Art of Western Africa
History of Art in Western AfricaAfrican art is one of the world's oldest existing art cultures. Archaeologists can date some artifacts back to 50,000 years ago. However, shell beads meant for a necklace have been found in South Africa, dating back 75,000 years.
The Rock Age is the oldest period in human history and researchers agree that the modern human being originally came from Africa. The oldest rock art from this period are found in Niger and are dated at 6500 BC. The interesting fact about this rock art is that they show images of animals, such as the giraffe, that no longer live in that region. The earliest sculpture forms found in West Africa came from Nigeria and are from approximately 500 BC. The oldest visual images currently dated scientifically come from the Namibia, also known as the Apollo 11 caves, and date from around 24,000 to 27,000 years ago (No author 2013). |
TextilesTextiles are also an important part of the culture of West Africa. West Africans have a history of making their textiles beautiful and detailed. There are three well-known types of textiles: stamped fabrics, story fabrics, and kente cloth.
Stamped fabric is made with a thick dye and cloth. A grid is drawn with a thick dye and the squares in the grid are then filled with patterns. These stamped fabrics are used to tell a story or represent plants, objects, or animals. Story fabrics are exactly what the name suggests. Events are shown on these cloths. There are many ways to make these cloths, but a common method in West Africa is to attach smaller pieces of fabric to a larger piece of fabric. Kente cloth is one of most well-known West African textiles. These cloths are much more personal, as they are used to describe a person's life, family history, personal values and beliefs, or political or social circumstances. Even today, kente cloth is used throughout the world. Everyday objects are also highly decorated, such as storage containers, utensils, furniture, and baskets. Baskets are often made by the coil method in West Africa, which requires the basket maker to wind the fibers into coils which are then coiled and and tied together into a basket. These baskets, if made well, can hold water. This tradition is still present in the American South (Teachers'). African art impact todayWest African art also had a substantial impact on many contemporary artists. Matisse, Modigliani, Picasso, and Derain were all affected by West African art and used the inspiration the art they saw at the Trocadero museum in Paris in their art. There are many different galleries in Africa. They embodied the raw imagination and emotion they felt in their art (No author 2013). Expressionist painters also used the influence of African art to bring emotions to their art. This increased after the 1910 Gauguin exhibition in Dresden. Many modernist sculptors valued African sculptures for the "sophisticated approach to the human figure." African sculptures often show a naked, twisted human form (Murrell). |
Masks and SculpturesMasks hold a special importance to the West African culture and history. They were utilized in performances, ceremonies, and sacred rites. Masks were believed to bring forth the spirits of ancestors and gods. Great care was taken with these masks, as they were very "detailed and expressive" (Teachers’). The picture shown above is a good example of the type of masks that the ancient West Africans would wear.
African sculptures are another form of West African art. Some of the earliest sculptures south of the Sahara were found in northern Nigeria, originally from the Nok culture. Some of these Nok sculptures were terracotta pottery heads. These famous heads were made from clay and grog and known for the sense of caricature and elaborate hairstyles and ornamentation. They have been found in Mali and Nigeria. These ceramic sculptures date from about 500 BC to AD 200 (). Wood sculptures are also a traditional form of art from West Africa. Unfortunately, these sculptures no longer exist, as the wood could not survive. In later centuries, bronze, copper and brass were used to make sculptures. These were often made for the leaders and royals (). Sculptures were also used to ask for the daily assistance of spirits. The sculpture shown below is a good example of the type of sculpture made by the West Africans. This video below has interesting information on the growth of popularity in African art. African art is making a comeback in the art community. This art exhibition takes place in the UK.
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Music of Western Africa
History of African MusicMusic is a vital element in the culture of West Africans. The video to the right shows a musical group that performs traditional West African music. It is vibrant and impassioned music, with a energetic rhythm throughout.
The history of African music is for the most part is known through archaeological findings, oral and written sources, as well as musical notations, photographs, sound recordings, motion pictures, and videotape. Many of the archaeological findings come from rock paintings found in what is called the "Green Sahara." One painting in particular is famous, the dance scene found by French ethnologist Henri Lhote in 1956 in the Tassili-n-Ajjer plateau of Algeria. This painting is most likely from about 6000-4000 BC. Though many of the original instruments have not survived, some drums are still around. Some drums which have been recorded as in use in traditional African music are igbin drums, dundun pressure drum, and yorubadundun drums. The double iron clapperless bell was also in use and is believed to have been in use before the talking drum. Different instruments and styles of music spread all across Africa as groups of people migrated. As a result, the different traits of music across the different regions of Africa cannot be exactly separated (Kubik). African instrumentsAfrican music requires many instruments which are uncommon to the Western world. There is an especially large variety of drums. Some drums of Africa are the tama, talking drums, djembe, bougarabou, and water drums. Besides drums, there is a large array of percussion instruments. These include large gongs, twin gongs, slit gongs, ritual gongs, rattles, foot rattle, shakers (kosika, rainsticks, and woodsticks) and several types of xylophone and lamellophone. There are also many other instruments used in traditional African music. Musical bows, harps, and harp-like instruments, such as the kora and fiddle, are all common African instruments. The man pictured above is holding a kora. A kora is a traditional West African instrument (Music).
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The Role of MusicMusic was instrumental in the lives of the West African people. African music connects people and establishes a strong bond in the community. African music and dance are closely entwined and both hold the same role of connecting people and celebrating the important moments in life. Music is used in many different aspects of West African, including hunting, marriage, childbirth, and political activities. Music is also used for warding off evil spirits and paying respect to good spirits, the dead, and ancestors. Some music is composed specifically for the intended use. Work songs, courtly music, ceremonial or religious music are used only for their purpose. The main purpose of music, however, is to relay messages and ideas and tell stories and actual events.
Traditional West African music has many different traits, most of which it shares with other African regions. In African music, melody and harmony have little importance on the quality of a song. Rhythm has the most importance in African music and repetition is the basis for improvisation. In rhythm there are four main parts: a metric time arrangement, exact starting point for rhythmic groupings, equal pulse base, and a method to organizing several different rhythms together. Most African music is performed in groups in which the musicians play in a conversational style where they respond to what the other musicians are playing. Another common form of African music is ostinato, of which call and response is a common method. In this method, the leader will sing or play a phrase and the rest of the group will reply back. This style of music was brought over to America with the enslaved Africans. African music is generally interwoven with several different rhythms and melodies at one time, a concept known as polyphony (Music). |
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Impact of African MusicAfrican music did not stop with the entrance of colonization. Even today, African music continues to influence the world. In Africa and even across the world, traditional West African dances are prevalent. African music, which consists of call-and-response, has influenced many different types of American music, including gospel, jazz, blues, rock and roll, and rap (Teachers').
African music influenced many different types of music, one of which is known as the Palm Wine. Palm Wine came from Liberia Sierra Leone and derives its name from the fact that it was music played on the guitar by sailors as they drank palm wine. This genre spread to the rest of the coast of Africa up to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Blues and jazz can also trace their origin to African music. These two genres have taken from African rhythms and sounds. These influences originally migrated to America with the slaves. Since rock 'n' roll music also has some aspects of African music and many genres of music derive from rock 'n' roll, it could be said that most of modern music originates from African music (Music). Modern West African music is also popular. The video on the top shows an example of West African folk music and the video on the bottom shows another example of traditional West African music. The difference between folk music and traditional music in Africa is negligible and traditional is the more technical term.
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Literature and Oral Tradition of Western Africa
Literature and the oral tradition of all Africans, including West Africans, has changed drastically throughout history. This video is an excellent source for the account of an African citizen and his view of oral tradition in Africa.
History of Oral Tradition and Literature
African stories are the core of African culture and history. Folktales and actual events have been passed down orally for hundreds of years. Oral storytelling in African culture is a community event where all gather to hear the stories together (Agatucci). Many oral stories have been written down through the years (Gunner). There are some ancient African writings, but not many exist as oral literature is much more common (Agatucci).
Stories are created to try to explain things people cannot actually explain. To understand the African stories completely, one must look at the origins of the stories and the parts of them, such as themes, values, narrative structures, plots, rhythms, styles, images, metaphors, artistic, and ethical principles. The stories told by the African people did not always remain the same. Oratures would constantly change according to the difference in social climate and values (Agatucci). An important aspect of the oral storytelling is the griot. A griot is a poet/musician who "tells stories, sing songs of praise, and recite poems, often while playing a drum or stringed instrument." They may perform for the audience, but they also educate an audience. Griots are the historians and record keepers of the African culture. All villages had a griot. They had one job: to remember every important event that happened in their village. Because of all of the information they held, griots would often speak for hours or days. Griots were even used by kings to advise them on current problems. Griots live on today, still performing and storytelling. Folktales were also an important part of the storytelling history. They were used to tell the history of their people and to teach important life lessons to young children. This tradition then came to America when slaves came over. Trickster tales were an important aspect of the folktale culture. They included an animal or human who outsmarted the other characters. Brer Rabbit originates from West African trickster tales (Teachers' ). Impact TodayThe oral and literature tradition of West Africa did not end with the end of what most see as the traditional culture of Africa. Many modern writers such as Amos Tutuola, D.O. Fagunwa, Violet Dube, S.E.K. Mqhayi, and Mario Antonio have derived their writings from West African oral tradition. Many modern writers have simply written down old stories which have been passed down. The writers of Africa nowadays owe much of their stories to African oral tradition (Indiana). One African novelist, Chinua Achebe, writes many novels which include old oral stories (Agatucci).
Though for many years Africans hardly wrote down stories, they began to write oral narratives in European languages in the 1950s as a result of colonization. Many writings are censored in some African countries. This is an accurate representation of how many African countries are oppressing and impoverishing their people (Englert). |
An Elegant Portrait: A Senegalese Chief with his "Griot" (c.1904)
by The Casas-Rodriguez Postcard Collection, used under |
References
Art:
Murrell, Denise. (April 2008). African Influences in Modern Art. Retrieved April 3, 2015, from http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/aima/hd_aima.htm
No author. (n.d.) Western Africa. Retrieved April 3, 2015, from http://artnetweb.com/guggenheim/africa/west.html
No author. (2013). African Art History. Retrieved April 3, 2015, from http://www.contemporary-african-art.com/african-art-history.html#sthash.W1Dof9Y3.dpbs
Teachers' Curriculum Institute. (n.d.) The Cultural Legacy of West Africa. In F.M., History Alive! The Medieval World. Retrieved April 3, 2015, from http://www.neshaminy.org/cms/lib6/PA01000466/Centricity/Domain/450/Chapter%2015%20-%20The%20Cultural%20Legacy%20of%20West%20Africa%20FULL%20TEXT%20with%20Pictures.pdf
Music:
Kubik, Gerhard. (n.d.) African Music. Retrieved April 3, 2015, from, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/719112/African-music
Music of Africa. (2014, December 16). New World Encyclopedia. Retrieved April 3, 2015, from, http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?title=Music_of_Africa&oldid=985715.
Teachers' Curriculum Institute. (n.d.) The Cultural Legacy of West Africa. In F.M., History Alive! The Medieval World. Retrieved April 3, 2015, from http://www.neshaminy.org/cms/lib6/PA01000466/Centricity/Domain/450/Chapter%2015%20-%20The%20Cultural%20Legacy%20of%20West%20Africa%20FULL%20TEXT%20with%20Pictures.pd
Literature:
Agatucci, Cora. (n.d.) African Storytelling. Retrieved April 3, 2015, from http://web.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/hum211/afrstory.htm
Englert, Lucianne. (n.d.) African Literature: A Topic as Vast as a Continent. Retrieved April 3, 2015, from http://www.indiana.edu/~rcapub/v21n3/p16.html
Gunner, Elizabeth Ann Wynne. (n.d.) African literature. Retrieved April 3, 2015, from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/8275/African-literature/280669/The-influence-of-oral-traditions-on-modern-writers
Teachers' Curriculum Institute. (n.d.) The Cultural Legacy of West Africa. In F.M., History Alive! The Medieval World. Retrieved April 3, 2015, from http://www.neshaminy.org/cms/lib6/PA01000466/Centricity/Domain/450/Chapter%2015%20-%20The%20Cultural%20Legacy%20of%20West%20Africa%20FULL%20TEXT%20with%20Pictures.pd
Photo used under Creative Commons by Minneapolis Institute of Arts.