The sight of discarded masks on roadsides has become an eyesore and worse a major health risk not only against the corona virus.

Believe it or not even before the outbreak of corona virus cultures across the globe people wore masks for various reasons.

According to Ghonche Materego a theatre director, other tribes in southern Tanzania had a culture of wearing masks which were either used in specific dances or for religious purposes.

The masks at these grand balls allowed people to do or say what they pleased without fear of retribution.

While one may still find masks lining the canals of Venice during the carnival and the occasional grand ball in the dance halls of France, the fall of the aristocracy hit the masquerade hard and night clubs gradually took the prized place of the costumed balls.