Nahual Toná Mask – Zapotec Deer Shapeshifter – Native Carving Signed by Jesus Morales

Handcrafted from copal wood by master alebrije artisan and indigenous Zapotec Don Jesus Morales. This gorgeous piece will come with two eye hooks should you decide to display it by hanging. Some collectors have specialized shelves or corner cabinets where they display these pieces, so Sr. Morales did not embed the hooks. The wood is lightweight and soft, and the hooks can be embedded by hand if desired.

This piece represents the duality of the nahual (or nagual) in Oaxaca folklore.

Human cultures in the past believed in the existence of a duality between man and nature, in which a person might adopt the attributes, traits, or abilities of an animal with whom they shared a spiritual connection. This isn’t unique to Oaxaca. Egyptian, Sioux, Apache, and First Nation peoples of current-day Canada all shared similar beliefs.

Toná was the name the Zapotecs gave to the guardian animal, and it was identified with each individual from the day of their birth. When a child was born, the father drew a circle of lime and mezcal at the house’s entrance to learn the child’s toná.

The circle was left overnight, and the scent of it attracted spirits in the form of animals. The father would go outside the next morning and look for the animal’s tracks that had been protecting the entrance all night. Throughout the child’s existence, the animal that corresponds to those tracks would be the child’s protective toná.

Still in existence today is a Zapotec calendar that recognizes 20 tonás which include the jaguar, the eagle, the serpent, the frog, the dog, the hummingbird, the owl, the turtle, the mockingbird, the iguana, the possum, the chameleon, and many more.

The Nagual is an extension of the tonal belief system. Whereas the toná is more of a spirit animal, the nagual (or nahual) is more of a familiar. The word translates roughly to “shapeshifter” or trickster transforming witch. Naguali (or nahuales) are able to shape shift into an animal, and use their powers for good or evil, depending on their personality. The nagual is seen as someone who can be a protector of the community, its culture, and the surrounding nature. They are highly revered, but also highly feared.

We have commissioned many more pieces from Señor Morales, as his style and craftsmanship along with his gentle and friendly manner has really endeared him to us. His excitement for his traditional art combined with his talent make this young artist one that is destined to become incredibly popular and collectible in the years to come.

We make sure everything is purchased so that a fair trade and living wage can be achieved by the artists. We do not haggle, and we do not ask for volume discounts. Our mission is to bring beautiful pieces here that we love, and we think others will love while supporting the amazing artists in Oaxaca.