The package.unmask location
Important: The Gentoo developers do
not support the use of this location. Please exercise due caution when doing so. Support requests related to package.unmask and/or package.mask will not be answered. You have been warned.
When a package has been masked by the Gentoo developers and you still want to use it despite the reason mentioned in the package.mask file (situated in /usr/portage/profiles by default), add the desired version (usually this will be the exact same line from profiles) in the /etc/portage/package.unmask file (or in a file in that directory if it is a directory).
For instance, if =net-mail/hotwayd-0.8 is masked, you can unmask it by adding the exact same line in the package.unmask location:
Code Listing 3.1: /etc/portage/package.unmask
=net-mail/hotwayd-0.8
or in the package.keywords file /etc/portage/package.keywords
Code Listing: /etc/portage/package.keywords
x11-wm/compiz
x11-wm/compiz-fusion
x11-wm/emerald
gnome-extra/nautilus-dropbox
Gentoo handbook