A look at southern Africa Rock Art

A look at southern Africa Rock Art

The Bushmen paintings and engravings date back to thousands of years ago. They are found all over the southern half of Africa in overhangs and caves. There are extraordinary still very vivid pictures of hunters, animals, and half-animal half-human hybrids. The half-human hybrids are believed to be the healers or medicine men. Their depictions of these healers, give us evidence that they did do the healing dances. The Laurens van der Post panel at Tsodilo and the Namibian found "white Lady (Brandberg Mountain)" is one of the most famous rock paintings. High on this rock face in Botswana is the image of a “magnificent red eland bull” painted, according to Van der Post, “only as a Bushman who had a deep identification with the eland could have painted him.” Also on this rock face is a female giraffe that is motionless like it is alarmed by a predator. Several other images of animals are on it also, along with the flesh blood-red handprints that are the signature of the unknown artist. H. C. Woodhouse, author of the book Archaeology in Southern Africa, says historical sources have also said that Bushmen often disguised themselves as animals so they could get close enough to grazing herds to hunt them. The head of the buck was an important part of this disguise, and was also used in miming and dancing of the actions of animals. The large number of buckheaded figures in paintings is proof that the Bushmen did this. Check out this thorough article (The Bradshaw Foundation) by clicking here.

African art that's Made in China

African art that's Made in China

African craft artists pump about $300 million into the economy. But the locals are finding it tougher to compete with factories in China making replicas of their crafts. Listen and read about Gretchen Wilson and how she explores this is form of identity theft on the American Public Media Website (click here to go to webpage). Place a vote on our poll for the upcoming eAfri Art Archive blog report.

Thank you for great Journalism

Calabash Water Pipe

Calabash Water Pipe
Wood, tar (used nature), Calabash
Size in cm: 30 x 14 x 12
Weight: 200g.

Water pipe with a half male figure on a calabash used as the suction part of the pipe. The figure is attached to the calabash with brass wires and indigenous glued material. The figure shows details that helped identify this pipe with the Himba people. In many cases this pipe will questionably be held for Luba origin, but the stem style being dominantly male, contributes to the Himba culture. Elaborate waterpipes such as this were used by chiefs or dignitaries to smoke tobacco and in some cases even hemp. Himba sculpture is dominated by the representation of men. It is through male presence that the high ranking of the clan is ensured. Such an artefact would be owned by either the tribal chief or other high ranking male society members.

Kifwebe Mask

Kifwebe Mask
Wood, reed, vegetable fibre
Size in cm: 29 x 28 x 11
Weight: 400g.

"Kifwebe" means "Mask" in the Songye language. The typical style with the bean shaped eyes, round face, square mouth and waved face decoration (linear incisions) is very original for its character. The Luba Eastern live in the Katanga Province in the neighborwood of the Buyu, Hemba, Zela and other Luba subgroups. The size of the crest determines the magical power of the mask which can be found in use at funeral ceremonies, initiations and circumcisions. Also traditional for such masks would be the pigmentation of the linear incisions. Round mask with striations is the most famous of the Luba Kifwebe masks, made for the Bwadi Bwa Kifwebe Secret society. This attention to detail is queationable if the Luba people borrowed it from the Songye tribes.

Chokwe Mask with Headdress (Mwana Pwo)

Chokwe Mask with Headdress (Mwana Pwo) Wood, reed, vegetable fibre Size in cm: 26 x 23 x 14 Weight: 100g.

This mask presents beautifully its headdress and comes from the Chokwe people who are members of a large culture cluster living today in Zambia, central Angola and parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
This cluster of prominently Chokwe people is also composed of the Lunda, Ovimbundu, Lwena, Luvala, Mbwela, and Imbangala and a number of distinct but related peoples. As a result of the complex interaction of people the region has shared stylistic elements, based upon shared ritual practices and mythologies. Masks were used during Mukanda initiation rites for young boys through a series of endurance tests. The present mask called Mwana pwo depicts a beautiful young woman and represents the female ances­tor. Mwana Pwo also dances at the induction of a new chief, fertility rituals, at funerals, and during public entertainment. Also among the Chokwe dances in which masks are prominent are the means to publicly demonstrate appropriate conduct and correct social behavior. The dancer of Mwana Pwo attracts a very large audience, especially women. The grace and elegant gestures of the pwo mask teach Chokwe women to act in a graceful manner. Mwana Pwo reflects all the positive attributes of an ideal woman who can resemble the Chokwe female ideal.

Sable Helmet Crest

Sable Helmet Crest
Wood, paint pigment
Size in cm: 24 x 57 x 20
Weight: 1.2kg

The sable helmet crest is a typical representation of the sable bushback antelope animal found in africa. Also serves this mask the purpose of detecting and extinguishing evil forces through ritual dances. This wonderfully sculpted and painted helmet crest-mask in the shape of an antelope is mostly found among the west and south Guro people of the Ivory Coast, although this piece has been sourced from Kenya. The mask appears in the Dye ceremony or with a dance group that consists of a number of animal masks that are powerful and therefor highly respected. The Dye dance troop consists of elephant, hyena, buffalo, antelopes, dogs, hippopotamus, and monkeys. Dye masks are violent in their behavior and are not to be seen by females or children who lock themselves indoors or leave the village when the masks appear in the early light at daybreak. In the past the masks served as the highest display of male authority dispensing justice and exercising social control.

Tribal African Art Video (Chokwe/Tchokwe)