Mascara: a luchador's mask, said to be a "sacred" item in the world of lucha libre. In Mexico, mascaras are given such a great importance that many luchadores will rarely be seen without them (on and off the ring) to maintain their anonymity.* Losing a mask is considered a great source of shame for a luchador, a ritual that most commonly happens after a lucha de apuestas. Modern masks are made out of many fabrics including cotton, nylon, and vinyl, these come in many shapes, sizes, and colors and often evoke the images of ancient gods, comic book heroes, and animals.
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| Mascaras being sold by a street vendor |
Mascaras are very popular in Mexico, and will often be found in other mediums. It is not uncommon for soccer fans to design lucha libre masks with the logo of their favorite team to wear during matches. Additionally, images of mascaras can be found in purchasable items ranging from t-shirts and baseball caps to key sleeves and condoms.
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| Soccer team Chivas showing off their new team lucha libre masks |
Editor's Note: When I was training lucha libre in Mexico I never saw a luchador wear his/her mask around the gym where I trained. Many instead maintained the secret of their identity by opting to never be called by their luchador name in public. In fact, most of the people I trained with did not know the secret identities of many of the professional luchadores who worked out at the gym, although honestly it was not hard to figure it out based on tattoos and other tells that differentiate people. Getting to know the identities of wrestlers was a privilege that was not given to all the trainees. To this day, one of my favorite memories during my time in Mexico was getting to meet the amazing people behind the masks.
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