Uniting
the Worlds with the Baule Spirit Spouse
In
the Baule cosmos there is another world, a spirit world, that is identical
to the earthly world. Every person in the earthly world has a spouse
in the spirit world that must be reckoned with. They are separated
from this spouse at birth and from the time someone reaches puberty until
death, this spirit can cause distress in the life of their earthly spouse
if they become displeased (they are quite jealous) with the behavior of
their spouse on earth. When this first occurs, the Baule commission
an artist to make a statue representing the spirit spouse. The spirit
is honored through the statue by placing it in a sacred space and devoting
one night a week to it alone rather than one's earthly spouse. This is done
not to worship the statue, but to pay tribute to the 'other world,' and
its influence on this earthly life. To be effective the statue must be meticulously
carved to represent the beauty of the spirit spouse. Notice the beautiful
shine and intricate details in the carving. It is decorated with ornate
beads to show off its beauty. If the statue is not striking to the spirit,
it will not be effective and must be thrown out and a more talented artist
must be commissioned to make a more beautiful representation.
Beauty, Fertility, and
the Chokwe Woman
This mask embodies the spirit of mwana pwo representing
the beauty, grace, and inward meditative spirit of the female. It is worn
by young men who also wear false breasts and a skirt. He dances to invoke
the spirit of procreative power to keep the fertility of future 
generations
robust (Visual Arts 247). The designs carved on the face illustrate the scarification
patterns of the people in the tribe. The half closed eyes in large circular
orbits are commonly seen in the Chokwe masks (Groveart). They reflect the
beauty and tranquility of the female persona. The smooth, lustrous finish
exemplifies the radiating beauty of the female.
Finding Healing and Harmony
in the Kongo
This
beautifully carved elephant is an itombwa, used by diviners to detect the cause
of illness. It is also used to find who the criminal party may be when social
and moral offenses have been committed (Visual Arts 265)s The diviner uses oil
to prepare the oracle and then rubs a wooden peg across its back to discover
what is wrong with the client. In the case of crime, the diviner recites the
names of people who may have be guilty while he rubs the oracle. When the peg
will no longer move across the back of the animal, the person who's name is
being recited is found to be guilty. This oracle can only be used by a qualified
diviner who is able to understand the intense spiritual powers of the itombwa.
The intricate detail in the carving and the radiant shine in the finish emphasizes
the understanding the artist has for the power of the itombwa. The excellence
of the craftsmanship makes the itombwa more powerful and effective.
Transforming the Girl into
the Woman in the Mende Society The Sande Mask
When
a girl becomes of age (after puberty) in the Mende society she is initiated
into the Sande society. Girls are taken from the village to a special camp
to attain the beauty and composure of a woman. She first undergoes female
circumcision, clitoridectomy. This takes away the male aspect just as circumcision
takes the female aspect of the boy. Once the operation has been preformed,
the girl is transformed into a woman through training in proper behavior,
hygiene, and the art of singing and dancing. She also learns about sexuality,
marriage and childbirth (Art and Life CD Rom). When she returns to her home
she radiates the beauty, composure and confidence of a Sande woman. This initiation
is necessary for her to be considered an adult and eligible for marriage in
the Mende society. The beautiful mask represents the elegance of the new women.
The neck rings show the health and vitality of the young women being initiated
into adulthood. The eyes of the mask show the composure and inward focus of
the new initiates. The elaborate hairstyle done in beautiful braids reflects
the beauty of the women. The mask is danced by the Sowei, an older women wise
and learned in the ways of the society. They initiates return with the dancing
of the Sowei and a celebration of their new poise and transformation.
Spirits from the Bush Nuna
Hawk Mask
The
carved wooden animal masks of the Nuna represent sprints of the bush that
have taken animal form (Art of the Upper Volta 212). When the mask is danced,
the dancer imitates the movement of the hawk, swooping and circling as the
hawk does in the sky. Nuna masks represent protective spirits that provide
health, 
prosperity and fertility. In the event of illness or other misfortune, a mask
may be carved to represent the spirit causing the problem in order to obtain
their protection (Art of the Upper Volta 221). The geometric patterns and
lines represent the ancestors and moral principals one must follow (Ray, African
Masks). Http://cti.itc.virginia.edu/~bcr/african_mask_faces.html
The Benevolent Magic of
the Female
The
Songye
kifweke mask from the late 19th century initiates the magical,
other worldly power of witchcraft or sorcery. The female mask is always white,
representing the benevolent qualities of the Songye world. It embodies the
qualities of health, wisdom, joy, purity, reproductive potency, beauty and
peace (Grove Art). The mask is danced to activate the benevolent spirits of
these qualities and thus is danced in a more gracious, refined manner than
the male counterpart which is danced in a more vigorous, aggressive manner.
The graceful, symmetrical striations in the face represent the marks the Songye
people wear on their faces to represent the beauty of the animal and the power
it possesses. There are few masks of this quality remaining with the beard
as well as the covering for the torso and arms still attached.