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Vejigante statue

 
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Title
Vejigante statue
Description
A statue of a vejigante, a folkloric character symbolizing resilience and resistance in Puerto Rico. The figure weats a voluminous costume with billowing bat-like wings in red, white, and blue with silver accents representative of the Puerto Rican Flag. In each hand, the figure holds an inflated bladder, representing those used by vejigante to make mischief during Carnival. Two red horns sit atop its head, two tusk-like horns protrude from the sides of its mouth, with another rhinoceros-like horn protruding from the center of its long snout. Each horn is speckled with blue and white. Its mouth remains open, unable to close due to two rows of long, sharp teeth. The figure's skin is blue and speckled with red and white. The tips of horns on the figure's head are damaged, as seen here.
Format Extent
1 wooden sculpture; 34.3 x 20.3 cm (13 1/2 x 8 in)
Subject
Carnival; Folklore--Puerto Rico; Taino mythology
Note
Vejigante is a mischevious figure appearing in both celebrations of Carnival and La Fiesta de Santiago Apostol (the Feast of Saint James). In La Fiesta de Santiago Apostol, which celebrates the expulsion of the Moors from Spain, vejigantes represent the Muslim Moors, and are figures of resilience and resistance to those of African descent in Puerto Rico. In Carnival, vejigantes are characters of revelry and mischief. The exaggerated and grotesque facial features of the vejigante masks are indicative of African art and suggest significant artistic influence by the folklore and artistic traditions of enslaved African people and their descendants. On the wooden base an inscription reads, "Puerto Rico." This artifact was acquired from a local artisan.
Collection
Jim and Jeanne Pieper Collection, AR-010, A2010
Donor
Jim and Jeanne Pieper
Type
Keywords
Geographic Location
Puerto Rico
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