The Importance Of African Masks In Their Culture
Masks were some of the most significant of all objects to the Africans during the ancient times because they ancient Africans believed that they must be used in certain rituals. With a mask, it is apparently possible to evoke the powers of certain spirits that reside in nature wherein one can actually borrow their powers. So just to give people a background on African masks, here are some things that can be said about them.
Now the earliest record of these objects being used was during the paleolithic era and was made out of different materials such as wood, bronze, or metal. Each mask that was made represented a different entity whether it would be an animal spirit, an ancestor, or a tree spirit. Many were also made from real teeth, hair, bones, or even feathers that came from dead animals.
One thing to really take note of is that each tribe had its own designated mask makers that were experts at crafting these objects. In the village, they were given very high regard because these were the people responsible for making one of the most important things for the rituals. They believed that the crafter had a special connection with the spirits which is why he could make these masks.
Now these objects are then worn by the bearer who is the one who can communicate with the spirit through the mask. The bearer is said to be the medium that would communicate with the spirits and tell the tribe what the spirit wants. He would also often perform a specific dance while wearing the mask to communicate with the spirit.
Of course the mask would most likely look exactly like the subject that it should symbolize. An example would be the evoking of an animal spirit wherein the mask is made to look like an animal much like a lion or an antelope. The reason why one would be doing this is because the medium would want to be possessed by the spirit of that animal to communicate with the bearer.
Now even the way the mask is shaped like and how it is constructed also would play a role as to what it would represent. For instance, a mask that would have a very long chin is said to symbolize power and strength while one with small eyes would represent tranquility. Now if a mask were to have horns, then it would usually symbolize prayer for a fertile harvest.
Now often times, there would be rituals that would honor the ancestors of the tribe. Now when this would happen, the bearer would often wear a mask that would look human as to represent the ancestors. This is often used during a death anniversary or even during a funeral.
So as one can see, masks would actually play a very important role in the culture of the Africans. According to the Africans of old, the mask is the single medium that would bridge the medium of the tribe with the spiritual plane. It is possible to communicate with entities in another dimension by wearing these objects and performing certain rituals.
Now the earliest record of these objects being used was during the paleolithic era and was made out of different materials such as wood, bronze, or metal. Each mask that was made represented a different entity whether it would be an animal spirit, an ancestor, or a tree spirit. Many were also made from real teeth, hair, bones, or even feathers that came from dead animals.
One thing to really take note of is that each tribe had its own designated mask makers that were experts at crafting these objects. In the village, they were given very high regard because these were the people responsible for making one of the most important things for the rituals. They believed that the crafter had a special connection with the spirits which is why he could make these masks.
Now these objects are then worn by the bearer who is the one who can communicate with the spirit through the mask. The bearer is said to be the medium that would communicate with the spirits and tell the tribe what the spirit wants. He would also often perform a specific dance while wearing the mask to communicate with the spirit.
Of course the mask would most likely look exactly like the subject that it should symbolize. An example would be the evoking of an animal spirit wherein the mask is made to look like an animal much like a lion or an antelope. The reason why one would be doing this is because the medium would want to be possessed by the spirit of that animal to communicate with the bearer.
Now even the way the mask is shaped like and how it is constructed also would play a role as to what it would represent. For instance, a mask that would have a very long chin is said to symbolize power and strength while one with small eyes would represent tranquility. Now if a mask were to have horns, then it would usually symbolize prayer for a fertile harvest.
Now often times, there would be rituals that would honor the ancestors of the tribe. Now when this would happen, the bearer would often wear a mask that would look human as to represent the ancestors. This is often used during a death anniversary or even during a funeral.
So as one can see, masks would actually play a very important role in the culture of the Africans. According to the Africans of old, the mask is the single medium that would bridge the medium of the tribe with the spiritual plane. It is possible to communicate with entities in another dimension by wearing these objects and performing certain rituals.
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