During summers, Hausa women harvest different varieties of sweetgrass in order to weave them into bowls or flat tray baskets that are used to store or hold grains. The Blue, Black and Red Shallow Basket is a type of flat basket that is usually given as a wedding gift, and it is displayed as a colorful decoration when it is not being used. These baskets are still used today in … [Read more...] about Blue, Black, and Red Shallow Basket: Researched by Jonathan Kodner
Zulu wire baskets, called imbenge, are hand-woven baskets that use both bare and plastic-coated wire. The imbenge originated when Zulu men, taking breaks from their work at factories, began weaving baskets from discarded scraps of telephone wire. The popularity of these baskets has encouraged the development of imbenge to become a sought-after artform, and today imbenge are … [Read more...] about Orange and Brown Spiral Wire Basket (Imbenge): Researched by Jonathan Kodner
The Mossi culture of Western Africa neighbors the Bobo culture, and like the Bobo and other nearby cultures, Mossi artists predominantly use red, white, and black pigments and geometric patterns in their masks. Also like the Bobo, the Mossi make masks that represent bush spirits, which are nature spirits that take animal form. Rooster masks are also among the … [Read more...] about Long-Beaked Rooster Helmet Mask: Researched by Brandellia Hang
Peace Baskets, known agaseke, have long been an essential part of Banyarwandan culture in central Africa. Typically used for holding foods or grains, these baskets are also used as gifts at important events like weddings. Weaving in Banyarwanda culture is traditionally a female artform passed down from mother to daughter, but after the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, this tradition … [Read more...] about Traditional Peace Basket (Agaseke): Researched by Jonathan Kodner
The three masks in this exhibit have the identifying features of both the lukwakongo masks and the idimu masks of the Lega culture Bwami society. The long, slender noses and the scarification are typical, as are the small mouths with protruding lips, which represent a dissatisfied teacher’s pursed lips. The incised vertical scarification lines in the lips are also typical, and … [Read more...] about Bwami Society Lukwakongo and Idimu Masks: Researched by Whitney Mosley