This hand-carved stork mask embodies the refined artistry and ritual heritage of Guatemalan folk tradition. With its elongated, downward-curving beak and stylized painted features, the mask recalls the "cigüeña"—a figure both iconic and enigmatic within highland festival dances. Worn in communal celebrations and ceremonial dramas, such masks serve as living bridges to ancestral myth and local storytelling. The visible handwork, age-softened paint, and utilitarian string mark it as a genuine artifact of cultural performance, not mere décor. Rarely encountered outside its region of origin, this singular piece stands as both sculpture and document: a testament to the enduring spirit of Guatemala’s artisan communities.
Singular hand-carved piece
Authentic ceremonial dance mask
Cultural symbolism: stork (cigüeña) in Guatemalan folk tradition
