What does the Dogon mask symbolize?
By Dr. Christa Clarke, for The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Dogon masks, such as this one called kanaga, are worn primarily at dama, a collective funerary rite for Dogon men. The ritual’s goal is to ensure the safe passage of the spirits of the deceased to the world of the ancestors.
What is a Senufo mask?
It is a carved wooden helmet mask, which means it is worn over the whole head, and is used in the funerals of the Senufo people. Members of the Poro society, a “secret men’s society,” wear it during the funeral ceremonies of their deceased members to honor them as well as well as ward off evil spirits.
What are biombo masks used for?
Biombo masks are usually worn during tribal rituals and ceremonies. The Biombo live south of the inter-section of the Luala and Kasai rivers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Teke moon shaped masks are worn by members of the Kiduma – a secret society that takes charge of social celebrations and rituals.
What is the Dogon religion?
While some villages have adopted Islam or Christianity, a large percentage of Dogon are animists who believe in the importance of a synergy between the spiritual world of gods and ancestors, and the living world of plants, people, and animals.
Who created the Teke mask?
the Tsaayi
This mask was created by the Tsaayi, a group of the Teke sub-tribe; the only group to make and have used wooden masks in their ceremonies. Their masquerade ceremony is called kidumu, and the dance was originally to serve and maintain social and political harmony in a ceremonial context.
What is the Lulua mask made out of?
The oldest type has keloids and an encrusted red patina; a later style does not have scarifications, while the most recent type characteristically has simplified features and is made of thicker wood. Sometimes the masks were covered with copper plate and had vegetal-fibre bells attached at the chin.
What do African masks symbolize?
Animal forms 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.
Where does the biombo mask originate from?
the Democratic Republic of Congo
Biombo masks come from the Democratic Republic of Congo in central Africa. They are made and used by people in the Biombo region in the south of the country. The marks usually carved from wood and coloured with red dye from the camwood tree. The eyes are a coffee bean shape.
Where is the biombo mask from?
the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Biombo live south of the confluence of the Lulua and Kasai Rivers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Biombo are close to the Kuba, their relatives, and the Eastern Pende, who have jointly influenced the appearance of their masks.
What is the Dogon star?
Among the Dogon, Sirius is the star of Sigui, one of the most important Dogon ceremonies, which takes place every 60 years.
Where do Teke masks come from?
The African Teke mask originates from the upper Ogowe region in Democratic Republic of Congo and Gabon. Members of the Kidumu society wear Teke masks either during the funerals of chiefs, or weddings, or important meetings.
What is the Teke mask made of?
Teke (Bateke) mask, painted wood, Teke tribal region, Lower Congo cultural area; in the Musee de l’Homme, Paris. Diameter 34.9 cm.
What does the Lwalwa mask symbolize?
These masks were worn at dances to celebrate the circumcision and initiation of young men into the Ngongo society and to appease the spirits that control hunting.