Tribal masks have been used for hundreds of years by many of the Sub-Saharan African tribes (some dating back to 7000 BC). While they are appreciable as vibrant and skilled art. This is not their main purpose. They are for use in important ceremonies and rituals, usually revolving around weddings, funerals, initiation rites, and such. The masks aren’t meant to be perfectly accurate representations, but to show the essence of the spirit, person or animal portrayed. Often specific traits are featured to convey a message. For example, to represent power, masks may have antelope horns, crocodile teeth or the fangs of a warthog. Calmness and patience is conveyed through half-closed eyes, a small mouth and eyes represents humility while mask that represents wisdom has a wide, bulging forehead. A large chin represents power and strength. Animal features are often included. The most common are buffalo, hyena, hawk, crocodile and antelope. Antelope is one of the most widely used animal masks. It symbolizes agriculture and is worn to enable better crops. Horns represent growth of millet, legs roots of the plants while ears represent songs that women sing in the harvest time. Symmetrical lines and geometric designs show dignity and integrity. Highly polished surfaces represent youthful healthy skin and reflect the idea of beauty and virtue, while rough dirty surfaces suggest fear and evil.

Each mask has a specific spiritual meaning or represents a specific spirit and often several are used in any ritual. The mask is believed to have a spiritual power and the wearer is transformed, merging with the spirit of the animal portrayed when dancing in a ceremony or ritual.
The mask artist has a high rank in the village because it is believed that they have contact with the spirit world and their skill is not just artistic, but spiritual. Their training may last many years and can be as an apprentice in the workshop of a master carver. However, most often these skills are passed down from father to son through many generations.

Masks are made from wood, pottery, textiles, copper and bronze. Details could be made from animal teeth, hair, bones and horns as well as feathers, seashells and even straw and egg shells. Wood is the most common material because it is plentiful and many African tribes believe that the tree has a spiritual soul and it’s wood is the most natural home for the spirit in the mask. The larger and more detailed the mask, the more important the spirit it is meant to represent.
During the late 1800s, tribal masks became very popular among Europeans and directly affected the schools of art that emerged during that time. The Fauvists (Edvard Munch that we studied last year), Cubists (Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque) and many of the Impressionists incorporated the colorful, more expressive design of these African artists. Today African tribal masks are a popular art commodity, although many now are made for commercial purposes and don’t have religious significance.

Several West African tribes also used small masks as passports. Warriors and travelers from various tribes would wear a small (3-4”) mask on a band around their arm or neck to show what tribe they belonged to. A passport mask could also show what their purpose was (such as a messenger, hunter, or warrior.) They also were believed to provide protection to the wearer.

Today we will make our own passport masks. Think about the characteristics you would like to display and carefully carve out or pinch basic features into your mask.
1. Distribute 1 clay ball for each student on a small paper plate. Have the students write their name on the paper plate before getting started. Warn students that air dry clay is very brittle when completely dry. Small or thin parts sticking out are unfortunately likely to crack or break off, so it is best to keep things pretty simple.
2. Work on your paper plate to create your mask. If there are cracks, they can smoothed with wet fingers. This kind of clay works best when it it doesn’t get too wet or overworked though, so focus on carving out what you want to with the tools or pinching out small areas. Adding clay to mask often ends up cracking, but you can try to add larger details by making a crosshatch on each of the areas that will be stuck together.
3. After the basic features are made on the mask, use one of the hook tools to carefully carve the excess out of the back, leaving the clay at around a half inch thick. (This is definitely better in this case.)
4. Gently paint some details with the paints. You will want to press very lightly with the paint brush so that it doesn’t carve into the clay.
(Because painting is secondary, I would recommend sharing a paper plate “palette” between 2-4 students. Just squeeze small puddles of paint onto each plate and then add more as needed.)
5. Leave the masks on the plates to dry.

*A few more things to consider:
-Please be careful to keep bags sealed so the clay balls don’t dry out.
-Please let me know if supplies are running low. This is one that we can’t really load everything on the cart for the month. My number will be on a post-it on the cart a text that we need more will be super helpful! 😉