ROLES OF WOMEN

IN AFRICAN ART



Student Exhibition
by
Jayne F. Matricardi



Introduction

The family in Africa is most important. The future of the family lies in the children, and so the ability to produce and raise healthy children is primary. Without exception, an African woman's most important role is that of mother. This being the case, much African art emphasizes images of women, children, and fertility. Yet, I had to ask myself, is this the only role African women play in their society? After researching this question I found many other important roles that women play in Africa. In this exhibit I will examine various roles of women as portrayed in African art. The roles I will discuss are: women as mother, women as ruler or royalty, women as ancestor, woman as priestess,woman as initiation figure, and woman as child.








The Exhibition





Woman as First Mother

Mother of the Tree of Life




















Woman as a Bearer of Good Luck

Mother of Twins





The birth of twins in most societies is a highly celebrated event. However this was not always the case. For example the Ibo people at one time felt that twins should be feared, that they were unnatural to humans, and that double births were fitting only to animals.

Yet the Bambara, and Yoruba societies, exemplify the more common, positive attitude towards twins. Twins bring good luck to themselves, their family and the whole village. So, they are treated with great care and the mother of the twins is especially revered as a bearer of good luck. Often special gifts, food, clothing, or money is given to the mother of twins so that the giver can also share in the good luck. (Walker).

The special Yoruba twin ibeji cult- is a domestic cult which involves the parents and the twins in many rituals beginning at birth. Many rituals also involve images of the twins made after death. If a twin dies prematurely, divination determines if a carved image of the twin if needed to contain the twin's half soul. It is treated as it would have been in life. The reason for the images is the palacation of the spirits of dead twins. If a dead twin sees that it is cared for after death, it will send more children to the mother (Brain).











Woman as a Revered Ancestor

A Spririt Mask







This is an example of a spirit mask. These masks are known for white painted faces, delicate stylized features, and elaborate hairstyles. Different sources cite various reasons for the distinctive white skin. The most plausible reason seems to be that human skin loses color in death, and the masks do represent dead women. Another related reason may be that many African babies are light-skinned at birth, and it is believed that infants are gifts form the spirit world. Therefore, this mask is yet another example of the connections between women, life, and death.






Woman as a Vessle for the Dead

Clay Heads







These two sculptures are examples of grave sculptures made of clay to represent specific women in the society who are deceased. 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 woman during life.

Made by women, these clay heads are a great exception to African tradition in which only men make figurative sculptures and carvings.

The clay heads provide a place for the decesed woman's spirit to dwell on earth.



Woman as a Girls' Initiation Figure

Sowei Mask







The ideal of feminine beauty of the Mende society is represented in this blackened wood helment mask: a high forehead, oval or diamond shaped face, lustrous skin, small features, downcast eyes, elaborate coiffure, and subcutaneous fat around her neck symbolizing health and well-being.

An extraordinary unseen feature of this mask is that it is danced by women rather than men. It is used by the women's Bundu Association of the Mende people in girls' initiation rites.







Woman as a Procreator

Akuaba Fertility Figure























Woman as a Protector

Baga Nimba







This mask honor 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. So, she can be seen as protector of both the sustainance of life and life itself.

The mask shows Nimba's strength in her powerfully straight neck. Combined with strength is femininity and fecundity depicted by her prominent breasts.

This mask is danced by a young male who wears a costume of rafia.















Woman as a Boys' Initiation Figure

Pwo Mask







This mask represents the first woman of the creation myths, the primordial woman. It is used to teach young boys during their initiation rites. These ceremonies are very private and so little is known about them. They learn secrets about mask rituals which women are forbidden to know, sex education including proper way to relate to women, and skills needed to support a family.

Exactly how this mask is used inthe ceremonies is unknown. However, it probably represents the woman/mother from which every boy is taken away, a physical and mental separation, as part of the initiation rite. The boys's roles as children are killed, and they are reborn as men in society, independent from their mothers.





Bibliography