Topic and elegance
African masks are often formed after a human face or some animal's muzzle, albeit rendered in a generally extremely summary type. The inherent lack of realism in African masks (and African artwork on the whole) is justified by the truth that most African cultures clearly distinguish the essence of a topic from its seems, the previous, quite than the latter, being the precise topic of artistical illustration. An excessive instance is given by nwantantay masks of the Bwa people (Burkina Faso) that characterize the flying spirits of the forest; since these spirits are deemed to be invisible, the corresponding masks are formed after summary, purely geometrical kinds.
Trendy components in a masks's seems are codified by the custom and should both determine a selected neighborhood or convey particular meanings. For instance, each the Bwa and the Buna people of Burkina Faso have hawk masks, with the form of the beak figuring out a masks as both Bwa or Buna. In each circumstances, the hawk's wings are adorned with geometric patterns which have ethical meanings; saw-shaped traces characterize the exhausting path adopted by ancestors, whereas chequered patterns characterize the interplay of opposites (male-female, night-day, and so forth)
Traits representing ethical values are discovered in lots of cultures. Masks from the Senufo people of Ivory Coast, for instance, have their eyes half closed, symbolizing a peaceable perspective, self-control, and endurance. In Sierra Leone and elsewhere, small eyes and mouth characterize humility, and a large, protruding brow represents knowledge. In Gabon, massive chins and mouths characterize authority and energy. The Grebo of the Ivory Coast carve masks with spherical eyes to characterize alertness and anger, with the straight nostril to characterize unwillingness to retreat.
Animals
Animals are widespread topics in African masks. Animal masks may really characterize the spirit of animals, in order that the mask-wearer turns into a medium to talk to animals themselves (e.g. to ask wild beasts to keep away from the village); in lots of circumstances, nonetheless, an animal can be (generally primarily) a logo of particular virtues. Frequent animal topics embrace the buffalo (often representing energy, as within the Baoulé tradition), crocodile, hawk, hyena, warthog and antelope. Antelopes have a basic position in lots of cultures of the Mali space (for instance in Dogon and Bambara tradition) as representatives of agriculture. Dogon antelope masks are extremely summary, with a common rectangular form and lots of horns (a illustration of plentiful harvest. Bambara antelope masks (known as chiwara) have lengthy horns representing the thriving progress of millet, legs (representing roots), lengthy ears (representing the songs sung by the working ladies at harvest time), and a saw-shaped line that represents the trail adopted by the Solar between solstices.
A typical variation on the animal-mask theme is the composition of a number of distinct animal traits in a single masks, generally together with human traits. Merging distinct animal traits collectively is typically a way to characterize uncommon, distinctive advantage or excessive standing. For instance, the Poro secret societies of the Senufo people of the Ivory Coast have masks that commemorate the distinctive energy of the society by merging three totally different "hazard" symbols: antelope horns, crocodile tooth, and warthog fangs. One other well-known instance is that of kifwebe masks of the Songye people (Congo basin), that blend the stripes of a zebra (or okapi), the tooth of a crocodile, the eyes of a chameleon, the mouth of an aardvark, the crest of a rooster, the feathers of an owl and extra.
Female magnificence
One other widespread topic of African masks is a girl's face, often primarily based on a selected tradition's ideal of feminine beauty. Feminine masks of the Punu people of Gabon, for instance, have lengthy curved eyelashes, almond-shaped eyes, skinny chin, and conventional ornaments on their cheeks, as all these are thought of handsome traits. Female masks of the Baga people have ornamental scars and breasts. In lots of circumstances, carrying masks that characterize female magnificence is strictly reserved to males.
One of many well-known representations of feminine magnificence is the Idia masks of Benin. It's believed to have been commissioned by a king of Benin in reminiscence of his mom. To honor his lifeless mom, the king wore the masks on his hip throughout particular ceremonies.
Ancestors masks (masks of the lifeless)
Because the veneration of defunct ancestors is a basic component of most African conventional cultures, it isn't stunning that the lifeless can be a typical topic for masks. Masks referring to lifeless ancestors are most frequently formed after a human skull. A well known instance is the mwana pwo (actually, "younger girl") of the Chokwe people (Angola), that mixes components referring to female magnificence (well-proportioned oval face, small nostril and chin) and different referring to demise (sunken eye sockets, cracked pores and skin, and tears); it represents a feminine ancestor who died younger, honored in rites equivalent to circumcision rites and ceremonies related to the renewal of life. As veneration of the lifeless is most frequently related to fertility and copy, many dead-ancestor masks even have sexual symbols; the ndeemba masks of the Yaka people (Angola and DR Congo), for instance, is formed after a cranium complemented with a phallic-shaped nostril.
A particular class of ancestor masks are these associated to notable, historic or legendary individuals. The mwaash ambooy masks of the Kuba people (DR Congo), for instance, representing the legendary founding father of the Kuba Kingdom, Woot, whereas the mgady amwaash masks represents his spouse Mweel.
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