Egungun costume Republic of Benin: Yoruba peoples …orrfreedom.weebly.com/uploads/2/2/9/0/22907470/african_masks... · African Masks: The Art of Disguise ©Dallas Museum of Art Egungun

African Masks: The Art of Disguise ©Dallas Museum of Art

Egungun costume Republic of Benin: Yoruba peoples Late 20th century Cloth, appliqué, wood, cowrie shells, glass beads, animal claw or beak, sequins, animal fur and animal hide, and vinyl Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Pace Primitive Gallery, New York, 2008.98.1 This costume is made of colorful sequined and beaded panels that are decorated with animal designs and edged with sawtooth cut vinyl. The appliquéd animals represent Yoruba symbols of royal power. The panels hang from two wooden frames, one above the other. The lower frame is supported on the wearer’s head and holds a carved wooden lion, a symbol of courage. The cowrie shell-embroidered face panel allows for visibility and the attached wood, animal hide, and fur beneath it provide supernatural protection during a performance. The annual Egungun masquerade honors the Yoruba ancestors and provides a means of communication between the living and the dead. The masked dancers became the ancestors who spin and twirl around, causing the colorful panels of their costumes to fly out in all directions, giving “breezes of blessings.” Cultural information The Yoruba, one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa, live in Nigeria, the Republic of Benin, and Togo. The Yoruba trace their origins to the city of Ife in present-day Nigeria, where according to their story of the Creation, the world began.


Egungun costume Republic of Benin: Yoruba peoples Late 20th century Cloth, appliqué, wood, cowrie shells, glass beads, animal claw or beak, sequins, animal fur and animal hide, and vinyl Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Pace Primitive Gallery, New York, 2008.98.1


Hunter’s mask (dannana) Mali: Ibi Bobongo village, Dogon peoples Early to mid-20th century Wood and encrustation Dallas Museum of Art, gift of John Lunsford in gratitude for Margaret McDermott’s great devotion to traditional African Art, 2006.57.1 The face on this mask has a prominent forehead, an arrow-shaped nose, and a projecting mouth, all of which are common to Dogon figurative art. The forehead and mouth are exaggerated to suggest fierceness and bravery, qualities that hunters must have. The mask is worn with a woven fiber hood and costume, and the hunter holds a short sword in one hand and a spear in the other. Because the Dogon believe that game animals are overpowered by magical means, hunters are also magicians. The hunter’s mask is part of a six-day funerary masquerade called a dama. The ritual performances, which occur every five years, honor the deaths of important individuals and drive the spirits of the deceased out of the community. Cultural information Dogon farmers, living in the rocky plateaus and plains of central Mali, established their villages along the vertical cliffs for protection from invasions during the 15th century. The Dogon are known for their masquerades and initiation rites, wooden sculptures, and architecture.


Hunter’s mask (dannana) Mali: Ibi Bobongo village, Dogon peoples Early to mid-20th century Wood and encrustation Dallas Museum of Art, gift of John Lunsford in gratitude for Margaret McDermott’s great devotion to traditional African Art, 2006.57.1


A contemporary version of a hunter’s mask with teeth. Mali. Photo: Michel Renaudeau, 1970s.


Mukenga/Muykeem helmet mask Democratic Republic of the Congo: Kuba peoples Mid-20th century Raffia, wood, cowrie shells, beads, parrot feathers, and goat hair Dallas Museum of Art, gift in honor of Peter Hanszen Lynch and Cristina Martha Frances Lynch, 1998.11 The elephant is an appropriate symbol for a king, who must have a commanding presence and be intelligent, strong, and brave. Thus, among the Kuba, a mask with elephant-like features personifies the first Kuba king. The elephant trunk rises from the top of the mask and extends over the face. Two small beaded panels at either side represent tusks. The cowrie shells, beads, and red tail feathers from an African gray parrot are symbols of wealth and high status. The costumed dancer who wears the Mukenga mask, also called Muykeem, represents one of the mythical ancestors of the Bushoong, the ruling group within the Kuba kingdom. He appears with two other royal figures at funeral rituals honoring important members of society. Cultural information The Kuba kingdom of the Democratic Republic of the Congo began to develop in the 16th century when people migrated from the north to settle between the Sankuru, Kasai, and Lulua rivers. Today, the Kuba sustain themselves as farmers and fishermen. Although the Kuba are made up of many ethnic groups, each one with its own leader, the king over all of Kuba is a member of the Bushoong group.


Mukenga/Muykeem helmet mask Democratic Republic of the Congo: Kuba peoples Mid-20th century Raffia, wood, cowrie shells, beads, parrot feathers, and goat hair Dallas Museum of Art, gift in honor of Peter Hanszen Lynch and Cristina Martha Frances Lynch, 1998.11


Mukenga masks have no eyeholes, so the wearer must be accompanied by an attendant. Democratic Republic of the Congo. Photo: David A. Brinkley, 1981.


Helmet mask (sowei) Manuwulo, active c. 1935–1960 Sierra Leone: Bo Town area, Baoma chiefdom, Mende peoples 1940–1960 Wood and pigment Dallas Museum of Art, African Collection Fund, 2006.44 The elaborate hairstyle, high forehead, downcast eyes, and soft rolls of fat around the neck of this mask represent idealized beauty, power, and prestige of female members of the Mende society. The animal horns on the forehead and rectangular form on top of the head represent containers for protective medicines to defend against spirits that might harm the dancer wearing this mask. This wooden helmet mask personifies the water spirit sowei, the guardian deity of the Sande society. It is a rare example of a mask that is worn by a female. Women leaders of the Sande society wear the mask and a raffia fiber costume during the initiation of young women into adulthood. Cultural information The Mende are rice farmers who migrated to Sierra Leone from various African territories in the 16th century. Mende boys and girls are initiated into secret societies and remain members for life. These secret societies, Poro for males and Sande for females, serve as educational institutions that teach and preserve morals and customs. Artworks, especially wooden masks, are created for initiation and healing ceremonies.


Helmet mask (sowei) Manuwulo, active c. 1935–1960 Sierra Leone: Bo Town area, Baoma chiefdom, Mende peoples 1940–1960 Wood and pigment Dallas Museum of Art, African Collection Fund, 2006.44


The rare example of women masqueraders in Africa is the Mende's Sande Society. Sierra Leone. Photo: Lydia Puccinelli, 1976.


Face mask Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, and Liberia: Dan peoples Before 1940 Wood, fiber, and pigment Dallas Museum of Art, African Collection Fund, 2005.45 The delicate, feminine features of this mask, such as the small, oval face and narrow eyes, suggest that it represents Deangle, an attractive female spirit known for walking and gesturing gracefully. The spirit serves as a mediator between the town and initiation camps for boys, from which it emerges to collect food for the young men and report the news from town and camp when she visits. For the Dan culture, a spirit who decides it wants to participate in human society appears to men in dreams and specifies the requirements for a mask. The dreamer, who will wear and perform the masquerade, commissions a sculptor to carve a wooden mask. Cultural information The Dan live in northeast Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, and Guinea. Masks are perhaps the most important works of art created by the Dan and are made to imitate and reflect elements of their society, including education, war, peace, laws, and entertainment.


Face mask Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, and Liberia: Dan peoples Before 1940 Wood, fiber, and pigment Dallas Museum of Art, African Collection Fund, 2005.45


A fully costumed entertainment masker. Man region, Liberia. Photo: J. Campé, 1991.


Helmet mask (muti wa lipiko) Mozambique and Tanzania: Makonde peoples Before 1914 Wood, beeswax, human hair, and pigment Dallas Museum of Art, gift of the Cecil and Ida Green Foundation, 1999.64 The scarification patterns and the pointed, chipped teeth on this mask are a representation of Makonde facial decoration. These painful operations were performed to prove one’s manhood or to become more attractive. Masks like this were worn by men in public masquerades that celebrated the return of males and females after the completion of coming-of-age rituals. During the initiation process, boys learned about death and the secret of masking. In a frightful ritual, the boys came in close contact with the mask, which they believed was from the land of the dead. They discovered it is made of wood and learned how to wear it. The mystery of masking was not revealed to girls because masking was a form of social control. Cultural information There are two groups of Bantu-speaking peoples called Makonde, one lives in northern Mozambique and the other in southeastern Tanzania. Before the Portuguese colonized the Makonde in the early 20th century, the most important artistic works they created were carved wooden ancestor figures and masks. Tanzanian Makonde artists create facial and body masks, while the Makonde of Mozambique carve wooden helmet masks for boys’ initiation rituals.


Helmet mask (muti wa lipiko) Mozambique and Tanzania: Makonde peoples Before 1914 Wood, beeswax, human hair, and pigment Dallas Museum of Art, gift of the Cecil and Ida Green Foundation, 1999.64


The helmet mask is worn at an angle, slanting backwards on the head. Mozambique. Photo: Jesper Kirkenaes, c. 1971.


Mask (kifwebe) Democratic Republic of the Congo: Songye peoples Late 19th–early 20th century Wood, paint, fiber, cane, and gut Dallas Museum of Art, The Gustave and Franyo Schindler Collection of African Sculpture, gift of the McDermott Foundation in honor of Eugene McDermott, 1974.Sc.42 This kifwebe face mask still has part of its fiber costume attached on the outer rim of the wood. Diagonal lines, inspired by the patterns of animals like zebras and antelopes, decorate the face of this mask. The white coloring indicates it represents a female. To the Songye peoples, whiteness stands for purity, health, wisdom, and beauty. Bwadi bwa kifwebe is a men’s secret society that enforces common laws and appeals to benevolent spirits on behalf of the community. The masks worn by the men in the kifwebe association are created to be gender specific. The height of the central crest indicates gender, as do the mask’s color and the degree to which the eyes and mouth project from the face. Female masks are part of funeral, lunar, and leadership ceremonies. The female kifwebe dance is gentle and graceful. Cultural information The Songye live west of the Lualaba River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This farming and hunting culture is known for their visual arts, especially expressive masks for the kifwebe secret society.


Mask (kifwebe) Democratic Republic of the Congo: Songye peoples Late 19th–early 20th century Wood, paint, fiber, cane, and gut Dallas Museum of Art, The Gustave and Franyo Schindler Collection of African Sculpture, gift of the McDermott Foundation in honor of Eugene McDermott, 1974.Sc.42


A female kifwebe masker. Democratic Republic of the Congo. Photo: Dunja Hersak.


Water spirit headdress Nigeria: Western Ijo peoples c. 1930–1950 Wood, pigment, and metal Dallas Museum of Art, African Collection Fund, 2008.14 This water spirit mask is worn horizontally on top of the head. The central form resembles a human face with cylindrical eyes, a cone-shaped nose, and a rectangular mouth. Below the mouth is an attachment that may represent the long snout of a hippopotamus or a crocodile, with a white snake slithering on top. Four additional face-like forms appear on the mask – two upside-down above the large central face and one on the end of each side attachment. Water spirits(bini oru) are playful and kind beings who grant success, money, and children to those who show them respect. When water spirits wish to appear on land, they appear to men in dreams, who then commission a mask and stage a masquerade. The water spirit tells its sculptor how the elements on the headdress should look. Cultural information The Ijo live in Nigeria along the Niger Delta region. They rely heavily upon their relationship with the rivers and oceans for food and trade, and their religion centers around water spirits who live in the numerous rivers and swamps of the area.


Water spirit headdress Nigeria: Western Ijo peoples c.1930–1950 Wood, pigment, and metal Dallas Museum of Art, African Collection Fund, 2008.14


A water spirit mask performance at a festival for the Kolokuma clan war god. River State, Nigeria. Photo: Martha G. Anderson, 1979.


Helmet mask (gye) Côte d’Ivoire: Guro peoples Mid-20th century Wood, paint, and sheet metal Dallas Museum of Art, The Otis and Velma Davis Dozier Fund, 1993.1 The powerful horns and snout of a buffalo are combined with human facial features in this helmet mask. Gye [pronounced kwee-yeah] are thought to be ancient creatures that belonged to the animals that live in the forest and mountains. According to legend, a hunter brought the creatures into the village to receive offerings, perhaps to ensure a successful hunt and appease the spirits of the animals that were killed. Images and stories about these friendly beings continued on through masks and costumes, dance steps, and music. Performers wearing the gye mask dance on burning coals. Their costume, made from dried leaves and knotted fibers, extinguishes the flames. Appearing at important community events, these masks can judge disputes, negotiate peace treaties, and make momentous decisions on behalf of the community. Cultural information The Guro are an agricultural culture in central Côte d’Ivoire. They reside in independent villages with no central authority but form alliances for the purpose of war. Guro art is produced by specialists and often takes the form of wooden animal masks that are valued as sacred objects.


Helmet mask (gye) Côte d’Ivoire: Guro peoples Mid-20th century Wood, paint, and sheet metal Dallas Museum of Art, The Otis and Velma Davis Dozier Fund, 1993.1


A gye mask carved in a different style, with a costume of green leaves and dried fiber. Bangofla, Côte d’Ivoire. Photo: Eberhard Fischer, 1984.


Elephant mask (mbap mteng) and headdress Cameroon: Bamileke peoples Mid-20th century (mask) Palm leaf fiber textile, cotton textile, glass beads, and palm-leaf ribs; (headdress) Basketry, wood, feathers, and cotton textile Dallas Museum of Art, Textile Purchase Fund, 1991.54.1-2 This mask, elaborately decorated with imported glass beads, represents an elephant. Long panels with geometric forms hanging down the front and back represent the animal’s trunk and the flat discs with starburst patterns are its ears. The mask can be worn with a headdress made of red tail feathers from the African gray parrot, a precious material usually reserved for the king. The Kuosi, members of a society that served as the king’s representatives, and at times the king, wore this mask and headdress as they performed the prestigious elephant dance during rituals, festivals, and funerals. Those wearing the costume were concealed under cloth garments trimmed with animal fur and pelts. Cultural information The Bamileke live within the Cameroon Grasslands, a mountainous region in western Cameroon. They believe their king has supernatural, religious, and political powers. The king, however, does not control human behavior. Secret associations, like the Kuosi, act on behalf of the king as ambassadors to establish and enforce social order.


Elephant mask (mbap mteng) and headdress Cameroon: Bamileke peoples Mid-20th century (mask) Palm leaf fiber textile, cotton textile, glass beads, and palm-leaf ribs; (headdress) Basketry, wood, feathers, and cotton textile, Dallas Museum of Art, Textile Purchase Fund, 1991.54.1-2


Members of the elephant society wearing beaded masks and feathered headdresses. Bandjoun, Cameroon. Photo SCALA, Florence/Musée du Quai Branly. Photographer: Frank Christol, 1930.

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Egungun costume Republic of Benin: Yoruba peoples …orrfreedom.weebly.com/uploads/2/2/9/0/22907470/african_masks... · African Masks: The Art of Disguise ©Dallas Museum of Art Egungun