The continent of Africa is home to numerous cultures, yet masks are a common element among them all. African masks are very symbolic, representing celebrations, war, death, and inner feelings. They are used to help tell a story about the tribe’s history and come to life through music and dance. It's important to note that they are expressions of inner feeling and not copies of nature. Not all masks are intended to be worn in public.
This article delves into the world of African masks, focusing specifically on the Biombo mask, exploring its cultural significance, design, and role within the Biombo tribe. The Biombo or Bena Biombo tribe live south of the inter-section of the Luala and Kasai rivers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and have a population of about 5,000. They claim to be of Kuba origin and share the same cultural heritage with the Bushoong, which is one of their neighbouring people, and with other related groups. Just as the Kuba, the Biombo were exposed to the Eastern Pende influence for a long time.
The Biombo tribe generally uses warm colours to decorate the masks. Each of the warm colours used for the mask represent different things. Although their masks show both Pende and Kuba influences, they had a very unique style, which was distinct from that of their neighbours.
The Mask Maker: A Respected Artisan
The mask maker is a specially educated person who is respected and feared by his tribe for his understanding of the spirit world. Artists’ training can last for many years through either an apprentice/mentor relationship or by skills that are passed down from father to son. Every mask is made according to strict rules. They believe that the materials that they work with and every color and shape has power, directing the artists’ work.
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Masks are made of bone, ivory, metal, fiber, and most often wood. They may look natural or abstract using bold, geometric shapes and can represent qualities such as nobility, beauty, courage, or humor.
Design and Features of the Biombo Mask
The biombo masks are usually carved from wood and coloured with red “tukula” powder, which is dye made from the camwood tree. The eyes are a typical coffee bean shape. A triangular checkerboard design is used to decorate the eyebrows and the planes of the face. The three forms at the back of the head represent the Biombo hairstyle. Feathers are often attached to the top of Biombo masks.
Rituals and Ceremonies
The biombo masks are most commonly worn during the biombo tribe’s rituals and ceremonies. These masks were used at funerals and during young boy’s initiation and other rituals and ceremonies. The characters in the rituals can be two different archetypes: emotion and reason.
During these rituals the biombo people dance and use lot of different movements and efforts. The most common efforts that are used during the rituals and ceremonies dancing is pressing and slashing. The pressing is used a lot in their dancing as they hop from foot to foot and stomp their feet and the slashing is also often used in their dancing as they make slashing movements with their hands while dancing. Pressing is a direct, heavy and sustained effort and slashing is an indirect, heavy and sudden effort. So overall the two efforts that are mainly associated with the biombo mask are slashing and pressing.
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Symbolism and Interpretation
The facial expression of the mask has been interpreted as many different things; one interpretation is that it conveys peacefulness. The reasoning for this is that the oval shape and the warm colours of the mask symbolize peace. Most of the biombo masks have a similar shape, which is an oval shape. Oval shape is said to be the most peaceful shape out of all of them.
Other African Masks
To provide a broader context, here are some other notable African masks:
* Yohure Masks: The Yohure are noted for their beautifully crafted masks that combine human and animal features. They have elaborate hairstyles which often include horns, elongated faces with a high forehead, arched eyebrows and a low protruding mouth. The face of a Yohure mask is outlined with triangular zigzag designs. Yohure masks are used in dance rituals to help villagers come to terms with the death of one of their people. The masks represent the Yu spirits who restore the social balance after a bereavement. These masks are considered very powerful and dangerous objects and must be kept out of sight of women for fear of the effects that the supernatural powers of the Yu spirits may have on them.* Lwalwa Masks: The Lwalwa mask is an ‘mvondo’ mask which is worn by men. Lwalwa masks are stylized using simple geometric forms to represent the features of the face. The eyes of the mask are rectangular holes and the nose is a long flat triangle that often stretches to the top of the head. The ears are reduced to small bumps and a stylized mouth projects from above a pointed chin. Lwalwa masks are carved from a wood called ‘mulela’ and colored with a dye from the fruit of the ‘mukula’ tree, also called the ‘bloodwood’ or ‘sealing wax’ tree. The Lwalwa are famous for their dancing, and masks play an important part in their celebrations, particularly the secret rituals of the ‘bangongo’ society who are responsible for the initiation of young men into adulthood.Table of African Masks and Their Significance
| Mask Type | Tribe | Material | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biombo | Biombo (Bena Biombo) | Wood, tukula powder | Tribal rituals, ceremonies, funerals, initiations |
| Yohure | Yohure | Wood | Dance rituals to help villagers cope with death |
| Lwalwa | Lwalwa | Mulela wood, mukula dye | Celebrations, initiation rituals |
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