African Masks

Face Masks
Vocabulary
COMPOSITION - The arrangement of the lines, shapes and forms.
SYMMETRICAL- Made up of exactly similar parts facing each other or around an axis.

TEXTURE - Highly polished surfaces which represent a youthful healthy skin reflect the idea of beauty
and virtue, while rough dirty surfaces suggest fear and evil.
SHAPE - African masks take on many forms. They can be oval, circular, rectangular, heart-shaped,
animal or human, or any combination of these.
African
Function

African masks should be seen as part of a ceremonial costume. They are used in
religious and social events to represent the spirits of ancestors or to control the
good and evil forces in the community. They come to life, possessed by their spirit
in the performance of the dance, and are enhanced by both the music and
atmosphere of the occasion. Some combine human and animal features to unite
the person with their natural environment. This bond with nature is of great
importance to the African and through the ages masks have always been used to
express this relationship.
Materials
African masks are made from different materials: wood, bronze, brass, copper,
ivory, terracotta and glazed pottery, raffia and textiles. They are often decorated
with cowrie shells, colored beads, bone, animal skins.
The majority of masks and sculptures, however, are made of wood for two
reasons:
1. Trees are in plentiful supply in the forest.
2. The carver believes that the tree has a spiritual soul and its wood is the most
natural home for the spirit in the mask.
Patterns
Bold pattern, either painted or carved, is a powerful and expressive element in African mask design.
Most patterns tend to be geometrical and symmetrical and are used in a variety of ways.

Different geometric patterns are sometimes used to distinguish between male and female masks.

Some patterns are often used as a form of coded information. Parallel, zigzag, curved and spiral
lines, representing scarification marks or tattoos, are frequently used on the mask. These can stand
for social status or have magical or religious powers.
See/ Think/ Wonder
What do you see?

Describe what you see using

Elements of Art

What you think?

What you wonder?

Do you have any questions

About this mask.

 Kota Mask
Function:These masks protect the relics of an ancestor that are contained in a box, basket or bundle
called the Bwete. The Kota honor the relics of their ancestors as they believe that they can call on their
power to assist them with their troubles in this life.

Material:They are carved in wood and covered with sheets of brass or copper to increase their power.

Pattern/Texture: Zigzag lines and straight lines cause a sun like pattern on the mask. There are
crosshatched lines that look like fish scales.

Fun Facts:Kota figures have very stylized heads and simplified shaped bodies. Their faces are oval
with an out curved surface to represent males or an incurved surface to represent females.

The Kota are several different groups of people who share a similar culture. The word 'kota' means to bind
or link together - an appropriate name to unite a tribe.
Mask Meanings
Yohure Mask-

Used in dance rituals to help villagers accept the death of one of their ancestors.
These masks represent the Yu spirits, which restore social balance. They are
considered very powerful but also dangerous objects which must be kept out of
sight of women, for fear of the effects that the supernatural powers of the Yu
spirits may have on them. The Yohure are noted for their beautifully crafted masks
that combine human and animal features. They have elaborate hairstyles, which
often include horns, elongated faces with a high forehead, arched eyebrows and a
low protruding mouth. The face of a Yohure mask is outlined with triangular zigzag
designs.
Teke Mask-

Moon shaped mask that are worn by members of the Kiduma was a secret society
in charge of social celebrations and rituals. Teke masks are mainly used in
traditional dancing ceremonies such as wedding, funeral and initiation ceremonies
of young men entering adult hood. The mask is held in place with a bite bar at the
back which the wearer holds in his teeth. These masks are usually decorated with
geometric symbols and divided by a horizontal stripe. They are colored with clay
and paint.
Dan Mask-

These masks are sacred objects, used for protection and as a channel for
communication with the spirit world. The Dan also carry small passport masks for
personal protection when they are living away from the home. The Dan believe
that their world is split into two domains: the human domain which is represented
by the village and its people, and the spiritual domain which is represented by the
forest and its spirits. When a dancer wears a Dan mask he becomes the spirit of
that mask. A masked dancer will speak in the language of the spirits and his words
are interpreted by a wise man. Some dancers perform masked rituals on stilts.
There are many different Dan masks, each of which has a distinct use during
rituals or festivals. Some masks play an important part in tribal rites while others
are simply for entertainment. Dan masks are guarded by the go master, the head
of the secret society of the leopard who are responsible for the initiation rites of
young men into adulthood. Dan masks have a typically high forehead, pouting
mouth and pointed chin.
Baule Mask-

Used during tribal dances during harvest festivals to honor visitors. This type of
African mask is a Baule mask which is also known as a Goli mask. It is used in
tribal dances during harvest festivals, in processions to honour distinguished
visitors and at the funerals of important figures. The circular face represents the
life-giving force of the sun and the horns symbolize the great power of the buffalo.
The mask is made of wood with two holes cut into the eyes to enable the wearer
to see. The rectangular mouth is also typical of this type of mask.
Bwa Mask-

masks are believed to possess special powers, which are controlled by those who
wear them. These masks are plank shaped with a circular face at one end and a
crescent moon at the other. Their wearer looks through a hole in the mouth. The
eyes are based on an owl and the hooked nose comes from the hornbill. Both
these birds are thought to possess magical powers. The plank section is
decorated with geometric patterns, which are an essential design element in many
African masks and carvings. Geometric pattern creates an external rhythm, which
echoes the internal spiritual energy of the artwork. It can also be used as a coded
language where the design communicates secret knowledge to those in the know.
Ligbi Mask-

The typical Ligbi mask is made of hard wood, and colored in black-brown and
white. One of its special features is the double pairs of eyelids on top of each
other. Fine slit 'eyes', a long nose above a small, round protruding mouth and a
carved goatee. In the upper section, over a jagged band in relief, it displays a pair
of elegantly curved horns. It is used in the celebration of the Islamic holidays,
including Ramadan. Dancers who wear these masks are noted for their elegantly
synchronized movements. The typical Ligbi mask has an elongated face trimmed
with wings on either side. The eyes are shaded and the mouth is rectangular. In
this mask human features are combined with the powerful bill of the hornbill bird.
The Ligbi attach great importance to this bird, considering it one of the mythical
animals, an attendant on the souls of the dead and a symbol of fertility.
Woyo Mask-

Carved for the ritual dances of the ndunga the male society responsible for
maintaining social order. The colors used hold symbolic meaning and can
sometimes be repainted in order to renew its power. The Woyo believe in
witchcraft. Ordeals by fire and poison are used to determine the guilt of those who
have been practicing sorcery. The Woyo masks are typically made out of wood,
and painted with contrasting colors, often in dots and the colors used had symbolic
meaning and were even sometimes repainted, symbolizing rebirth.They were worn
in ceremonial dances known as the ndunga. The 2 colors used in this mask are
very important to the tribe and represent the symbolic meaning of power.