Spanish máscara . Possible ancestors are Latin (not classical) mascus , masca = "ghost"; Hebrew masecha = "mask"; Arabic maskharah مَسْخَرَۃٌ = "jester", "man in masquerade ", maskhara مَسْخَرَ = "he ridiculed, he mocked", masakha مَسَخَ = "he transfomed" ( transitive ).   Masks according to http://www.rebirth.co.za/African_mask_history_and_meaning.htm : Ritual ceremonies generally