Art in Africa - wetwert PDF

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De Anza College ICS 5/Arts 2F Art in West African Cultures Kalahari Kung! San – Rock Art Kalahari Desert and Drakensberg in rock shelters Rock Art of the Kalahari Desert is thought to be the expression of priests or “shamans.” Shamans in !Kung and San societies were reported to use rock shelters as places where they went into trances – altered states of consciousness – to communicate with spirits to gain spiritual power to cure, to control the animal herds, or to control the weather. After their “out of body” experience, they would paint images on the rock shelter wall that documented their experience. An Afrikaner minister recorded this information in the 19 th Century, but only recently – (late 20 th C) - has the manuscript been translated from Afrikaner into English. David Lewis-Williams of Witwatersrand University in South Africa made this information available to anthropologists and archaeologists studying rock art. Rock art can not be directly dated unless a speck of paint can be removed from an image and dated by 14C techniques. A few have been dated by 14C confirming that some of these paintings are over 1000 years old. The dates indicate that they span a 600 year time period, right up to the 1650’s when the first Dutch made contact with the San people. Reality scenes – Line of walking figures carrying equipment & two antelope Cattle and leaping feline Ceremonial and symbolic representations San ritual – curing dance includes the entire band Curing dance painted on a rock shelter wall Symbolic function of the eland – eland – symbolic death – trance  Therianthropes – shaman painting what it felt like to be in a trance and moving in the spirit world as part human, part eland.  Shaman in a trance having a nose bleed  Shaman in a trance moving MALI – Dogon, Bambara (or Bamena as they were called in African Art video), and Senufo Dogon are farmers living on high cliffs above the upper Niger River. They use only the rain to water their crops and natural ground moisture. They grow onions (which they trade) and millet. Their culture is very old and it has been said that they used to live farther south but moved to this part of the world to maintain their world view/religious perspectives about the world.  Ancestor figures carved by the blacksmith (our word, not theirs)  Ancestor with power of both male and female people.  Kanga masks made by each initiate into an age-grade secret society called the Awa Society

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Sirige masks - come out only on special occasions such as funerals, weddings, births. – worn by elders. Granary door - Bambara (Bamena) are farmers who plant and harvest millet. Chi Wara – blessing a field before planting – male and female antelopes. Chief’s stool - Senufo – Ancestor figure, granary door. Small ancestor figure riding a horse – iron – made for family shrines and village shrines. Iron figures come in many shapes and are blessed by village priest with millet-water. After a long time the image collects so much millet-water that the original image can not be seen any longer, but the priest knows what is there and what prayers to say to bless it. Google “Dogon” and go to the Dogon website for many more pictures of villages, ceremonial outfits, social events where the outfits, dancing, and drumming , conch blowing are used together. Write a one-page reflection paper – what did you learn??

In these cultures, the blacksmith is an honored profession because of the knowledge or knowing the technology for smelting iron. Blacksmiths’ children can only marry other blacksmiths’ children to keep the knowledge safe and privileged. Iron-working technology goes back to 2000 BC in Africa. The people who work with metal to create objects are privileged people. CONGO – Mask traditions for initiation and secret societies  Masked Bayaka youth dancing at completion of initiation rites.  Sande or Bundu dance mask worn by matrons in charge of initiation rites for girls into a women’s secret society  Some masks contain so much spiritual power they are not worn, rather hung on the wall of a council house where elders consult it to help them make important decisions. Dan mask.  Baule dance mask recalls the female ancestor who began the culture by moving away from her Ashanti brother to establish her own kingdom. West Africa – along the Gold and Ivory Coasts – Ranked societies with Royalty. All the art is focused on the King’s well being which is symbolic too. Ashanti (Asante) Ghana  Goldsmiths at work  Example of what they make – this is a gold sword ornament – lion.  They also carve – Aku’a Mma – Ashanti fetish for pregnant women – expresses the Ashanti ideal of beauty.  King Otumfoo Opoku Ware II, Kumasi, Ghana celebrating his 25 th anniversary of beginning his reign. Sword bearers carry his litter.  Procession with his gold throne  King’s advisors also deliver proclamations of the King to the crowd.

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Staffs symbolize proverbs and wise sayings such as “God opens all doors. Sword bearer carries golden snake sword. The king will swear his allegiance on it Soul washer absorbs any evil aimed at the king. Dancer – jewelry and Kente cloth have been the traditional dress for the court since 18th century.

Textiles in Africa have a more formal role in society than they do in Western European cultures, (unless you think about tapestries)  Hausa man weaving on a narrow strip-loom (Nigeria)  Ashanti man sewing strips together, woven cotton blanket – Mande people of Senegal and tie-dyed design on 16 strips by Dioula people.  Printed Adinkira cloth  Woven silk Kente cloth, Ashanti  Rayon wrap, European cloth was unraveled, threads saved and re-woven into more traditional designs.  Bambara, earth-dyed cloth with more symbols  An Akan syllabary with some meanings translated!!...