On Focus: Harn Museum of Art's Exhibit "Elusive Spirits: African Masquerades"
Located in Gainesville, Florida, The Harn Museum of Art at the University of Florida makes strident efforts in providing its local community with a view into the unfamiliar to some yet familiar to others. The currently ongoing exhibit Elusive Spirits: African Masquerades continues this practice, highlighting the nontraditional world of masks and their role in African societies and traditions. Offering 30 different masks with a variety of mediums and from varying cultures and societies, the exhibition strives to make a direct link between the formality of the mask to its cultural and religious significance in African culture; a link that is sometimes hard for westerners to grasp (“Elusive Spirits: African Masquerades”, n.d.). Featuring 20th to 21st century masks from West Africa and Central Africa, The Harn Museum creates an interesting narrative of African masks in recent history and the continuance of their importance (“Elusive Spirits: African Masquerades”, n.d.).. Focusing on human relationships with our environment, and the spiritual and religious foundations behind the masks, the exhibit is able to perfectly capture the true essence of masks in African; something most similar to a masquerade.
The city of Gainesville has a population of around 132,000 (“Gainesville, Florida Population 2019,” n.d.). With a relatively large population when compared to other cities in Florida, the purpose of The Harn Museum of Art is even more prevalent. With the overall majority of residents identify as white (57.2%), the second highest represented community is the African-American, measuring at around (21.7%) (“Gainesville, FL,” n.d.). Additionally, Gainesville is one of the most linguistically diverse cities in Florida, with languages ranging from the predicted Spanish to the surprising Scandinavian (“Gainesville, FL,” n.d.). This is partly due to Gainesville being a city around the University of Florida, an internationally recognized public university that offers a wide variety of majors, focuses, curriculum, and more. With an undergrad enrollment of around 32,000, the University is the main pull factor that prompts the big melting pot that Gainesville is (‘How Diverse is University of Florida?” n.d.). As the University of Florida offering many international students programs for enrollment, it's no surprise that there is such a big linguistic diversity in the city. Although the majority of Africa is highly underrepresented in the University’s students, with only a handful of students coming from countries including Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and Egypt, the University of Florida is ranked above-average at #506 out of 2,718 colleges surveyed for their ethnic diversity (“International Students by Country University of Florida,” 2019). Additionally, the University of Florida has one of the most accredited departments of African Studies in the state of Florida, with multiple study abroad programs to Africa, hosting cultural events promoting African culture throughout the year, and being one of the only Universities in the United States’ south region to provide a Master of Sustainable Development Practice, where they require a certain amount of Field Studies to be conducted overseas, in places including Africa (“2018 Field Practicums Completed,” n.d.). Furthermore, the African Student Union and the Students in African Studies Association are two student clubs that work hand-in-hand in “promoting awareness of African issues and culture to all students and the Gainesville community” (“Student Groups,” n.d.). This purpose is similar to the intended effect of the exhibit, Elusive Spirits: African Masquerades, where the promotion of visibility of African cultures is of the highest importance while serving the diverse community in Gainesville.
Elusive Spirits: African Masquerades features masks whose form, function, content and context are representatives of African mask making as a whole. Because Africa as a whole is the most diverse continent in the Earth, The Harn Museum of Art tackled this huge amount of cultures by separating the masks into geographically similar tribes and societies. Since these societies tended to be in communication with each other due to the free-roaming spirit of some of Africa’s earliest tribes, there are some general themes that surpass through multiple boundaries and translate into multiple cultures (Wagner, P, et. al., 2018). One of these themes is the transition from childhood into adulthood. Described as puberty in the western world, the Mende People and Sande Society see this as a more spiritual transition, embodying the connection of human-spirit relationships seen throughout Africa (Wagner, P, et. al., 2018). Each gender has its own community-led schools for teaching social norms and expectations (Wagner, P, et. al., 2018). The Sande society, named after the spirit that guides women in life, practices a ceremony for girls around the age of 13, where the young girls are taught modesty and respect. In this ceremony, the societies gather around the center of the town, where a dancer is dressed in full raffia clothing and wearing the Helmet Mask (sowel) pictured above, which symbolizes the ideals of femininity and beauty. The lowered eyes give a feeling of dignity and a strong connection to the spiritual realm, whereas the strong protruded forehead represents intelligence (Wagner, P, et. al., 2018). Additionally, the neck ring brings health, while the elaborate headpiece represents intricate hairstyles of women from this community, which often needs the help of a group of women to create, thus symbolizing the a strong connection to the community. Overall, the mask itself represents the multiple spheres of responsibility and traits that women must have in the Mende People’s society, and physically symbolize the spiritual development of a young girl to an adult women.
Similarly, the Dan and Mano peoples in Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire see social education highly important to teach emerging boys and girls the values of society, like the same system used by the Mende Peoples (“Dan,” 2017). The Face Mask (deangle) is used in a masquerade performed by men from the Dan and Mano peoples as part of the transition for young boys into adult men (“Dan,” 2017). Young boys in this society have been separated from their families for a young time in a camp for their initiation into society, and use these masks to re enter society to beg for food from their families (“Dan,” 2017). The mask itself is representative of a female figure, due to the sphere of nutrition being predominantly female led (“Dan,” 2017). Rendered as a solemn and respectful female member of the tribe, the mask features smooth textures, slit and focused eyes, and an intricate hairstyle that fully embodies the female culture of this society (“Masquerade (deangle),” n.d.). These features, along with the dancer’s movements and actions, create a realistic maternal figure (“Masquerade (deangle),” n.d.). This transition from a young boy embodying a women through a mask represents the key idea behind the elusiveness of the masks, and their power in African society. As seen with the Face Mask (deangle) and the Helmet Mask (sowel), the idea of the transitioning from childhood to adulthood is not a strange concept to African societies, as they respond to this difficult to understand stage in life with an intricate ceremony of masquerading the elusiveness connection to the spiritual world.
Another apparent theme in African mask making is the connection to the spiritual world of agriculture. As African societies tend to be agragerian, their society reflects the harvest and the seasons that is affecting them. For instance, the Bamana Peoples in Mali, whose society depends on the traditional social organization of vocational groups to respect their culture, use masks such as the Headdress (chi wara) for a masquerade reflected the harvest (Asante 2017). Performed by the farmers of the Bamana society, the masquerade evokes the mythological protagonist that is sacred to Bamana culture, Chi Wara, who they believed first taught farming to humans (Asante 2017). Represented as half-man and half-antelope, Chi Wara is depicted here with traditional elongated features of animals most similar to pangolins and aardvarks, including scaling and horns. The long horns represent the stalks of the grain that they cultivate, while the engraved scales look similarly like groundnut, a crop that is important to Bamana society (“Headdress (chi wara or n’gonzon kun),” n.d.). The readiness of the legs in an alert pose are said to represent the radiance of the sun, according to Chi Wara traditions (“Headdress (chi wara or n’gonzon kun),” n.d.). In action, the features of this mask represent the elemental forces of the earth, sun and water, each key factors that affect Bamana sustainability, growth, and their dependence (“Headdress (chi wara or n’gonzon kun),” n.d.). During the masquerade, the dance is performed with two masks, one male and one female, in hopes to symbolize fertility for the community and fertility for the soil for future harvests (Asante 2017). As the Bamana society, like many societies in Africa, are dependant on their agricultural success for survival, their agrarian society is seen in their everyday lives, especially in their artwork.
One other tradition prevalent in African societies is the idea of ancestor veneration, or the ritualistic practice of the remembrance of ancestors, whether physical or spiritual. As African societies tend to be connected heavily with the metaphysical world and their environment, its at no surprise that such a strong connection to their ancient history is evident in their art and masks. Specifically, the Kuba Peoples in the Congo is known for their stellar ability to trace their history all the way back to 1625, where Shyaam a-Mbul, famously known as Shyaam the Great, brought together varying tribes in the Congo under one society (“Kuba,” n.d.). Although the Kuba Peoples have no political authority in present-day Congo, they have nationally-recognized spiritual leaders, ultimately still being able to retain their culture and the continuance of their history (“Kuba,” n.d.). The Kuba Peoples use a variety of masks in their masquerades of ancestor veneration when mourning the death of an older generation, including the Mwashamboy, portraying the royal ancestors, and the Ngady a Mwash, portraying women ancestors and the sister to Mwashamboy (“Kuba,” n.d.). As seen in Mwashamboy, the mask evokes specifically the royal ancestor Woot, who is accredited by being the first person ever created according to the Kuba Peoples. Rendered with intricate geometric beadwork patterns and animal hair extensions, the mix of mediums creates a sense of royal authority and overall intelligence (“Kuba,” n.d.). Furthermore, the Ngady a Mwash represents Woot’s sister, Mwheel. With locally sourced shells attached carefully and the solemn look with tear streaks of red pigment highlight her eternal suffering, yet in a respectful way, signifying the Kuba Peoples’ commonly shared respect for their elders (“Kuba Mask History,” n.d.). Both of these masks let the viewer connect on a deeper level to the connection these people have with their history and ancestors. As members of external communities, it's hard for some to understand how important a strong familiarity with your past is, and these masks help diminish that gap of relatability between cultures.
Upon viewing the exhibit, it becomes widely apparent that the human-spirit connection and traditions are integral to the majority of African societies and cultures. With the availability of a strong African Studies department, and multiple African-oriented student clubs as state above, the University of Florida and Gainesville offer multiple experiences and opportunities to spread awareness of the unique yet often underrepresented culture of African societies. For example, events such as Agbedidi: A Fusion of Traditional African and Contemporary Dance promote African diaspora in the Gainesville community (“Agbedidi: A Fusion of Traditional African and Contemporary Dance,” n.d.). Events such as Agbedidi are not uncommon in Gainesville, with multiple similar events that promote the same ideals taking place all year round.
Overall, Elusive Spirits: African Masquerades helps those who do not identify as African be able to understand the function and the reasoning behind these masks. Although seen by us as a prop used for special events, the masks symbolize way more than that. They symbolize a spiritual connection, an environmentally connected mindset, the coming together of a community, and many themes which range from the transition to adulthood, the role of agriculture in society and the importance of ancestor veneration. As Gainsville and the University of Florida have small African populations, the Harn Museum of Art does an excellent job in carrying the symbolic importance of African culture into a community that may not be the most familiar with it. The Helmet Mask (sowel), the Face Mask (deangle), the Headdress (chi wara), the Mwashamboy and the Ngady a Mwash, are key examples of traditional African cultures. Elusive Spirits: African Masquerades reflects the small population of Africans in Gainesville, but also invites those not familiar with the African culture to be captured with the significance of a mask on society, ultimately, influencing the Gainesville community through the education of the vast diversity that is can be found around the world, whether it is equally represented locally or not.
Image Descriptions (In order of apperance)
Mende people, Southern Sierra Leone Helmet Mask (sowei) 20th Century Wood, fiber Gift of Rod McGalliard 1990.14.28
Dan people, Liberia Face mask (deangle) 20th century Wood, cloth, cowrie shells, beads, pigment Museum purchase, funds provided by Michael A. Singer, 2001.17
Bamana people, Central Mali Headdress (chi wara) Late 19th - 20th century Wood, metal, cotton, grass and palm fibers Museum purchase, funds provided by the Caroline Julier and James G. Richardson Acquisition Fund 2007.12
Lele and Kuba peoples Democratic Republic of Congo Male Royal Ancestor Mask (Mwashamboy) 20th century Wood, raffia, animal hair, glass beads, cowries Gift of Rod McGalliard 2004.37.6
Kuba people Democratic Republic of Congo Female Royal Ancestor Mask (Ngady a Mwash) 1920-1940 Wood, animal hair, pigment, beads, cowries Gift of Rod McGalliard 2004.37.4
Works Cited
Gainesville, FL. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://datausa.io/profile/geo/gainesville-fl/#demographics
How Diverse is University of Florida? (2019, February 22). Retrieved from https://www.collegefactual.com/colleges/university-of-florida/student-life/diversity/#secEthnic
International Students by Country University of Florida. (2019, February 22). Retrieved from https://www.collegefactual.com/colleges/university-of-florida/student-life/international/chart-international.html
Gainesville, Florida Population 2019. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://worldpopulationreview.com/us-cities/gainesville-population/
Elusive Spirits: African Masquerades. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.harn.ufl.edu/exhibitions/elusivespirits
Agbedidi: A Fusion of Traditional African and Contemporary Dance. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://arts.ufl.edu/in-the-loop/events/agbedidi-a-fusion-of-traditional-african-and-contemporary-dance-1251/
Student Groups. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://africa.ufl.edu/people/student-groups/
2018 Field Practicums Completed. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://mdp.africa.ufl.edu/news/2017/2018-field-practicms-underway/
Wagner, P., Willett, F., Carey, M. A., Hess, J. B., & Picton, J. (2018, December 13). African art. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/art/African-art#ref520015
Britannica, T. E. (2017, December 18). Dan. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Dan-African-people
Asante, M. K. (2014, August 15). Chiwara. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Chiwara
Kuba. (n.d.). Face Mask (Ngady Amwaash). Retrieved from https://www.artic.edu/artworks/106184/face-mask-ngady-amwaash
Masquerade (deangle). (n.d.). Retrieved from http://harn.ufl.edu/linkedfiles/african-masquerade.pdf
Kuba Mask History. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://kubaafricanart.weebly.com/masks.html
Headdress (chi wara or n’gonzon kun). (n.d.). Retrieved from http://harn.ufl.edu/linkedfiles/african-headdress.pdf
Located in Gainesville, Florida, The Harn Museum of Art at the University of Florida makes strident efforts in providing its local community with a view into the unfamiliar to some yet familiar to others. The currently ongoing exhibit Elusive Spirits: African Masquerades continues this practice, highlighting the nontraditional world of masks and their role in African societies and traditions. Offering 30 different masks with a variety of mediums and from varying cultures and societies, the exhibition strives to make a direct link between the formality of the mask to its cultural and religious significance in African culture; a link that is sometimes hard for westerners to grasp (“Elusive Spirits: African Masquerades”, n.d.). Featuring 20th to 21st century masks from West Africa and Central Africa, The Harn Museum creates an interesting narrative of African masks in recent history and the continuance of their importance (“Elusive Spirits: African Masquerades”, n.d.).. Focusing on human relationships with our environment, and the spiritual and religious foundations behind the masks, the exhibit is able to perfectly capture the true essence of masks in African; something most similar to a masquerade.
The city of Gainesville has a population of around 132,000 (“Gainesville, Florida Population 2019,” n.d.). With a relatively large population when compared to other cities in Florida, the purpose of The Harn Museum of Art is even more prevalent. With the overall majority of residents identify as white (57.2%), the second highest represented community is the African-American, measuring at around (21.7%) (“Gainesville, FL,” n.d.). Additionally, Gainesville is one of the most linguistically diverse cities in Florida, with languages ranging from the predicted Spanish to the surprising Scandinavian (“Gainesville, FL,” n.d.). This is partly due to Gainesville being a city around the University of Florida, an internationally recognized public university that offers a wide variety of majors, focuses, curriculum, and more. With an undergrad enrollment of around 32,000, the University is the main pull factor that prompts the big melting pot that Gainesville is (‘How Diverse is University of Florida?” n.d.). As the University of Florida offering many international students programs for enrollment, it's no surprise that there is such a big linguistic diversity in the city. Although the majority of Africa is highly underrepresented in the University’s students, with only a handful of students coming from countries including Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and Egypt, the University of Florida is ranked above-average at #506 out of 2,718 colleges surveyed for their ethnic diversity (“International Students by Country University of Florida,” 2019). Additionally, the University of Florida has one of the most accredited departments of African Studies in the state of Florida, with multiple study abroad programs to Africa, hosting cultural events promoting African culture throughout the year, and being one of the only Universities in the United States’ south region to provide a Master of Sustainable Development Practice, where they require a certain amount of Field Studies to be conducted overseas, in places including Africa (“2018 Field Practicums Completed,” n.d.). Furthermore, the African Student Union and the Students in African Studies Association are two student clubs that work hand-in-hand in “promoting awareness of African issues and culture to all students and the Gainesville community” (“Student Groups,” n.d.). This purpose is similar to the intended effect of the exhibit, Elusive Spirits: African Masquerades, where the promotion of visibility of African cultures is of the highest importance while serving the diverse community in Gainesville.
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| Helmet Mask (sowel) Mende People Sande Society Sierra Leone |
 |
| The Face Mask Dan and Mano Peoples Liberia/Cote d'Ivoire |
 |
| Headdress (chi wara) Bamana Peoples Mali |
 |
| Mwashamboy Kuba Peoples Congo |
 |
| Ngady a Mwash Kuba Peoples Congo |
Upon viewing the exhibit, it becomes widely apparent that the human-spirit connection and traditions are integral to the majority of African societies and cultures. With the availability of a strong African Studies department, and multiple African-oriented student clubs as state above, the University of Florida and Gainesville offer multiple experiences and opportunities to spread awareness of the unique yet often underrepresented culture of African societies. For example, events such as Agbedidi: A Fusion of Traditional African and Contemporary Dance promote African diaspora in the Gainesville community (“Agbedidi: A Fusion of Traditional African and Contemporary Dance,” n.d.). Events such as Agbedidi are not uncommon in Gainesville, with multiple similar events that promote the same ideals taking place all year round.
Overall, Elusive Spirits: African Masquerades helps those who do not identify as African be able to understand the function and the reasoning behind these masks. Although seen by us as a prop used for special events, the masks symbolize way more than that. They symbolize a spiritual connection, an environmentally connected mindset, the coming together of a community, and many themes which range from the transition to adulthood, the role of agriculture in society and the importance of ancestor veneration. As Gainsville and the University of Florida have small African populations, the Harn Museum of Art does an excellent job in carrying the symbolic importance of African culture into a community that may not be the most familiar with it. The Helmet Mask (sowel), the Face Mask (deangle), the Headdress (chi wara), the Mwashamboy and the Ngady a Mwash, are key examples of traditional African cultures. Elusive Spirits: African Masquerades reflects the small population of Africans in Gainesville, but also invites those not familiar with the African culture to be captured with the significance of a mask on society, ultimately, influencing the Gainesville community through the education of the vast diversity that is can be found around the world, whether it is equally represented locally or not.
Image Descriptions (In order of apperance)
Mende people, Southern Sierra Leone Helmet Mask (sowei) 20th Century Wood, fiber Gift of Rod McGalliard 1990.14.28
Dan people, Liberia Face mask (deangle) 20th century Wood, cloth, cowrie shells, beads, pigment Museum purchase, funds provided by Michael A. Singer, 2001.17
Bamana people, Central Mali Headdress (chi wara) Late 19th - 20th century Wood, metal, cotton, grass and palm fibers Museum purchase, funds provided by the Caroline Julier and James G. Richardson Acquisition Fund 2007.12
Lele and Kuba peoples Democratic Republic of Congo Male Royal Ancestor Mask (Mwashamboy) 20th century Wood, raffia, animal hair, glass beads, cowries Gift of Rod McGalliard 2004.37.6
Kuba people Democratic Republic of Congo Female Royal Ancestor Mask (Ngady a Mwash) 1920-1940 Wood, animal hair, pigment, beads, cowries Gift of Rod McGalliard 2004.37.4
Works Cited
Gainesville, FL. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://datausa.io/profile/geo/gainesville-fl/#demographics
How Diverse is University of Florida? (2019, February 22). Retrieved from https://www.collegefactual.com/colleges/university-of-florida/student-life/diversity/#secEthnic
International Students by Country University of Florida. (2019, February 22). Retrieved from https://www.collegefactual.com/colleges/university-of-florida/student-life/international/chart-international.html
Gainesville, Florida Population 2019. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://worldpopulationreview.com/us-cities/gainesville-population/
Elusive Spirits: African Masquerades. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.harn.ufl.edu/exhibitions/elusivespirits
Agbedidi: A Fusion of Traditional African and Contemporary Dance. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://arts.ufl.edu/in-the-loop/events/agbedidi-a-fusion-of-traditional-african-and-contemporary-dance-1251/
Student Groups. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://africa.ufl.edu/people/student-groups/
2018 Field Practicums Completed. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://mdp.africa.ufl.edu/news/2017/2018-field-practicms-underway/
Wagner, P., Willett, F., Carey, M. A., Hess, J. B., & Picton, J. (2018, December 13). African art. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/art/African-art#ref520015
Britannica, T. E. (2017, December 18). Dan. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Dan-African-people
Asante, M. K. (2014, August 15). Chiwara. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Chiwara
Kuba. (n.d.). Face Mask (Ngady Amwaash). Retrieved from https://www.artic.edu/artworks/106184/face-mask-ngady-amwaash
Masquerade (deangle). (n.d.). Retrieved from http://harn.ufl.edu/linkedfiles/african-masquerade.pdf
Kuba Mask History. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://kubaafricanart.weebly.com/masks.html
Headdress (chi wara or n’gonzon kun). (n.d.). Retrieved from http://harn.ufl.edu/linkedfiles/african-headdress.pdf
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