Module 6

Aztec Masks

Having seen all the Aztec masks in the powerpoint I noticed that all these masks have a sense of superiority to what the human being is.
Like these masks we all wear different masks each day. Such masks may be for example the student: which we use to fit into the role that society has made acceptable for someone to be considered a student. There is also the son/daughter, friend, spouse, mother/father, even further on to having masks that fit carrers such as a doctor, teacher, politician, religious leader. When wearing one of these masks we tend to fit the role society expects and wearing the masks gives us a certain amount of power. For the Mesoamerican dead kings we see how these masks they wore in their tombs had a sence of some superiority, although the masks that we have seen made look all similar expressing some point of uniformity. Perhaps our masks are made to fit what society wants while the Aztecs saw that masks were to remind them that their gods held the power that as humns they owed them.
These masks, as I see it, help us fit perfectly into this world we try to be our best and often these masks are also ways to not show fear. Seeing the Aztec mask of the god Tezcatlipoca (Smoking Mirror) or the mask representing both Quetzalcoatl (feathered serpent)/Tlaloc (the rain god) show some fear that they had to the superior power. Masks like the ones that we see super heros wear are because it helps us hide our real identity to allows us to do extraordinary things that we wouldn't do normally.

Moduel 3
Maya people today face difficulties that I thought wouldn't exist as much. It is unbelievable that in Chiapas these indigenous people were denied something as basic as phone service, this being in 2001. TelMex had Mut Vitz apply three times just for telephone services in order to communicate for their business. It is sad how even with the governor's help with documents they were told that no telephone service would provide to the hundreds of people, even though they would pay for the services. This is just showing how even within people with some similarities there is no real acceptance, perhaps no understanding that even the Maya people who are 'indios' can strive and live during our time. How is it possible that such services be denied to people with a large business as coffee that is in fair trade? If this is just denying a group a way of communication it is only trying to force them to be less than the rest.
The Maya men in Guatemala not wearing their traditional clothes because of the danger of "calling attention" in being recognized as Maya, this is just showing how there is fear to keep representing who they really are. I wonder how these men can keep their traditions and life styles when part of who they are is not accepted, something that causes some fear in them perhaps.