Facial disguises or adornments have a rich history of use in various cultures. Like any other culture, that of Africa has its unique facial disguises. African Masks, like similar devices of other cultures, serve many ceremonial and decorative purposes.
These adornments were used by tribes to inspire awe and fear in the hearts of enemies. They took on a very important role as a means of intimidation. The mask of a warrior in Africa always had a terrible look and this allowed for many victories in the battles of ancient days. Even the Europeans who ventured into the continent in the first days of exploration were intimidated by them..
Mask wearing remained prominent in the lives of tribe members and was even featured in burial ceremonies. In fact archaeologists are never surprised by the site of a masked body when they investigate ancient burial sites for this specific reason.
Very often, clay is used to make the face coverings. This is nothing new of course, as it was clay that was used for the older generation's masks. Mask makers form the desired shapes and patterns in dough like clay. Afterwards they either place the mask in the sun to or allow it to harden in an oven designed specifically for this purpose.
Sometimes the raw material used is wood. Wood is treated and carved to create the images required for the finished look. Sometimes varnish is used to create a glossy finish. Most mask makers prefer to work with softer wood types as this allows for easier manipulation. Wood masks are prominently featured as tourist souvenirs at many sites around the continent. Tourists who travel tot he great continent can literally take a piece of Africa back home with them.
People who work in entertainment, education or culture related fields often need these masks. They use them to recreate the look of tribe members of the older African civilizations. Dance pieces that reflect the traditions associated with the area also feature these face coverings as props. Owing to the fact that many people are becoming more culturally aware, especially persons of African decent, the African mask has grown in popularity. For some persons they make excellent home and office accents.
An individual in search of an African mask may find what they are looking for online. There are stores, both virtual and physical, that offer Afrocentric items such as masks from which the items may be purchased. This availability is as a result of the commercial entities that have recognized the need for this product to be made available to consumers.
A mask of this type can be made as a do it yourself project. Softened paper, glue and paint can be used by those who have little time and resources to make lighter versions. This mask creation process is great for persons who are either educators or performing arts groups who are operating on a limited budget.
These adornments were used by tribes to inspire awe and fear in the hearts of enemies. They took on a very important role as a means of intimidation. The mask of a warrior in Africa always had a terrible look and this allowed for many victories in the battles of ancient days. Even the Europeans who ventured into the continent in the first days of exploration were intimidated by them..
Mask wearing remained prominent in the lives of tribe members and was even featured in burial ceremonies. In fact archaeologists are never surprised by the site of a masked body when they investigate ancient burial sites for this specific reason.
Very often, clay is used to make the face coverings. This is nothing new of course, as it was clay that was used for the older generation's masks. Mask makers form the desired shapes and patterns in dough like clay. Afterwards they either place the mask in the sun to or allow it to harden in an oven designed specifically for this purpose.
Sometimes the raw material used is wood. Wood is treated and carved to create the images required for the finished look. Sometimes varnish is used to create a glossy finish. Most mask makers prefer to work with softer wood types as this allows for easier manipulation. Wood masks are prominently featured as tourist souvenirs at many sites around the continent. Tourists who travel tot he great continent can literally take a piece of Africa back home with them.
People who work in entertainment, education or culture related fields often need these masks. They use them to recreate the look of tribe members of the older African civilizations. Dance pieces that reflect the traditions associated with the area also feature these face coverings as props. Owing to the fact that many people are becoming more culturally aware, especially persons of African decent, the African mask has grown in popularity. For some persons they make excellent home and office accents.
An individual in search of an African mask may find what they are looking for online. There are stores, both virtual and physical, that offer Afrocentric items such as masks from which the items may be purchased. This availability is as a result of the commercial entities that have recognized the need for this product to be made available to consumers.
A mask of this type can be made as a do it yourself project. Softened paper, glue and paint can be used by those who have little time and resources to make lighter versions. This mask creation process is great for persons who are either educators or performing arts groups who are operating on a limited budget.
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