African culture holds rituals and customs very high, among these rituals were masquerades. Masquerade is often confused for secular or entertainment purposes, but for African culture, masquerade was used for spiritual or ancestral performances and is an important element of African culture. For much of African culture, masquerade was primarily performed by men, without masks, representing different aspects of their culture and is a very expressive form not only through the different characteristics and artistic views of the masks, but also through the dances and the stories that the dancers tell. . The Sénoufo, the Dogon and the Kuba are three of the African cultures that practice masquerades. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The Senoufo people live specifically in West Africa, in the western region of Sudan. The current region is now known as Ivory Coast. The Senoufo were part of the African culture using masquerades and were known for making masks. The men still practiced Sénoufo masquerades. The Sénoufo men danced many Poro-looking masks, which were used for social and initiatory practices. Poro took men on average 20 years. According to the Smithsonian Museum of Africa Art, the Senoufo people began making metal masks by first observing the neighboring Diula peoples. They often represented ancestors, spirits, creatures and powers of the bush. The masks used large creature masks that typically compiled the characteristics of human, antelope, crocodile, warthog, and hyena. They most likely used these powerful and aggressive creatures in their mask to combat malicious spirits, witchcraft, sorcery, and wandering spirits. The main features of these masks were horns and an open jaw with sharp teeth. They were important in protecting people with their powerful forms and medicines. The Senoufo belief in masquerade was to fight evil spirits with their powerful forms. Masquerades were not only used as protectors but also as funerary practices. When a person has died, the masquerade performers are seen dancing with masks to help the deceased leave the village. Because death was also considered a rite of passage, it was also part of the Poro as masks play a big role during funerals. In Sénoufo culture, if an important individual were to pass by, it is common to see several masked groups, even female masks. The feminine mask often represents pretty or more beautiful features compared to those that are more masculine. The usual feminine one has small faces and several extensions. Men who wear this mask are often seen in knitted jumpsuits and commercial fabrics to interpret their beauty. Female characters are sometimes depicted as the wives of masked male characters. The mask makers of the Senoufo people enjoyed great importance because masquerades were used in areas so important to culture, such as combating the invisible forces of nature, the spiritual world, honoring illness of ancestors and funerals. The Dogon are an ethnic group living in the central plateau region of Mali, West Africa, south of the Niger Bend, near the town of Bandiagara. Dogon masquerades consist of representing tales andcharacters of creation. What is fascinating about Dogon culture is that it recognizes women as the first masqueraders, as it is believed that women were the first to imitate mask spirits. Although women were thought to be the first masqueraders, they cannot participate in masquerades. The role was then given to men. A specific mask called Satimbe was created to represent all women and means "sister on the head". The Satimbe mask is made of wood, fibers and a costume with shiny pigments. These masks are square in shape, with a figure placed above the mask, representing the woman. They have narrow rectangular openings for the eyes. The figure that represents the women is usually a singing element and is usually much larger than the mask itself. Characteristics of the female figure are a prominent cone-shaped chest and bent arms. Masks appear during funerals to chase the spirits of the dead from the village to the bush. Satimbe is seen among other spiritual figures during an annual ceremony called Dama. During this ceremony, the mask helps to honor the life of the deceased who died between the last Dama. Masquerades are believed to help guide deceased souls to the land of the dead, while ancestors can help the living by promoting agriculture. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, one of the most common masks during the Dama ceremony is the Kanaga mask. The Metropolitan Museum of Art mentions that in 1935, a French anthropologist named Marcel Griaule witnessed a Dama ritual in which twenty-nine masks out of a total of seventy-four were of the Kanaga type. The Kanaga mask is usually made from wood, fiber and skin. Usually, when the mask is worn, the individual's head is covered with a hood, the end of which has a braided fiber fringe. The person is also usually seen with a vest that has black, red and white clothing embroidered on it. The Khan Academy describes the mask as follows: “Kanaga masks represent the face as a rectangular box with deeply cut channels for the eyes. A double-bar cross with short vertical elements projecting from the ends of the horizontal bars. This abstract form has been interpreted on two levels: literally, as a representation of a bird, and, on a more esoteric level, as a symbol of the creative force of God and the arrangement of the universe. In this latter interpretation, the upper crossbar represents the sky and the lower one, the earth. The Khan Academy also states that over eighty different types of masks have been documented in Dama ceremonies, depicting figures such as hunters, warriors, healers, women, and people from neighboring ethnic groups. The Kuba people are located in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The masks of the Kuba people are greatly inspired by the legends of creation and royal ancestors. Although the Kuba people are diverse in terms of ethnic groups, they all fall under one king. The three masks from the court of King Kubas are exhibited there, Mwashamboy, Bwoom and Ngady. The three masks represent each of the ancestors. The Mwashamboy is said to represent the founding ancestor known as woot. Mwashamboy is also said to represent the political power and supernatural abilities of the king. Bwoom is characterized by its domed forehead and is also known as the helmet mask and is believed to symbolize indigenous peoples endowed with royalty. Bwoom Mask is also Mwashamboy's brother and competitor. The materials commonly used for Bwoom are: wood, copper, cowries, beads, fabric. Ngadyrepresents first women and all women. The tears on his cheeks characterize the Ngady mask. Ngady's sad story is that she was forced to commit incest with her father, wow, in order to create a new life, hence the tears on her cheeks. It also represents the pain and struggle of childbirth for women. Ngady mask not only characterized by its tears but also by the beads, geometric patterns and shells used to make this unique mask. The three characters are important in Kuba culture and masquerades as they are often used to recreate and dramatize creation stories, often used in royal initiation ceremonies. The three characters mentioned, Mwashamboy Bwoom and Ngady, are usually depicted in a ceremonial dance where the male characters Mwashamboy and Bwoom fight for the female character and female ancestor Ngady. Mwashamboy fights to retain his royal rank and his wife, while Bwoom fights for the power of the throne and for the love of Ngady. The three prominent figures of Kuba culture are also used in Kuba festivals. There are many types of masks in Kuba society. Each mask has its own importance and represents different aspect of Kuba society. Kuba culture values ​​their mask so much that children are not allowed to see the more important mask. Another important mask in Kuba culture is the pwoom itok mask. The main features of the mask are the shape of the eyes, the centers of which are cones surrounded by holes through which the individual can see. Common features of the pwoom itok mask are also prominent colors and feathers. The Mask must be worn by a dancer who would represent an old sage. The use of the pwoom itok mask is an acknowledgment of the wisdom of older ancestors and elders that can be passed on to younger generations through acts of ceremonial dance. Male dancers at boys' initiation ceremonies and at burial sites generally wear the mask, which is why the pwoom itok mask is an important element of Kuba society. Much of African culture and history is shown or represented through masquerades. Most interesting is the belief that through masquerades they could interact with the spiritual world and fight or ward off evil spirits. Each different society had its own beliefs and representations of masquerades. The importance of masquerades and masks is also constantly demonstrated through important ceremonies like funerals, initiations, and the representation of cultural history. Masks were also used to honor the dead, the living and religions, as well as to personify the gods. They cherish the mask and the history they wear, that men could only wear many masks and passed down from generation to generation. Each mask tells a different story or symbolizes an important part of African culture through art and dance. Masquerades have truly stood the test of time and have shown their importance in African culture through many different forms and ways. African culture places great importance on rituals and customs, among these rituals were masquerades. Masquerade is often confused for secular or entertainment purposes, but for African culture, masquerade was used for spiritual or ancestral performances and is an important element of African culture. For much of African culture, masquerade was performed primarily by men, without masks,representing different aspects of their culture and is a very expressive form not only through the different characteristics and artistic views of the masks, but also through the dances and stories that the dancers tell. . The Sénoufo, the Dogon and the Kuba are three of the African cultures that practice masquerades. The Sénoufo people live more precisely in West Africa, in the western region of Sudan. The current region is now known as Ivory Coast. The Senoufo were part of the African culture using masquerades and were known for making masks. The men still practiced Sénoufo masquerades. The Sénoufo men danced many Poro-looking masks, which were used for social and initiatory practices. Poro took men on average 20 years. According to the Smithsonian Museum of Africa Art, the Senoufo people began making metal masks by first observing the neighboring Diula peoples. They often represented ancestors, spirits, creatures and powers of the bush. The masks used large creature masks that typically compiled the characteristics of human, antelope, crocodile, warthog, and hyena. They most likely used these powerful and aggressive creatures in their mask to combat malicious spirits, witchcraft, sorcery, and wandering spirits. The main features of these masks were horns and an open jaw with sharp teeth. They were important in protecting people with their powerful forms and medicines. The Senoufo belief in masquerade was to fight evil spirits with their powerful forms. Masquerades were not only used as protectors but also as funerary practices. When a person has died, the masquerade performers are seen dancing with masks to help the deceased leave the village. Because death was also considered a rite of passage, it was also part of Poro because masks play a big role during funerals. In Sénoufo culture, if an important individual were to pass by, it is common to see several masked groups, even female masks. The feminine mask often represents pretty or more beautiful features compared to those that are more masculine. The usual feminine one has small faces and several extensions. Men who wear this mask are often seen in knitted jumpsuits and commercial fabrics to interpret their beauty. Female characters are sometimes depicted as the wives of masked male characters. The mask makers of the Senoufo people enjoyed great importance because masquerades were used in areas so important to culture, such as combating the invisible forces of nature, the spiritual world, honoring illness of ancestors and funerals. The Dogon are an ethnic group living in the central plateau region of Mali, West Africa, south of the Niger Bend, near the town of Bandiagara. Dogon masquerades consist of representing tales and characters from creation. What is fascinating about Dogon culture is that it recognizes women as the first masqueraders, as it is believed that women were the first to imitate mask spirits. Although women were thought to be the first masqueraders, they cannot participate in masquerades. The role was then given to men. A specific mask called Satimbe was created to represent all women and means "sister on the head". The Satimbe mask is made of wood, fibers and a costume with shiny pigments. These masks are square in shape, with a figure placed above the mask, representing the woman.,.