This week in art we are starting our "African" unit. We will begin by discussing the African mask, an ancient form of human art, religious worship and ceremonial costume. Most often made of leather, metal, fabric or types of wood, the mask has cultural and traditional significance within many of the native societies on the African continent. The use of the mask in African culture goes far beyond the era of recorded or even oral history. The mask was worn among African cultures during the celebration of various events, including initiating a child into adulthood, the harvesting of a crop and preparing for or marking the end of war. A dancer wore the mask either as a helmet, a device covering the entire head or as a crest. The mask often represented the spirit of an ancestor during these celebrations, and it was commonly believed that the spirit of the ancestor possessed the dancer wearing the mask. Below are some of the mask created by the students of Highland.
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