Mask Making with Linda Green

Each time that I travel to Belize I receive messages in my dreams for weeks before I leave. They call me to the Rainforest, Rivers, Sea and People of this beautiful country. Before I traveled on my ninth journey to the village of San Pedro Columbia, I received a calling from the animals, or what I had thought were animals. The Wee Wee Ants and Jaguar that called me in my dreams turned out to be some of the delightful children of the village.

On most trips to the village of Columbia I bring art materials to share with the children who attend classes or programs initiated by IAIA. On this particular journey I was surprised with a day planned by Connie Burk, who told me that we would be making masks with the children who had been working on a play based on an old K'ekchi' myth. Among other animal masks, she said we'd need several Wee Wee Ant masks!

We began the morning transporting our paints and clay in our backpacks, wading across the Columbia River toward a muddy trail and our 30-minute hike to the village. I was filled with excitement and apprehension about the day ahead.

Connie and I arrived in the village early on that Saturday morning and went about collecting children. We ultimately found ourselves begging mothers to allow the children a few hours of reprieve from their chores. Since young girls about 8 or 9 years old are expected to watch the babies and younger children as their mothers work, our group was comprised of girls from 5 to 7 years old and boys aged 8 to 10. We unlocked the village center and unlatched the wooden shutters, bringing light to our long table lined with benches. I watched Connie lovingly gather her flock as they looked at her with anticipation and wonder.

Each child was given paper strips and glue. The boys went to retrieve water. We had several samples and drawings of animals for them to attempt to duplicate. The modern mask-making clay that I had brought would be used for molds for the papier-mâché masks.

I have created projects with many children throughout my life, yet never have worked with such innocence. The children were excited, yet I was still a bit apprehensive of my ability to complete the project, especially after discovering the meaning behind my dream about the Wee Wee Ants. I had experienced several close encounters with these small and powerful creatures of the jungle, crossing over their path many nights as each carried its body's weight of green pieces of leaves, always in a line and seemingly in a hurry.

On this particular day the ants were three young girls. They were not very experienced artists, but began the project diligently, working like the ants themselves. The faces of the masks began to form. Connie was at one end of the table and I was at the other, mentoring the children as, with gooey hands, they smoothed rough particles, formed masks, and discovered the spirits of their animal creations. I was surprised at the great ability and talent of some of the boys. If not for this experience, they may never have had the opportunity to demonstrate their artistic abilities.

As the children began to complete their masks, it was clear that they wanted to do more. I had brought paints for another project, and showed how they could collect and print plants on paper after painting them with various colors. Once again laughter filled the room. I heard "Leenda Green! Leenda Green!" coming from all directions. Some of the children who weren't so talented with the mask making began to create unexpected designs. The boys experi-mented with plant printing on the building's concrete steps. The designs were beautiful.

After playing with the paints and cleaning up, the group indulged in a juicy watermelon feast. A grand time was had by all. Then, we went to the river to wash our dishes and to bathe. Laughter danced upon the river as it often does with the children of Columbia. It was great fun.

A dory appeared, and Jerry poled us upriver to our home in the jungle. I could hear Connie singing with gratification behind me as we walked through the bamboo toward the gardens and finally home. It was a day I will always cherish.

Slipping off to sleep that night, I heard the jungle's night sounds. I wondered if those little ants were hearing the same sounds as they drifted off to dreamland. I gave thanks for the learning opportunity they had shared with me.

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