The Vejigante
Celebrating Puerto Rican Traditions with Artist Ena Ramille
Cultural traditions and celebrations instill feelings of belonging, and for Ena Ramille, art has given her a way to reconnect to her Puerto Rican heritage.
In 1995, Ena moved to the United States from her home in Puerto Rico to Florida, where she would meet her future husband, who was about to enlist as active duty in the military. Ena had a background in art and a commercial art degree, and turned to her love for creating during her husband’s long deployments as a way to cope with his absence.
Much of Ena’s art included drawing and painting, but in 2022, she found herself longing to reconnect with her Puerto Rican culture and decided to explore the art of making Vejigante masks, traditionally worn at Puerto Rican festival celebrations, but more specifically from the city of Ponce Carnaval.
Creating Vejigante masks is a very unique craft, and one that artists often learn from seasoned artisans in workshops and through one-on-one teaching. In early 2023, Ena had the opportunity to visit Puerto Rico, and during her time there, she reached out to Vejigante mask artisans to learn more about the specific techniques involved in making the traditional masks.
“The Ponce Carnaval is a traditional celebration honoring St. James taking place in mid February and ending in March with the season of Lent. Mask styles differ depending on the location of the festivals, with specific colors and styles represented in specific areas. The North side of the island in the town of Hatillo, has one type of mask made with wire, while in Ponce we have the paper mache mask, with several different versions of it, to include one carved out of coconut from the Eastside town of Loiza”, Ena explains.
The use of the masks originated in medieval Spain as a way to scare attempted conquerors, and their use in festivals evolved to represent a demon motivating people to go back to church. During the Carnaval, mask-wearers would smack festival goers with blown up cow bladders as a playful way to remind attendees to return to church.
Today, the carnavals are fun, vibrant, and colorful, with long-standing traditions represented in the colors and features of the masks. Mask artisans are sought out to hand-craft custom masks for festival-goers, to ensure the mask fits correctly and is designed to the liking of the wearer. The Vejigante mask has become a symbol of Puerto Rico.
Ena has found the process of making the masks to be rewarding and fun, as she learns the specifics of crafting them. For many Vejigante artisans, it’s all about the mold. The initial mold is the foundation for all of their masks, and it is the artisan’s signature that identifies the mask as their creation. Molds can then be used to create all kinds of designs, typically animals, such as dragons and birds, as the mask is shaped with paper-mâché and clay. After the design is complete, the mask is painted in bright colors and decorated with cultural designs, colors of the region’s flag, and embellishments like earrings that add intention and bedazzle to the finished
piece of art.
The mask Ena carries into our meeting is in the likeness of a huge dragon head, colorfully painted in gold and blue, with giant horns protruding from the entire face. Ena tells me these are the colors of the flag from her hometown of Caguas. Pineapples and arrows, also symbols from the flag, are on the mask, which bears sharp white teeth spiking out from an open, red mouth. This is just one of Ena’s creations, and she’s eagerly looking forward to wearing it at the upcoming festivals. A large-sized mask can take up to four months to make.
Since Ena began delving into the world of Vejigante mask making, she has felt a new and special connection to her culture and an added element of excitement surrounding the Carnaval celebrations. “Art is about the intention,” Ena explains. “I put good intention and positive energy into all of my masks.”
“It’s a tradition that’s getting lost,” Ena tells me. Artisans skilled in Vejigante mask making are getting older, and the younger generation isn’t as knowledgeable about the tradition. Ena hopes to bridge the gap to help other artists learn how to make the masks, and keep the tradition alive.
As Ena has discovered and learned the art of Vejigante mask making for herself, the path has opened many doors for her. “I’ve traveled and met all kinds of people,” she says.
Ena’s first mask on display for the local community was at Bo Bartlett Center’s “Beyond Go Figure IV” art exhibit last summer. This led to her receiving an invitation from the Columbus Artists Guild to participate in their annual member art show, and at the show her mask was selected by the Columbus Library to be on display for a full year. It can currently be viewed at the Macon Road branch of the Columbus library.
Ena’s masks are a breathtaking sight to behold. She currently has two masks on display for the Dichotomy exhibition at Cochran Gallery in LaGrange, where they will be on display until March 2. She also has artwork and masks on display at Bodega1205 restaurant, and has an Etsy shop at ArtbyEnaRamille.
As Ena moves forward, her eyes dance with excitement looking forward to the upcoming Carnaval where she plans to wear her mask for the first time. She also hopes to learn the unique dance performed at the celebration. Beaming with pride for her culture and rediscovered connections, Ena is grateful for the opportunity to share a piece of her home, and herself, with the local community.
Ena’s art can be found on her social media @artbyenaramille on Instagram and Art by Ena Ramille on Facebook.
By Natalie Downey