Meet the

Bat

Some speculate that BAT mas has its origins in early devil mas- a character in a band of hellish creatures of the underworld.

Eventually, however, it came to be known as its stand-alone mas portrayal-becoming recognized as a mas that most embodies and honors the kinesthetic movements, postures, and sounds of an animal. The costume is usually a black or brown leotard that tightly fits over the masquerader’s body, a bat mask that envelopes the entire head and large wings that span several feet. The most notable bat portrayals aim to be as anatomically accurate to the creature as possible, particularly with the wings. So dedicated these players are in embodying their animal mas it’s a playful saying among elders that bat mas players tend to end up actually looking like bats the other 363 days of the year.