Tribal Masks
Original Tribal masks are often seen by unknowing eyes as art objects in themselves. That is not the case, unless of course they are modern copies. A tribal mask has embued power and is alive during the ceremony for which it is used. An African visitor to a London museum stated, "This mask is dead." He was seeing the mask out of context, it had lost its power for the people who created it and the the magic had died.
To the collectors eyes the very appearance of the mask and the story behind it leads to the magic. The mysterious art forms drawing on the imagination and a need to interpret. As a piece of art it has the power to involve the observer in fathoming meaning to reach an understanding. This can move the viewer into a different frame of reference. Touching a life style that is at once strange and distance, yet it has the feel of something closer to home. A paradox that seems to arise in studying older tribal ways. In a collection this is magic.
It is also important to appreciate that nearly all masks are part of a full costume. Often the costume is made from less durable materials and does not survive. Indeed some masks are also made of less durable materials, such as the basketery Yam mask, created by the Abelam in Papua New Guinea. And again some masks are destroyed as part of the ceremony for which they are used.
The commonality in masking traditions
Delving back into the earliest recordings, historically, a visit to the caves of Trois Feres in France is enlightening. Picture this painted Paleolithic scene.
A central figure stands wearing the head and antlers of a deer. He stands, shaman like, surround by animals. Animals that are important to the culture he represents. Some of the animals no longer exist in this area. Ibex, reindeer, bison, stag and horses. The shaman, for that is what he seems to be, stands, a human figure amongst the potential food. What magic he is creating or ancestors he is communicating with we do not know. Yet from our knowledge of tribal people studied in times closer to ours it is possible to understand the links. The need to hunt for food is essential to survival. The gods link all matters, stay in good standing with the gods and food will be available. Take only what can be used fairly and do not violate the natural laws. Life goes on, following the seasons. There is a balance to life and death. The link between them is maintained by the magician, shaman, wizard, witch doctor, whatever you wish to call him.
During my studies of masks this relationship between the magical and the shaman constantly arises. There is a commonality between the ancient cultures of the Pacific West Coast of North America ( now Canada and Alaska ) and the tribal traditions of Africa. Fertility, the hunted animal, ancestors, initiation, circumcision, cannibalism real and symbolic, healing and crossing over into the spirit world for guidance and healing powers or to appease the gods or ancestors. All these occur in different traditions spread around the world.
As you allow yourself to delve into the traditions surrounding masks in Europe something interesting arises. Here the traditions have been sanitised by the surrounding culture and the church. Yet when you delve back and attempt to understand the masking traditions, now displayed as folk lore, ineresting parallels are revealed. Whilst in Belgium I witnessed a processions depicting witches and and modern giants. Other masquerades also have links to witchcraft and by implication to shaman. One powerful link is the seasonal nature of many traditions. The Green man and the Hobby horse being two examples.
Forgive me. I could continue to wax lyrical about the links in our current traditions seen as folk lore to those of our ancient ancestors. To me there is a tremnedous link which is bound up with the very nature of the people we are and how we have developed. Our formative roots live in our societies now. That is why I find masks so powerfully evocative. Along with other forms of primitive and traditional art we can trace our own links to earlier times. Even today the shaman / magician exists following ancient magik rules.
Even modern latex masks contain some of the same magic, because they are linked back to the same collective unconcious and traditions of masquerade, disguise and the spirit world. As a school teacher I have come across some quite vociferous reactions by parents to having Halloween in school. Some see its pagan links and reject it. The seam runs deep into the modern psyche. Perhaps the most potent place to view this link is in the Mexican Day of the Dead Celebrations. This festival combines a mix of Christian and Pagan practices. In particular Halloween has a juxtaposition between the dead and children. Here children are masked to scare away the evil spirits and look after the dead. By this means a link with the ancestors and children is perpetuated.
Another fascinating link between the masks of many cultures is the fool. The fool has many characteristics, the most noticeable of which is paradox. The fool can be wise and foolish; handsome and ugly; playful and barbaric. He straddles the line between the extremes of the other masks switching from one role to the other. Perhaps the fool simply represents the many dualities and paradoxes in life.
Also the fool plays a full part in the staging of the ritual. Noohlmahl in the Kwakwaka'wakw rituals is a grotesque creature covered in hair with snot pouring from his nose. He struts about entertaining the crowd, making jokes and anticipating reponses. Should the reponses become too familiar a violent response could be expected. Of course the responses to the watchers comments could be of another more humourous nature. Surprise and paradox are essential to the nature of all fools. Another of his jobs is to control the children. He treads the line between clowning for them and ensuring that they do not disrupt proceedings. As with the inappropriate comments from adults a violent response can be provoked should the children, literally, over step the line.
To return to my original point masks are a way into the very nature of our being. The mythology of the Palaeolithic times is linked directly to tribal mask and western folk lore masks. For me this is why the mask holds such power and magic. The mask allows us to physically touch and share our past in a way which few objects can do. Tribal Masks carry a universal signature that appeals to our nature.
© Ian Bracegirdle 2004 1 Elderberry Close East Morton BD20 5WA UK 01535 692207
http://mask-and-more-masks.com You may use this article freely on condition that you include this copyright line and URL and that people who subsequently use this article follow the same conditions. Thank you for accepting these conditions.
Ian Bracegirdle is a teacher, course leader and therapist. He is the creator of the site
http://www.mask-and-more-masks.com a site for all interested in masks. Ian is fascinated by the art form of masks as well as the cultural connotations. He has researched many areas of masks and recognise commonlinks in many ancient traditions. He believes our current masking traditions are linked back to the time of shaman and other forms of magic predating monotheist religions.The earliest masking records are at least 25,000 years old.
 Google News Updated : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:51:44 GMT Discovery may boost statin safety - BBC News
BBC News - Scientists have pinpointed a gene mutation as a major cause of a rare side effect of the cholesterol-lowering drugs statins. They hope the discovery could lead to a simple test to identify patients at increased risk of myopathy - severe muscle pain and ... Gene May Predict Cholesterol-Lowering Drug Risk, Study Says Genetic Cause of Statin-Related Muscle Pain Found Publ.Date : Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:14:24 GMT Billionaires Back Antismoking Effort - New York Times
New York Times - Bill Gates and New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced their antismoking initiative on Wednesday in New York. By DONALD G. MCNEIL JR Bill Gates and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced on Wednesday that they would spend $500 million to stop ... Video: Gates, Bloomberg Pool Riches to Fight Smoking The $500 million war on smoking Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:23:48 GMT Karadzic lived the good life with wine, song - Reuters
Reuters - By Ivana Sekularac BELGRADE (Reuters) - Radovan Karadzic lived the good life while hiding from justice for 11 years: he watched his diet, fell in love and hung out in a small bar where hardliners gathered to sing about his wartime exploits. Video: Karadzic's arrest sparks clashes - 23 Jul 08 Karadzic's secret life enthralls his fellow Serbs Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:05:33 GMT Rapper 50 Cent sues Taco Bell over ad - New York Daily News
New York Daily News - BY THOMAS ZAMBITO The rapper - real name Curtis Jackson - is suing the fast-food chain for using his hip-hop persona to tout its tacos. 50 Cent sues Taco Bell over ad campaign Rapper 50 Cent says Taco Bell stole his endorsement Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:15:09 GMT Christian Bale's lady sidekick: Sibi Bale - Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times - Like the Dark Knight/Bruce Wayne, Christian Bale is a real-life man of mystery. Averse to personal publicity, he is well-known for not wanting to discuss his private life. Christian Bale, Wife "Solid" at Knight's Spain Premiere Bale's family feud led to scuffle Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:10:31 GMT Zimbabwe Parties May Sign Unity Deal Soon, Business Day Reports - Bloomberg
Bloomberg - By Carli Lourens July 24 (Bloomberg) -- Zimbabwe's ruling and opposition parties may sign a power-sharing agreement soon as they have already agreed on a wide range of issues, Business Day reported, citing people it didn't identify. Fearsome Zimbabwe militias are afraid Delayed Zimbabwe Power-Sharing Talks Seen Beginning Thursday Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:23:06 GMT Favre's heir? With backing from mates, Rodgers waits patiently - USA Today
USA Today - By Matt Ludtke, AP By Larry Weisman, USA TODAY He no longer sounds like a retired player after seemingly passing on the opportunity to lead a talent-laden Packers squad. Video: The Rift Between Favre and the Packers Finding new home for Brett Favre won't be easy Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:06:18 GMT Website Traffic Promotion |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... One month after being cleared of sex assault charges, Michael... Read More There's no doubt learning any foreign language requires effort, time... Read More Juba II in America:Ahmed Osman tells us about the destruction... Read More Like many other aboriginal cultures around the world, the Inuit... Read More Plato observed that the advent of an alphabet making writing... Read More How necessary is cleaning your Civil War Uniform?The every day... Read More Imagine a time when mankind was young. Migration led many... Read More Feng shui handles five main elements in order to achieve... Read More It is funny how web site promotion can suddently plunge... Read More Most myths have some element of truth in them. The... Read More Somewhere in the world, every eight seconds, a mother is... Read More For the first time in history, there are four generations... Read More The history of the royal barges dates back to the... Read More But people are starting to take a new look at... Read More This is an entry from my three volume encyclopedia.CRUSADES, CATHARS... Read More "Bohemian Grove is 'the greatest men's party on Earth', according... Read More CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS: - It seems a mystery to most academics... Read More Here I am again sitting at my computer, my job... Read More Success is often viewed as a magic potion. Market demand... Read More ZORRO:Timon of Athens. But most often they wrote in code... Read More I: - A vowel that didn't appear in sacerdotal alphabets... Read More Canada is an emancipated country in the relative scheme of... Read More They were fierce hill tribes in what is now Scotland,... Read More No words in this universe are enough to describe him,... Read More Between 603 and 702 AD. a truly marvelous temple was... Read More
Adsense
websites
Michael Jacksons Latest Album Has Flopped
Learn Chinese Language Tips and Techniques
Timbuktu and Brotherhood Too
Inuit Drum Dancing Of The Arctic
OM to Ogham
How to Clean Your Civil War Uniform
Babel vs. the PC
The Five Feng Shui Elements and Their Characteristics
How To Get Rich and Die Quick!
The American Melting Pot Myth
The Monsters Mother
Working With The Generations
History of the Royal Barges - a Timeless Tradition
Astrology Signs and Planets Reveal Who You Are
History and the Cathars (Courtly Love):
Bohemian Grove
Christopher Columbus
Ancient Philosophy On The Internet Can Change How We Think
Is Timing the Secret of Success?
Zorro
I, Ego, and Power
The Beothuk
Nessie, the Beast of the Loch
At 60 plus Amitabh Bachchan Rules! - A Vastu Study
King Tuts Tomb was No Better - Found in America
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
The Trafalgar Way - Devon Remembers the Battle of Trafalgar
During the third week of August 2005 the Trafalgar Way... Read More
The Nos Feratu
The Caduceus has the pine cone representing the Pineal Gland... Read More
Thaitsuki Nihonto Samurai Swords: Leading The Way
So why are these swords so popular? There are several... Read More
The Man Who Loved Jail
Around my twentieth birthday life became a series of incredible... Read More
What Sets Chinese Painting Apart From Western Painting
Because of different instruments, materials and cultural background, Chinese paintings... Read More
Archaeology and Spirit Guides
One of the northern derivatives of Hopewell of interest to... Read More
Top 10 Questions about Body Piercing
Body piercing has grown so much in popularity in recent... Read More
Carly Patterson: What Makes A Champion?
If you have been following gymnastics for any length of... Read More
How to Clean Your Civil War Uniform
How necessary is cleaning your Civil War Uniform?The every day... Read More
Miss-story
Many 'fabulous' personages and concepts are created by man. Some... Read More
What is Your Birthstone?
Just about everyone knows what his or her birthstone is.... Read More
History of the Royal Barges - a Timeless Tradition
The history of the royal barges dates back to the... Read More
Chinese Tattoos - Meaning of Chinese Dragon Tattoos
Chinese Tattoos have always been hugely popular. At one stage... Read More
In Seach Of Heroes - Matrimonial Heroes (Part One)
Just as our arrival at destination is tied to the... Read More
Mexican Living: Doctors, Doctors, Doctors
I am sick. I don't know what's wrong nor if... Read More
The Dazzling Beauty of the Shwedagon Paya
The Shwedagon Paya is much more than just another temple.... Read More
Civil War Uniform Shirts ? When to Use a One and Two Piece Body!
So, you want to make your own Civil War shirt.... Read More
American Citizenship
Can We Pass The Test?American CitizenshipI'm the daughter of an... Read More
On Being Human
Are we human because of unique traits and attributes not... Read More
Learn How to Solve Problems With a Feng Shui Mirror
A mirror, when becoming a feng shui mirror, can be... Read More
How to Create a Multi-Artistic Piece (Article 1 of 2)
In the late 19th century the music world was graced... Read More
Michael Jacksons Latest Album Has Flopped
One month after being cleared of sex assault charges, Michael... Read More
Hello I Must Be Going: The Vanishing Twin
They walk among us. By the mid nineties, science had... Read More
Fancy Dress Parties
Fancy dress parties have been around since for centuries and... Read More
The Birth Of Eskimo Inuit Art Prints
Unlike Inuit sculpture, art prints from the Canadian Arctic are... Read More
Humanities |