This is an example of a spirit mask; a commemorative portrait of a female ancestor. These masks are known for white painted faces,
delicate stylized features, and elaborate hairstyles. Different sources cite various reasons
for the distinctive kaolin whitened skin. In "African Women African Art" , Roslyn Walker discusses
two possibilities: that the white face represents the loss of color exhibited by skin in death,
or that it represents a return of the woman to the spirit world. The latter posibility is built upon
the fact that many African babies are light-skinned at birth, and it is believed that infants are
gifts from the spirit world (52). Therefore, this mask is another example of the
connections between women, life, and death.
The dancer performs acrobatic movements on stilts with the mask concealing his face and clother of raffia or cotton concealing his body. Women and children usually stay hidden from the performer while men pretend to be afraid of the Okuyi- chasing it and throwing wood or rocks (Perrois 100).
These two clay heads are examples of grave sculptures representing specific
women in the society. They are memorial portraits of the women, depicting
realistic features, the actual hairstyle of the women, and a general likeness which comes
from the artist who knew the women during life.
"During memorial rites, which take place over an extended period, the image is carried in public procession thru the village, set on an altar, and ultimately placed in a mausoleum or a sacred grove of trees" (Woodward 8).
Made by women, these clay heads are a great exception to African tradition in which only
men make figurative sculptures and carvings. The only other exceptions include clay pot
lids of the Yoruba and carvings of the Wakemba (Walker 53).
In African religions a deceased person's soul is never fully disconnected from the human
world. The souls still have powerful effects on the lives of the living and appeasement of
the spirits is very important. The clay head provides a place for the deceased woman's
spirit to dwell on earth, thus creating continuity between the earthly and spiritual realms.
The Gelede festival pays tribute to female mystical power of ancestors, elders, and dieties. These women are known as "our mothers." The power of "our mothers" is at once constructive, relating to fertility, knowledge of the secret of life, and also destructive, a surreptitious power, aje, which is more like witchcraft. (Drewal and Drewal 8)
The Gelede dancers are men, yet they represent both men and women in the performance. The dancers embody the inner natures and generalized roles of men and women.
As can be seen in the photographs of a Gelede dance, the dancer is hidden under a costume of brightly colored cloths. These cloths come from "a multitude of women's head ties, baby wrappers, and skirts tied in varrious ways" (120). The borrowing of cloth from all the women of the village is another thread tying together Gelede's unifying theme of "Our Mothers".
This mask honors Nimba, the Baga peoples' goddess of fertility and motherhood who is also
believed to be a special protector. She protects the growth of both crops and pregnant
women. She can be seen as protector of both the sustainance of life and life itself (Walker 22).
Nimba appears at weddings, funerals, and at the harvest. The dance lasts several days, made possible by alternating dancers. The Nimba mask and dancer are accompanied by men carrying drums, and women singing, throwing rice, and waving fans (Lamp).
This mask belongs to the Gelede cult which honors the power of women. Yet Gelede is only one part of the cult, the diurnal half, Efe being the noctural other half. Efe/Gelede ceremonies usually take place at the beginning of an agricultural cycle, at funerals, or at times of need such as drought or disease. The occurance of the masked dance is determined by the female cult head, iyalase (Drewal 552).
The Gelede festival takes place in the marketplace for several reasons. The marketplace is seen as a metaphor for the world, it is a place where mortals and spirits mingle, and it is the domain of women. Women control trading and they are economically independent, therefore the marketplace is a setting full of female power and presence. (10)
The mask above, from the Bayly Art Museum, is a female mask. The lower face represents the idealized outer, visible head of a female. It is perfectly calm and poised, showing no emotion. She is like all of "our mothers": patient and powerful in a covert manner (15). This idea is also represented in the female dance which is powerful yet restrained, while the male dance is more violent and aggressive (151). The superstructure above the face represents a woman's inner head, the place of her mystical power. This mask shows snakes and bird. The former often associated with women because they are nocturnal creatures, and the latter because it is thought that women and birds have similar clairvoyant powers (15).
Baga Nimba
The mask shows Nimba's strength in her powerfully straight neck. Combined with strength is
femininity and fecundity depicted by her prominent breasts. The flatness of her breasts also demotes a woman who has nursed many children (Lamp).
This mask is danced by a young male who wears a costume of rafia (Walker 22-23). The dancer must be extremely strong and agile to perform well under the great weight of the Nimba mask and costume. The costume of bleached rafia reaching to the dancer's ankles is attached to a hoop which is then attached to the mask. A dark cloth is also attached at the Nimba's neck. The dancer, totally invisible to the crowd, can see through small holes pierced between the breasts on the Nimba mask (Lamp).
Introductory Page
Women's Roles in the Family
Women's Roles in Society
Map of Africa
Bibliography
