reply to post by Holodomor
It's interesting to note that the chosen image of Anonymous, aka "Legion", is a devilish-looking mask (of Guy Fawkes).
The person wearing the mask feels internally transformed and takes on temporarily the qualities of the god or demon represented by the mask.
(Biedermann, Hans. Dictionary of Symbolism, p. 218)
According to Wikipedia:
The function of the masks may be magical or religious; they may appear in rites of passage. Equally masks may disguise a penitent or preside over
important ceremonies; they may help mediate with spirits, or offer a protective role to the society who utilise their powers.[6]
Some African tribes believe that the animal masks can help them communicate with the spirits who live in forests or open savannas. Pueblo craftsmen
produced impressive work for masked religious ritual, especially the Hopi and Zuni. The kachinas, god/spirits, frequently take the form of highly
distinctive and elaborate masks that are used in ritual dances. Korean masks have a long tradition associated with shamanism and later in ritual
dance.
The nō mask is the supreme achievement of Japanese mask-making. Nō masks represent gods, men, women, madmen and devils.
Some 2500 years ago, kings and commoners alike were entertained by dance and mime accompanied by music where the dancers often wore masks, a vestige
of an earlier era when such dances were enacted as religious rites. According to George Goyan, this practice evoked that of Roman funeral rites where
masked actor-dancers represented the deceased with motions and gestures mimicking those of the deceased while singing the praise of his life.