|
|
| Douglas Society home page |
| CLICK HERE to go to PAGE 2 of the virtual tour of the exhibition |
Asante akua'ba doll, Ghana, Africa
The legend of the origination of the Akua'ba doll comes from the story of a
woman named "Akua” who could not get pregnant and went to a local diviner or
priest and commissioned the carving of a small wooden doll. She carried and
cared for the doll as if it were her own child, feeding it, bathing it and so on.
Soon the people in the village started calling it "Akua" "ba" - meaning "Akua's
child", since "ba" meant child. She soon became pregnant and her daughter
grew up with the doll. Traditionally, if an Akan/Asante woman had difficulty
conceiving, she would be encouraged to visit a local shrine accompanied by a
senior woman in her family. There she might purchase a figure, which would be
placed for a period on the altar, later to be reclaimed by the woman along with
certain medicines. The sculpture was then carried, fed, bathed, and otherwise
cared for by the woman as if it was a living baby. It was thought that in doing
this the woman would have a better chance to have a healthy and beautiful
baby. Once the woman conceived and had a successful delivery, she would
return the figure to the shrine as a form of offering. If the child died, the akua’ba
might be kept by the woman as a memorial. (West side of upper lobby)
The legend of the origination of the Akua'ba doll comes from the story of a
woman named "Akua” who could not get pregnant and went to a local diviner or
priest and commissioned the carving of a small wooden doll. She carried and
cared for the doll as if it were her own child, feeding it, bathing it and so on.
Soon the people in the village started calling it "Akua" "ba" - meaning "Akua's
child", since "ba" meant child. She soon became pregnant and her daughter
grew up with the doll. Traditionally, if an Akan/Asante woman had difficulty
conceiving, she would be encouraged to visit a local shrine accompanied by a
senior woman in her family. There she might purchase a figure, which would be
placed for a period on the altar, later to be reclaimed by the woman along with
certain medicines. The sculpture was then carried, fed, bathed, and otherwise
cared for by the woman as if it was a living baby. It was thought that in doing
this the woman would have a better chance to have a healthy and beautiful
baby. Once the woman conceived and had a successful delivery, she would
return the figure to the shrine as a form of offering. If the child died, the akua’ba
might be kept by the woman as a memorial. (West side of upper lobby)
Headrest (barkin) from the Boni or Somali people of Somalia
Men in East Africa use headrests both as pillows and as indicators of status.
This type of man's headrest is used by the Boni of northeastern Kenya and
southern Somalia and by Somali nomads. The small, easily unbalanced base
has made the headrest an emblem of alertness and the ability to wake to
action. Made of sturdy but relatively light wood, the headrests are used on
beds and are carried by herdsmen, who also use them to rest while keeping an
eye on their herds. Boni shepherds rest while standing on a single leg, with
their head lying on the neckrest set on their shoulder. These neckrests
symbolize vigilance because since their base is so small, the resting person
could not fall asleep without falling over. (East side of upper lobby)
Men in East Africa use headrests both as pillows and as indicators of status.
This type of man's headrest is used by the Boni of northeastern Kenya and
southern Somalia and by Somali nomads. The small, easily unbalanced base
has made the headrest an emblem of alertness and the ability to wake to
action. Made of sturdy but relatively light wood, the headrests are used on
beds and are carried by herdsmen, who also use them to rest while keeping an
eye on their herds. Boni shepherds rest while standing on a single leg, with
their head lying on the neckrest set on their shoulder. These neckrests
symbolize vigilance because since their base is so small, the resting person
could not fall asleep without falling over. (East side of upper lobby)
| Baule maternity figure with baby on back, Ivory Coast |
Lobi Bateba Ti Puo maternity figure, Burkina Faso, Africa
The Lobi people live in a vast geographical area that stretches from Burkina
Fasso, to the Ivory Coast and into Ghana. Villages are spread out over wide
areas and are made up of several compounds. The Lobi community is not
organized on the basis of kinship or political ties and lacks any kind of centralized
political authority in the form of a chief king or council of village elders. Instead
the members of the community are united by common adherence to the cult of a
nature spirit called “thil” (pl thila) and the rules that determine correct social
behavior in the community are the rules that the spirit dictates through the
diviner (thildar). The thila are invisible spirits of nature with certain supernatural
abilities and powers that they can use for malevolent or benevolent ends. Each
village has a particular spirit (dithil) that is responsible for the entire village.
Social behavior is regulated by these thila, whose will is passed to ordinary
people by priests and diviners. Wooden or clay sculpture, called bateba, act as
an intermediary between a particular thil and the Lobi community. Lobi bateba
figures have a wide degree of style and are made for a wide range of purposes.
In Lobi communities anyone can learn to carve, it is not limited to people with
specialized training. Lobi bateba figures are believed to be able to act in behalf
of their owner, they are considered a living being and have the ability to act out
against forces that could harm it’s owner or bring good things to it’s owner
depending on it’s intended purpose. Bateba Ti Puo are often referred to as
“Dangerous Bateba”, these figures are considered dangerous and block
entrance to harmful forces such as disease or witchcraft, and are depicted with
one or both arms held up. (East side of upper lobby)
The Lobi people live in a vast geographical area that stretches from Burkina
Fasso, to the Ivory Coast and into Ghana. Villages are spread out over wide
areas and are made up of several compounds. The Lobi community is not
organized on the basis of kinship or political ties and lacks any kind of centralized
political authority in the form of a chief king or council of village elders. Instead
the members of the community are united by common adherence to the cult of a
nature spirit called “thil” (pl thila) and the rules that determine correct social
behavior in the community are the rules that the spirit dictates through the
diviner (thildar). The thila are invisible spirits of nature with certain supernatural
abilities and powers that they can use for malevolent or benevolent ends. Each
village has a particular spirit (dithil) that is responsible for the entire village.
Social behavior is regulated by these thila, whose will is passed to ordinary
people by priests and diviners. Wooden or clay sculpture, called bateba, act as
an intermediary between a particular thil and the Lobi community. Lobi bateba
figures have a wide degree of style and are made for a wide range of purposes.
In Lobi communities anyone can learn to carve, it is not limited to people with
specialized training. Lobi bateba figures are believed to be able to act in behalf
of their owner, they are considered a living being and have the ability to act out
against forces that could harm it’s owner or bring good things to it’s owner
depending on it’s intended purpose. Bateba Ti Puo are often referred to as
“Dangerous Bateba”, these figures are considered dangerous and block
entrance to harmful forces such as disease or witchcraft, and are depicted with
one or both arms held up. (East side of upper lobby)
| Nyamwezi maternity figure, Tanzania (left - back) (right - front/center) African maternity figures (Baule, Nyamwezi, Lobi,Senufo) Exhibiting a wide diversity in size, symbolism, intimacy and style, African maternity figures depict the ideals of beauty, fertility, character and action and many signify much more, whether the primordial mother or a legendary founding ancestor. Commonly used as shrine figures, they were often objects of petitions or prayers for fertility and successful births. The prevalence of the maternity theme testifies to the importance of women and children to the continuity of each people. (West side of upper lobby – Senufo maternity can be found on the East side of lower lobby) |
Fang NGIL mask, Gabon, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea
The Ngil (sometimes referred to as the gorilla mask) masks were worn by members of a male society of the same name during the initiation of new
members and the persecution of wrong-doers. Masqueraders, clad in raffia costumes and attended by helpers, would materialize in the village
after dark, illuminated by flickering torchlight. Fang masks, such as those worn by itinerant troubadours and for hunting and punishing sorcerers,
are painted white with facial features often outlined in black. Typical are large, elongated masks covered with kaolin and featuring a face that was
usually heart-shaped with a long, fine nose. The Ngil society was repressed at the beginning of the colonization of Gabon in the early 1930's.
The Ngil (sometimes referred to as the gorilla mask) masks were worn by members of a male society of the same name during the initiation of new
members and the persecution of wrong-doers. Masqueraders, clad in raffia costumes and attended by helpers, would materialize in the village
after dark, illuminated by flickering torchlight. Fang masks, such as those worn by itinerant troubadours and for hunting and punishing sorcerers,
are painted white with facial features often outlined in black. Typical are large, elongated masks covered with kaolin and featuring a face that was
usually heart-shaped with a long, fine nose. The Ngil society was repressed at the beginning of the colonization of Gabon in the early 1930's.
| Douglas Society home page |
African baskets from Botswana and Tanzania, Africa
The most famous of all the craft products of Botswana is the basket. As an integral part of the Botswana agricultural culture, baskets have been made
and used traditionally for thousands of years. The main raw material utilized to produce Botswana baskets is the fiber of the "vegetable ivory" palm tree,
called Mokola in Botswana. Botswana baskets are woven by using the coil method. Either a thin bundle of palm fiber, grass, or a single piece of vine is
used for t he interior of the coil. To make a basket, a small hole is pierced into the previously woven row with an awl, then a strip of palm is inserted into
the hole and wrapped around the core. Designs are created by weaving strips of dyed palm into the appropriate places. Each basket takes about four to
six weeks to complete, working every day. Closed baskets with lids are used for storing grain, seeds, and sometimes sorghum beer. Large, open bowl
shaped baskets are used by the women for carrying items on their heads and for winnowing grain after it has been threshed. Smaller, plate shaped
baskets are used for winnowing grain after it has been pounded. The main producers of baskets are the women of the Bayei and Hambukushu tribes in
northwestern Botswana. Although baskets are still very much a common sight in rural Botswana, more and more are being produced today for the
commercial market. (East side of upper lobby)
The most famous of all the craft products of Botswana is the basket. As an integral part of the Botswana agricultural culture, baskets have been made
and used traditionally for thousands of years. The main raw material utilized to produce Botswana baskets is the fiber of the "vegetable ivory" palm tree,
called Mokola in Botswana. Botswana baskets are woven by using the coil method. Either a thin bundle of palm fiber, grass, or a single piece of vine is
used for t he interior of the coil. To make a basket, a small hole is pierced into the previously woven row with an awl, then a strip of palm is inserted into
the hole and wrapped around the core. Designs are created by weaving strips of dyed palm into the appropriate places. Each basket takes about four to
six weeks to complete, working every day. Closed baskets with lids are used for storing grain, seeds, and sometimes sorghum beer. Large, open bowl
shaped baskets are used by the women for carrying items on their heads and for winnowing grain after it has been threshed. Smaller, plate shaped
baskets are used for winnowing grain after it has been pounded. The main producers of baskets are the women of the Bayei and Hambukushu tribes in
northwestern Botswana. Although baskets are still very much a common sight in rural Botswana, more and more are being produced today for the
commercial market. (East side of upper lobby)
Kwere or Zigua medicine calabash containers,
Tanzania, Africa
These objects were traditionally used by the traditional healer to
contain either liquids or powders that were then used during the
healing ceremony. It was a tradition in Tanzania to finely carve to
tops of the containers, which then gave the container more
person importance and made it possible to directly link the piece
to a certain tribe and region mostly by the shape of the head
and headstyle on the stopper. (East side of upper lobby)
Tanzania, Africa
These objects were traditionally used by the traditional healer to
contain either liquids or powders that were then used during the
healing ceremony. It was a tradition in Tanzania to finely carve to
tops of the containers, which then gave the container more
person importance and made it possible to directly link the piece
to a certain tribe and region mostly by the shape of the head
and headstyle on the stopper. (East side of upper lobby)
Kwele mask, Gabon Africa
Kwele masks are controlled by the Bwete association,
which maintains social order. They are used in
ceremonies to promote well-being and community. Some
did not have eye slits and were shown to onlookers
rather than worn. The horn motifs echo the heart shaped
face. The masks are considered by some to be among
the most beautiful in African art. (East side of upper
lobby)
Kwele masks are controlled by the Bwete association,
which maintains social order. They are used in
ceremonies to promote well-being and community. Some
did not have eye slits and were shown to onlookers
rather than worn. The horn motifs echo the heart shaped
face. The masks are considered by some to be among
the most beautiful in African art. (East side of upper
lobby)
Zulu telephone wire baskets, South Africa
The telephone wire basket is a relatively recent craft development which
reflects the ingenuity of Zulu craftspeople from South Africa. Brightly
colored telephone wires are used to great creative effect, decoratively
covering objects such as bottles and walking sticks, or made into plates
and baskets. (East side of upper lobby)
The telephone wire basket is a relatively recent craft development which
reflects the ingenuity of Zulu craftspeople from South Africa. Brightly
colored telephone wires are used to great creative effect, decoratively
covering objects such as bottles and walking sticks, or made into plates
and baskets. (East side of upper lobby)