Masks are used in many different cultures in many different places around the world. Each tribe and each individual mask have something that makes it unique. Everyone in the Ibo tribe gets to experience seeing the mask, however not many people get the experience of transforming into the spirit behind the mask. There is a high honor given to the egwugwu by the community. Egwugwu masks are extraordinarily not only to the Ibo people, but also in the way they are created.
Masks have held countless uses and meanings throughout history. Masks have been used in plays, like those of Shakespeare, traditional dances, social gatherings, even as a form of casual or corporal punishment. Although masks have several different uses in different cultural situations, the meaning of the masks is generally the same. Masks are used to conceal an appearance and assume the identity of another. Metaphorically, masks can be used to hide feelings, to protect oneself, and to block out the outside world. Many of these examples are shown in Art Speigelman 's Maus.
What are masks? One usually thinks it is an object the individual puts on and takes off.
Masks are one of the most spiritually important art forms developed in Africa. Among the masks many uses were; communicating with spirits and ancestors, serving as teaching aids in gender specific initiation ceremonies, tools for maintaining order, enhancements for reenacted stories and myths, symbols of rank and power, and a record for past leaders. I will be focussing on masks from the first three categories. The masks, which are all Helmet style masks from West and Central Africa, illustrate how artists from different tribes approached symbolism and visual storytelling. They also show what was considered ideally beautiful for each clan.
The inside of the mask shows a man sitting with his legs bent in front of him while his arms are open and stretched to his sides. His facial features consist of sharp cheekbones, a wide triangular nose, a goat-t, a thin
The theme of masks is a significant theme throughout the book through the book. In all war people use
The inside of the mask shows a man sitting with his legs bent in front of him while his arms are open and stretched to his sides. His facial features consist of sharp cheekbones, a wide triangular nose, a goat-t, a thin
Masks were sometimes created for the purpose of being used in a ceremonies by a priest. The mask would be a certain deity and the priest would be dressed in costume to play out that character. By portraying the deity the priest would be
the mask I chose was created by Marine Gunnery Sgt. Aaron Tam (Ret.) Iraq 2004-05, 2007-08. This mask is almost angelic in the shape of the face, there are tiny pieces of shiny metal sticking out of under both the eye holes, one side over the eye holes is opening into what looks like the brain, a part of the mask is held together by one of these shiny pieces of metal. There is a somber facial expression and flesh tone skin color, the texture of the mask is what seems to be paper mache. This mask spoke to me because it gave me a visual of the pain that the creator may have experienced in battle but also the pain he is now experiencing mentality.
African masks were to establish a different identity for the wearer in order to amuse, teach, or sacrifice.
The mask is part of the ceremony known as "the Dance of the Goats” or La Danza de los Chivos. The mask on masksoftheworld.com is from Chilpancingo, State of Guerrero, Mexico. However, the traditional Dance of the Goats began in Zitlala, State of Guerrero, Mexico. The villagers created the dance after the Mexican Revolution in 1910. After the war, an epidemic took place
Masks portray a sense of mystery. “No one could see me clearly. No one could see my face.” Lucy, Grealy. Masks. Print. The unknown is often intriguing. Generally their worn to portray a character or someone other than yourself and symbolize an imaginary life. For Lucy, it portrayed a sense of freedom. The freedom from being stared at, teased, lonely, and occasionally envious of others. Halloween is the only day that Lucy experience’s an ordinary life. Unlike the majority of other days’ mask are customary and her disability is masked. Providing her with the confidence to express herself freely by asking questions and making comments. “Studies show children with disabilities are two to three times more likely to be bullied than their non-disabled
In today’s society masks are used depending on the specific social group we interact with. Most people tend to have various masks or personalities when they are with specific people; such as with their friends, family, and during work. In Kenneth Gergen’s essay “In Defense of Masks,” he claims that people are not apt to find a specific mask to which they can be true too however, having various masks could be important because it allows people to adapt to various social groups . I disagree with Gergen’s claim and counter argue that utilizing only one specific mask with whomever we interact with will help anyone live a genuine lifestyle. There are various categories that fall into masks; for instance, makeup, clothing, religion, and appearance. Many individuals acquire masks because they seek approval from others or simply because they are mimicking someone. Once someone adapts to having multiple masks, it is difficult to figure out our true identity due to the variety of personalities that are being portrayed.
There are numerous types of masks that come from the West African region, each represent a specific personality trait. Masks from Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Ghana, Senegal, Mali, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Gambia, and Sierra Leone all symbolize the various characteristics that can found in people. To find a mask that best fit my personality, I researched the various amount of masks that can be found in Ghana. Birds have been an important part in ancient animist cultures, whose tribal people believed that birds had spirits and played special roles in many aspects of life. Several African masks depict a bird on or above a human forehead, signifying a range of personalities from courage to intelligence. One of these masks is the Sonu Bird
Masks were created to be placed over the face, on the top of the head, or even over the head. Most masks represent spirits of ancestors (Fetzer 106). Some villages make masks with full costumes and use them with music to dance in ritual performances. They used masks for social control,