The British Museum welcomes Cumberland School

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Understanding masks from Africa
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Why do people wear and use masks?
transform
celebrate
conceal
scare
shock
disguise
When have you worn a mask?
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What do we mean by mask?
an object obscuring the face

• Mask
• To mask
• Masquerade

to conceal/disguise the real
nature of something

• any occasion where
  masks are worn, often in celebrations, rituals
  and processions

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MASQUERADE

• Compare these two masks look for similarities
  and differences.
• What might it be like to wear these masks?
• What are the purposes of a masquerade?

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Masquerade ceremonies protect and give good
fortune to communities, commemorate ancestors
and bring prosperity.
MASQUERADE Wearing the mask enables dancers to
show their strength and to reach higher forms of
existence.

• Research what other costume and jewellery would
  be worn with these Yoruba masks.
• What would the masquerade have looked like?

Carved wooden mask of the Epa masquerade Yoruba,
probably late 19th century ADFrom Nigeria
Wooden mask for Gelede masquerade Yoruba,
probably late 19th century ADFrom Nigeria
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SYMBOLS AND MEANINGS

• What are the similarities between these masks in
  their form and material?
• What are the differences?
• How might they be worn?

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USING SYMBOLS TO CONVEY MEANINGS

• This depicts a chameleon resting on a cocks
  comb. The chameleon is a important symbol, which
  can mean many things why do you think this is?
• The chameleon can to bring long life or death,
  abundance or infertility, depending on its
  colour. The cock is a messenger of God and
  symbolises fertility.
• Design your own combination of these two forms.

• Although worn by a men, Bamana masks have
  genders - the number of spikes on this mask
  indicates if it masculine (3 spikes), feminine (4
  or 8) or androgynous (2, 5 or 7). Which is this?
• The antelope is a symbol of cultivation and
  success in agriculture.

Carved wooden mask Bamana, probably early 20th
century ADFrom Mali, West Africa
Carved wooden headdress decorated with seedsAfo,
20th century ADFrom northern Nigeria
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MATERIALS

• Examine these masks from different regions
  closely and compare the different materials they
  are made from.
• What different processes have been used to
  create these masks? Be specific about the
  different techniques.
• How would it feel to wear each of these masks?
  Imagine the weight and sound.

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MATERIALS

• These masks are made of a wide variety of
  natural materials, including seeds, vegetable
  fibres, skins and wood.
• What is the effect on the texture and the colour
  by using natural materials?
• Research the areas where they come from what
  other natural materials do you think you might
  find there?

Mask of vegetable fibre, hair and red abrus seeds
Angas people, mid-20th century ADNorthern
Nigeria
Mask (kifwebe)Songye, 19th century ADFrom the
Democratic Republic of Congo
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MASKS FOR DISPLAY

• Read the captions. Do you think these masks were
  made to be worn?
• Who do you think they depict? Man or woman?
  High or low status? Why do you think this?
• Research how they were used and displayed and
  what they mean.

Brass helmet mask for the Ododua ritual Edo
peoples, 18th century ADFrom Benin, Nigeria
Ivory mask Edo peoples, probably 16th century
ADFrom Benin, Nigeria
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MASK FOR THE AFTERLIFE

• Where is this mask from? How can you tell?
• What was it used for? Where would it be
  displayed? Who would have seen it being worn?
• Compare this with other masks made for people
  after their deaths what are the various reasons
  for doing this?
• Do death masks conceal anything?

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MASKS AND GENDER

• Most masks were worn and made by men. The mask
  on the left was worn by women at an initiation
  ceremony.
• The masquerade figure on the right was made by a
  female Nigerian artist.
• Find out more about Sokari Douglas Camps work
  and how she discusses gender relations.

Wooden helmet mask Mende people, Sierra
LeoneEarly 20th century AD
Sokari Douglas Camp, Big Masquerade with boat and
household on his head Nigeria, AD 1995
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• Key points to explore when examining any object

ORIGIN and AGE when and where it was made
MATERIALS what it was made of (and what this
can tell us about the culture)
PROCESS how it was made (carved, chiselled,
tiled, woven, beaded)
PURPOSE what it was used for
MEANING what it means or symbolises
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• Find out more about masks and Africa
• Visit the main Museum website
• www.britishmuseum.org
• Use Explore to look at some of our masks
• www.britishmuseum.org/explore/introduction.aspx