International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research (IJSSAR)

Background: This study examines character traits and cultural expressions in ancestral worship through a comparative analysis of the Egungun Festival in South-West Nigeria and Día de los Muertos in Oaxaca, Mexico. ? It? addresses a gap in comparative museolog?ical literature, particularly the lim?ited integration of African masquerade trad?itions within global discussions of intangible cultural heritage and museum representation. Obje?ctive: T?he study aims to explore how reverence for ancestors, humor, and commu?nity identit?y are exp?ressed thr?ough ritual performance, co?stumes, and sensory cultural practices, as well as their implications for tourism and museology. M?ethod: A qualitative compa?rative case study approach was adopted, drawing on r?ecent secondary sources, academ?ic literature, and institutional reports published between 2020 and 2025. Results: Findings reveal that both festivals strongly reinforce communal identity and moral values, though expressed differently through embodied masquerade performances in? Egungun and altar-based commemorations in Día de los Muertos. B?oth? traditions also contribu?te significantly to local economies through cultur?al tourism an?d creative industries.
Conclusion: The study concludes th?at bo?th traditions offe?r valuable insights for m?useums, empha?sizing the need for immersive, multisensory, and communit?y-centered approaches to representing living cultural heri?tage. Unique Contrib?ution: This study contributes to comp?arative museological s?cholarship by integ?rating African masquerade traditions into global discourse on intangible cultural heritage, highlighting their relevance in contemporary museum representation? and cultural tourism studi?es. Key Recomm?endation: Museums and cultural instit?utions should adopt more inclusiv?e, participatory, and sensory-driven exhibition strategies that actively engage source c?ommunities in the interpretatio?n and presentation of living heritage traditions.