African Tribal Masks: Bobo People- Antelope Mask

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1 African Tribal Masks: Bobo People- Antelope Mask African art and the Bobo ethnic group The Bobo tribe is located in the Upper Volta region of Burkina Faso and Mali; they have lived in this area dating back to 800 A.D. The Bobo tribe s economy relies mainly on their agricultural activity. The major food crops are maize, yams, red sorghum, and pearl millet. Cotton is also a main crop that is sold to textile mills. The Bobo also keeps bees to produce honey. The Bobo tribe believes that every act that takes something from nature has a negative impact. Before planting and harvesting their crops the Bobo tribe holds rituals to ask permission from the nature spirits and their creator god, Wuro. They believe Wuro is responsible for nature s equilibrium and bringing everything into harmony. Wuro cannot be described or represented by sculpture. Masks are used to bring bush spirits to chase evil from their community and to purify the land for successful planting and harvest. These masks are made from fiber, cloth, leaf, and wood and have geometric designs. They are usually worn with costumes made from leaf and fiber. The purification rituals last for three days and are usually before the planting season and after the harvest. The masks are also used at men s initiations and funerals. During funeral rituals the wearers of the Bobo masks comfort the spirits of the dead and partake in a series of rituals that lead them to the after world. Funeral ritual dances are full of energy and use drums and bells designed to wake the dead and instruct them to leave. Article Source: Accessed: 9/19/2012 Map Source: Accessed: 9/19/2012

2 Bulgaria International Kukeri Festival in Pernik, Bulgaria Kukeri or Surva Festival (Mummer's games) in the town of Pernik near Sofia, is the most spectacular "Kukeri" event in Bulgaria. At the end of January thousands of "kukeri" participants from different regions of Bulgaria, as well as from all around the world gather in Pernik for the three- day event. Kukeri is a pagan Bulgarian tradition of Thracian origins - in ancient times the old Thracians held the Kukeri (Mummers ) Ritual Games in honour of god Dionysus. Men only, dressed in colourful hand- made costumes and wearing scary masks perform the Kukeri games. Each has also a leather belt around the waist with huge copper bells (chanove) attached to it. The Kuker's masks are decorated with threads, ribbons, laces and usually represent animals like goats, bulls, rams, or even chicken. Some of the masks are double- faced. On one of the sides, the nose is snubbed and the face is good- humored, on the other side, the nose is hooked and the face is ominous. Those masks symbolize the good and the bad, which co- exist in the world. A very important thing for the symbolic meaning of the masks is the decoration colors. Red is the most used color - symbolizes fertility of the reviving nature, the sun and the fire; the black color represents Mother Earth and white is a symbol of water and light. The Kukers walk around, jump and dance special magic dances to scare away the evil spirits, to celebrate the beginning of the spring and hopes for a good harvest, health, land fertility, and happiness. The festival held in Pernik is the oldest festival of the masquerade games in Bulgaria. The first edition was opened on January 16, In 1995 the International Federation of Carnival Cities accepted the town of Pernik as its full member. In 2009 Pernik was proclaimed as the European capital of Surva`s and Mummer's. Article Source: festival- pernik.html Date Accessed: 9/19/12 Map Source: Date Accessed: 9/19/12

3 Venice, Italy Venetian Festival The Venice Carnival is the largest and most important Venetian festival, an appreciated cocktail of tradition, entertainment, history and transgression in a unique city, a festival that attracts thousands of people from around the world each year. The Carnival has very old origins. It is a festival that celebrates the passage from winter into spring, a time when seemingly anything is possible, including the illusion where the most humble of classes become the most powerful by wearing masks on their faces. The official start of the Venice Carnival dates back to 1296, when the Senate of the Republic made the Carnival official with an edict declaring the day before Lent a public holiday. After an interruption lasting almost two centuries, the tradition of Carnival was rediscovered by the Municipality in 1980 and since then it has taken place every year with success. Article Source: Date Accessed: 9/19/12 Map Source: Guides/Europe/Italy/Venice_holiday.html Date Accessed: 9/19/12

4 Santiago, Dominican Republic 24 inches, painted papier mache Here is an excellent example of a devil masks made for carnival in the Dominican Republic, where traditions date back to the 1800 s when the island started to assume its own identity as a nation. Called Lechones, there are two basic Devil mask types in Santiago, which originated in two different neighborhoods. The mask from La Joya has multiple small horns attached around the two main horns. This mask has a longer, pointed snout. The second type is Los Pepines. It has a broader face, which sometimes can be likened to that of a duck. Its horns are smooth and generally longer. Article Source: Date Accessed: 9/19/12 Map Source: studyabroad.purdue.edu Date Accessed: 9/19/12

5 Don Post Studios, Los Angeles, CA Darth Vader movie mask 12 inches, molded plastic with clear plastic eyes, removable helmet Categorized as a Halloween mask, this is more accurately described as a movie mask. This mask is identical to the one worn by that famous movie villain, Darth Vader, in the 20th Century Fox movie "Star Wars." It had protective goggles and a special breathing apparatus without which it was assumed he could not survive. In "Return of the Jedi" we learn that this mask concealed a horribly scarred face. Article Source: Date Accessed: 9/19/12 Map Source: bin/geninfo.php?locindex=10442 Date Accessed: 9/19/12

6 China Traditional Opera mask 11 inches, painted papier mache This classic style is based on the ancient face painting tradition where warriors decorated themselves to scare the enemy. Note the sponge placed for comfort on the rear. This piece was intended for wear and may have been used. Article Source: Accessed: 9/19/12 Map Source: maps/china- in- world.html Accessed: 9/19/12 Masks for Protection

7 These masks are designed to function as protective equipment. Though not intended for masquerade, they can be very intimidating and strangely beautiful. ( THE HISTORY OF HOCKEY MASKS May 26, 2011 By William Lynch Hockey goaltenders may not be the sanest of individuals, what with their job consisting of standing in front of frozen vulcanized rubber pucks being shot in excess of 100 mph. But at least modern goalies are smart enough to wear masks. In hockey's early days, goaltenders stopped pucks without any protection for their face and head. Even the hint of wearing a mask had fellow players questioning the goaltender's courage. CLINT BENEDICT Montreal Maroons goaltender Clint Benedict became the first man to experiment with wearing a mask. On Jan. 7, 1930, Montreal Canadiens star Howie Morenz fired a puck off Benedict's nose and cheekbone. In an attempt to find some type of protection for his injured face, Benedict donned a makeshift padded mask similar to one boxers wore while sparring. The mask lasted only two games before Benedict discarded the padding, claiming it restricted his ability to see the puck. JACQUES PLANTE Despite Benedict's brief brush with wearing a mask, legendary Canadiens goaltender Jacques Plante is credited as the goalie mask's inventor. On November 1, 1959, New York Rangers forward Andy Bathgate blasted a puck off Plante's face, forcing him to leave the game to receive stitches. When he returned, Plante was wearing a crude fiberglass mask he had made for practices. Montreal coach Toe Blake hated the idea of his goaltender hiding behind a mask, but allowed Plante to wear the protection until his face healed. Plante responded with an impressive winning streak and continued to wear the mask the rest of his career. WIRE CAGES With Plante serving as a trailblazer, other goaltenders soon adopted similar fiberglass masks of their own. These masks rested flush against the face and featured holes for the eyes and small air holes in various patterns. While a step in the right direction, these masks offered only modest protection and left goalie's eyes vulnerable to errant sticks and the occasional shot. Goaltenders continued to test various improvements throughout the 1970s and 1980s, with many goalies choosing to wear a standard hockey helmet with an attached cage to protect the

8 face. MODERN GOALIE MASKS During the late 1980s, goaltenders started wearing molded composite masks made of Kevlar that extended beyond the chin and encased the entire head. These masks had a large hole cut out over the nose and eyes to allow excellent visibility and breathing. A specially crafted wire cage anchored to the mask and protected the face. The mask's unique shape also reduced the impact of direct hits to the forehead and chin. This modern style took hold in the 1990s and remains the standard goalie mask. CREATIVITY Aside from protection, masks have also provided goaltenders with an opportunity for creative expression. In the season, Boston Bruins goaltender Gerry Cheevers started the trend, decorating his white fiberglass mask with black stitches to commemorate each time a puck hit his face. Since then, goaltenders have continued to personalize their masks, with the designs often featuring their team's logo and city. References "Time": The Hockey Mask; Dan Fletcher; 2009 Vintage Goalie Masks: History of the Hockey Goalie Mask NHL: NHL Marks 50th Anniversary of Goalie Mask Article Source: the- history- of- hockey- masks/ Date Accessed: 9/19/12