FREE ESSAY ON AFRICAN TIFWEBE MASKS

AFRICAN TIFWEBE MASKS

Nicholas A. Trifiletti
Ideas in the Visual Arts
I9 1:00 MWF
The Songye Masquerade
INTRODUCTION
When I again entered the Nelson-Atkins Art Museum, I immediately asked the security
guards where the African collection was located. I passed through the Chinese and
Japanese galleries but nothing drew my attention more than the African mystique. As I
entered the room a distinct smell came across my noise, one that suggested undiscovered
grounds. This is an art criticism paper, in which I will describe, interpret, and
evaluate the Female Mask, c. Late 19th Century.
DESCRIPTION
The Female Mask is a combination of wood, fiber, hide, pigment, and shell. The Female
Mask rests in a case and its height is about 55-inches, width about 32-inches, and depth
about 24-inches. The mask has four distinct components that embody the headdress. The
first component is the similar style of the hooded sweatshirt shaped, woven under-dress.
This material seems to be ruggedly sewn from a fibrous material that is a light maroon
color, with distinct hints of light and darker concentrations of a brown tone throughout
the under-dressing. Each sleeve of the dressing has three-finger gloves perfectly sewn
into the dressings' sleeves. The texture of the under-dressing is that of a chain-mail
stitch pattern with all seams cleverly hidden, expressing the attention to detail. The
dressing covers the entire upper body of the female who wears this mask. I also noticed
the waistline of the dressing is about 12-inches short of the tips of the three-fingered
gloves. 
The next component of the Kifwebe mask is the thick, beard-like fibrous dressing located
about the chest region. The fibrous dressing connects directly to the chin, and is sewn
directly below the region of the chin area. The material resembles that of hay from a
bail, but has thicker, tubular characteristics. The color of this material has
deteriorated, but the fibrous material appears dark brown, and is tangled like many vines
stacked on top of each other. The beard's overall shape resembles the poorly drawn
alphabetical letter of M. With the left arm of the M stemming about even length with the
actual under-dressing's arm, with about an 8-inches difference between the left and right
respective arms. The middle area is very ruff cut, and shows these same uneven
dimensions. 
The third major component of the Kifwebe mask is the mask itself, made of intricately
carved wood about the size of a basketball. The upper half of the mask is evenly rounded
like if the ball were to be cut in half. The bottom half of the mask is skewed inward
leading all the way down to the chin; picture an elephant foot connected upside down.
These two "halves" connect to form the frontal view of the mask. The side view of the
mask boasts a large forehead, and a protruding mouth shaped like a rectangle, which
protrudes about 3-inches from the mask's cheek and chin areas. The mouth is also hollowed
out, and goes into the mask to let air and sound project. The triangular-shaped nose
remains flat with that of the long forehead, but cuts in directly below the nostril area.
The nose sticks out about even with that of the mouth, and the cheek and chin areas stay
flat from the nose down. The eyes are shaped like big basil leaves with a coconut shell
color, and have would be "stems" that lash out to the side of the mask. The 3-inch long
eyehole slits, cover the bottom span of the basil leaf-shaped eye region at about the
thickness of a pencil. There is also a distinct 1-inch, maroon line that runs thinner
thru the nose region, starting at the top of the mask continuing to the bottom of the
nose. This same pattern continues from the mouth to the chin. The side view also reveals
that the forehead of the mask protrudes about 5-inches from the sculpted side panel
border, where the mask connects to the chain mail-like fiber dressing. The mask exhibits
adjacent, geometric grooves that start at the major facial features, and are
symmetrically contoured to the sides of the mask. The lines on the upper half of the mask
are smooth and even. Where as on the bottom of the mask, the lines are sharp and jagged,
like a horizontal lightning bolt while staying within this contour pattern. The inside
grooves are white, with the surface grooves a dirt-brown. These grooves are also found on
the sides of the nose and mouth, and are contoured to the end of these features. 
The fourth and final component of the Kifwebe mask is the unicorn-horn shaped crown that
is positioned where the crown of the head would be. The small woven bundle of
under-dressing connects the crown to the mask, and harnesses the structure securely. The
crown appears to be made of animal hide, and appears to have been painted with a gold
pigment. The crown has dilapidated over the years and is now hangs down. 
INTERPRETATION
The "Kifwebe" mask, which is significant to a tribal branch of the Songye people of
Zaire, served many purposes in the tribal customs, most of which tied to their deep
spiritual connection with the environment they inhabited. The masks were used the by
secret men's society as powerful tools for social control and protecting, they were
displayed at important funerals, visits, and inaugural ceremonies. The Female Mask on the
other hand, embodied properties that were more restrained and elegant, and mostly
associated with moon rituals, funerals, and initiation rites. The female masks are
distinguishable by the white paint and lacking the crest found on male Kifwebe masks. The
Songye people displayed their connection through ceremonial celebration by paying tribute
to their life-sustaining resources. These masks were also used to invoke supernatural
powers, used by the tribal leaders to heal and strengthen the tribe.
The Female Mask however, had different spiritual content than that of their male
counter-parts. The women's ceremonial dances were always controlled, calm movements to
invoke good spirits that will influence future generations. The male displays on the
other hand, were wild, and spontaneous to show their power, and force prevalent in their
social environment. The elements of design and function are ever-present in the Kifwebe
headdress. "The masks are decorated with mythological motifs; patterns made from
geometric grooves, reminiscent of markings on the skin of various animals"
(http://www.civilization.ca). The long vertical lines on the nose are characteristic of
the forehead and muzzle of the hush back, a small African antelope hunted for survival.
Much of the content resides in these distinct features, from the contoured grooves, to
the highly abstract facial features. The golden crown most likely represents the horn of
an antelope, and the protruding mouth representing that of a bird, or possibly a
crocodile. The crest of the nose looks much like that of the crest of the antelope. "The
many art forms of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas are based on long-lasting traditions,
learned skills, and fine distinctions, just as Western art is. They are the product of
cultural values and concerns"(Artforms, p.353). 
The importance of ceremonial rituals, and social hierarchy were extremely evident in
these native civilizations. These masks bestowed a sense of being, and a more stable
sense of connection with a dynamic environment. The Songye people demonstrated this
connection through ceremonial celebration, and paying tribute to their life-sustaining
resources. These elements and design principles further enhance the connection of the
spiritual sustenance shared between man and nature. The artistic designs of the Female
Mask, gives a sense of creating order out of chaos, to communicate with the spirits and
pay homage necessary for survival of a nation; the ultimate goal.
EVALUATION 
I thought this was an excellent art piece not only to evaluate, but to learn about as
well. We Americans take so much for granite with our current status of living, that I
don't believe we spend time enough getting back to our "roots". The smell of the room
where this exhibit is displayed, for some reason takes me to a place I have felt before.
As strange as it may sound, I felt as if a part of who I am was on display only in an
alternative supernatural sense. Standing in front of that case, I could almost picture in
my mind the sights and sounds of the ceremonial dance. The way the light flickered from
the fire as many tribesmen, and women displayed their beautiful works to the Gods they
believed in. But isn't that the feeling one should get when we view pieces of this
nature? Historically, pieces like the Female Mask should be greatly appreciated for their
aesthetical qualities, as well as for their ability to transport your mind to lands and
cultures in retrospect.