Mask of the Ancestors

secrets of Hyrule and Termina

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In those days the world of mirrors and the world of men were not, as they are now, cut off from each other. They were, besides, quite different; neither beings nor colors nor shapes were the same. Both kingdoms, the specular and the human, lived in harmony; you could come and go through mirrors.

One night the mirror people invaded the earth. Their power was great, but at the end of bloody warfare the magic arts of the Yellow Emperor prevailed. He repulsed the invaders, imprisoned them in their mirrors, and forced on them the task of repeating, as though in a kind of dream, all the actions of men. He stripped them of their power and of their forms and reduced them to mere slavish reflections.

Nonetheless, a day will come when the magic spell will be shaken off.

(The Fauna of Mirrors, by Borges)

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Kilpeck “Hound and Hare” corbel

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Monument to the Battle of the Nations, Leipzig

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Kengo Kuma, Kodama Pavilion, 2018

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Challenge idea for Hylian artists

You are court painter to the Queen of Hyrule, entrusted with an ambitious decorative program for the palace. With the guidance of the Sages, the Queen has sought to express the kingdom’s deepest philosophical and religious ideals. The Sages, eager to assert their interpretations and outdo one another in complexity and refinement, have provided you with a formidable task: the first grand composition, The Allegory of Mind.

At its heart are the Three Oracles, depicted dwelling together in humble quarters—not divine beings themselves, but emissaries of the Goddesses, embodying the aspects of mind governed by the Hylian virtues. Nayru, the Oracle of Wisdom, reads aloud from a book or scroll, illuminating her companions. Din, the Oracle of Power, tends to the heart—perhaps as a guardian or through a gesture of warmth and reassurance. Farore, the Oracle of Courage, brings sustenance: food to nourish the body, beauty in the form of flowers, or light distilled from flame, offered as tapers for reading.

How will you compose this scene? Will you depict only Hylian women, emphasizing their sisterly equality and allowing their individuality to recede into symbolism? Or will you include a Gerudo woman—introducing the risk of igniting debate over the portrayal of races and the intrinsic hierarchies of the Triforce?

Compositional Arrangement

Since this is an allegory, the spatial relationships between the figures should be highly intentional. A triangular arrangement, subtly mirroring the Triforce, would be ideal: Nayru seated at the apex, reading aloud; Din at one lower corner, tending the heart; and Farore at the other, engaged in her act of nourishing. The shared space should feel intimate—perhaps a simple hearth with a wooden table or woven floor cushions, reinforcing the humility of their abode. A small window could offer a glimpse of the greater world outside, hinting at their influence beyond the domestic sphere.

Symbolism in Gesture and Setting

Each Oracle’s action should be rich with symbolism. Nayru’s book or scroll could feature ancient Hylian script, reinforcing the depth of wisdom she imparts. Din’s warmth could be depicted not just through her gesture but also through a subtle glow around her. Farore’s offering—whether food, flowers, or light—could be dynamically presented.

The Question of Models

The choice of models introduces deeper ideological concerns. An all-Hylian cast would evoke a sense of equality and unity, reinforcing the sisterly balance of the virtues. However, including a Gerudo woman, particularly as Din (aligned with Power), would immediately call forth the political weight of racial coding in Hyrule. This would introduce a layer of tension—perhaps fruitful, perhaps disruptive—into the work’s reception. A possible compromise could be to subtly blur racial markers, drawing on shared elements of Hylian and Gerudo aesthetics to create a more universal representation.

Would the Queen prefer a clear, harmonious message, or would she be intrigued by the conversation that a more provocative choice might spark? That depends on the political climate of her court. Either way, this is a commission that will be scrutinized long after the paint has dried.

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The Grand Elephant of Nantes

Divine Beast Vah Ruta

“Delarozière is not particularly interested in the elephant looking like an elephant, nor his other creations, such as the ray fish or shrimp, closely resembling nature. The purpose of the works, he says, is their transgression of the real and the imaginary. They are made to partially resemble creatures which, through their illusiveness in the real world and proliferation in the narrative world, have entered into myth.”

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Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace

Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace

A Skyward Sword influenced album dedicated to poeticizing Blackness.

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But no way out of this

No way for us to find a way to peace

We never found before

However we regret

All we will ever know

Is bitter ends

For we are born to war

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Domestic relief from Delos, Greece.

It shows a Mother Goddess, a Father God, and a bearded serpent (Agathos Daimon or "good demon", worshiped as household god.)

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“Thus the woman is the original seeress, the lady of the wisdom-bringing waters of the depths, of the murmuring springs and fountains, for the original utterance of seerdom is the language of water.”

— Erich Neumann, The Great Mother

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The cultural myths and legends of Hyrule, as they have developed and evolved over time, reveal deep-seated tensions between patrilineal and matrilineal legacies, reflecting broader struggles over gendered power and influence. These tensions are buried under a carefully constructed façade of consensus and coherence, but cracks in this narrative offer a glimpse into the ideological contestations beneath.

The Divine Progenitors: Hylia vs. Rauru

At the heart of Hyrule’s mythological structure is the question of rightful origin and authority. The goddess Hylia is often presented as the divine matriarch and progenitor of the Hylian people, a being whose sacrifice and transformation into mortal form underpin the foundation of Hyrule’s cosmology. However, her centrality is complicated by the prominence of Rauru, the first king of Hyrule and a Zonai—a divine race associated with otherworldly wisdom and power. While Hylia’s influence is foundational, Rauru’s establishment of the monarchy casts him as the architect of Hyrule’s societal order, potentially overshadowing her.

Rauru’s relationship with Queen Sonia further muddies the waters. Sonia’s pastoral connections and seemingly humble attire evoke a matrilineal legacy rooted in nature, fertility, and cyclical time. In contrast, Rauru’s narrative arc often frames him as an active creator and a bearer of linear progress. This dichotomy between Sonia’s perceived naturalism and Rauru’s rational order reflects a cultural valuation where patriarchal authority elevates the female principle only insofar as it aligns with or serves a male-centric vision of governance.

Zelda and Link: Gendered Dynamics of Wisdom and Courage

The roles of Zelda and Link further exemplify the gendered tensions embedded within Hyrule’s mythology. Zelda, as the bearer of Wisdom, embodies the archetype of the matrilineal custodian of power. Her significance is tied to her bloodline, a connection that reinforces traditional associations between femininity, reproduction, and the cyclical perpetuation of the royal legacy. This alignment of femininity with the natural and material world situates Zelda’s power as inherent but also bounded—she must fulfill a biological destiny to sustain her role.

Link, by contrast, as the bearer of Courage, is often portrayed as transcending natural limitations through a combination of conscious will, discipline, and spiritual resolve. His role requires guidance from Zelda, acknowledging her superior wisdom, yet his independence and individual heroism are framed as markers of a higher, more rational principle. This dichotomy reflects patriarchal valuations of the male principle as elevated and intellectual, while the female principle, though revered, is relegated to a supporting, material role.

Buried Consensus and Narrative Coherence

Over time, these tensions are smoothed over in Hyrule’s official narratives, which weave together elements of both matrilineal and patrilineal traditions into a seemingly unified mythos. The prominence of Hylia is acknowledged, but her role as progenitor gives way to a royal lineage established by Rauru. Similarly, the gendered dynamics between Zelda and Link are presented as complementary rather than hierarchical, though subtle biases persist.

This forced coherence reflects a broader cultural process of mythmaking, where competing legacies are reconciled to present an image of harmony. However, the unresolved discrepancies—such as Sonia’s ambiguous elevation and Link’s dual status as both subordinate and superior to Zelda—reveal the underlying struggle. These myths are not merely stories but ideological battlegrounds, where questions of gender, power, and legitimacy continue to play out.

In this way, Hyrule’s legends serve as a mirror of cultural anxieties, preserving traces of unresolved conflicts while presenting a veneer of stability that upholds the social order.

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The theme of reincarnation in The Legend of Zelda franchise, as it pertains to Link and Zelda, can be examined through the lens of gendered notions of renewal and continuity. These notions shape the significance of reincarnation for both characters, reflecting deeper implications for identity, personhood, and their intertwined destinies.

Zelda: Reincarnation as Lineage and Continuity

For Zelda, reincarnation often ties into the bloodline of the Hylian royal family. Her connection to the goddess Hylia underscores a continuity rooted in the body—each Zelda is a direct descendant, inheriting not just her role but the burden of divine heritage. This aligns with traditional gendered conceptions where a woman’s renewal is tied to natural cycles—birth, lineage, and the perpetuation of bloodlines.

Zelda’s reincarnation represents a renewal of responsibility and trauma across generations. Each iteration of Zelda carries the memory, whether explicit or symbolic, of her predecessors’ sacrifices, struggles, and victories. This inheritance is embodied—Zelda’s identity is as much conditioned by her body (a vessel for Hylia’s power) as it is by her upbringing and circumstances. The physicality of this cycle also aligns with a feminine archetype of natural regeneration, where each Zelda is not a wholly new person but rather a manifestation of an eternal role.

Implications for Personhood:

• Zelda’s identity is tied to obligation and inheritance. She is less an individual and more a part of a larger, unbroken line.

• Her reincarnation emphasizes continuity over change, reflecting the idea that her personhood is shaped by what she carries forward—be it power, wisdom, or trauma—rather than personal reinvention.

Link: Reincarnation as Initiation and Cultural Renewal

Link’s reincarnation takes on a more artificial and cultural dimension, reflecting a masculine conception of renewal. Unlike Zelda’s embodied inheritance, Link is not tied to a bloodline but instead to the role of the Hero, which is bestowed upon him through destiny and initiation. Each reincarnation of Link undergoes a process of awakening, often tied to mastery of skills, acquisition of items, and acceptance of his fate.

Link’s identity is therefore shaped by circumstantial conditioning—he becomes the Hero not because of who he is intrinsically, but because he fulfills an external cultural role. This reflects a broader notion of masculinity as something achieved rather than inherited. His reincarnations emphasize transformation rather than continuity, with each Link being shaped anew by the trials he faces and the world he inhabits.

Implications for Personhood:

• Link’s identity is more fluid and contingent, shaped by external forces like quests, companions, and enemies.

• His personhood is defined by his actions and achievements, rather than by an inherited essence or lineage.

Reincarnation, Metempsychosis, and the Truth of Identity

For the common people of Hyrule, reincarnation might be understood in a simplistic, mythical sense as metempsychosis: the literal rebirth of souls, a fantastic phenomenon where the same individuals return time and again. This perspective aligns with a symbolic and moralistic worldview, emphasizing cycles of good and evil. The truth, as known to the Hylian royal family, is more complex and grounded in the intertwining of destiny, divine will, and cultural roles.

For Zelda, this truth highlights her as a focal point of divine continuity—a symbolic bridge between goddess and people, whose personhood is subsumed by her role. For Link, the truth underscores the constructed nature of his heroism: he is less a person and more a vessel for the cultural ideal of the Hero, an identity imposed by circumstances rather than inherited naturally.

Sharing of Trauma and Legacy

Both Link and Zelda experience reincarnation as a sharing of trauma and legacy:

• Zelda inherits the collective memory and burden of her predecessors, which can restrict her individuality. She is both herself and every Zelda before her, embodying the accumulated weight of the royal line.

• Link, by contrast, inherits the responsibility to act, but his individuality is less tethered to a shared memory. Each Link is a blank slate, conditioned by the era he is born into, which allows him to adapt but also means he lacks a consistent personal continuity.

Symbolic Gender Dynamics

The contrast between Zelda’s and Link’s reincarnations reflects symbolic gender dynamics:

• Woman as natural renewal: Zelda’s identity is rooted in the physical, the inherited, and the cyclical. Her reincarnation ties her to the earth, the bloodline, and the past.

• Man as cultural renewal: Link’s identity is constructed through actions, choices, and initiations. His reincarnation ties him to the ideals and demands of the present.

Together, their roles symbolize the balance of nature and culture, continuity and transformation, in the eternal struggle to preserve Hyrule.

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The comparison between Männerbünde (male warrior bands often associated with ritualistic, mythological, and cultural aspects of wolves) and the relationship between Link and the Hero’s Shade (the Golden Wolf) in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess reveals interesting thematic parallels. Both concepts center on ideas of transformation, mentorship, initiation, and identification with wolves as symbols of guidance and strength.

Key Similarities

1. Identification with Wolves:

• Männerbünde: These groups often used the wolf as a totemic symbol of their identity. Wolves represented ferocity, loyalty to the group, and a liminal state between the civilized and the wild. In Indo-European traditions, such as the Germanic and Norse sagas, warriors were likened to wolves for their cunning and martial prowess.

• Link and the Hero’s Shade (Golden Wolf): Link himself transforms into a wolf in Twilight Princess, symbolizing a primal, untamed aspect of his heroism. The Hero’s Shade, who takes the form of a spectral golden wolf, represents wisdom and the martial legacy of past heroes. This mirrors the idea of the wolf as a guiding, mystical figure in Männerbünde lore.

2. Mentorship and Initiation:

• Männerbünde: Entry into these groups often involved rites of passage or initiation, which tested the individual’s ability to channel the wolf’s strength and wisdom. The wolf acted as both a spiritual guide and a reflection of the initiate’s journey to mastery and identity.

• Link and the Hero’s Shade: The Hero’s Shade functions as Link’s mentor, teaching him advanced combat techniques that symbolize his progression from a novice hero to a master warrior. The Shade’s wolf form reflects this mentor-student dynamic, tying it to the idea of spiritual guidance and the transfer of warrior knowledge.

3. Liminality and Duality:

• Männerbünde: These bands operated on the edge of society, embodying a liminal space between order (civilization) and chaos (wilderness). The wolf, often seen as both a predator and a social animal, perfectly encapsulates this duality.

• Link and the Hero’s Shade: Link exists in a liminal space between human and wolf, light and shadow, mortal and mythic hero. His relationship with the Hero’s Shade highlights this duality, as the Shade is both a past incarnation of himself (a human) and a supernatural wolf.

4. Mythological Depth and Symbolism:

• Männerbünde: Wolves in these traditions are not merely animals but are imbued with deep mythological meaning. They are often associated with the Wild Hunt, Odin’s wolves, or berserkers, who sought to embody wolf-like qualities in battle.

• The Golden Wolf: In Twilight Princess, the Hero’s Shade’s wolf form symbolizes the mythic archetype of the hero’s journey. The wolf’s golden coloration elevates it to a divine or otherworldly status, tying it to Link’s destiny and the sacred lineage of Hyrule’s heroes.

5. Warrior Spirit and Lineage:

• Männerbünde: These warrior groups often emphasized the continuity of martial values, passing down skills, tactics, and ethos from one generation to another.

• Link and the Hero’s Shade: The Hero’s Shade is a literal manifestation of Link’s heroic lineage, passing down his skills and regrets to ensure Link fulfills the destiny of the hero.

Conclusion

The relationship between Link and the Hero’s Shade (Golden Wolf) in Twilight Princess aligns closely with the cultural and symbolic elements of Männerbünde. Both narratives explore themes of wolf-based identity, mentorship, and initiation into a warrior ethos. The wolf serves as a guide, a symbol of transformation, and a marker of connection to a larger, mythic tradition of heroism.

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The comparison between the Carnival of Time in The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask and Frazer’s description of giants in carnival parades in The Golden Bough reveals some intriguing parallels, particularly in terms of ritual, transformation, and symbolic meaning.

1. Ritual and the Cyclical Nature of Time

In Majora’s Mask, the Carnival of Time takes place just before the world is doomed to end, creating a sense of urgency and inevitability. The inhabitants of Clock Town engage in festivities to mark the end of a cycle and to prepare for renewal (though the literal destruction of the world is prevented by Link’s actions). The festival is a celebration of time’s passage, with people celebrating the potential for change, rebirth, and transformation.

In The Golden Bough, Frazer describes carnivals as times of symbolic transformation and reversal, where social norms are temporarily suspended. The giant figures in the carnival parade often symbolize forces of nature or deities and are involved in ritualistic processes of life and death, decay and rebirth, representing the cyclical rhythms of life. In both Majora’s Mask and Frazer’s work, there is a connection between the performance of rituals and the cycles of time, where death (or the potential for death) and renewal are central themes.

2. Symbolism of Giants in Ritual and Carnival

Frazer discusses the appearance of giants in European carnivals, particularly in the form of oversized effigies or costumes. These giants often represent mythical beings or figures of authority and power. They serve as symbols of primal forces and gods whose influence is acknowledged and temporarily embodied through these ritual performances. The giants’ roles are often linked to fertility, harvest, or the cycles of life and death.

In Majora’s Mask, there are figurative “giants” represented by the four guardian giants of the regions of Termina. Each giant is tied to a specific area of the land and is invoked to protect Termina from the falling moon, acting as monumental figures whose presence, like Frazer’s giants, connects to the larger forces of nature. The carnival-like festival in Clock Town also echoes the larger-than-life significance of these figures, as they are not just physical protectors but also embody symbolic forces—such as the elements or aspects of the earth—that help to stave off the impending doom.

3. Social Reversal and Masking

Both in Majora’s Mask and in The Golden Bough, carnival parades are marked by social reversal and the suspension of the usual social order. Frazer emphasizes that during carnivals, roles and hierarchies are reversed—lords become peasants, and common folk are temporarily elevated to positions of authority. Masks, as part of this process, allow individuals to shed their ordinary identities and take on new, often more exaggerated roles, creating a space for both catharsis and celebration.

In Majora’s Mask, the concept of masks is literalized through Link’s ability to wear different masks, each transforming him into a different persona. These masks represent various forms of power and identity, and by wearing them, Link temporarily assumes the roles and abilities of the characters associated with them. The masks in the game thus embody a similar transformative function as those described by Frazer—providing a form of social and personal release and allowing individuals to temporarily inhabit a different status or identity. This parallel extends to the Carnival of Time, where the inhabitants of Termina engage in the festivities with the knowledge that the normal order of things is about to be upended.

4. The Power of the Collective

Frazer’s description of carnival giants also points to the collective power of the people involved in the rituals. The carnival is not just about individual celebration but about community solidarity, often in the face of existential or cosmic threats. In Majora’s Mask, the Carnival of Time reflects the communal effort to stave off the end of the world. The people of Clock Town, despite their personal struggles and the looming doom, come together to celebrate and temporarily transcend their individual concerns.

This collective spirit echoes Frazer’s argument that carnival rituals, while appearing chaotic or frivolous, often hold deeper social functions. They serve to reassert community bonds and reinforce collective resilience in the face of adversity. In Majora’s Mask, this is mirrored by the way the townspeople come together to hold their festival, even though they are fully aware that the end is near—yet they continue the traditions, suggesting that rituals and festivals are a form of psychological and social resistance to the inevitable.

Conclusion

Both the Carnival of Time in Majora’s Mask and the carnival giants in The Golden Bough serve as symbols of the cyclical nature of time, the transformative power of rituals, and the role of community in dealing with existential crises. While Frazer’s analysis of carnival giants focuses on European rituals steeped in myth and social functions, Majora’s Mask presents these ideas within a more fantastical and symbolic framework. Yet, in both, we see a celebration of life and death, the inversion of social norms, and the power of collective identity—all fundamental aspects of human experience tied to the rituals and symbolism of carnival.