What does the African mask symbolize?
African masks often represent a spirit and it is strongly believed that the spirit of the ancestors possesses the wearer. 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.
How many types of African masks are there?
The traditional religion of the Dogon people of Mali, for example, comprises three main cults (the Awa or cult of the dead, the Bini or cult of the communication with the spirits, and the Lebe or cult of nature); each of these has its pantheon of spirits, corresponding to 78 different types of masks overall.
What do the designs on African masks mean?
The patterns are combined on masks to represent the prohibitions, rules for proper conduct of life, and requirements of the spirits the masks represent–they are visible forms of the soser of the Lobi. Allegorical and nonrepresentational, the masks incarnate the invented spirits.
Do all African masks represent good spirits?
Every Dan masks is sacred. While most African tribal masks represent spirits and ancestors, the Dan masks are the spirits themselves.
Which type of African mask is worn like a hat?
While dancing in the event, officials of the Sande wear sowei masks, which represent the spirit of the society. The sowei mask is a “helmet mask” that is worn over the head and the rest of the dancer’s body is hidden by blackened raffia fibers and cloth.
Are African masks still used today?
African animal masks and many other styles of face mask are still used today. Examples can be found in Burkina Faso, the Ivory Coast and wide variety of African countries. The use of masks is fading but traditional masks are used to this day in Africa. They are use for celebration, spiritual and ritual purposes.
Why were African masks intentionally unrealistic?
The main artistic products of tropical Africa were wood carvings, both masks and sculpture-in-the-round. Masks were intentionally unrealistic: when confronting a supernatural power, the idea was for the performer to conceal his true identity behind this artificial face. …
What tribe is the Woyo mask from?
Woyo masks are ritual masks made by the Woyo people of western Africa.
What is a tribal mask?
Tribal masks (also known as broodoo masks) are a members-only set of masks worn in the headwear slot.
What are mask images?
A mask image is simply an image where some of the pixel intensity values are zero, and others are non-zero. Wherever the pixel intensity value is zero in the mask image, then the pixel intensity of the resulting masked image will be set to the background value (normally zero). You might, for example,…