African mask cultures - Research Paper Example

? African Mask Cultures African Mask Cultures In Africa masks can be traced back to well past Paleolithic times. These art objects were, and are still made of various materials, included are leather, metal, fabric and various types of wood. African masks are considered amongst the finest creations in the art world and are highly sought after by art collectors. Many of the pieces some replica's, can be viewed in museums and art galleries in many parts of the world. Masking ceremonies in Africa have great cultural and traditional significance. Latest developments and understanding of Aesthetic principles, religious and ceremonial values, have brought about a greater insight into the ideas and moral values that African artists express in their art (African Masks History and Meaning, n. d) Ancestry has more influence in African culture than in any other culture. They honor their ancestors in all possible means because of their belief that ancestors can do many things in their life. Masks are recognized as the symbol of communication between an ancestor spirit and a human. Masks are also associated with celebrations, crop harvesting traditions, war preparations, peace and trouble times, rituals and customs of many of the African cultures. Because of the differences in belief, the meaning of mask wearing is different among different cultures in Africa. Ritual dances are common among many of the African cultures, and masks are important in all such ritual dances. Each mask represents a particular spirit. It is believed by the African people that a person wearing a particular mask loses his identity temporarily and becomes the spirit represented by the mask itself. Even though mask wearing is mainly seen in African countries, the influence of African mask wearing custom has been spread to some other regions as well. Cubism, fauvism, and expressionism are some of the artistic movements which used the themes of African mask culture effectively. Moreover, in American and European art cultures also, the influence of African mask culture is visible. This paper briefly analyses the African mask cultures. (Pictures / photos / images of some MASKS and headdresses, 2010) “Ritual ceremonies generally depict deities, spirits of ancestors, mythological beings, good and or evil, the dead, animal spirits, and other beings believed to have power over humanity”(African Masks History and Meaning, n. d). Perhaps, Africa is the worst affected region in this world as far as beliefs in superstitions are concerned. Even after huge advancements in science and technologies, many of the Africans have still many superstitions. They do believe that the spirit of their ancestors or and even the spirit of the animals can influence their life very much. They are of the view that their life is shaped by these spirits and it is their duty to respect, recognize and worship these spirits to lead their lives in prosperity. Masks of ancestors are often considered as the most valuable thing in a family and they keep it as a monument. During the mask ceremony the dancer goes into deep trance, and during this state of mind he "communicate" with his ancestors. A wise man or translator sometimes accompanies the wearer of the mask during the ritual. The dancer brings forth messages of wisdom from his ancestors. Often the messages are grunted utterances and the translator will accurately decipher the meaning of the message. Rituals and ceremonies are always accompanied with song, dance and music, played with traditional African musical instruments (African Masks History and Meaning, n. d). Ritual dances performed with the help of masks are often believed as the occasion to communicate with the ancestors. The dancer who wears the mask of a particular ancestor claims that he is able to communicate with the spirit represented by the mask. He may speak lot of things at the time of dance which may be perceived as the messages of that particular spirit to African community. The dancer mostly speaks in different languages which may not be understandable to the normal public. An interpreter translates the messages of the spirit to their own languages. Not only had the words, of the dancer, but also his body movements and gestures also perceived as the demand for particular things by the ancestor spirits. Africans do believe that masks are necessary to mediate between the current living world and the supernatural world of the ancestors or the dead people. In producing a mask, a sculptor's aim is to depict a person's psychological and moral characteristics, rather than provide a portrait. The sculptor begins by cutting a piece of wood and leaving it to dry in the sun; if it cracks, it cannot be used for a mask. African sculptors see wood as a complex living material and believe each piece can add its own feature to their work. Having made certain the wood is suitable, the sculptor begins, using an azde to carve the main features, a chisel to work on details and a rough leaf to sand the piece. He then paints the mask with pigments such as charcoal (to give a black color), powders made from vegetable matter or trees (for ochre/earth tones) or mineral powders like clay (to give a white color). African peoples often symbolize death by the color white rather than black; at the same time, many African cultures see white as the color that links them to their ancestors, and it can therefore have a positive meaning (Pictures / photos / images of some MASKS and headdresses, 2010) The mask building is an art which is performed by the skilled artists in Africa. The artist selects the materials needed for producing a particular mask carefully. They use only a limited number of carefully selected tools in mask building. He will perform some rituals and prayers before starting his work. Unlike many of the other cultures, African people perceive white color as the symbol of death rather than the black. In other words, white color has more prominence than any other color in mask building. The artist shape the mask based on the data he might have collected about a particular spirit from different sources. According to historian E. A. Dagan, "The common tendency to examine and exhibit African masks purely as a static sculpture is inadequate, since it overlooks both their original dramatic purpose and the importance of process”(Yoo, n. d). Those who do not possess much knowledge about how masks are associated with African life may recognize only the artistic beauty of the masks. However, every detail in a particular mask has specific meaning which is known to the people who have better ideas about the African culture. Masks have some social influence in African community. In fact, masks bind different ethnic groups in African society together. It should be noted that in many of the African countries, clashes between different ethnic groups are common because of the differences in their beliefs and superstitions. Each community and culture in Africa has some special ancestors who them worship and recognize on different occasions with the help of masks. The claims about superior power of a particular spirit over another spirit often result in clashes between different ethnic groups in Africa. In other words, in some cases, masks cause violence and clashes between different communities in Africa. Masks are used not only to communicate with the spirit, but also as a disciplinary measure. Parents use it to discipline their children, husbands used it to discipline their wives, and local authorities use it to discipline the criminals. “For example, in Africa, a mother might paint a scary face on the bottom of a water gourd to make sure the child followed her directions” (African masks, n. d) (African masks, n. d) One of the most abundant types of masks among African cultures is the animal representation. Animal masks connect people with the spirit world that traditional African beliefs say inhabit the forests and open savannas. The Bwa and Nuna people of Burkina Faso call on the spirits to ward off destruction. Crocodiles, hawks and buffalo are the most frequently carved animal masks. Masked dances are held on market day, during initiations and at funerals to honor the spirits and evoke their blessings. The Nuna hawk mask carvers used an animal-like snout to distinguish it from the hawk mask of the nearby Bwa, who use a distinctly rounded mouth. The wings of both are carved with geometric patterns to represent moral principles. The zigzag lines refer to the often-difficult path of their ancestors. The checkerboard patterns show the forces of polar opposites such as light and dark, knowledge and ignorance, and men and women (African Mask Symbolism, 2010) Animals have special influence in African society. Since most parts of Africa consist of dense forests and different kinds of animals, animals have definite influence in African social life. it is widely believed that the transformation of animal to human have been taken place in the dense forests of Africa millions of years before. The above awareness forced African people to respect forests and animals much more than any other cultures in the world. They believe that even the spirits of animals can influence African human life immensely. Because of the above belief, masks of different animals are also getting same recognition like the masks of human ancestors. African people believe that some of their ancestors excelled in some specific areas like, agriculture, war, hunting etc. So, the masks are selected on each occasion based on the purpose of the occasion. For example, “The Bamana people of Mali have a rich agricultural tradition. The Bamana believe that the antelope taught man how to farm. The intricately carved Bamana antelope headdresses are worn for special inauguration ceremonies. The horns represent the sprouting of grain”(African Mask Symbolism, 2010) “For the Baga people of Guinea, the beauty of a woman is captured in her breasts and facial scars. Baga carved female masks can be as large as a Roman nobleman's marble bust” (African Mask Symbolism, 2010). In other words, on occasions like wedding, these people wear masks which highlight the body parts of women, especially the breasts. The shape of breast constructed in the mask has specific meanings. For example, elongated, flat breast represents many years of childbirth. The ability to give birth to more children is perceived as a noble thing in Africa and women are respected based on the number of children they have. Apart from aesthetic purposes, masks are used for moral purposes also in Africa. Masks made for worshipping purposes may have different details which signify different moral aspects of human life. African people do not have a uniform moral code. The rights and wrongs of one culture could be different from that of another culture. In other words, the rights of one culture could be the wrongs of other culture and the wrongs of one culture could be the rights of another culture. The Senefou people of the Ivory Coast carve masks with eyes half-shut and lines drawn near the mouth to represent tranquility. Such masks are used to portray the virtues of self-control and patience. The Temne of Sierra Leone use masks with small eyes and mouths to represent humility and humbleness. Bulging foreheads carved with designs symbolize wisdom. In Gabon, certain masks can enforce obedience on those in power. Such masks have strong chins and mouths to represent sternness. Eyebrows arch down to form the nose, depicting a strong individual. Other masks have exaggerated long faces and broad foreheads to represent the soberness of one's duty that comes with power (African Mask Symbolism, 2010). Conclusions Masks have significant meaning in African culture. Different ethnic groups in Africa use different types of masks for different purposes. On all occasions like ceremonies, dancing, praying, agriculture harvesting, wedding etc, Africans use different types of masks to communicate with their ancestors. Apart from human masks, animal masks are also used in Africa because of the immense influence of animals on African life. Africans believe that not only the spirit of humans, but also the spirit of animals can play a vital role in their life. Many superstitions are associated with mask wearing in Africa. They believe that wearing of a particular mask help them to communicate with the spirit which is represented by that mask. References 1. African Masks History and Meaning, (n. d.). Retrieved from http://www.rebirth.co.za/african_mask_history_and_meaning.htm 2. African Mask Symbolism. Retrieved from http://www.essortment.com/african-mask-symbolism-63939.html 3. African masks (n. d). Retrieved from http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/pickover/mask.htm 4. Pictures / photos / images of some MASKS and headdresses, (2010). Retrieved from http://www.vub.ac.be/BIBLIO/nieuwenhuysen/african-art/african-art-collection-masks.htm 5. Yoo. S. (n. d). African masks. Retrieved from http://arted.osu.edu/kplayground/masks.htm Read More