These skillful works of art usually depict the person who will be wearing the headdresses personality and physical traits.
These skillful works of art usually depict the person who will be wearing the headdresses personality and physical traits.
The movie “Black Robe” was very realistic in portraying themes that paralleled with the lives of the aboriginal people living in North America at that time. Some of the themes that were similar in both portrayals of aboriginal life the primary document “The French Presence in Huronia: the structure of Franco-Huron relations in the first half of the 17th century” by Bruce G. Trigger and another primary document called “The Meeting of Two Worlds - Who Benefited from Indian-French Contact?" by Paul Bennett and Jaenen Cornelius were sickness, violence and the culture differences between the Huron and the Jesuits. The movie “Black Robe was very good at describing the aboriginal life through related themes…
This object, being placed in the back of a long central hallway, is found in a room containing large sculptures of men and women. There were also many portraits of only the heads of men and women. This placement hints to the wide belief that this head was originally thought to be prepared as a separate piece for insertion in a stature. There was once a veil covering the top and back of the head, but now it is missing. Marble at the summit and back of the head was left roughly worked, since a veil in either marble or stucco, a fine plaster used for moldings and other architectural decorations, would have hidden it. For the development of the ideal form, this sculpture had to accomplish its purpose having had to restrict itself almost exclusively to form giving the viewer a feeling of tranquility and authority.2 Consequently,…
In addition to these items, it is common to have Mazao(crops), and kikombe cha umoja(the unity cup) lie upon the mkeka. Lastly, there are normally African paintings on the rugs and cloths, in order to symbolize the remembrance to African history and…
Since ancient times, there has been some change in African religion. Today, most people are either Muslim or Christian. Those whom are not Christian or Muslim sometimes practice traditional African religion, with a few changes. Today, there are no sacrifices, and some extreme rituals have ceased to exist. However, dancing and singing to honor ancestors is still widespread, no matter what the religion of a person might…
The size of this work is as follows 127 by 50.8 by 45.7 cm . It is made out of carved wood and pigment. It is a carved wooden mask or headdress for the Epa Masquerade. The Epa masquerade of the Yoruba peoples promotes the health and well-being of communities. Processions of masqueraders perform energetic dances which suggest higher powers of existence and, since they carry heavy masks, the strengthening of the body. The performers jump to the top of a mound, the result of which is an omen for the community. The elements used in this art are: Shape, the headdress uses a free-form or natural shape in the form of the rider and his horse. There are Lines, traced, drawn in, painted on the figurine, also on his hat. It also has a three dimensional form as it serves for a headdress, it is also round. The headdress also incorporates color, dull oranges, white, brown and black. The texture seems rough with…
According to Palm Beach History Online,“From the Creek phrase ishti semoli, Seminole means ‘wild men.’ From the Spanish cimarrone, Seminole means ‘runaway.’” The Seminole tribe is a very wild tribe and has many interesting things within their culture. Three of the many interesting things in their culture in their culture is their clothing, the techniques and things to hunt, and warfare of the Seminole’s. To begin with, the Seminole’s have many different ways of making their clothes.…
Like religion, many elements were fused together with those of the Europeans. Nonetheless, some aspects of African culture are extremely distinctive. Dances, folk tales, music, magic, and language patterns of West African culture [7] are examples of this assumption. Music, specifically, played a major role in the preservation of African culture in the New World.…
Hmong’s traditional spirituality and social structure are represented in the textile language. One of best known of Hmong needle art is Paj Ntaub meaning story cloth or flower cloth (Craig, 2010). Hmong began to draw traditional stories so that they would be remembered. Each selection of pattern, colors, and fabric for the custom has an important meanings and functions (Craig, 2010). Each design and geometric pattern of clothes represents different cultural beliefs, symbols, meanings and functions (Craig, 2010). They often use black fabric with bright colored threads, and one of common patterns seen is elephant’s foot that stands for family (Craig, 2010). The patterns are described and named by nature things like ram’s head, snail house, mountains, and dragon’s tail (Craig, 2010). Their traditional designs serve as a visual art and ritual functions. According to McCall (1999), the costumes were to identify themselves as Hmong, to express the wealth, and to prepare one’s sprit to after death. The textile customs, Paj Ntaub, are carried from one generation to next for their festivals, ceremonies, and celebrations, such as Hmong New Year in December (Yang,…
In Suzanne Preston Blier’s article Enduring Myths of African Art, she articulates seven of the most common myths believed around the world surrounding African art. Of those seven myths, one that stands most true is the myth that African art is bound by place; the idea that African art in particular travels nowhere and its ideas are constrained to just the cultures they are sculpted in. Blier states, “The African art of myth is also frequently presented, incorrectly again, as an art rigidly bound by place.”1 She continues to express how most of the African art objects and styles studied are judiciously ascribed to particular regions and cultures as if they have no ability to circulate…
The arts section displays attractive paintings of personalities in the tribe, animals, foods, monuments and groups. They point to the fact that creativity in America is not just a modern-day occurrence but something that existed even before the country was officially founded. The painters used bright colors, some of which are symbolic of the message being passed. Information gained from an interview with one of the natives indicates that the tribes use paintings and drawing as an important way of communication and performing various rituals. They also painted various parts of their bodies as a sacred practice in their tribes. Just like in contemporary society, paintings are more than just pieces of art to entertain and display a painter’s creativity but something that has the power to teach, inspire, entertain and preserve information. Therefore, observing paintings and drawings during this event was the most interesting aspect of the show as far as the display of elements that cover beauty is…
* 1. Africans brought traditional music and dance forms in their work, their free-time – entertainment, and their burials and other ceremonies.…
Pamela McClusky's chapter, The Fetish of the Imagination of Europe: Sacred Medicines of the Kongo from Art from Africa was a very enlightening review about African Art and its connection to the country's beliefs and medical traditions. McClusky takes us into to her day in the life as a curator for African art. She explains how she runs into at least one phone call every other month about a "fetish" from Africa. A fetish includes a wide range of objects from Africa including necklaces, bowls, bracelets and even sculptures. A fetish is not necessarily the definition as most of the western world knows it as. A fetish from Africa is an object that possesses magical powers or in fact inhabits a spirit. In this, African’s truly believe these certain objects to contain this spirituality and it is very different than what more Western people traditionally believe.…
Masks are considered "functional works of art" and play a social purpose in Africa. They are used in storytelling and ceremonies and are made to be worn over the head rather than cover the face. This technique is also used in The Lion King so that the human facial expression is not lost and to support the beadwork, corsets and armor used to show the human qualities of a lion. The costumes on the other hand are made of silk cloth to hide the human form, break the shoulder line and to enhance the powerful joints and thighs. The masks are made in such a way that the actor can control the facial expression of the mask through cables attached to their sleeves. Costumes and masks are also used to show the development of the character as they progress through out the story. Young Simba's costume is not as intricate as Scar's to show that, Scar has an underlying plan whereas Simba is innocent.…
Animals were most commonly drawn in the pictures. Early artist also painted people into the pictures. Some paintings show animals with arrows or spears protruding from their bodies. Some of the people in the paintings are shown wearing what appear to be magic costumes. The belief is that man drew these likenesses to gain special powers through ceremonial rites. These special powers could have been any of the following: communicating with the gods, enabling him to become a better hunter, or give him the courage and strength of the animals that he hunted.…
As archaeologists digging up past civilizations and anthropologist studying primitive tribes have come to the conclusion that people believed in that paint clothing can attract good animistic and ward off evil. “Paint, ornament, and rudimentary clothing were first employed to attract good animistic powder and to ward off evil.” (Lurie 251). This point out that in ancient culture clothes and ornament were used as a symbol to serve magical propose. For instance, in ancient Taiwanese culture, people used to dress feather skirt and put feather on their head to show that they are blessed by the mountain goddess. My father told me that my great-great-grandfather used to wear feather skirt every time he went out hunting; he said the mountain goddess will bless him if he wears that feather skirt and feather on his head. As Lurie wrote “A necklace of shark’s teeth or a girdle of cowrie shells or feathers serves the same purpose as a prayer or spell, and may magically replace – or more often supplement- as spoken charm.” (Lurie 252). Adornments and special clothing serve as spoken charm and sometime even replace spell if people has faith in those armaments.…