African Tribal & Religious Art

Berbers, or Imazighen , are a large ethnic group of several nations mostly indigenous to North and northern West Africa. Their traditional religion emphasized ancestral worship, belief in multiple deities and animism (spirit life) and exists to a small degree today but modern Berbers primarily follow Islam. Berber tribes traditionally weave kilims, distinctive rugs of tribal origin, consisting primarily of stripes, geometrical patterns and decorated with fringes and sequins.

Tuaregs are a semi-nomadic peoples of the Saharan interior, of native Berber decent, believed to originate from Morocco, Libya, Mauritania and Egypt. Known as 'Blue Men' since their blue indigo dyed clothing also stains their skin. Traditionally, they followed Berber mythology, but subsequently influential in the spread of Islam in North Africa and have controlled several trans-Saharan trade routes to this day. Tuareg Art is mainly jewelry, saddle bags and fine crafted swords.

The Baule, descendants of a section of the Ashanti (Ghana), inhabit the SE of the Ivory Coast. They live in family compounds, with central courtyard, within small villages, ruled by a chief.  Social and political organization is matriarchal and women's rights are very sacred. The Baule undoubtedly have among the best living conditions in the country  Baule Art reflects this lifestyle evidenced in their serene ceremonial masks and refined ritual sculptures representing ancestral spirits.

The Benin tribe inhabit Southern Nigeria, Benin, Togo and Ghana. They traditionally worship supernatural beings in an alternative world. Osanobua is the omnipresent creator and Supreme God. His child, Olokun, is responsible for water, prosperity and fertility. Ogun, is patron God of metalworkers. Cast bronzes and carved ivory, with historical and ritual significance, are the primary art forms of the Benin.

The Dan tribe are mountain people officially called Yakuba in West Central Ivory Coast and Gio in Liberia. They had a reputation as fierce warriors. They believe in Zian, a Supreme God who created the universe, but worship Zu, a separate spiritual power that enables reincarnation. Dan art is known for its large variety of masks with unique styles and uses and also wooden sculptures.

The Dogon tribe live In the deserts of Mali and Burkina Faso, West Africa, and are believed to be of Egyptian decent and their astronomical knowledge goes back thousands of years to 3200 BC. Their traditional beliefs involve the worshiping of ancestral spirits. or deities, the 8 Nommo, sent down to Earth by Amma, Universal God. Dogon art consists primarily of sculptures of symbolic meaning and dance masks.

The Fang people, a large historically itinerant Central African ethnic group, today represent about 85% of Equatorial Guinea, in Northern Gabon And Southern Cameroon. They have a clan social structure with a common ancestor. They venerate their ancestral lineages, Bieri, giving rise to the Fang Art of wooden sculpture and masks, used in initiation ceremonies.

The Grebo are a little known tribe that today inhabit the coast and forestland of Eastern Liberia. Their name translates as 'leaping monkey people' in reference to their relocation from their original homeland in the Sahara. Unlike other Liberians, they have a tribal chief, known as 'bodio' who also acts as their Shaman and lives apart from the tribe. The Grebo are known for their masks, in particular war masks.

The Idoma have lived in central Nigeria for over 4000 years. The village chief, inherits his position along patrilineal lines, ruling in consultation with a council of elders. Religion focuses on honoring lineage ancestors, with extensive funerals in preparation for the final journey to the spirit world across the river. Idoma art primarily consists of wooden funeral masks and of, often large, human-like wooden figures.

The Igbu peoples are traditionally agriculturists and fishermen, inhabiting 200 or so villages in the forested areas and marshland on both sides of the Niger River in SW Nigeria.  The lack of overall centralization has been produced a great variety of art styles and cultural practices. Sculptures are traditional Ibo,  Ikenga or Ilusi and there are 1000s of masks which incarnate unspecified spirits of the dead .  

The Lega peoples are an ethnic group, originating from Uganda, living today in the D.R.of Congo, formally Zaire. The Lega are polytheistic and fierce warriors. They traditionally live in village communities with a chief who inherits his position through male lineage. The semi-secret Bwarmi society regulates political & social (moral) life. Lega art is mainly Bwarmi masks and figures used in initiation rites.

The Mende tribe form approximately 15% of the population of Sierra Leone and there is also a small group in Liberia. Traditional beliefs involve worship of Ngewo, creator of the universe, and ancestral spirits and nature deities. Most Mende art is influenced by initiation and healing and includes wooden masks and ritual objects, in particular twin figures.

 The Punu peoples are traditionally agriculturists who settled in Gabon and the Rep. of Congo via Egypt in 5thC BC.  Punu (Sira) culture is one of the traditional matrilineal cultures of Africa, farming tasks being shared between the sexes. Punu art is extensive and renowned especially for the tradition of crafting bronze and wooden masks.

The Senufo inhabit parts of Ivory Coast, Mali & Burkina Faso. They traditionally have lived in round mud huts, with agriculture as their main livelihood, beliefs being a type of animism. including worship of ancestral and nature spirits. They are world renowned musicians and have a strong artisan culture, apprenticeship takes 7-8 years and skills pass down the family resulting in a recognizable specialty artifacts.

 The Tikar, originating from Sudan, live in isolated villages on the Tikar Plain (Adamawa plateau) Cameroon which they share with the indigenous Bedzan Pygmies. Once a powerful empire, they were decimated by the transatlantic slave trade. Sophisticated in war, government and the arts most had vocational training in some form of creative art, including wood carving and bronze sculpting. 

The Yoruba people are an ethnic group living mainly in Nigeria and Benin, West Africa. They are among the most urbanized and religiously diverse peoples of Africa. Yoruba art utilizes a wide range of materials and uniquely, among African art, created human sculptures in vividly realistic and life sized forms.  It is also evinced in shrine adornments and a diversity of celebration masks.