What do West African masks represent?
African masks should be seen as part of a ceremonial costume. They are used in religious and social events to represent the spirits of ancestors or to control the good and evil forces in the community.
What are 4 of the forms that are used to create an African mask?
Parallel, zigzag, cruciform, curved and spiral lines, representing scarification marks or tattoos, are frequently used to adorn the planes of the mask face. These could represent social status or have magical or religious powers. Interlacing crosses and Page 5 geometric forms are often seen as details on African masks.
What do the colors on 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.
Who wears masks in African culture?
Masks are often made to resemble people, animals and other objects that people identify with. Many African masks represent animals. Some African communities believe that the animal masks can help them communicate with the spirits who live in forests or open savannah.
What are the African mask called?
Bambara antelope masks (called chiwara) have long horns representing the thriving growth of millet, legs (representing roots), long ears (representing the songs sung by the working women at harvest time), and a saw-shaped line that represents the path followed by the Sun between solstices.
What kind of masks do people wear in Mali?
“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.
How many types of masks are there in Africa?
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.
Why did people wear masks in ancient Africa?
African masks were mostly worn by men because the spirits in the masks were seen as threatening to women. What do the colors in African masks mean? As they are worn across many different cultures, the colors of African masks have multiple meanings. However, several common meanings can be found for three colors: red, white and black.
What does the helmet mask in Sierra Leone mean?
The helmet mask of the Mende people of Sierra Leone is unusual in that it is worn by female initiates of a young women’s association. While the face represents ideal female beauty, the beard indicates that women are equal to men in their knowledge. ( 5)