The masks, known as kpeliyee, feature delicate oval faces with geometric projections at the sides. Alternate view, komo helmet mask komokun, 19thmid20th century, guinea or mali or burkina faso or cote divoire, west africa, komo or koma power association, wood, bird skull, porcupine quills, horns, cotton, sacrificial materials, 35. Masks usually are worn at ceremonies with dances and music or they will be worn in a parade. As of early april, many west african countries made it mandatory for people to wear nonmedical cloth masks whenever they went outside.
They are made out of wood, with great skill and such masks are used in ritual masquerades of edo, yoruba and igbo cultures. West africa makes face mask use compulsory i n march 2020, the visual landscape in west africa changed as people started wearing face masks in public places, especially those living in urban areas. When possible, he interviewed the village carvers, the creators, of these dancing masks. African art, the visual arts of native africa, particularly subsaharan africa, including such media as sculpture, painting, pottery, rock art, textiles, masks, personal decoration, and jewelry for more general explorations of media, see individual media articles e. Africa has many tribes who share the same region and language base, and generally has similar traditions and customs. The role of earth shrines in the sociosymbolic construction of the dogon territory. Unmasking the meaning behind color in african art baltimore sun. Introduction to west african art in a social context 169 classical west african art 171 art and religion in west africa 172. The carvings often represented gods, spirits or ancestral figures.
African art history, characteristics, types, paintings. By paying close attention to the art form while visiting a gallery, museum, festival or any other location, youll discover more hiddenunknown facts about the masks. I began my mask making unit with a short video of the dogon tribe from mali known for their ceremonial mask creations. For example, woodcarvers throughout africa made remarkable masks and statues. Jan 05, 2021 a ppt with an extensive 38 range of west african masks with descriptions. We appreciate these masks and headdresses for their symbolism and the abstract beauty of their design. Cultures of west africa the arts, rituals, traditions. Traditional african masks national museum of ghana.
In early africa, the arts were a means of serving religion. Many groups of people, each with their own language and ways of life, have lived in west africa. Therefore, ceremonies designed to sustain ancestral spirits and their power over the earth were a central part of traditional west african. Download the mask and open the pdf file in a pdf reader such as adobe reader. The inherent lack of realism in african masks and african art in general is justified by the fact that most african cultures clearly distinguish the essence of a subject from its looks, the former, rather than the latter, being the actual subject of artistical. Historically, african masks were only to be worn by chosen or initiated people for special ceremonies related to such important events as war preparations, harvest, funerals, or hunting. May 09, 2017 even in the west, the word theatre often denotes very different realities, and what is meant by theatre in one country is not always the same as what is meant in others. Ten important facts about the kingdoms of west africa. Throughout the region, artists produced wooden masks representing in highly stylized manners ancestral spirits as well as various divinities. One approach to an understanding of artefacts which has proved. The roots of african theatre ritual and orality in the pre. African benin bronze oba king mask nigeria benin, african tribal.
African masks african mask examples, african mask information, african mask design, african mask artists, african mask styles, african mask. This notion was in no way directly related to his day job. Masks were carved from wood textiles were stamps with patterns, and sometimes pieces of fabric were applied to. Western construct, applying to the objects assumptions and stereotypes that are outside of african cultural framework. In it, students will research an important west african leader, determine symbols and colors that would represent their. Organize and complete any missing work for the africa notebook. Quick facts about african tribal, animal or ancient masks. In the thand 14 centuries, metalworkers produced bronze and iron statues at ife in what. This is a fun and creative research project on west african people. West africans, seeking to preserve the images of their ancestors, excelled in woodcarving and sculpture in terracotta, bronze, and brass. African masks and western soci ety, weinhold, u, berg en dal, afrika museum, 2001. The people of western and cen tral africa whose art is. Drumming drums play an important role in west african culture. Students create a mask using 3 adinkra symbols and 3 personal symbols, while incorporating color symbolism.
The popular notion of art in the west, however, is very different, for it is thought to comprise masks and very little elseexcept, perhaps, local colour. This misconception has been enhanced by the aforementioned european concept of fine art, but it may have originated in a dependence, during the first period of western interest in african art, upon collectible artifactssome of. The most recent edition, the fourteenth, was held from february 24 to march 3, 2018. This article uses african masks to spark appreciation for these cultural. African art history, characteristics, types, paintings, sculptures.
It would be unwise, therefore, to expect to find in ancient black africa types of theatrical performances analogous to european forms although connections to ancient. The sowei mask is unique because it is danced by a woman. African mask are usually shaped after a human face or some animals muzzle, albeit rendered in a sometimes highly abstract form. Most subsahara african tribes has their origins in central and west africa.
Beside human faces, many african masks are made in the shapes of the animals. Art is integrated into everyday life in traditional african cultures in a way that may be unfamiliar or opposed to western views of art. Most african masks are made from the natural materials available to the makers. Adaoma, hand carved sese wood adaoma good lady mask from ghana. Toward an ethnohistory of european cloth marketed in west africa, 18731960, ethnohistory, vol. Take me, hand painted sese wood mask from west africa. I have included 5 blank masks and 3 pages of features. Jan 11, 2021 the baule people are a farming culture from the ivory coast in west africa. West african drums are made of hollowedout logs or pieces of wood. African masks from the collection of james gaasch by james. The masks are used for ceremonial and religious purposes. Kota figures are carved in wood and covered with sheets of brass or copper to increase their power. In it, students will research an important west african leader, determine symbols and colors that would represent their biographical experiences, and then create a griot storytelling mask of the character.
Here is a really fun african mask project with very little prep time. Now you will explore west africa s rich cultural legacy. Indigenous west african religion saw the force of god in all things. Face mask kpeliyee senufo peoples the metropolitan. In dancing the mask, the sowei channeled the spirits of female ancestors, becoming an embodiment of mystical power, called angafa. The west african mask as sculptural, aesthetic, and museumworthy that the mask may be, it cannot, and was never meant to, stand on its own, at least in traditional west africa. Tribes of africa information and facts african crafts market. Drummers perform at parties, religious meetings, and ceremonies, such as weddings and funerals.
Masks are believed to embody the spirit of an ancestor, and symbolize a message of wisdom, prosperity, security, and power. West africa combine the sounds of the kora with electronic music. Adams, m 1986 women and masks among the western we of ivory coast african arts vol. The designs of african masks are based off two things. If you print the coloring page version, color the mask with crayons, markers, paint, etc. Practitioners of west african indigenous religions believed the spirits of their direct and remote ancestors could influence their lives. African masks from the collection of james gaasch contains photographs of the african masks and carvers from the bwa or bwaba, winiama and mossi peoples of burkina faso, and the bamana and dogon peoples of mali. With the addition of a west african tribal mask to your homes design scheme, you will find that your walls come alive with the exotic energy of the world from which your newest piece originated. But border closure, curfew, market closure and limited internal movement already impact key value chains in the. In many cultures, masks are an important part of traditional rituals. Peter quartey, the textiles and clothing industry in ghana, the future of the textile and clothing industry in subsaharan africa, bonn.
The above list of things about african masks has certainly shed new light on the african art form. For thousands of years, african peoples have used masks in ceremonies. A blank map of the african continent for country labels to be added. African mask ceremonies are held by many different people for many different reasons. Philosophers of art in the west might agree that works of art are simply. A ppt presentation including maps, links to picasso and some example masks. Why can masks masquerades be viewed as a cultural system. West african masking traditions and diaspora masquerade carnivals. The film takes us to a journey of discovery in museums and galleries, of the everyday objects and the cult ones, of the mysterious fetishes and masks of th. African journal of the international african institute 38 1.
Pdf diverse education professionals learned about african cultures in a workshop. It is currently held biennially in evennumbered years. This book has engaged with the history, religious idioms, symbols, and the music, dance, and drama that go with african masks and masquerade and african diaspora carnivals. The maska west african ceremonial object curriculum unit 85. The mask and its wearer offered a model of ideal behavior for new members to emulate and a demonstration of female virtues and wisdom to the larger community. Apr 18, 2007 in the art of africa, the mask is a versatile, multipurpose facade. Gaasch acquired many of these masks in the villages where they were carved. African art the market of masks documentary of 2015. West african masking traditions and diaspora masquerade. West african art was intimately related to religious practice. It is believed in some african tribes that they make possible to communicate with animals spirits of savannas and forests. For a discussion of the characteristics, functions, and forms of masks, see mask. Raised and incised scarification patterns ornament their smooth, glossy surfaces.
The ashanti live in central ghana in the rain forests of west africa approximately 150 miles away from the coast. African masks information and examples artyfactory. It is alleged by its supporters to confer fertility, to instill notions of morality and proper sexual comportment, and to maintain an interest in the wellbeing of. Though many casual observers tend to generalize traditional african art, the. African mask dogon kanaga rabbit mask mali wood dogon mask. The ashanti are a major ethnic group of the akans ashanti and fanti in ghana, ghana is a fairly new nation, barely more than 50 years old, and ghana was previously called the gold coast. The designs celebrate abstract qualities like beauty, courage, mischief, and nobility. The cleveland museum of art houses many masks from west africa. A powerpoint presentation followed, and i discussed the colors. Various reasons led to their migration across the continent, and this sharing of main origin is seen clearly in their common root languages. T he kota are noted for their sculptural figures which are called mbulungulu.
In west africa, they are used in ceremonies which purpose is to communicate with ancestral spirits. It is a fante symbol of the chief as a person of knowledge. African masks are usually shaped after a human face or some animals muzzle, albeit rendered in a sometimes highly abstract form. Download african canvas books, over a period of three years travel, acclaimed photojournalist margaret courtneyclarke has documented the artifacts and traditional art of west african women, particularly their brilliantly colored and dynamic wall painting. Founded to help preserve traditional cultural practices in the modern age, festima features masks and traditions from several west african countries. Ashanti people, tradition and culture african crafts market. They use masks in a daylong festival of dancing and celebration called goli.
However, the african art of the mask extends far beyond the mask itself. Week 2 masquerade as art, practice, and society igbo people, nigeria september 19, day 4 cole, herbert m. The sande society initiates girls into adulthood by rituals including female circumcision. Land was the basis of wealth and social status for traditional cultures in africa. Considered feminine, the masks honor deceased senufo elders with their grace and beauty. It may signify identity and the ancestors, politics and medicine or the invisible world of the spirits.
By knowing the background, social origin and functionality of african masks. The inherent lack of realism in african masks and african art in general is justified by the fact that most african cultures clearly distinguish the essence of a subject from its looks, the former, rather than the latter, being the actual subject. Studentcentered environment awakening student ownership. The african art collection at the metropolitan museum of art is celebrated as one of the most important. See more ideas about french west africa, west africa, africa. Curated by bryna freyer compiled by deborah stokes edited by migs grove photographs by eliot elisofon. African canvas by, african canvas books available in pdf, epub, mobi format. The information will go a long way in regards to appreciating this craft item. Although each specimen is unique, male antelopes are typically carved with rows of openwork, zigzag. African masks mask making is a major tradition in west and central african.
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