Join Puerto Rican heritage advocate Annette Ortiz for a two-day, total six-hour workshop at Tola’s Room. She will share the rich history and cultural significance of the vejigante mask and guide participants in creating their own. The workshop will be conducted in Spanish, with simultaneous English translation available. Family-friendly (recommended for ages 12+), the workshop provides all necessary materials. Participants will also enjoy traditional Puerto Rican food and drinks. Additionally, there will be an opportunity for a private tour of Tola’s Room.
Vejigante masks are vibrant and colorful and are the most substantial representation of the Puerto Rican multi-cultural background. Introduced by the Spanish throughout the Carnaval celebrations, they evolved through the Tainos’ crafts traditions and by the African factions and music. These masks, characterized by exaggerated features such as horns and wide mouths, are traditionally crafted from coconut, Higuera tree, and paper-mâché and were used to scare away evil spirits and pirates. In Puerto Rico, creating these masks is a revered and skilled tradition. This workshop is an exciting opportunity to share a deeply rooted Puerto Rican cultural tradition with both the diasporic and local Baltimore communities. As the first of its kind in Baltimore, it aligns with Tola’s Room’s mission to highlight and educate the community about Puerto Rican culture and traditions.