Ubicación: Tócuaro

A few kilometers from Pátzcuaro is the municipality of Erongarícuaro, which is home to the town of Tócuaro, internationally famous for making hand-carved wooden masks, pieces that represent the duality of good and evil; life and death.

This place, whose name comes from the word “tokua” which means “stone axe”, is accessible via an excellent panoramic road that passes through different small towns, such as Huecorio, Tzentzénguaro, Santa Ana Chapitiro and San Pedro Pareo.

The artisans who bring these pieces to life start with a piece of wood such as copadillo, avocado or jacaranda and with the help of knives, gouges, machetes and hoes, they capture in each of the crafts: gods, animals, natural forces and beliefs of our ancestors.

Some of the most commonly used figures in Tócuaro masks are devils, skeletons, and various animals such as frogs, snakes, and crocodiles. The imagination of the artisan who carves the piece is key to bringing it to life; the colors he uses, the shapes, and the expressions on the face are a product of his creativity.

The first masks that were made were made of clay, however, over time this material was replaced by wood, since it was less heavy for the dancers and easier to handle in the hands of the artisans.

Estos coloridos y surrealistas rostros son usados en las tradicionales danzas que distinguen a Michoacán. En la entidad existen aproximadamente 80 danzas y cada una de ellas es representada con una máscara, como la Danza de los Cúrpites, Los Enguangochados de Janitzio o Los Negros de Uruapan, así como la famosa Danza de los Viejitos. Otra de las máscaras más famosas es la del diablo, la cual es usada en la danza de las pastorelas.

Nowadays, these wonderful creations are still made 100% by hand and can take from one week to several months to make, as is the case with masks made for competitions.

In Tócuaro, you can visit the workshops and witness how artisans shape masks from a single piece of wood and express diverse meanings such as life and death. These pieces are made in pieces from 8 to 25 centimeters.

This artisan tradition has been passed down from generation to generation, with the firm objective of preserving the artisanal masks of Tócuaro as part of the Michoacan culture. Work that has also earned them recognition in Mexico and the world for their wonderful creations.