A traditional Malian mask

There are an enormous variety of masks used in Africa. In West Africa, masks are used in masquerades that form part of religious ceremonies enacted to communicate with spirits and ancestors. Examples are the masquerades of the Yoruba, Igbo and Edo cultures, including Egungun Masquerades and Northern Edo Masquerades. The masks are usually carved with an extraordinary skill and variety by artists who will usually have received their training as an apprentice to a master carver - frequently it is a tradition that has been passed down within a family through many generations. Such an artist holds a respected position in tribal society because of the work that he/she creates, embodying not only complex craft techniques but also spiritual/social and symbolic knowledge.^[1] African masks are also used in the Mas or Masquerade of the Caribbean Carnival. This article is about masks fitted on the face as an article of clothing or equipment. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ...  Western Africa (UN subregion)  Maghreb[1] West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. ... The Yoruba (Yorùbá in Yoruba orthography) are a large ethno-linguistic group or ethnic nation in West Africa. ... The Ibo are a group of people living in what is now Nigeria. ... Edo (Japanese: , literally: bay-door, estuary, pronounced //), once also spelled Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo. ... Egungun is a part of the Yoruba Pantheon of divinities. ... // This section does not cite any references or sources. ... Caribbean Carnival is an event that takes place in many of the Caribbean islands annually. ...

Fang mask used for the ngil ceremony, an inquisitorial search for sorcerers. Wood, Gabon, 19th century.

Many African masks represent animals. Some African tribes believe that the animal masks can help them communicate with the spirits who live in forests or open savannas. People of Burkina Faso known as the Bwa and Nuna call to the spirit to stop destruction. The Dogon of Mali have complex religions that also have animal masks. Their beliefs are in three main cults - the Awa, cult of the dead, Bini, cult of communication with spirits and Lebe, cult of earth and nature. These three main cults nevertheless use seventy-eight different types of masks. Most of the ceremonies of the Dogon culture are secret, although the antelope dance is shown to non-Dogons. The antelope masks are rough rectangular boxes with several horns coming out of the top. The Dogons are expert agriculturists and the antelope symbolizes a hard working farmer. ^[2] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1500x2900, 2189 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Mask Beti-Pahuin African tribal masks Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1500x2900, 2189 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Mask Beti-Pahuin African tribal masks Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera... The Beti-Pahuin are a group of related peoples who inhabit the rain forest regions of Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and São Tomé and Príncipe. ... For the popping bean, see common bean. ... The Dogon village of Banani. ... AWA abbre Application Web Access, Some kind of access to application by web Awadhi language (ISO 639 language code awa) Awa (or variants) can mean: Awá, an endangered indigenous people of Amazonia Awa (people), a people group in the Eastern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea Awa, Chiba (Japan), a... MINI is the name of a subsidiary of BMW as well as that of a car produced by that subsidiary since April 2001. ...

Another culture that has a very rich agricultural tradition is the Bamana people of Mali. The antelope (called Chiwara) is believed to have taught man the secrets of agriculture. Although the Dogons and Bamana people both believe the antelope symbolises agriculture, they interpret elements the masks differently. To the Bamana people, swords represent the sprouting of grain. Bambara, also known as Bamanankan in the language itself, is a language spoken in Mali by as many six million people. ... Drawing of a male, vertical Chiwara mask. ... This article is about the herbivorous mammals. ...

Masks may also indicate a culture’s ideal of feminine beauty. The masks of Punu of Gabon have highly arched eyebrows, almost almond-shaped eyes and a narrow chin. The raised strip running from both sides of the nose to the ears represent jewellery. Dark black hairstyle, tops the mask off. The whiteness of the face represent the whiteness and beauty of the spirit world. Only men wear the masks and perform the dances with high stilts despite it being a “female” masks. One of the most beautiful representations of female beauty is the Idia’s Mask of Benin. It is believed to have been commissioned by a king of Benin in memory of his mother. To honor his dead mother, the king wore the mask on his hip during special ceremonies.^[3] Queen Idia was the mother of Esigie, the Oba of Benin who ruled from 1504 to 1550. ...

The Senoufo people of the Ivory Coast represent tranquility by making masks with eyes half-shut and lines drawn near the mouth. The Temne of Sierra Leone use masks with small eyes and mouths to represent humility and humbleness. They represent wisdom by making bulging forehead. Other masks that have exaggerated long faces and broad foreheads symbolize the soberness of one’s duty that comes with power. War masks are also popular. The Grebo of the Ivory Coast carve masks with round eyes to represent alertness and anger, with the straight nose to represent unwillingness to retreat.^[4] Map showing the approximate distribution of Senufo peoples and some neighbouring peoples in Mali, Côte dIvoire, Burkina Faso and Ghana. ... Côte dIvoire (often called Ivory Coast in English; see below about the name) is a country in West Africa. ... Temne can refer to: The Mel Temne language, one of the four official languages of Sierra Leone, Africa. ... For the language, see Grebo language. ...

Today, the qualities of African art are beginning to be more understood and appreciated. However most African masks are now being produced for the tourist trade. Although they often show skilled craftsmanship they will nearly always lack the spiritual character of the traditional tribal masks. Yoruba bronze head sculpture, Ife, Nigeria c. ...

References

• African Tribal Masks from Ghana, West Africa