There is beauty in cultures outside of our own and it’s beyond unfortunate when they are walled-out. I picked up a miniature version of one of these leather Tigre masks, the most recent time I backpacked in Mexico with my parents (this was just after Trump had taken presidency). Tigre is colloquial for Jaguar. It would take essays to explain the expansive symbolism, cultural significance, and meaning of the Jaguar in Mesoamerica and their ancient ancestors, like the Olmec, Maya, and Aztec. It seems that each Mexican civilization created its own ideas and beliefs of what the jaguar means to them. It appears in the forms of rock sculpture in ancient cities, their pelts were worn by leaders, their innate ability as hunters became a role-model for warriors, and the Guerrero state flag even has a Jaguar warrior on it. This particular style of Tigre mask is from Zitlala, Guerrero. Men from different barrios put on jaguar costumes and hit each other over the head with knotted rope (for the feast day of the Holy Cross). The fighting is imperative to appealing to the deities for rain during the spring planting season. How relevant, I thought it would be in 2016, to put this mask of Mexican significance onto one the most American archetypes, in support for those who identify as both Mexican and American, and Mexicans who seek to land in America. If this warrior was a daredevil, they could jump the wall whenever they please.