ART OF ANCIENT WEST AFRICA

WEST AFRICA

Societies with their own

customs and artistic

traditions & styles

WEST AFRICA

ANCIENT WEST AFRICATribal Architecture Diverse architectural styles

using natural materials (mud, wood, palm leaves, …)

– Adobe structures, made of earth mixed with water, have been built in the countries of Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Togo, Benin, Ghana, and Burkina Faso Dogon villages built on the sides

of cliffs along the Niger river - Mali

Adobe mud brick house - Ghana Timbuktu - Mali

ANCIENT WEST AFRICA

Architecture Use of fractal scaling: small parts

of the structure tend to look similar to larger parts, such as a circular village made of circular houses

African architecture has been subject to numerous external influences (western and Islamic)

Earthen brick houses – Benin, Nigeria

Djenne marketplace - Mali

Wood ribbed house - Cameroon

WEST AFRICA

ArchitectureArchitecture Today, modern western

styles, Islamic styles, and contemporary African tribal styles based on earlier traditions can be found throughout West Africa

Zaria, Nigeria: clay houses

Nigeria: movie house

Djenne Mosque, Mali

ANCIENT WEST AFRICA

Similarities: Largely agricultural

societies composed of farmers, metal workers, traders, artisans, hunters, & warriors– Yams, grains, plantains,

corn, beans main crops

Societies ruled by powerful royal families and elders Yoruba – Nigeria

Man carving dried gourds used to serve food or drink

ANCIENT WEST AFRICA

Similarities: Reverence of ancestors Structured beliefs with gods

and spirits linked to the forces of nature– Belief in spirits that

influence existence & environment

– Belief that death is not final and in a world of ancestral spirits

Emphasis on the human figure

Ancestral FigureSenufo - Mali

ANCIENT WEST AFRICA

Similarities: Emphasis on performance art Tradition of oral literature

passed on from generation to generation through ritual, ceremony, and spoken word

• Folktales & proverbs• Mythologies• Poetry• Drama Racing Mask

Dan – Ivory Coast

ANCIENT WEST AFRICA

Artists: Worked on commission from

ruler, cult, healer, secret society Followed framework of local

beliefs and traditions– Symbolic shapes– Symbolic colors– Depiction of human form

Bobo Antelope Mask

Burkina Faso

Role of Art in West Africa Not seen as art but something

to connect people with the unseen audience of spirits of dead and the spirits and forces of nature– Intervened– Offered advice– Channeled energies

Mossi Fetish Figure

Burkina Faso

Role of Art in West Africa

Assisted and maintained physical & spiritual well-being of community– Helped organize society– Helped solve problems

Identified status within society

Carved DoorDogon - Mali

Works were not seen as an piece of artbut as an item with a societal purpose

Mende Helmet MaskSierra Leone

WEST AFRICAN ARTImagery often abstract or

highly stylized Represented abstract concepts (a

spirit, a force, …) Prevailing belief: a likeness of an

individual would trap part of his/her spirit/essence

Reliquary Figure, Gabon

SCULPTURE Main form of artistic expression Full-round and relief Part of ritual and celebration Made of wood and cast metals

Bronze relief panel

Wooden full-round figure

Chiwara or Tyi Wara Figure

Bambana - Mali

SCULPTURE Concerned with aspects

of existence– Continuity of life– Initiation into adulthood– Influence over spirits to

control health and the environment

– Death and ancestral spirits

Chiwara a mythical farming god in the form of an antelope. Carved figures worn on the head as part of a ritual when crops are to be planted to teach young Bamana men social values as well as agricultural techniques.

SCULPTURE

They were danced in pairs and celebrate the union of male (sun), female (earth) and fiber costume (rain), signifying the cooperation needed for a successful harvest and community survival

SCULPTURE

9 main forms Masks Ancestral figures Fetish (power) figures Reliquary figures Royal portraits Warrior/Hunter figures Womanhood figures Thrones and stools Carved doors Bamum Mask

Cameroon

MASKS Part of a costume to

“mask” one’s identity– Believed to transform

the wearer to interact with and hopefully control supernatural spirits and forces

– Can be worn in three different ways: vertically covering the face: as helmets, encasing the entire head, or as a crest, resting upon the head

MASKS Most made of wood Human and animal forms Sometimes painted and other

materials added (shells, fibers, feathers, metals, …)

Igbo Funerary MaskNigeriaBaule Monkey Mask

Ivory Coast

MASKS Changed individuals

into a spirit, force, or figure with power

Part of a performance or ceremony involving costume, music, and movement

Ritual ceremonies generally depict gods, spirits of ancestors, mythological beings, good and or evil, the dead, animal spirits, and other beings believed to have power over humanity

The Dama ceremony is part of funerary rituals that ends mourning and transitions the spirit of the dead from the village to the spirit world

Bwa leaf masks are used once in ceremonies to encourage the cycles of nature and then discarded

Bwa Leaf Mask

Burkina Faso

MASKS Some masks are

permanent, some for one use only

The masks represent or embody bush spirits, who are called upon to benefit mankind and the forces of nature on which life depends

MASKS

Bwa Initiation Ceremonial Masks, Burkina Faso

Crescent = Cycle of moon; start of the initiation Black = AdultsWhite = Initiates“X” marks = ScarificationWavy lines = Paths of ancient ancestorsCheckerboard = Teaching of wisdom

Rules were followed locally regarding:– Shapes– Colors– Patterns

MASKS

Bwa Initiation Ceremonial Masks, Burkina Faso

Scarification served as a symbolof strength, fortitude, or couragein both men and women

MASKS

Yoruba Gelede Ceremonial Mask

Nigeria and Benin

MASKS

Dan Social Arbitrator Mask

Ivory Coast & Liberia

Senufo Ceremonial Mask

Ivory CoastBaule MaskIvory Coast

FIGURAL SCULPTURES

Used to channel spirits

toward human goals: Protection Stimulate fertility Mark initiations Commemorate event or

individual

Ashanti fertility figures(Akuaba dolls)

Ghana

Akuaba dolls are carried and cared for by Ashanti women who wish to become pregnant and also after pregnancy to assure that their child would be born beautiful

ANCESTRAL FIGURES Housed the spirit of

a dead ancestor– Full-round stylized

or abstract human forms

– Usually carved from wood

– Followed traditions• Forms• Materials

Allowed the ancestral spirit to remain as a vital force within the community

Dan (L) -- Baule (R) - Ivory Coast

RELIQUARY FIGURES

Protected the remains

of the dead Placed in basket with

skeletal remains Very abstract

representations of the human form

Reliquary Figures, Gabon

Used to scare off evil forces and individuals who may tamper with the remains

FETISH /POWER FIGURES Fetishes were protective

figures used by individuals, families, or communities to destroy or weaken evil spirits, prevent or cure illnesses, repel bad deeds, and decide arguments

Some figures were used to hunt out wrongdoers and to avenge their crimes

A diviner or holy person would activate the statue, using magical substances

FETISH /POWER FIGURESBelieved to be able to givespirits physical form & tochannel their energies Full-round stylized human

form Carved from wood & nails,

pins, mirrors, blades, … added to release power within figure

Nkisi Figure, Congo

ROYAL FIGURES

Portraits to honor kings,queens, & high-rankingdignitaries

– Naturalistic & stylized human forms

– Full-round– Made of wood,

terracotta, or cast metals Bronze Head of an Oba

Benin Kingdom -Nigeria

Terracotta Head of a QueenIfe Kingdom -Nigeria

HUNTER/WARRIOR FIGURES

Honored individuals who have helped to preserve or protect the society

– Highly stylized human forms

– Full-round– Made of wood or cast

metals

Male Figure, MaliBronze

WOMANHOOD FIGURES

Female Figure, NigeriaFemale figure, Baule

Ivory Coast

In many regions, African mothers have always owned the land, which is why the land is referred to as the motherland

Honored women as leaders within the society and as givers and nurturers of life

– Highly stylized/abstract human forms

– Full-round– Made of wood or cast metals

THRONES & STOOLSRoyal thrones or seatssymbolize power, status,heritage, prestige, and authority within the society

– Made of wood– Often believed to house the

soul of the owner – Thrones used for coronations

and for special ceremonies• Precious metals (silver,

gold) often added

Asante Throne, Ghana

THRONES & STOOLS Only those who own

the stools or thrones are allowed to sit on them

DOORS Carved wooden doors

contained images & markings that represented traditional tribal beliefs, icons of ancestors, or told stories of village history

Indicators of status within the community

Dogon door covered with the spirits of past ancestors who protect and watch

over the family

MUSIC Usually associated with ceremonies,

rituals, and celebrations Polyphonic Drums and percussion instruments,

the balafon (xylophone), stringed and wind instruments, such as the reed flute, the kora and the kontingo

Beat and rhythm are the two main elements

balafon

kora

kontingo

DANCE Ritual dance enforces and

affirms the belief system of the society

Dances play a role in religious rituals; they mark rites of passage, including initiations to adulthood and weddings; they form a part of communal ceremonies, including harvest celebrations, funerals, & coronations;

Dances also offer entertainment & recreation

Dogon stilt dancers, Mali

Ceremonial wedding dance, Nigeria

African Fabric Art Valued trade commodity Communicated a wearer’s

kingship, group, or status within the community

African Fabric Art

Woven on looms Stenciled Block (Stamp) printed Screen-Printed Painted Batiked/Resist Tie Dyed Embroidered

African Fabric ArtAdinkra cloth - Asante, Ghana Designs first used to decorate

funereal clothing Today it is used to make clothing

for such special occasions as festivals, church-going, weddings, naming ceremonies and initiation rites

Printed by block-printing (symbol stamps carved from gourds) printed with black dye made from tree bark

African Fabric Art

Adinkra– A symbol or design that tells

a story or stands for an idea also used to refer to the kind of cloth that is decorated with adinkra symbols; the word adinkra means farewell or goodbye

An official of the court of theking of the Asante people

African Fabric Art Stamp Symbolism

Abe-Dua – Palm TreeSelf-sufficiency, Resilience,

Vitality, Wealth, & Causation

Adwera – Watery ShrubPurity, Sanctity, Chastity, Cleanliness

Cleanliness, Good Fortune

Adwo – PeacePeace, Calmness, Continuity,

Spiritual Coolness

Akoko Nan – Hen’s FeetParental Discipline, Care,

Tenderness Discipline, Protection

African Fabric Art Kente Cloth - Ghana Made from cotton or silk dyed

yarn Woven on narrow horizontal

loom Strips 3-5 inches wide & 5 feet

long sewn together to make wider pieces of cloth

Patterns and colors have a symbolic meaning

King wearing adwinasa kente

African Fabric Art

black -- maturation, intensified spiritual energy blue -- peacefulness, harmony and love green -- vegetation, planting, harvesting, growth, spiritual renewal gold -- royalty, wealth, high status, glory, spiritual purity grey -- healing and cleansing rituals; associated with ash maroon -- the color of mother earth; associated with healing pink -- assoc. with the female essence of life; a mild, gentle aspect of

red purple -- assoc. with feminine aspects of life; usually worn by

women red -- political and spiritual moods; bloodshed; sacrificial rites and

death. silver -- serenity, purity, joy; assoc. with the moon white -- purification, sanctification rites and festive occasions yellow -- preciousness, royalty, wealth, fertility

Color symbolism in Kente Cloth

African Fabric Art Wax resist

– Traced back to Javanese batiks brought to Africa by European traders in 17th century designs created by stepped applications hot wax and dye

Tie-Dye– Designs created on fabric

by stitching or tying areas to resist dye

African Fabric Art

African Fabric Art Bogolan Mud Cloth

– Bamana peoples of Mali– Linear geometric

designs drawn on dyed cotton cloth using a process of applied fermented mud from ponds and bleaching

African Fabric Art Yoruba Adire Cloth

– Indigo dyed cloth– Dye resist processes

• Tie-dye• Batik with metal

stencil stamps or hand painted with wax

African Fabric Art Kuba embroidered

and appliqué raffia cloth – Congo– Fiber made from

palm trees is dyed and woven into cloth

– Additional designs are sewn on the cloth

ANCIENT WEST AFRICAEmpires Ghana (750-1200 CE) Mali (1200-1500 CE) Songhay (1350-1600 CE)

City States Ife Hausa Benin Ashanti Oyo

AFRICA

ANCIENT WEST AFRICA

Ghana (750-1200 CE) the “land of gold”;

an economic intermediary within the gold trade from south to north

Mali (1200-1500 CE) encompassed most

of West Africa north of the forested region and also relied on trade of gold and salt

Songhay (1350-1600 CE) centered along

the Niger river was once part of Mali empire but broke away. The city of Timbuktu intensified as a center of Islamic learning, attracting scholars from around the world

Akan Gold Staff

ANCIENT WEST AFRICA

A center for trade with Northern Africa, Egypt, and Europe

ANCIENT WEST AFRICA

A center for trade with Northern Africa, Egypt, and Europe

NOK CULTURE Nigeria (500-200 BCE) Center of agriculture and

ore refining Created high stylized

terracotta human figures– Standing– Seated– Kneeling

NOK CULTURE Terracotta figures made

using addition and then carving (subtraction)– abstract – triangular eyes– perforated pupils– elaborate hair styles and

jewelry

Seated Figures, 250 BCE

NOK CULTURE Terracotta heads once

part of entire human figure sculptures

IFENigeria (1300-1600 CE) First of Yoruba city-states or kingdoms,

established government under a priestly oba, ('king' or 'ruler')

Powerful political center

Sacred/Holy city

IFENigeria (1300-1600 CE) Developed lost-wax

metalworking traditions Created naturalistic

human portrait heads of royal individuals– Cast bronze– Terracotta

IFE

Bronze Royal Portraits and Royal Figure 1300-1400 CE

IFE

Terracotta Head 1300 CE

Bronze Head1500-1600 CE

The kingdom of Benin was made up of the capital city, and the outlying districts– Benin City, the capital,

was a fortified city that consisted of ramparts and moats, call iya, enclosing 2485 square miles of community lands

The Oba of Benin directed the control of these districts from the central government at the capital

The King's court was entirely surroundedby a special wall and was divided into

many magnificent palaces, houses, and apartments

BENIN 1400-1600 CE

BENIN Nigeria (1400-1600 CE)

Benin City - Seventeenth-century engraving illustrating a court ceremony

BENINNigeria (1400-1600 CE) Created stylized human portrait

heads placed on the altars of kings and free-standing figures– Cast bronze and brass– Terracotta

Created cast bronze relief plaques and doors

Altars functioned as a tribute to the deceased and a point of contact with his spirit

BENIN

Portrait Head of an ObaBrass & Zinc 1700-1800 CEEdo peoples, Benin - Nigeria

Portrait Heads1700-1800 CE

BENIN

Mounted WarriorBrass 1700-1800 CE

Entrance Panel to Royal PalaceBrass 1700-1800 CE

Benin - Nigeria

BENINPlaques were mounted on the walls of the Oba's Palace and recorded the history of the Benin kingdom

Most depict the kingor warrior chiefs

BENIN

Oba with AnimalsBrass Altar

1700-1800 CEEdo peoples

BeninNigeria

BENIN

Bronze Oba Portrait

Bronze Male Portrait

Cast Bronze Leopard

Oba with Attendants