sea. They guard the bearer of a heavy, towering mask whose spirit purifies the graveyard and Malagan house for the public ceremony. The Malangan is a kind of wooden totem that belongs to the chief of the clan or the village. The chief has to be beaten to blood with lime stones to show his bravery, and to deserve to have the Malangan. © Eric Lafforgue www.ericlafforgue.com

Dating back from pagan times, Bulgarians have an ancient tradition called Surva. People wear scary costumes with brass… by rossenpavlov

Explore carlos gonzález ximénez's photos on Flickr. carlos gonzález ximénez has uploaded 2286 photos to Flickr.

Today is Krampus Day in Austria, a day when this ancient monster returns to the community to frighten people into being good (his sidekick: St. Nicholus!) Krampus–a large, hairy, horned monster dragging chains, flailing clubs–enters festivals all over the nation to great crowd-shrieks, pretending to whip and beat people. Like a running-of-the-bulls, bystanders take great delight in fleeing the monsters. When I lived in Austria I absolutely fell in love with Krampus! It may seem strange but…

9269 views on Imgur: The magic of the Internet

Sos Merdules Bezzos, mask of Sardinia.

Mamuthones maschera tradizionale di #Mamoiada #Sardegna Mamuthones traditional mask of #Mamoiada #Sardinia #Italy

Zezengorri, Basque Country, Spain. The Zezengorri is the guardian of caves and chasms who comes out every second weekend of February for the region's carnival. Photo: Charles Fréger

Laconi (OR) - 2° edizione di "Segaripezza", sfilata delle maschere tradizionali della Sardegna

Kuker mask - Bulgaria - proof Link's Kukeri from Zelda are Bulgarian ;)

“Dancing Skeleton costume, Tibet, c.1919, National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh via @Irr_Anatomist #FolkloreThursday”

Sestu (CA): kranovali Sestesu "Ariseu e Oi" - Rassegna di maschere tradizionali

Post with 112080 views. Traditional & Ceremonial Pagan Costumes of Europe

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