Mateuverte · CC BY-SA 3.0Kamba ra'anga masks
Kamba ra'anga
Lightweight, brightly painted wooden masks that take to the streets during the feast of Saints Peter and Paul.
What it is
Kamba ra'anga means 'image of the Black man' or 'of the mulatto'. These masks are carved from timbó, a light, easy-to-work wood, and depict human faces, animals and fantastic beings, painted in vivid colors. Artisans in Altos also carve animal figures and mythological characters. The masks come to life on June 28 and 29 at the festival in the rural district of Itaguasu.
History
The festival, of colonial origin, stages mock battles between kamba and Guaicurú warriors played by masked characters. Tobatí has a similar mask tradition tied to its patron-saint festivities.
Did you know…?
Altos is also the hometown of Luis Alberto del Paraná, the singer who carried Paraguayan music around the world.
Where to buy
From artisans in Altos and in the Rosado district of Tobatí. To see the masks in action, head to Itaguasu, about 2 km from Altos, on June 28 and 29 (confirm the program each year).