What does the Baule mask symbolize?
This carved wood mask does not represent a single, identifiable animal. It is composed of elements from different animals and represents a “bush spirit,” emphasizing that it has no counterpart on earth. It is a thing of the “bush” – and things of the bush are male and ungovernable.
What is the history of African masks?
It is believed that the earliest masks were used in Africa before Paleolithic era. They represent spirits of animals or ancestors, mythological heroes, moral values or a form of honoring of a person in a symbolic way. They are made from wood, pottery, textiles, copper and bronze.
What are Baule masks made from?
Thishighly decorative Baule dance mask from Ivory Coast is hand-carved from wood with a rich glossy patina. A Hornbill bird; known as “Calao”, is perched on top the the mask. The Baule are part of the Akan people of Côte D’ivoire, also famous for the Goli mask.
What type of masks are associated with the Baule people?
Masquerade. The Baule recognize two types of entertainment masks, Goli and Mblo. To perform a Mblo mask, like the one depicted, a masker in a cloth costume conceals his face with a small, wooden mask and dances for an audience accompanied by drummers, singers, dancers, and orators in a series of skits.
For what types of ceremonies or celebrations are African masks often worn?
The traditional African mask is worn during celebrations, dances and festivities and ritual ceremonies commemorating social and religious events. They are often used in dance ceremonies to make the connection between the human world and the spirit world.
What did the masks represent?
Masks usually represent supernatural beings, ancestors, and fanciful or imagined figures, and they can also be portraits.
What were Igbo masks made of?
wood
Skilled craftsmen make masks, which are usually carved from wood and painted; they may also incorporate cloth, beads, shells, and raffia.
What is the Baule mask made out of?
Where do African masks originate from?
Cave paintings on rock walls from Tassili, Algeria, Fezzan, Libya, and the Bushmen of South Africa are the oldest evidence for the existence of African masks.
What was the purpose of the Baule mask?
Masks are crafted and used only by men to make contact with Gu, ruler of the world. The holes on the sides of the help attach the mask to the face of the wearer. Baule masks are all unique, however, all have similar qualities.
Why do people wear a Baule mask at Goli?
T his type of African mask is a Baule mask which is worn at Goli rituals. It is used in tribal dances during harvest festivals, in processions to honour distinguished visitors and at the funerals of important figures. The circular face represents the life-giving force of the sun and the horns symbolize the great power of the buffalo.
What do the horns on an African mask mean?
African Masks – Baule. This type of African mask is a Baule mask which is also known as a Goli mask. It is used in tribal dances during harvest festivals, in processions to honour distinguished visitors and at the funerals of important figures. The circular face represents the life-giving force of the sun and the horns symbolize the great power…
What was the history of the African mask?
People used to wear the Body Mask along with a matching face mask; the Body Mask, also known as Belly Mask was carved out from tree trunks. The ‘Coon’ is a relatively modern mask in the history of African masks; this is because it was brought to use at the time of emancipation of slaves in 1838.