The Sande Society is a society of women responsible for teaching young girls the skills and knowledge to become a woman. The African society is very rich in traditions whose expression highlights the ideal beliefs about the living and the dead. However, their types of masks were symbolic (Olupona, 2014). Masked spirits can provide protection and help maintain social order. African Masks (New York: Prestel, 1997), Idea One: A transformation takes place They were important to protect the people with their strong forms and medicines. The Senufo people are live in West Africa more accurately, the western Sudan region. Other masks take the form of powerful animals that are important to the community, such as an elephant, antelope, or hawk. They happen during festivals, ceremonies, or rituals and can involve songs, dances, drama, and poetry. And with it not being socially acceptable for men to wear braids the only option is to give it real care but that's near impossible for a lot of parents. Third, the female maskers initiate, mentor, and educate girls by teaching them the norms and the values important during marriages and a result transforms them into marriageable girls. Women are powerful in their communities because they are able to give birth. The Satimbe mask is comprised of wood, fiber, and a bright pigment costume. The men who wear this mask are often seen in knitted body suits and trade cloth to interpret their beauty. Masks come in a variety of sizes. The dances are also used for educational purposes. The appearance of masquerades is not a daily phenomenon, but rather their appearance signifies the return of the ancestor to the human form or when the society requires the use of the masquerades power to control an aspect within the society. The Senufo men danced many masks in the aspect of Poro, which was used for social and initiation practices. Masks Masks take many forms. The Senufo, Dogon, and Kuba are three of the African cultures that have shown to practice the Masquerades. In most cases, the strong spirits have been accorded a living place called a shrine. Masquerades carry great religious and cultural significance for participants including the enthralled and connected audience. A double-barred cross with short vertical elements projecting from the ends of the horizontal bars. The short answer is that these were the medals of the conquerors. Available from: https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/masquerades-importance-in-african-culture/. This is the whole bane of the encounter because if you show fear, they will take advantage of that to harass you into doing what they want. Required fields are marked *. The majority are either made of wood or use wood in some way, as it is believed that the tree has a spiritual soul, and so its wood makes a home for the spirit in the mask. To support this, it will draw attention to the Esan people of Southern Nigeria, the Senufo of Ivory Coast and the Mende of the Sierra Leone. 11 months ago 4147 views. Masquerades are also performed at many occasions for simple celebration. The costume worn with a mask is just as important as the mask itself. Why do you think these animals were honored in their community? About the Horniman The Horniman connects us all with global cultures and the natural environment, encouraging us to shape a positive future for the world we all share. Right for Education is an online portal for Africa. The Mwashamboy is said to represent the founding ancestor known as woot. For many of the African culture, the masquerade was mostly performed by men barring mask representing different aspects of their culture and is very expressive form not only through the masks different characteristics and artistic view but also through the dances as well and the stories the dancers portray. Ngady mask not only characterized by her tears by the beads, geometric patterns and shells used to make the unique mask. The prominent characteristics of these masks were horns and an open jaw with sharp teeth. The person is also usually seen with a vest that has black, red and white embroidered clothing. They are programmed by instinct to protect their flock from competing roosters and protect their hens and chicks from predators, even humans. Young squirrels chase each other as a form of "playing.". Years go by and the argument of pro-life and pro-choice come upon society causing a giant fire. Remember: This is just a sample from a fellow student. Honestly it's because they don't know how to do hair. Defining nouveau cirque by [], Theater has been apart of history for many years and has had big influences. Among the unique expression of culture and belief is the use of the masquerade. They are also important symbols of ancestors,spirits, or even the history and culture of whole peoples. Although entertaining to watch, there are some . Ojo Ogwu masquerades wear raffia costums and masques made of nets, with elaborate headgear. The performances of the masquerades are designed to call people to action, affect them and induce the need to change certain aspects of the society. The colour of the masks comes from natural dyes from vegetables, plants, or seeds. Why do hunters appreciate their kills than none hunters? Although audience members know that a human being is behind the mask, they accept that the spirit of the mask is present. According to West African custom, masquerade can refer to a performance by masked characters, the performer himself, or the character portrayed by the performer. In every culture, there are central ideas that promote the interaction of people and guide their way of life. Let's fix your grades together! This is the whole bane of the encounter because if you show fear, they will take advantage of that to harass you into doing what they want. nike club skirt women's regular golf skirt; custom anime lego sets. We were thoroughly colonized. Masquerade traditions are widespread across West Africa. Sometimes masks combine attributes from different animals or even combine human and animal features. When boys and girls mature from youth to adulthood, masquerades celebrate this life change and teach children how to be adults. They are used for entertainment purposes, as well as for celebrating rituals, rites of passage, and speaking to the dead, as in the African tradition and cultural heritage. Masks representing dead ancestors play an important role in African funerals. Artists have been portraying art about religion and culture, this means they try to tell you a story or a fact of the dance. This Sande Society mask represents a water spirit, sowei. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper. Powerful water spirits performduring yearly masquerades in other Nigerian communities. Many masks depict animal hybrids, combining features of several animals on one mask. When squirrels chase one another, it is often a form of defense against other rival squirrels. The African context of the masquerades is the embodiment of the ancestors among the living with the belief that life does not end with the physical death. Holding discomfort in care and resisting the habit of bypassing hurt is an active form of compassion and spiritual activism. View more masks using the search tool on the museums collections website Select two masks and compare and contrast their similarities and differences. Among the Senufo people of Ivory Coast, the masks were danced mainly by men. Your time is important. Second, since the no society is devoid of conflicts, they act as judges in arbitration, negotiation, and settlement of disputes. The use of tribal masks in celebrations, rituals, and ceremonies is deeply rooted in African history and culture, dating back even to the Stone Age. Are you interested in getting a customized paper? The most interesting is the belief that through masquerades they could interact with the spiritual world and fight or ward off evil spirits. The Kanaga mask is usually made from wood, fiber and hide. Ngady represents the first women and all women. The material used could be tie and dye, Ankara a Ghanaian fabric, cotton, silk, damask, polyester or . When a person has deceased the masquerade performers would be seen dancing with masks to help the deceased leave the village. Available from: https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/the-importance-of-the-african-masquerades-in-the-determination-and-control-of-society/. La complexit motionelle des lphants et leur similarit aux humains, The Stone Cross: The latest Artefact to be Returned to Africa from Europe, MENTAL ILLNESS A silent killer in Uganda, The Unknowing involvement of mathematical symbols in our friendship with others, LOW USAGE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING MATERIALS (TLMs) IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS, Digital Marketing: The Future of Business, Relevance of UDL in the Learning environment, Central African History: The Kanem/Kanem-Bornu Empire (700 AD 1893 AD), Educated Women Are Better Prepared to Bring up Children. They mediate between the visible world of humans and the invisible world of the spirits. This mask has carefully filed teeth, a sign of beauty among the Yombe people. Design a mask that contains features from each animal. By continuing well assume you board with our cookie policy. The three masks each represent ancestors. Activities to do at the museum include: Identify animals depicted in African masks. The others had been saved at purposebuilt spectator [], Abortion has always been practiced since ancient times, bringing forth the idea of removing a fetus from a womans body. Among the Hemba of the Congo region, for example, a figure masked asdeath appears in two funeral masquerades. Other face masks, often described as plank masks, are completely flat. what do drug addicts use nail clippers for; hypnotizing gifs; daily hacked games; lunati catalog; gta v photorealistic reshade; aether x everyone ao3; power bi dax substring; starport medstar login; morco boiler f13 fault They most likely used these strong aggressive creatures in their mask to fight malevolent spirits, witchcraft, sorcery and wandering spirits. The Isinyaso masked dancers of the Yao and Maku peoples of Tanzania carry elaborate bamboo structures covered with cloth and raffia, which sway rhythmically while their Nteepana mask elongates to great heights as the embodiment of a powerful animal spirit. In the Dogon religion, the traditional beliefs of the Dogon people of Mali, there are several mask dances, some of which include the Sigi festival. The Yombe mask is worn in ritual dances associated with fertility. When a man (or, on rare occasions, a woman) puts on a mask and costume they give up their own being. The. Over the years due to cultural limitation, [], Within the Australian Theatre, David Williamson and Alex Buzo used provoking images and ideas to confront the cultural issues that Australia faces with the use of distinctly Australian stereotypes and issues. Idea Five: Most African masks are made of wood The saddening story of Ngady is that she was forced to commit incest with her father, woot, in order to create new life, hence the tears on her cheeks. Masquerade to acquire Chase Distillery Ritual and ceremonial masks are an essential feature of the traditional culture of the peoples of a part of Sub-Saharan Africa, e.g. This mask from the Sande Society was worn by a mature woman as part of an initiation ceremony for young girls. All rights reserved. The spirits are believed to be present during the initiation of young men and women ushering them into different cadres and roles within the society. In modern Africa, masquerades are taking on new forms and purposesto meet new needs and conditions. You win and I'll go in peace but I will fight if I have to." By running, it triggers an instinct within another predator to give chase and sends a clear message, I'm terrified of yo. They use this strategy against many other predators. If they see you walking with food, you can be sure that they will start to chase you. In most societies, only certain people are allowed to own or wearmasks. Chasing terrified villagers with bows and arrows or whips is also part of the tradition, so. This mask represents kpele kpele, a character from a popular masquerade among the Baule people of Ivory Coast. This is not an example of the work written by professional essay writers. The one thing about theater that is so great is the diversity and [], In this essay I am going to talk about why Elizabeth Howe claims in, The First English Actresses: Women and drama 1660 1700, that the first English actresses were used as sexual objects and what she means through her chapter where she explores the different ways why in which the sexuality of the [], Art is one of the most important parts of human life. An artist will often make the mask in private. Visit The Minneapolis Institute of Art to view the African art collection. One example is the urban, multiethnicmasked associations called Ode-Lay that sprang up in SierraLeone in the 1950s. Masquerade is commonly mistaken for secular or entertainment purposes but for African culture, the masquerade was used for spiritual or ancestral representations and is a big element in the African culture. The Senufo belief in the masquerade was to fight evil-minded spirits with their powerful forms. Various members of the community greet him as he goes past, each one with their dance rhythm. You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers. During the female season, the females perform various functions. Let us write you an essay from scratch, Order a custom essay from our writers and get it on time. Each mask telling a different story or symbolizing an important apart of the African culture through the art and dance. A cockroach can feel the change in air current and change in the surroundings, and when they encounter us, they look in their surroundings, looks for a place from where they can escape, and then chase you, scare you, and make a run toward the escape. What is fascinating about the Dogon culture is that they recognize women as the first masqueraders because it is believed that women were the first to imitate spirit maskers. They are decorated with bone, coloured beads, or cowrie shells to provide texture. In Yorubaland, during the ceremony of the crowning of an oba (king), the ruler must lead a procession through the town, dancing. I'm now teaching my mom about my own hair and growing up it was always just put it in braids. The type of mask influences the style of the masquerade dance. Masquerades in Africa are used to celebrate the crowning of a new king or the beginning of the harvest; to commemorate the dead and gain the blessings of ancestors; in rituals or for other events. The complex web of human relationships is continuously renewed and restated at ritual festivals through the arts. It is often a form of & why do african masquerades chase you ; playing. & quot ; and fight or ward off spirits! Goes past, each one with their dance rhythm culture of whole peoples purposesto new! Attributes from different animals or even the history and culture of whole peoples nets with. Web of human relationships is continuously renewed and restated at ritual festivals through the.... 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