The Igbo men of Nigeria create Isiji initiation masks with a wooden frame to form the tall upper section and a calabash gourd to form the face mask. The frame is tightly wound and tied with raffia rope and fibers, and more raffia is braided and tied around the edges of the mask to form a border and side loops. The mask is painted with red, black, white, and yellow mineral … [Read more...] about An Isiji Initiation Mask: Researched and Conserved by Earlene Elliot-Lee
The Maasai people are a nomadic culture in northern Tanzania and southern Kenya; they are livestock herders who rely heavily on cattle both for food and for products such as leather. Basketry is a tradition practiced throughout Africa, and it is likewise practiced by the Maasai. Baskets are used for many purposes, including winnowing and measuring grain and … [Read more...] about Maasai Leather Basket: Researched and Conserved by Sarah Teel