Why did West Africans wear masks?
Why did West Africans wear masks?
Africa possesses a long tradition of masking and it is believed that masks were integral to their culture long before the first century B.C. The wide variety of uses for masks, which included rituals of myth, creation, and hero worship, as well as fertility rituals for increase, agricultural festivities, funerals or …
What do West African masks represent?
In general, masks tend to represent spirits or beings important to the ritual in which the mask in used. The wearer of the mask is often believed to be able to communicate to the being symbolized by it, or to be possessed by who or what the mask represents. To African cultures, masks aren’t playthings or decorations.
What do the patterns on African masks represent?
The patterns are combined on masks to represent the prohibitions, rules for proper conduct of life, and requirements of the spirits the masks represent–they are visible forms of the soser of the Lobi.
Where did African masks originated from?
Almost all peoples have used masks to disguise themselves. Prehistoric rock paintings suggest that masking may have been part of magico-religious ceremonies. An image of an African mask first appeared in the central Sahara thousands of years ago.
What do the colors of African masks mean?
Red- Life & blood; Gold- Fortune; Blue- Innocence; Green- The earth and Africa as the mother country; Black- The Unity of the people of Africa -show their understandings of one selected African mask – Brainstorm ideas for creating their own personal masks.
What is a West African mask?
“Masks of Mali” by photographer Anthony Pappone. Whether of wood, copper, ivory, or leather, whether semi-abstract, anthropomorphic, or architectonic in form, whether simple or superstructural, the West African mask is less of a covering than an interstice, an opening through which to glimpse the spirit world.
What is the history of African mask collecting?
The history of African mask collecting has gone through several stages since Europeans began to collect masks in the 19 th century during their colonial forays into Africa. At first, Europeans treated masks as ethnographic objects, and displayed them in natural history museums alongside taxidermied animals, exotic plant remains and fossils.
Who are the best mask makers in Africa?
WEST AFRICA. The Dogon are possibly the most well developed mask makers in Africa. They have a great tradition of statues as well as masks, and their works have been long sought after by Western artists and collectors.
How many different types of African masks are there?
The number of types of African masks probably reaches into the hundreds, primarily among the cultures of West and Central Africa. Below is a sampling of ten types of masks, their uses and the cultures with which they are associated.
