Learn About Masks of Africa

I found this article through Google when I was looking for the history of Africa. It is a link off of the Masks and More Masks home page. Art collectors around the world value masks of Africa. The masks are priceless in value and are said to link the living with the dead. Tribes in Africa believe that the masks represent the faces of gods and spirits. Therefore, the masks usually have human and animal characteristics. All face and head ornaments for African rituals and ceremonies are put into one of four categories: the ancestor spirit, the mythological hero, the combination of ancestor and hero, and the animal spirit. African masks most times stand for a spirit and it's believed that the one wearing the mask is possessed by the spirit of the ancestor. Family pride can be shown by masks of human ancestors or animals that a family or clan can trace their ancestry back to. Dance is usually included when masks of Africa are used. Some examples of dance rituals that include African masks are: agricultural festivals, rituals for increase (money, property, children), rituals for rites of passage, ancestor cults, and fertility rites.

The size and appearance of the masks of Africa are different. Most of the time, the masks are not worn by themselves, but part of a full costume. These ceremonial decorations are made out of a variety of materials, including metal, leather, fabric, and a variety of wood. The main material was wood because of the abundance of trees in the forests. Before the wood was cut there was a purification ceremony. Green timber was often used due to it being easier to cut. Certain tribes even used ivory or brass to make their masks of Africa.

This article caught my eye since we read an article in class about the masking tradition. I never knew that these masks were made from wood. Another thing I found interesting were all the reasons they have dance rituals. I don't think we have anything like this in America so it is very eye-catching, some of the designs are so intricate. I thought this article was great!

Picture courtesy of Google.