The Arts in Africa

What are common characteristics about types of art in Africa?

Masks

Sculpture

Jewelry

Baskets

Textiles

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

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 doesn’t fill the basket in the farm”

Instruments

Kente ClothKente Cloth

An African Art Form

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.

OBAAKOFOO MMU MAN - ONE PERSON DOES NOT RULE A NATION

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

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.

NYANKONTON

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

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.

How are Kente cloths made?

Cotton is spun by hand and wound onto bobbins

Weavers in a village – weaving from sunrise to sunset

Guidelines for Kente Cloth

1. Design will completely fill the page. 2. Design needs to be repeated 4 Xs on page3. 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.

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.