|
 |
Bamana people (Mali)
Helmet Mask [Komo], mid-20th century
|
| |
| Komo
is a secret society whose mission is to protect the
community from antisocial or dangerous events or individuals,
some thought to be "witches." The horizontal
mask, worn only by the association's leader, is said
to devour witches like a hyena. The antelope horns projecting
from the back of the head symbolize the power of the
bush (that area of wilderness beyond the boundaries
of human activities in the village and yelds). Feathers
are added to the mask to incorporate the knowledge and
divination powers of birds, who soar in the heavens,
and owls in particular, who have special vision to seek
out prey and hunt at night. The porcupine quills add
elements of aggressiveness and violence and suggest
the presence of magical poison used for protection.
The entire mask is coated with materials prepared according
to secret recipes known only to the Komo leader. The
result is a sinister-looking, dark matte surface, an
unclear, mysterious form suitable for combating equally
dark, obscure forces that could bring harm to the village. |
| |
 |
Igbo
people (Nigeria)
Cloth [Ukara], 20th century
|
| |
| Ukara
cloth is a primary emblem of the Igbo version of Ekpe,
a powerful secret association that originated in the
Cross River area among the Ejagham people, eastern neighbors
of the Igbo. Indigo-dyed cloths with designs derived
from the secret Ekpe script called nsibidi
are known in other areas, but ukara is a distinctly
Igbo version. The cloths are made for individual members
of Ekpe's highest rank, who choose the designs and motifs
that serve as a personal "signature" on their
particular cloth. Ukara is usually worn as
a wrapper but may also serve as a wall hanging, a banner,
or part of a masquerade costume for Ekpe performances.
Upon the death of the owner, the cloth may be used to
construct a symbolic Ekpe house (the spirit meeting
place) for the funeral. To
create a fabric the proper size for its intended use,
lengths of European-made white cotton cloth are stitched
together. The fabric for a banner may be long enough
to cover an entire wall of an Ekpe house. The patterns
are drawn on the undyed cloth and then tightly stitched
with coarse raffia fiber. When the raffia is removed
after dying, the designs stand out as fuzzy white lines
against the deep blue background. Nsibidi signs alternate
with geometric patterns symbolizing the leopard spirit
of Ekpe. Some motifs cut across the grid of squares,
notably the leopard and the costumed masquerader. |
| |
 |
Ejagham
people (Cross River, Nigeria)
Double-faced Helmet Mask, 20th century
|
| |
| The
Cross River region of Nigeria is famous for skin-covered
masks in several different forms generally associated
with Ekpe, a graded men's society that serves as the effective
government in the otherwise leaderless villages throughout
this heavily forested area. A double-faced helmet mask
such as this is the type usually worn by members of the
highest ranking grade of Ekpe. The bulging foreheads and
aquiline noses of the two faces suggest that the origin
of this mask is the upper bend of the Cross River, not
far from the Nigeria-Cameroon border. Ejagham is the most
comprehensive name for the people in this area, but individuals
prefer to identify themselves with their village or clan.
Ekpe does not unify the region; rather, each village has
its own cult house and its own set of masks. The dark,
painted face is male, and the light face with typical
painted facial patterns is female. The holes on the top
of the helmet probably held small wooden pegs carved to
simulate a hairstyle associated with women. However, the
shape of the upper portion of the mask suggests a form
of fur cap worn by men. The theme of duality conveys spiritual
completeness and possibly the ability to see into the
past and the future. The mask is not recognized as representing
a particular spirit, but is recognized as a symbol of
the corporate group Ekpe and of the powers of its leaders. |
| |
 |
Hausa
people (Nigeria)
Islamic Manuscript, 19th or 20th century
|
| |
| Islam
was introduced south of the Sahara by the 9th century
and now dominates much of Nigeria north of the forested
regions. The Hausa of northern Nigeria are Muslim traders
and townspeople. This manuscript is a book of "recipes,"
a collection of single pages of script incorporating various
geometric designs. Carried in a leather case and used
during a consultation between a cleric and a client, it
was a source for a secret hatumere, or design, which would
be made into an amulet for use by the client. The calligraphy
used here appears to be the script associated with the
town of Bornu. Throughout the manuscript are marginalia
enhanced with green and yellow ink. Islamic art avoids
images and places importance on God's utterances. Scribes
make these words visible and use as their primary aesthetic
embellishment the geometry of God's creation. The handsome,
tooled-leather case features a surface decoration of geometric
designs reflecting the mathematical and geometric properties
associated with the sacred words contained within. |
|
|
|
|
|
