Im pretty sure i bought them 1520 years ago at a thrift store in miami for approx. The yohure are noted for their beautifully crafted masks that combine human and animal features. The unmistakable styles of senufo masks include references to animals and human features. The senufo is a patriarchal extended family society, where arranged. Art and identity in west africa explores what it means to be senufo, a term describing some of the peoples, languages, and cultures in northern cote divoire, southern mali, and burkina faso. Gold funeral mask from grave circle a, mycenae mid16th. Among the naffara group of the senufo, masks of similar form but with an interior cavity too small for a human head are carried on the top corner of a rectangular, tent like costume called kagba. Goldwaters essay in the book describes a cultural context for the production and use of arts identified as senufo, and photographs of objects published in the book encourage comparative study of sculptures of a particular type. Senufo masks are used in the rites of the poro society, a male organization that educates young men in the traditions and responsibilities necessary for their coming of age. They have elaborate hairstyles which often include horns, elongated faces with a high forehead, arched eyebrows and a low protruding mouth. The history of african mask collecting has gone through several stages since europeans began to collect masks in the 19 th century during their colonial forays into africa. Traditional african masks national museum of ghana. Kponyugu masks exhibit many variations in name, style, animal references, and symbolism. Even the longanticipated visions of africa senufo book seems to have gone mia.
These masks, often looking exact the same, are not copies they are replacements. The senufo worship their ancestors, particularly kolotyolo the ancient mother who is holds so much power that she has to be carefully approached through intervention by lesser gods. All senufo art is made by specialized artisans, which may diminish regional stylistic differences. Among the naffara group of the senufo, masks of similar form but with an interior cavity too small for a human head are carried on the top corner of a rectangular. Mar 29, 20 the senufo people have a variety of masks, each having a use for different occasions. There are several types of masks used by the poro society.
Art and identity in west africa is the first presentation of senufo art in the united states in the last 50 years and includes more than 160 works borrowed from nearly 60 public and private collections in europe, asia, africa and north america, many of which have never before been publically displayed. In the book accompanying the exhibition, goldwater described a cultural context for senufo communities in a region spanning the borders of presentday burkina faso. Senufo kponyungo mask research paper example topics and. This is a mask i acquired at an estate sale, the owner of which appeared to be a mask collector.
This article was most recently revised and updated by. Face masks were not the exclusive domain of senufo poro associations, although some poro members may have worn such face masks and raffia costumes to entertain at the end of funerary ceremonies or on other occasions. The senufo are predominantly an agricultural people cultivating corn, millet, yams, and peanut. Make offer vintage africantribal wood carving senufo firespitter helmet mask cote divoire senufo mask authentic handcrafted wood african art ceremonial folk mask. This lovely 5 continents book features masks, figures, pulleys, vessels, spoons, pots, doors, drums, staffs, headdresses, and jewelry. In the rainy southern communities of senufo, thatched roofs are common, while flat roofs are prevalent in dry desertlike north. The horns are long and swoop back from the front of the mask. Senufo kpelie masks of such remarkable refinement as the offered lot are rare. Art and identity in west africa is accompanied by a 272 page fullcolor book titled senufo unbound. One of the famous masks used by the poro society was the kpeliyehe mask, an anthropomorphic mask worn at funeral ceremonies, compelling the spirit of the deceased to leave his house. French is the dominant language for written literature, as little exists in. In bambara, an african language, the word senufo means dialect of the farmers, and refers to an agricultural and pacifist people.
Senufo bird sculpture, mali click image to see full size picture height. The masks are supposed to depict fertility and typically represent the union between a man and woman. The dallas museum of art is supported, in part, by the generosity of dma members and donors, the citizens of dallas through the city of dallas office of arts and culture, and the texas commission on the arts. Kponyungo masks are spiritual items used in funeral ceremonies. In the twentieth century, dyula communities in parts of northern cote divoire commissioned and performed with similar face masks. Regionally, the senufo are famous as musicians and superb carvers of wood sculpture, masks, and figurines. Figures representing the ancestors are common, as are brass miniatures and small statues, which are used in divination. They are also internationally famous carvers of wood sculpture, mainly masks and figures. A type of animal mask called waniugo has a cup for a magical substance on top.
This mask was most probably used by farmers among the senufo and it was worn on the head when danced. These refined face masks represent women, are danced by men, and are usually associated with the poro association. Under the directorship of art historian robert goldwater, the museum displayed together for the first time a stunning array of arts attributed to senufo artists. The senufo artists have a high status in their society as their masks and sculptures are believed to have the power to help communication between the living and their dead ancestors. The kponyungo is native name for this type of mask which can be broken down into two parts, with nyungo meaning head,kpoo wii which is a high midtone meaning corpse studentshare our website is a unique platform where students can share their papers in a matter of giving an example of the work to be done. In ivory coast live the senufo, a primitive ethnic group with amazing customs and spectacular dances.
Kpelie mask, senufo people, ivory coast masks of the world. Media in category senufo people the following 5 files are in this category, out of 5 total. Between the fourteenth and eighteenth centuries, as kingdoms rose and fell, many ethnic groups moved in and settled permanently in the region. The book is divided into two parts a masks from the african point of view which is religious or ceremonial and b masks from a western point of view which is mainly from an arts and crafts perspective.
The purpose of this ceremony is to capture the spirit of the. Culture of cote divoire history, people, traditions, women. The nose, forehead, and temples of the mask s face are decorated with cowrie shells and red and orange abrus seeds. History the baga have lived in their current location since the 14th century. In an area subject to drought, famine, and endemic desease, the senufo face constant hardship and the threat of death. The senufo are a traditional agricultural people of the northern savanna, renowned around the world for their woodcarving. List of books and articles about african art online. The closest comparable example is the wellknown mask now in the collection of the detroit institute of arts see kan 1995. The mask in the plu collection is made from wood and crowned with three animal horns. Other masks below are some other african masks from nigeria. In this ritual, one member from each participating poro organization a secret mens society, also referred to as a hunting society wears a mask and will drum next to the home of the deceased or the home belonging to the deceased lineage group. Senufo masks represent human features with geometric projections and legs jutting out from each side of the face.
I was told that it is from africa and that it is old but no other details. As if made of rubber, a girl is bounced to and fro in front of a mesmerized audience. There are few exceptions, one example being masquerades directed at the womens society of diviners. By 1949, the face mask lem collected was in helena rubinsteins collection, and the metropolitans collection now includes a similar sculpture 1978. The mask is made of gold, precious stones and glass inlay, 14th century bce. A fine senufo firespitter helmet mask, ivory coast in the complex and extensive corpus of zoomorphic helmet mask helmets used by the senufo, the morigi mask is highly unusual. Mask kanaga, mali, dogon peoples, 20th century, wood, fiber, hide, pigment, 53.
It started out as a simple way for me to check out cool masks and learn more about the types and to also learn more about graphic design and design in general by bringing these old masks back to life in the digital form. Masks of black africa african art art of illustration. In the korhogo region, deguele masks appear in pairs at funerals. Franklin collection and exhibited in the seminal 1964 show senufo sculpture from west.
The ten best history books of 2019 history smithsonian. Exaggerated yet delicate face masks, composite yet integrated zoomorphic helmet masks, and geometric yet gentle figurative sculptures exemplify the mpas vision of the senufo style. It also questions the canonical assumptions applied by many academics and culture brokers to the definition and. By passing on traditional poetry, folktales, and myths, the storytellers, called griots by the malike, impart societal values, history, and religion. The senufo people have specialized their art and handicraft work by subgroups, wherein the art is learnt within this group, passed from one generation to the next. The senufo are outstanding musicians, using marimbas, tuned iron gongs, and a variety of drums, horns, and flutes.
It is used to uphold law and order in the community. Cote divoire has enjoyed a long history of storytelling, primarily because of its high illiteracy rate. In this episode we combine ganon from the legend of zelda with the kponungo mask of the senufo people. See more ideas about ivory coast, african masks and african art.
The cubism and masks found in senufo pieces were a significant influence for pablo picassos african period. The senufo are made up of a number of diverse subgroups who migrated into their current location from the north during the 15th and 16th centuries. Certain masks get replaced with a new mask of the same spiritual power every 7 years. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options.
It is a carved wooden helmet mask, which means it is worn over the whole head. African divination is discussed in my new book dreaming the future. The mask is made out of wood which appears to have some age on it. The senufo kponyugu masks are both horizontal composite animal forms with long, projecting horns, a large, gaping mouth, and fearsome accoutrements such as sharp teeth and claws. Lem acquired sometime before 1948 in the folona region of southern mali offered a different example for the treatment of finely carved face masks. At first, europeans treated masks as ethnographic objects, and displayed them in natural history museums alongside taxidermied animals, exotic plant remains and fossils. Your mask is called a kpelie and comes from the senufo people of ivory coast.
This article was most recently revised and updated by virginia gorlinski, associate editor. The ashanti kingdom of ghana employed 18th and 19th cent. Art and death in a senufo village is a very powerful hardback that discribes and analyzes the nature and purpose of art in a typical senufo village w traditions have remained relatively free of outside influence. Their iconographya composite of a wide range of animalsrefers to the origin of the world, to important legends, and to the roles of certain animals in carrying out obligations to ancestors and nature.
I doubt theyre valuable, but i plan to mount them on stands and would like to identify their area of origin. Such details relate to senufo cosmology, legends, and beliefs about the connections between certain animals and the ancestral and nature spirits that connect the living. Traditional african masks are one of the elements of great african art that have most evidently influenced european and western art in general. Senufo, helmet mask komo, mid20th century, wood, glass, animal horns, fiber, mirrors, iron, and other materials, dallas museum of art, gift of david t. On game ritual we merge your favorite video game characters with the amazing arts of africa.
New yorks nowdefunct museum of primitive art opened its landmark exhibition senufo. This mask is the symbol of the lo, which only initiates may see. Senufo masks are used in ritual forms of ancestor worship and are particularly prized by collectors. Senufo masks combine features of animals and humans in a single design. Vintage kpelie portrait masks and collectable authentic kponyungo firespitter masks profess to facilitate communication with ancestors including kolotyolo, the ancient mother. Various cultures specialize in different materials for their masks basketwork in the congo, bronze masks of the senufo, or metal surfacing among the marka. A special class of ancestor masks are those related to notable, historical or legendary people. The name kponyungo is derived from the words kpoo and nyungo, which translates to the head of the deceased one. Senufo, a group of closely related peoples of northern cote divoire ivory coast and southeastern mali. History and ethnic relations emergence of the nation. Senufo original antique african masks for sale ebay. The mwaash ambooy mask of the kuba people dr congo, for example, represents the legendary founder of the kuba kingdom, woot, while the mgady amwaashmask represents his wife mweel.
The one that concerns us is the poro society which makes specialized masks that are used to connect with the gods, ancestors, and bush spirits. Senufo the unmistakable styles of senufo masks include references to animals and human features. The other is of a similar size and design but the details are slightly different. The face of the mask is oval shaped with a long nose. Divination, or the art of predicting the future and gaining hidden knowledge, plays a big role in the life of the senufo people. Dallas museum of art presents extraordinary look inside. The mouth of the mask particularly got me interested as to why it was designed that way. See more ideas about african art, art and african textiles. From womanhood to nationhood, they challenge the construction of. They speak at least four distinct languages palaka, dyimini, and senari in cote divoire and suppire in mali, which belong to the gur branch of the nigercongo language family.
Containing nearly 160 artworks, the exhibition senufo. I would appreciate your insight as to the more specific origin and purposesymbolism of this piece. Inside a senufo helmet mask is organized by the dallas museum of art. If you know 5 continents publications, then you know just how good the presentation, paper, and photography is. Chapter 2 the masks of africa california state university.
Senufo arts and poro initiation in northern cote divoire. They migrated to this area from the interior highlands in upper niger accompanied by several other peoples who share linguistic similarities, including the landuma, tyapi, and temne peoples. The masks are supposed to depict fertility and typically represent the u ion between a man and woman. Every small village still has a repertoire of up to 10 and more masks.
The socalled death mask of agamemnon the king of mycenae in homers iliad. The small legs below the chin symbolize the hornbill bird, one of the senufo primordial creatures at the first to be hunted by men. African mask senufo tribe ivory coast ancestor worship senufo mask. The zoomorphic wanyugo masks, characterised by their aggressive appearance crocodile or hyena jaw, warthog tusks are perceived by the senufo as violent masks, whose powers are employed either on behalf of the poro initiation society to maintain social order, or with more limited associations as part of antiwitchcraft practices. The history books we loved most in 2019 span centuries, nations and wars. The kponyungo, also known as the funeral head mask or firespitter, is the most wellknown senufo mask. Senufo masks are created by specialist artists who live apart from the rest of their village.