Marae

The piece reflects the human sacrifices that took place 18 times a year in the Aztec culture. On the sculpture of the Goddess hangs a necklace of hands, hearts, and a dangling skull. She also represents the women who die in childbirth, and for Earth that provides everything but also consumes everything that lives. With two serpents, the eyes are her eyes, and replace her head that was cut off which represent gushing blood, as she bore Huitzilopochtli full grown and armored. The sculpture of a god reflect their beliefs within their cultures, in which they strongly worshipped gods, and built temples, as well as statues in their honor.

It is an important dreaming figure from aboriginal dreamtime stories. The aboriginals referred to it as the creator.

The shrine is one of the biggest structures in the tribe’s community. Religion is such an important part of the Nawois’ live they have placed the shrine far enough from the river to avoid flooding even though much of their community is within the flooding zone. The shrine is shaped like a bowl. It has a state in the middle with seating 360 degrees around the stage.

Within the iconographic collection of the Yuendumu Doors, Door Six, conveys the Wardiylka-kurlu Jukurrpa, the Dreaming of the Bush Turkey and the Emu (Jones, 2014). Painted by Paddy Jupurrurla Nelson, the artefact employs a “conservative palette of colours” (Jones, 2014), emulating those used by desert artists, before European settlement occurred. Door Six, shown in Figure 3, depicts the struggle between the two totemic Ancestors, the wardilyka (bush turkey) and the kurlu (emu), over a “valued commodity”, the yakaljirri (bush raisins) (Jones, 2014). The well-defined concentric circles and the thick lines surrounding them, depict waterholes connected

When a chief dies his ashes are put in a hollowed out spot at the top of his pole. Different creatures have different meanings, such as the bear represents healing powers and instinctiveness, the buffalo represents life, getstrength, and sacredness, the cougar represents leadership. loyalty, and courage. It is believed that a totem animal is with you forever. There is no specific way to carve a totem pole it is something meaningful to the carver and the thing it is representing. The meaning of the pole is based off how the carver is feeling.

represents a pagan spirit of vegetation, very much like a tree with the ability to

Standing at a height of twelve inches tall, this Vessel was one of many Aztec artifacts form 1300 A.D. It is made from brown earthenware clay and is painted with red with intricate details in black. It was used to represent death and the power in it, through the red and black paint. This piece is highly polished to show the black and red color contrast. This vessel was from The Aztec who was inspired by the horror of blood and death. On this piece, as well as of the other pieces in this collection, there is a stamp of the horror of death, to express that there is no higher brutality than the deceased. This stamp signifies the religious and cultural significances of the Aztec barbarians since it displays the warrior of a cruel God and that they

Each figure is individual, like the dancer costumes, and represents a different aspect of human life or a different aspect of nature. These figures are made from cottonwood root. The Hopi word for thi is “paako” which directly translates to “water wood”; this root is chosen because it’s ability to find abundant water in a dry land mimics the Katsina spirits bringing rain during growing season. Many of the ceremonies are for praying for rain, due to dry desert weather.

Carved into the head are eyes, a nose, and a mouth bearing its teeth. Decorating the top of the head are delicate engravings that could represent the god’s headdress. Within the headdress there are images

Boundless describes the religious Mana based carving as “traditionally created by ritual specialists according to strict rules, which, if broken, would result in the deaths of the carver and the chief” (2017). According to tradition, these figures were displayed inside a Bai as a symbol of fertility, protection from evil and spiritual rebirth (Kleiner, p. 1112; Newton, 2011). Once the villages of the Oceania were fraught with explorers these Dilukai were perceived as a representation of a woman’s immorality (Boundless, 2017). Previous explorations of Oceania appear as if they were conducted with blinders on. Much of the culture as it relates to women was speculative and incomplete, as artifacts collected previously were primarily man made and spoke to a more violent side of the culture (Kleiner, p. 1112). As exploration persists, more about the women of Oceania and their role in religion, art and society is

The art piece called the "Reliquary Guardian Figure" was created by the fang people who lived in Gabon. The fang people was a group people that lived in Gabon who devoted themselves to ancestor lineages also known as Bieri. They had many different clans and societies in the Fang villages. They believed very highly of spirits and the afterlife but only Shamans and ngengang could contact spirits. When people died, they would be burned and their ashes would be put into a wooden box. Then a guardian figure would be made and attached to the box holding the remains/bones of a person who died. The main purpose of a Guardian figure was to protect the person in their after life. Guardian figures were made by carving wood into the shape of the figure.

This sculpture is of a women breast feeding her child. The face of the two people is elongated, as well as the breasts of the mother. This is common to all African Art because they wanted representation of what is being expressed. In this particular sculpture, a supernatural power is being called upon. The power has been asked to protect the mother and child, and to

Robert Ferris Thompson also uses figure 1, “Mbumba Mbondo” to further elaborate the content and significance that this artifact represented. For instance, in accordance to this artifact the Kongo viewed this object as a sacred and powerful charm. In Thompson’s article the term’s etymology of “mbumba” is another term for Nkisi, however, “mbumba” is of higher class, referring to a higher connection to the dead of Kongo. It also explains that the word “mbumba” is a reference to a jar or basket. This jar as analyzed was decorated with materials as mentioned before and had also great significance such as white buttons symbolizing mystery and the bird feathers symbolizing “power that flies” that was meant and believed to be the connection to heaven. Furthermore, Figure 2 a more recent Nkisi is more vibrant and luminous or as referred to the illumination to call upon the Iwa. Now, according to Stephen D. Glazier’s article, the term “Iwa” or “Ioa” served in reference to spirits or deities, and this comes way back from African origins. To explain, in Africa the Kongo community would have the priest sanctify the Iwa to allow practice of devotion as a fellowship. However, in Haiti the relationship

Thesis Statement: Although many scholars believe that the feathered figures on the drums are depictions of ancestor figures, ethnographic evidences from the Karen’s use of the drum and the Toraja’s funeral rites suggest that the images engraved on the drums are mere portrayals of village life in Dongson.

Maori religion is largely based on the ancient legend of Rangi and Papa. The religion promotes a deep connection and respect for nature. It is their belief that all life possesses mauri (life force), wairau (spirit), and mana (power, influence, and charisma).3 This universal life force is traditionally celebrated, passed down, and remembered