Islam first came to northern Africa in the 8th century CE by way of conquest by Muslim groups, but the ensuing spread of the Islamic religion through Africa was largely peaceful. Muslim merchants and missionaries traveled through Africa to Spain and established trade routes among these regions, and most African peoples accepted, or at least tolerated, the new religion. When … [Read more...] about Islamic African Art and Artifacts: Researched by Jordan Davis
The technique of making batik dyed fabric involves creating motifs and designs on cloth using a wax resist. Designs in melted wax are drawn, stenciled, or stamped onto plain cotton cloth, and after the wax has dried and hardened, the fabric is placed in a dye bath. The parts of the design covered in wax then resist the dye, meaning that the dye does not penetrate the fabric in … [Read more...] about Ghanian Akan Batik Fabric: Researched by Elizabeth Rex
The homeland of the Yoruba culture is in Western Coastal Africa, predominantly in what are today the countries of Nigeria and the Republic of Benin. The art of the Yoruba takes a wide variety of forms, including wood and metal sculptures, musical instruments, masks, headdresses, and other implements. Most of these artworks are active, functional objects, and they are used in … [Read more...] about Art of the Yoruba: Researched by Earlene Elliot-Lee
The Maasai culture consists of nomadic pastoral groups in the Great Rift Valley of northern Tanzania and southern Kenya. Land and cattle are central to the Maasai, and all Maasai life and culture are structured around them; they travel throughout the region in search of good, nourishing land for themselves and their cattle. Livestock provide the Maasai with food in the form of … [Read more...] about Maasai Art and Weaponry: Researched by Hanna Henroid
The Akan people were settled in their current homeland of Ghana by the 12th century CE, where they form multiple subgroups such as the Asante and the Fante, with a common language and similar cultural practices. The Akan are matrilineal, and the different subcultures trace their ancestry back to a common female ancestor. Although the traditional form of Akan government is a … [Read more...] about The Symbolic Art of Akan Cultures: Researched by Kristin Kessinger