Abinadi’s Disguise
It is also worth noting that
Abinadi, in his second prophetic venture, “came among them in disguise” but
when he commenced prophesying he announced exactly who he was. It is clear that
the disguise was only so that he could place himself in a position to prophesy
“many things” “against the people” (Mosiah 12:1, 8). Maya New Year’s
celebrations consisted of music, pageantry, processions, ritual songs, dances,
pantomimes, and dramatic performances (Christenson 2016, 100). It is likely
that Abinadi utilized a mask for his disguise so that he could present himself
and deliver his message. The Maya used masks for a variety of reasons and
occasions including to adorn (decorate) the faces of the dead, to be worn
during battle, and in Abinadi’s case, to be worn at important events.
Iconography of Pre-classic Kaminaljuyu shows the use of masks, at least in a
religious context (Henderson 2013). (Jerry D. Grover, Jr., Evidence
of the Nehor Religion in Mesoamerica [Provo, Utah: Challex Scientific
Publishing, 2017], 28)
Jerry references “Henderson 2013” in the above. One can find
this thesis at:
Lucia Ross Henderson, “Bodies
Politic, Bodies in Stone: Imagery of the Human and the Divine in the Sculpture
of Late Preclassic Kaminaljuyú, Guatemala” (PhD Dissertation; The
University of Texas at Austin, May 2013)—there are many pages dedicated to the
use of ceremonial masks in this dissertation.
Further Reading:
Ether’s Cave, “Abinadi:
Master of Disguise (Howlers #3)”