Dance Mask - The Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts

Dance Mask
Activity Booklet
Inside:
interesting
facts and fun
activities!
Welcome to your
Activity Booklet!
This is an activity booklet for you to enjoy in the
galleries and at home. It is about our
object of the month, a Dance Mask from the
Ivory Coast.
Inside this booklet you will find drawing
activities, a gallery trail and things to make.
You can find more information about the mask
and other resources on our website:
www.scva.ac.uk
The Dance Mask
Where is it from?
The mask comes from the Ivory Coast, which is a country in
West Africa. It has a diverse landscape, with forests, savannah
(dry grass lands) and lagoons (salt water lakes separated from
the sea).
Ivory Coast
Who made it?
The mask was made by the Guro or Yaure people, two tribal
groups who live close to each other.
How was it made?
It is carved from hardwood and dyed black with vegetable dye.
Kaolin (a type of chalky clay) has been used to highlight the hair,
eyes and mouth.
When would it have been worn?
The mask is typical of those worn for performances by secret
societies of men. They dance on special occasions marking
important changes in life, for example when a child became an
adult (known as initiation) or when somebody dies.
How would it have been worn?
The mask would have been worn with a big costume, to hide the
wearer’s body.
Why does it have horns?
A lot of masks from this region have animal features,
especially rams and cockerels (male sheep and male chickens)
They might be signs of fertility. We think there might once have
been another animal on top of the mask, can you spot where?
Draw it!
What do you think used to be on top of the mask?
We think the mask is a woman’s face. It has half closed eyes, hair
braids, a long nose and a large forehead which the Guro people
found very beautiful.
Why do you think the ears are so small?
If you had to make a beautiful mask what would it look
like?
Draw it here.
African mask trail
All of these masks are in the living area, can you find them?
Become a researcher! We’ve highighted the Ivory Coast, can
you find out and colour in the countries that these other
masks are from?
You can look at a map if you need help.
We think this
mask might have
been hung on a royal
ancestor shrine, on top of
a kings grave. Cows were
important animals and
sacrificed on the shrine.
Which country?
...................................
What is it made of?
...................................
This mask probably had
bells around the chin, can
you see the holes where they
might have been?
The red pigment is from the bark
of the African sandal wood tree.
The blue is a European dye called
‘Rickett’s Blue’. The white
pigment is kaolin. Which
other masks have
white faces?
Which country?
...................................
What is it made of?
...................................
Which country?
...................................
What is it made of?
...................................
Masks are
not always made
to be worn. This one
was probably hung on a
wall at rituals. It is almost
flat and has a hole on
each side
This mask
would have been worn
as a face mask. Can you
see the holes around the edge
where a costume would have
been attached?
Another mask on the trail has a
heart shaped face, can you
spot which one? What is
the same and different
about them?
Which country?
...................................
What is it made of?
...................................
Which country?
...................................
What is it made of?
...................................
This mask was
used by a secret society
called Bwami and was
called lukungu (skull) or ‘skull
of my father’. They represent the
link between fathers, sons and
ancestors.
This mask was made from an
elephant tusk that was at
least 7 inches wide.
Drawing page
What is your favourite African mask on the
trail? Try drawing it here.
Wordsearch
Africa
Initiation
Ritual
Cockerel
Ivory Coast
Savannah
Costume
Lagoon
Spirit
Dance
Mask
Horns
Ram
Interview with Professor John Mack
Chairman of the Sainsbury Institute for Art
(Extract of a longer interview. Full version available on our website.)
What is a dance mask used for?
The masks are used by secret societies all across West Africa in
rituals, which are about moving people through different stages of life. At
funerals it is about shifting people on from being living individuals to being
ancestors so they can have a benign influence on the lives of the living.
The mask is performing a function which is way beyond dancing, of course
it could be entertaining, but it’s not only entertainment.
What does the mask represent?
It’s usually thought to represent a spirit. How exactly it represents a spirit
is not straightforward. Is the spirit behind the mask or is the mask itself
the spirit? In quite a lot of contexts spirits are not meant to be seen and
not supposed to be visible, so is the mask revealing or concealing
something? The mask has both of those potential functions. Part of the
power of it is that people don’t know what it is they are encountering.
Wouldn’t people know that it was just someone dressing up?
Only members of the society should have known. Women and children
in particular would not know the function of masking. They may not be
aware that there is a person inside articulating the mask. They would not
necessarily know that people around them, their brothers, their
fathers and so on are members of that society. In reality, they may well
know, but they wouldn’t actually admit to knowing.
Wouldn’t people recognise their voices?
Well they don’t usually speak, or if they do they use something that
alters and disguises their voice. Quite often they speak in sort of wailing.
Sometimes they wouldn’t even use a commonly known language so it
needs translating by assistants who may speak for the mask. Maskers talk
about the spirit ‘mounting them’ or ‘riding them’. They have such a level of
belief they may be literally possessed. Indeed masking may be associated
with an altered psychological state of both the masker and the watchers.
They were meant to be able to perform exceptional physical feats, like
jumping onto the tops of houses.
Glossary
Secret Societies – groups of
people that meet in secret and do
secret things
Rituals – performing a set of actions as part of a ceremony
Ancestors – people related to you
that lived a long time ago
Benign – gentle and kind
Spirit – similar to a ghost/ soul of
a living thing
Revealing - showing
Concealing - hiding
Potential functions – possible
uses
Encountering – meeting/seeing
something unexpectedly
Articulating – bringing to life
Alters - changes
Maskers – people who wear the
mask
Psychological – to do with the
mind and feelings
Feats – something very difficult
Make your own Horn Headdress!
The dance mask has curved ram
horns. What other animals can you
think of that have horns?
To make your own horn headdress you
will need:
Large piece of card
scissors
stapler
pencil
1. Draw the shape of your horns on the card.
Cut the horns out.
2. Draw a line down the centre of your horns. Ask an adult to
help you score* the line with the pointy end of scissors. Be
careful not to cut your fingers.
*Score = scratch a line
3. Bend the horns down the score line so that they look 3D.
4. Measure your head with a strip of card and staple to make a
headband.
Remember to staple with the scratchy staple ends point
outwards!
5. Staple your horns to the headband. Your headdress is now
ready to wear!
Extra idea: Our dance mask has beautiful patterns on it
which are marked with chalky Koalin. Try decorating your
horns with white chalk.
References:
Hooper, S. ed. (1997) Robert and Lisa Sainsbury Collection:Volume II Pacific,
African and Native North American Art. New Haven and London: Yale University
Press.
Fischer, E. (2008) Guro: Masks, Performances and Master Carvers in Ivory Coast.
Munich, Berlin, London, New York: Prestel Verlag.
Image Credits:
Front Cover: Dance Mask, UEA 213, photo James Austin.
Pages 8 & 9 (L-R): Mask, UEA 246; Mask, UEA 569; Mask, UEA 211; Mask, UEA
269; Mask, UEA 247. All photos by James Austin.
All above objects are part of the Robert and Lisa Sainsbury Collection.
Authors: Nikki Grout and Emma Reeve
With thanks to: Professor John Mack, Dr Joseph Adande, Abraham Eshetu.
Date of publication: October 2014
Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, UEA, Norwich NR4 7TJ
01603 591199 www.scva.ac.uk