African Traditional Masks (African Art post 6/10)

In African traditions, ceremonial and ritual masks are a trademark features in their culture as it’s an art form from Sub-African countries. Yet, masks widely vary in forms and shape in different cultures especially the ritual masks but usually they have a spiritual and religious association and are used in dances when they’re doing a ritual or a social/religious event whereas the artist has a special status to create masks, even those who wear them in ceremonies.

   

African ritual masks

Generally the mask maker is inherited from father to son, where one even inherits the symbols and meanings of such masks.
Masks are the most artistic subjects that have mostly influenced European art and as I have mentioned before in other blog posts they were the start to cubism and other central and southern American countries have inspired deeply from the masks that they do masked carnival parades.

In Gabon an African place, masks are used in magic ceremonies which is the most traditional culture, and they believe that the person who wears the ritual masks, his human identity is lost and yet its turned into a represented spirit by the mask. As this thing happens, the mask-wearer becomes the medium of the tribe and therefore is allowed to communicate between spirits and community where generally they communicate with the dead.

Gabon mask

These masks are one big part in their tradition where they are used in weddings, rites, funerals and other important stuff for the tribe where masked dances ceremonies are held on those days.

  

During rituals and ceremonies 

African masks from different countries

info - Traditional African masks - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 2013.Traditional African masks - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [ONLINE] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_traditional_masks. 

Few images - African masks. 2013. African masks. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.vub.ac.be/BIBLIO/nieuwenhuysen/african-art/african-art-collection-masks.htm.