|
|
| Information |
|
|
African Masks
The following is a general over view of African Masks. There are still places in Africa where genuine old masks can be bought, generally through dealers. Also watch out for fakes as they do abound. Remember buy things you like as investment can go up as well as down. If you like that carving or mask then the value is not as important. The African masks of this area are well documented by Ladislas Segy in Masks of Black Africa. Much of the following section on African Masks is influenced by his work. The African masking traditions of this part of the World are extremely fertile and varied. The traditions supporting the masks are generally associated with the spirits of ancestors, rites of passage, fertility and initiation ceremonies. Dance is generally involved in the use of the masks. Segy lists the following types of ritual:- Rituals of cosmology, myth and mythological heroes or animals Fertility rites Rituals for increase Agricultural festivals Rituals for rites of passage Ancestor cults Initiations including secret societies Related Ceremonies Masks can be used for different ceremonies often having multiple purposes. The size and style of masks are diverse, depicting animals, human faces and more abstract styles in sizes from a few centimetres to 4.5 metres in the case of the Dogon Iminana ( mother mask ). With only a few exceptions the masks are all part of a full costume and not just an isolated piece of decoration.. Segy notes:- Face coverings Helmet masks Headdresses Masks with prominent breasts Amulets Insignia of grade Crowns of bead work Materials Wood The major material was wood due to the large forest and range of species available. The choosing of a tree from which to make a mask was not as we might do today, find one and chop it down. Rather the carver would seek the help of a diviner and undergo a purification ceremony and when the first blow was struck he would drink some of the sap in order to form a brotherhood with the tree?s spirit. Mask would be carved from one piece of wood with nothing jointed, with some of the masks this created severe technical difficulties when the early carvers only had simple tools. Usually green timber was used as this was easier to cut. Certain vvarieties would be used for some special masks, but in general the softer woods were used Ivory was used by the Warega and Benin. The ivory was the property of the Benin kings (Oba) and they were the only ones to wear ivory as a mark of office. The carving of the Warega was not as refined but has a strong impact. Brass was used by the Benin, Senufo and Ashanti. Other Materials Knitted materials were used as were beadwork, basketry and fabrics. Additional materials included :- shells, beads, twigs, bark, teeth, hair, beaten or repousse metal, vegetable fibres and skin, to mention a few. West Africa The masks of this area are well documented by Ladislas Segy in Masks of Black Africa. His book lists the following areas:- Guinea-Bissau Republic of Guinea Sierra Leone Mali Liberia Ivory Coast Upper Volta Ghana Nigeria Cameroon Within each of these countries can be found ancient traditions associated with individual tribes displaying common links. The areas associated with some groups cross boundaries. The names of the different tribes is too extensive to list at the moment. Equatorial Africa Congo Zaire Zambia Similar themes and traditions are found with the masks from this area when compared with those of the Western countries. In the early Fifteenth Century the well established Kongo people had close contact with the Portuguese and later some converted to Christianity. This has had some influence on the type of festivities and masks. The Kongo dominated various tribes in the area of these the Woyo and Yombe produced notable mask The Ndunga masks of the Woyo were larger than life size and had projecting foreheads large cheeks with small eyes, the surface of these faces was painted with white or brightly coloured asymmetrical designs. The Western Pende on the Kwilu River in Zaire have two major types of mask. The Minhajl, which represent the ancestors and the Mbuya which represent various village characters such as the fool, the prostitute, the chief etc. These masks are used in the reinforcement of socialcontrol. The amusing performances are brightened by the triangular faces of the masks with bulging eyes, open mouths containing carved teeth painted in a variety of colours. The more powerful Minganji masks are simpler circular forms made from raffia with tubular eyes and no other features. All the masks are constructed in secret away from the village. In the Makenda circumcision ceremony the Mbuya appear from out of the bush and dance in the village square until dusk. As the sky darkens, Minganji, masked dancers, materialise and move around the village at a distance, helping to develop the sense of awe and unease. In the secret circumcision camp the initiated youths are allowed to handle the mask as they are now fully fledged members of the society. Many other styles are found in these areas. East Africa Tanzania and Mozambique are both home to the Mekonde one of the best know tribe of mask makers in East Africa. The Mekonde masks come in various styles, the southern groups using the helmet type. The features of these masks are often realistic and are worn with a cloth covering the head of the dancer. Scarification is used. The characters represented are familiar to the local people:- the old man, the doctor, the young woman and the Arab, some animal masks are found. Over view It must be noted that the masks of Africa represent a wealth of forms and designs which have been well collected and catalogued. The total range is by no means represented here. The common connections between the masks and the different groups are obviously strong. Would you like regular updates on the Masking World? © Ian Bracegirdle 2004 1 Elderberry Close East Morton BD20 5WA UK 01535 692207 http://mask-and-more-masks.com You may use this article freely on condition that you include this copyright line and URL and that people who subsequently use this article follow the same conditions. Thank you for accepting these conditions. Ian Bracegirdle 2004 1 Elderberry Close East Morton BD20 5WA UK 01535 692207 http://mask-and-more-masks.com Teacher, Course Leader, Mask maker. Ian has studied and taught masks making and information for several years. He sees masks as a link back to our cultural origins.
Latest News:Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for news News Corp exec becomes chief of Germany's Premiere (Reuters via Yahoo! News) News Corp's chief financial officer for Europe and Asia has been named chief executive of German pay television group Premiere, following the resignation of Michael Boernicke, Premiere said on Wednesday. News Corporation to redevelop London Wapping site (Reuters via Yahoo! News) Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation is to redevelop its Wapping site in London, moving all its UK businesses, including News International, Harper Collins, MySpace and Dow Jones, under one roof. UPI NewsTrack Entertainment News (UPI) Chesney nominated for 7 CMAs ... Hoffman: I'm not playing Penguin ... 'RocknRolla' No. 1 at U.K. box office ... Jessica Simpson stops song on 'GMA' ... News from United Press International. DailyMe: News tailored to your individual tastes (The Christian Science Monitor) Column: Custom news websites come and go, but this one gets it right. Get the latest news in racing (Daily Racing Form) In order to read Daily Racing Form's free daily news stories it is required that you have a DRF.com free membership. If you do not have a DRF.com free membership, please register here . You will NOT need to be logged in to read each day's free news stories. Sarah Palin docu wins record ratings for Fox News (Reuters via Yahoo! News) In a week of records surrounding the Republican National Convention, Fox News Channel earned another one with its weekend documentary on vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. MySpace ad business ahead of target: News Corp (Reuters via Yahoo! News) News Corp's (NWSa.N) MySpace advertising business is operating ahead of expectations and its digital ad business is performing better than the marketplace, the company's chief operating officer said on Tuesday. UPI NewsTrack Quirks in the News (UPI) Peabody Hotel in Memphis declares amnesty ? Night at Hearst Castle up for grabs ? Mother: 6-year-old got stuck in washer ? Couple may keep home thanks to rare coin ? UPI Quirks in the News. UPI NewsTrack Health and Science News (UPI) Mars Lander set to run last of experiments ? Protein found to suppress skin cancer ? NASA: Gamma-ray burst was aimed at Earth ? Study: Continuous blood sugar monitor best ... Health/Science news from UPI. OREGON NEWS (The Oregonian) TWITTER Headlines delivered to your PC or PDA as soon as they're updated. SPEAK UP! Talk about the latest news. Site: news - Google News CNET News Daily Podcast: Say hello to the Palm Pre - CNET News
MORE RESOURCES: Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for humanities Arts and Humanities Prizewinners Announced by Heinz Foundation (New York Times) The visual artist Ann Hamilton is the recipient of the 14th annual Heinz Award for the Arts and Humanities. Maryland Humanities Council meeting in mountains (Cumberland Times-News) For the past two years, Catherine Gira, who retired in June 2006 as president of Frostburg State University, has served as chairwoman of the Maryland Humanities Council. 5:15 p.m. - First Y Tinaotao 5K run to benefit Guam Humanities Council (Pacific Daily News) 5:15 p.m., Sept. 10 ? The Guam Humanities Council presents the First Annual Y Tinaotao 5 K Run, Saturday, Sept. 27. The historically themed run will kick off at the Dulce Nombre de Maria Agana Cathedral-Basilica, circle past Ninth Street in Anigua, and end at the Skinner Plaza in Hagatna. Council obtains a grant to study Chamorro language (Saipan Tribune) The NMI Council for the Humanities has been awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation for a three-year collaborative project to study and help preserve the Chamorro language. Educators in row over English post (The Australian) THE Australian Academy of Humanities yesterday accused the National Curriculum Board of selecting the wrong man in its appointment of a literacy researcher to oversee a uniform school curriculum in English. 14th Heinz Award recipients are announced (Moldova.org) The Heinz Family Foundation says five Americans have been selected to receive a $250,000 award in the memory of the late U.S. Sen. John Heinz, R-Pa.The 14th annual Heinz Award recipients and their categories are:--Technology, Economy and Employment: Associate Professor Joseph DeRisi of the University of California-San Francisco, a noted researcher in molecular genomics.-- Arts and Humanities: ... Scholar to speak on ?Mockingbird' (The Brewton Standard) Alabama Humanities Foundation Road Scholar Nancy Anderson will present ?To Kill a Mockingbird: Successes and Myths? on Sept. 23, at 10 a.m. in the Atmore Public Library meeting room. The East Bay Today: September 10, 2008 (East Bay Express) Brainiac: Learn something new every day. Today's lecture: The Wire: The Audacity of Despair . The Townsend Center for the Humanities presents a lecture by David Simon, a Baltimore-based author, journalist, and writer-producer of television who is the creator, executive producer, and head writer of the critically acclaimed original HBO series The Wire . At the Maude Fife Room in Wheeler Hall. ETC.: Crayton named to BSU dean?s list (Marion Chronicle-Tribune) Christopher G. Crayton, Marion, has been named to the dean?s list of the College of Sciences and Humanities at Ball State University for the summer 2008 session. Awards presented to CDTV staff member and UM-Dearborn intern 09/10/08 (Dearborn Press & Guide) DEARBORN - Nick Wisniske, a member of the staff of city of Dearborn Television (CDTV), was recently named 2008 Spring/ Summer Mentor of the Year by the University of Michigan-Dearborn's Department of Humanities in the College of Arts, Sciences & Letters for his supervision of the educational experience of a student interning at CDTV. Site: humanities - Google News Habitat for Humanity's ReStore site of food drive - West Fargo Pioneer
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Red Violin - Film Review The film portrays the creation, fate, and redemption of a father's legacy to his unborn child: a violin. Nicola Bussoti, a master violin craftsman, has created the "most perfect acoustic machine," in hope of his unborn son to be a great musician. Precious Stones The Big Five-Part 5 The Pearl Since pearls are so rare and possess such a high degree of natural beauty, they have been considered to be among the most splendid of gems for many centuries.The people of India and Persia (Iraq) were among the earliest to collect pearls, because of the rich fisheries of Ceylon and the Persian Gulf, the Indian and Persian princes in the last century, acquired huge collections of pearls that have never been equaled, these collections would be worth hundreds of millions of dollars today. What About Those Pyramids? 'Mr. Rhodes aspired to be the creator of one of those vast semi-religious, quasi-political associations which, like the Jesuits have played so large a part in the history of the world. King Tuts Tomb was No Better - Found in America Between 603 and 702 AD. a truly marvelous temple was built by the Mayan people to honour a non-Mayan, non-Indian man. Fancy Dress Parties Fancy dress parties have been around since for centuries and were particularly popular in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries. Italy is particularly well known for contributing to the popularity of fancy dress parties. Crazy Horse My ancestry includes Colonel Miles (or Myles) Keough (or Keogh) through a relationship that apparently was not formalized with a lady who attended his grave, in a story made famous by many books on the matter. But it can only be true if this lady and her mother named Martin of the New York Governor's family, whose name is on the wedding certificate of my grandfather as a witness, kept the child a secret all her life. Babel vs. the PC Imagine a time when mankind was young. Migration led many to the land of Shinar. Masking European Animism The ancient peoples of Europe were more fond of masks and religious ritual than youwould suspect if you saw Europeans today. Mask wearing and shamanism was partand parcel of everyday life in ancient Western European tradition, say researchers. Mexican Living: The Unexplained The inexplicable bothers me. It always has. Shakespeares Art: Understanding King Lear Students of Shakespeare have spent a very great deal of time debating the meanings of "Othello", "King Lear", and "Macbeth". The wealth of criticism of any one of his plays can be overwhelming to the casual student. Is Timing the Secret of Success? Success is often viewed as a magic potion. Market demand has always been there, but no-one has worked out the recipe or how to bottle it. Accurate Psychic Advice Psychic readings can be an invaluable tool for obtaining answers to your most confusing questions. A psychic reading can help you gain insight regarding your love life, family, career, finances and more!We invite you to select a psychic and begin your personal and confidential psychic reading today!Quality Psychic AdvisorsUnlike most other "live psychic advice" web sites, all psychic readers obtained by Accurate Psychic Advice have been hand selected based on their area of psychic reading expertise!Accurate Psychic Advice also provides you with personal profiles of each psychic reader. Hello I Must Be Going: The Vanishing Twin They walk among us. By the mid nineties, science had only smoked out a few dozen of them worldwide but there are undoubtedly many more. A Hidden Oriental Jewel: 100% Chinese Hand-Made Silk Embroidery IntroductionDo you know what "silk embroidery is? Do you know what it looks like? Many people I come across in the U.S. A Short Biography on Some of Europes Most Loved and Hated Monarchs - Pt2 (Mad) King George III King George III who suffered from porphyria, a maddening disease, was born in 1738 to Frederick, Prince of Wales and Augusta. In 1761 George married Charlotte of Mecklinburg-Strelitz and together produced fifteen children: nine sons and six daughters. Tribal Tattoo Designs - Why Are They So Popular? Tribal tattoos have been practiced for thousands of years. Modern people still get them done for many reasons such as to belong to a modern 'tribe' even if they do it on a subconcious level. Numerology Is More Than Numbers Over thiry-five years ago, I picked up a book on numerology and began to have a hard time believing that numbers had anything to do with my life. Shortly thereafter, I was awakened from a deep sleep by a loud voice that seemed to scream into my ears, "Numbers are real!"Since that time, I have found out that numbers really are real. Astrology Signs and Planets Reveal Who You Are But people are starting to take a new look at astrology.The well-known astronomer/astrophysicist, Dr. When We Was Kids In Chicago Radio was the big communicator, back when I was a kid. Whole families huddled around the speaker of that hulk. A Short Biography on Some of Europes Most Loved and Hated Monarchs - Pt 4 Queen Mary I Queen Mary I of England was born in 1516 to Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon and was the first British monarch to rule in her own right. Mary was pronounced queen in 1553 and ruled for five years after the death of Edward VI.
|
| Home | Site Map | Resource Links |
