Awesome African Cultures

Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire : Dan Ngere The major artwork of Liberia and Cote d'lvoire was the Dan Ngere mask carved out of wood. The mask which has almost the same appearance and form is used for different purposes. One of such purposes is as a channel of communication with their high god, Zan . The spirits of their ancestors are also invoked through the masks. Another function of the mask is its use, especially the one known as Dea , during circumcision. A tall conical headdress indicating beauty is worn with the Dea mask. Two types of the Dea masks have been identified. One is used for teaching initiates into the Poro Society and frightening away women and children from the initiation camp. The other one is worn while collecting food from the mothers of the youths. Some of the masks regarded as the low ones are merely used for entertaining those who have remained behind in the village while initiaton lasted. The carving of the masks is idealized to look like

The Republic of Benin: Fon The major works of the Republic of Benin, are the sculptural works of the Fon people. Some of the works were done on wood but a majority of the durable ones are bronze or brass castings of animals and of people at work or any other activities like processions, hunting and hoeing. In the Republic of Benin, Brass was regarded as an object of prestige. The brasssmiths, therefore, do the works for the wealthy who can afford to buy them and use them to decorate their homes as symbols of wealth.

Cote d'lvoire : Senufo and Baule The Senufo of Cote d'lvoire are the southern neighbours of Dogon of Mali who are known to produce remarkable ancestral figures and masks. The Senufo produce masks and figures somewhat similar to those of Dogon. The Senufo figures are used for two distinctive purposes. While some are used for divination, others are used by their Lo or Men Society's Rhythm-Pounders which is solely an up and down movement. The young men of the Lo Society carry the figures and hold them from behind by the upper arms in their Rhythm Pounders dance in which they all thump their figures on the ground at regular intervals and in unison. These are more or less ancestral figures. The divination figures especially those of the Bandeguele represent horsemen. The Senufo mask called Kponiugo is very important to them. It is a mythical being believed to protect the community from sorcerers and soul stealers. Apart from that, it is intended to re-enac

Mali : Dogon and Bambara The Dogon and Bambara people of Mali are well-known traditional sculptors. Their works are in wood and are mainly ancestral figures and masks. The Dogon wood carvings can be classified into three distinctive styles . The first is the simplified forms of the masks. The second is the cube-like ancestral figures which in recent times are used as decorative motifs on doors and the third, the round freestanding ancestral figures. Sometimes, however, the cubic and the round free-standing ancestral figures appear in one piece especially the round free-standing figures sitting on a carved stool with legs in the cubistic style. Some of the ançestral figures known as Nommo , a spirit associated with their creation, are sometimes represented with arms lifted up. These figures are used for prayers for the restoration of rain. Others, mostly from the Tellem area of Dogon , are used to call upon the force or god of fertility and birth and for the purification

Sierra Leone: Mende Among the Mende , in Sierra Leone, two types of sculpture prevail. These are figures in soapstone called Nomoli and wooden masks used by the female initiation ceremonv of the Sande society . The mask is called Bundu by the Sande society . The Sande society prepares and initiates young Mende girls into responsible adult life. During the ceremony of initiation, the young woman wears the mask and looks out through slits made beside the jaw at the level of the mouth. The Nomoli figures which are carved out of soapstone, also known as soft stone, are used to encourage fertility. The figures are kept in rice fields to protect the crop and enable it to yield well. The Mende believe that the figures are expected to steal rice plants from the nearby fields. If this is not done successfully, the figures would be beaten. The figures have big, powerful heads and the limbs are projected forward to represent a man leaning against a back-rest.

Guinea: Kissi and Baga The Kissi of Guinea like the Mende of Sierra Leone carve figures from soapstone. They call these figures Pomdo . The figures are carved with strong vertical axes ánd they wear a smile similar to the archaic smile of Greek art. The Kissi also keep the figures in their rice field to protect the crop and make it prosper. Kissi's initiates wear fibre costumes and paint their faces instead of using masks. Baga The outstanding sculpture of the Baga of Guinea is the mask known as Nimba . The people of northern Baga have a society known as the Simo society which performs ritual ceremonies after the rice harvest. The Nimba mask is worn over the head and rests on the shoulder of the dancer during the ceremony which is per- formed after the rice harvest. Another work of the Baga that is worth noting is the Simo society's drum, which consists of a kneeling figure with other figures round it. It is used during funeral ceremonies of members of