What Are The Different Types Of West African Masks

Many Mesoamerican Indian groups in Mexico used and continue to use masks in their culture today. One of these Mesoamerican Indian groups includes the Hñahñu Indian people, also known as the Otomí Indians. Due to a loss of the unwritten customs and traditions that failed to continue by word of mouth, many mask-making origins have been lost. Researchers make assumptions with the little information they have obtained from researching the Otomíes and other close indigenous groups. The Otomí Indians associate many rituals with masks. Religious ceremonies and carnival celebrations often include masks. Masks were also often combined with storytelling, music, and rhythm (Bell). The masking rituals contain many religious and cultural aspects. The Otomí have a highly diverse history filled with cultural traditions in which masks are used to represent symbols or spirits. Masking traditions display the needs, beliefs, values and desire of a culture.

These masks, which are used by Jacks followers called ‘the hunters,’ are made of clay paint. The evilness of the boys is clearly shown when they wear the masks. It is almost as if an infectious disease is spread upon them; they lose all sense of civilization. After Jack paints the mask on his face for the first time, it is clear what it does to him. “He began to dance and his laughter became a blood thirsty snarling. “He capered toward Bill, and the mask was a thing of its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame and self-consciousness.” (Golding 64). This not only shows the cruelty of the mask, but it also shows how it opens Jack into the world of being a savage. Also, Golding mentions the colors of Jack’s first mask as being Red, White, and Black. These colors symbolize “violence, terror, and evil.” (Golding).

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.

This mask depicts Jack’s identity from the book Lord of the Flies. Starting from the bottom of the mask, there is a quote from Jack which is one of the last things he says before leaving Ralph’s group: “I’m not going to play any longer. Not with you”. This quote is significant to Jack because not only does it show the end of the impact on Jack that the tamed and edified society Ralph has developed, it shows how childish he is. Before Jack says this, he puts Ralph’s conch on the grass in front of him and cries.

For example, in order to camouflage himself from the pigs, Jack decides to paint his face with clay and charcoal. His masked features are so appalling that it frightens Bill, Samneric, and Roger. “He [Jack] began to dance and his laughter became a bloodthirsty snarling. He capered toward Bill, and the mask was a thing of its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame and self-consciousness” (64). Jack is menacingly “capering” toward his hunters, incredibly excited by his ingenious idea. The mask is symbolic of Jack’s barbarity materializing, no longer lingering within him. Behind the mask, Jack is free from principled behaviour therefore he can act as ruthless as he wishes, without the fear of being reprimanded. Coincidentally, as Ralph and Piggy are discussing the causes of controversy on the island, Jack and four of his hunters appear suddenly, painted for war and naked. They have come to steal fire in order to cook the pig that they killed. “The forest near them burst into an uproar. Demoniac figures with faces of white and red and green rushed out howling, so that the littluns fled in terror” (140). Their ghastly appearance and savage-like shrieking is terrifying to the civilized boys. The “faces of white and red and green” symbolize Jack’s inhumanity spreading to more of his followers, gradually replacing their morality with disdain. With the masks on,

Masks gave life to various mythological, primitive, bird and animal figures which the tribal members claimed as their ancestors from long ago and were to believe to invoke supernatural powers. These mythical beings gave way for privileges and special powers to individual tribal families and helped to form a family's crest, song or dance. The family would then personify distinct mythological figures as part of their heritage. The animals and mythological creatures represented in the masks and a host of other carvings derive from the Northwest Coast's rich oral tradition and celebrate the mythological origins and inherited privileges of high-ranking families (Gardners, 864). The majority of the masks displayed intricate and mastered use of line in their smooth concave and convex curves, with crisp sharp lines used to bring focus on a specific feature of the mask. The features usually being brought to the forefront were delineated nostrils, eyes and lips that were accentuated by deep cut carving and the use of contrasting color which helped to add form and realism to the mask. Geometric and organic lines were used to contrast between the parallel lines which would help create to enhance the features of the mask. The paint colors typically used by the

Furthermore, Masks is another great example used by Sam Gill. He clearly reveals that often times we misinterpret the meaning of mask: that they only hold a space on a shelf among others like itself, otherwise known as a collection. However, masks hold a bigger significance than that. To the Natives, masks are living and when masked performances take place, the deities are present. To view mask as art alone is to minimize the actual beauty and value behind the entire mask and its' function. There is a reason for its existence and it's not just to be creative and productive. Typically, we consider masks as objects that hide or conceal something. In the Native Americans' case, this is the furthest from the truth. Performing a mask in a ritual is

Everyone uses masks to free them to do, say or act in a manner that they normally wouldn’t. People use them all the time, whether it is just changing to treat someone a certain way or just needing to be a different way to make a situation better, but can also be used in harmful ways that can be used to compel violence. Masks manipulate us to hide from our true selves, they will make the one who wears one inferior to all others. In the story, The Lord of the Flies by William Golding, the world is in the middle of the biggest war ever, the power of masks and anonymity throughout this time period establish the terror. They put on these masks to give them the freedom to commit terrorizing acts and have no shame, alike with how William Golding allowed his characters have their power over the others. Golding had his characters apply paint to their faces which then altered the boy's mindset to act in a detrimental way. The mindset these boys obtain leads to many cruel parts in the story, including the killing of other boys on the island. This demonstrates the effect and power of being anonymous that is provided to these blood-thirsty boys. Before Jack and the boys used their masks to release their inner-savage, they were civilized, but having anonymity enables them to kill, not only pigs but other boys.

he ivory mask, comprised of ivory, iron, and copper, is 9 inches high, 5 inches wide, and 3 inches deep. Located near the top of the mask, heads representing the Portuguese exemplifies the control Benin had over Europeans. Creating a trend, the Portuguese continued to appear in many Benin art pieces throughout time. The Portuguese were so often found being referred to in the art pieces of the Benin because “the Edos thought they were from the world of the dead because of their white skin.” The distinguishing feature in the ivory mask is high coral crown which depicts a coiffure, a hairstyle commonly worn during those times by high ranking Edo women.

African masks were to establish a different identity for the wearer in order to amuse, teach, or sacrifice.

The buk, or mask, comes from the Mabuiag island in the Torres Strait. The Torres Strait is located between Papua New Guinea and Australia, and contains hundreds of islands. The mask is made of turtle shell, wood, fiber, feathers, and shell, and was created in the mid to late 19th century. Intricate masks and figures made from plates of turtle shell are unique to the people of the Torres strait. The majority of pieces that come from this area incorporate the use of the turtle shell in some way. This mask is divided into three registers; the top containing feathers, the middle containing the face and body of a bird, and the bottom containing a human face. The mask includes certain decorative aspects that are stitched onto it, such as the curved pieces on the side of the face or the raffia, or palm tree leaves, used as hair. This mask is one part

These two African masks have similar and different qualities. Mask A and Mas B both have continuous figures on the top of the crown. Both facial features lack eyebrows but they both have to vertical lines on the forehead, and they both contain beards. In both Mask, the crown sits on the head with a straight square outline. Lastly, both Mask have similar end design on the beards and on the crowns.

The third mask also deals with a secret society. This carved wood “Helmet Mask” (inventory # 5-13259) is thought to be from the Bamileke society of Cameroon and is dated to about 1976. Used in a men’s secret society known as the Kwifo (“night”), masks in this style disguised the members identities as they acted as a police force for the king. The Kwifo mediated conflicts, pronounced legal sentences, and carried out the resulting punishments. Different masks represented the various powers of the group and the carved headdress of this mask mirrors the prestige caps worn by elites and kings. The intertwined “legs” represent the earth spider, which, because it lived underground was thought to unite the world of the ancestors and spirits, who live in the earth, with that of humans. Revered for its supernatural wisdom and power it is often consulted

Facial masks are extremely important to keeping your skin hydrated and moisturized, it also helps with keeping excess oils from seeping into your skin (New Hope). Some facial masks can be expensive; many people don’t know that you can make your own with some appliances in your pantry. The supplies needed will be, a bowl, oatmeal (any type, flavor, or brand will be fine), honey, and warm water. After you’ve gather all the supplies, you’ll start by taking the bowl and pouring three tablespoons of oatmeal into it. Then pour one tablespoon of warm water into the bowl. After that, you’ll add one tablespoon of honey to the mixture. Stir the mixture up to the desired consistency, if the mixture seems too think for your liking you can choose to add

You may be preparing to scuba dive Nassau Bahamas, but you'll need to check if you have all of the proper equipment first. A proper scuba diving mask is a crucial part of your equipment, but there are many different types of mask to choose from. Whether you're purchasing a mask now or just wish to expand your knowledge on the topic, there are four main types of mask that you should learn about.