Egungun — The Ancestral Masquerade

When the Egungun masquerade appears, the ancestors walk among the living. Dressed in layered cloth that hides their human form entirely, the Egungun is not a costume — it is a vessel. The spirit of the ancestor enters the masquerade and speaks through it, blessing the community, settling disputes, healing the sick, and maintaining the unbroken connection between the living and the dead that is the foundation of Yoruba spiritual life.

These signs carry the masquerade cloth, the ancestral staff, and the presence of those who came before.