The Arts in Africa

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The Arts in Africa
What are common characteristics about types of
art in Africa?
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Masks
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Sculpture
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Jewelry
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Baskets
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Textiles
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Griots

• Epics collected in Dausi (tells the history using
  myths legends) Sundiata (about ruler)
• Scholars travelers (like Ibn Battutah) from
  Spain Arabia wrote about West Africa
• Sculptures, masks, clothing (Kente)
• Singing dancing

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Preserving History

• Oral history storytellers Griots
• Stories are informative entertaining had to
  be memorized so over generations things changed
• Also recited proverbs
• i.e. Talking doesnt fill the basket in the
  farm

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Instruments
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Kente Cloth
An African Art Form
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Origins of Kente

• Credited to the Ashanti People of Ghana
• Legend of Ota Karaban and Nana Bobie
• Archaeological Evidence shows weaving has been in
  Africa since 3200 B.C.
• Once reserved for royalty and the wealthy
• Now available to all people
• Symbolic Represents values important to the
  individual or family.

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OBAAKOFOO MMU MAN - ONE PERSON DOES NOT RULE A
NATION

• Symbol of PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY, WARNING
  AGAINST DICTATORIAL RULE,  and PLURALITY OF IDEAS
    

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Sika Futoro

• "gold dust."
• textured patterns in yellows, orange and reds
  replicate the visual characteristics of gold
  dust.
• The cloth symbolizes WEALTH, ROYALTY, ELEGANCE,
  SPIRITUAL PURITY and HONORABLE ACHIEVEMENT.

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NYANKONTON

• "God's eye brow (the rainbow)."
• created in exaltation of the beauty mystery of
  the rainbow phenonmenon
• This cloth symbolizes DIVINE BEAUTY,
  GRACEFULNESS, DIVINE CREATIVITY, UNIQUENESS, and
  GOOD OMEN.

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OBI NKYE OBI KWAN MU SI - TO ERR IS HUMAN

• Symbol of FORGIVENESS, CONCILIATION, TOLERANCE,
  PATIENCE, and FAIRNESS  
• Literal translation Sooner or later one would
  stray into the path of the other.  
• To err is human, and therefore, one should be
  conciliatory when one is offended. For sooner or
  later one may be the offender to the other.

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How are Kente cloths made?
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Cotton is spun by hand and wound onto bobbins
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Weavers in a village weaving from sunrise to
sunset
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Guidelines for Kente Cloth

• 1. Design will completely fill the page.
• 2. Design needs to be repeated 4 Xs on page
• 3. Design must be geometrical an abstract
  illustration of a concept.
• 4. Color in your paper with colored pencils.
• 5. Write description of cloth, describing colors
  reason for choosing them tell the story that
  your cloth describes.

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Guidelines

• Remember to fist pick the colors you will use
  meaning
• You must use at least 4 colors in your cloth.
• Describe in at least 5-10 sentences
• You may write it on the back of your cloth.