AFRICAN ART

PHILOSOPHY OF AFRICAN ART

African arts are the arts that were created in Africa and bears African traits or characteristics. They
are usually referred to as south or sub Saharan arts. They comprise various societies in the Western,
Southern, Eastern and Central part of Africa.

THE AFRICAN BELIEF SYSTEM

The sub-Saharan African believes that he is surrounded by various spirits. These spirits fight against
each other for supremacy and prominence. There are good or benevolent spirits and bad or
malevolent spirits in the universe or cosmos. Therefore, various rites and rituals are performed by
the individual so as to tap the help of the benevolent spirits to war against the malevolent spirits.
These spirits are arranged in a hierarchy based on the extent of their power and capabilities. The
belief system of the African are:

1. Superior Deity (God)

2. Ancestors

3. Spirits

4. Animism

5. Witchcraft and Sorcery

1. BELIEF IN THE SUPERIOR DEITY (GOD)

All Africans believe in the Supreme Being or God. The belief is at the centre of African
religion and dominates all its other beliefs. He is believed to be at the top of the hierarchy of
spirits in the cosmos. Each society in Africa has a local principal name for the Supreme Being.
For example, the Akans of Asante call him Onyame or Onyankopon Kwame. The Ewes called
him Mawu while the Gas refers to him as Ataa Naa Nyomo. He is the creator and sustainer of
the universe. There are various attributes for God in Africa. These attributes indicate the
nature of the deity and it varies from one locality to the other. He is the creator of all,
sovereign ruler of the universe, omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (knows everything)
and omnipresent (is everywhere). Atheism (people who don’t believe in the existence of
God) is foreign to African thought. It is generally believed that Africans do not worship God
directly. However, they worship him through mediators like the lesser gods and ancestors.
Though it is asserted that Africans do not build shrines or temples to worship him as well as
create images to represent him, there are some few shrines constructed for him in some
ethnic societies. Typical examples can be found among the Asantes of Ghana, the Ewes of
Ghana and Togo, the Dogons of Mali and the Kikuyu of Kenya.

2. BELIEF IN ANCESTORS

Ancestors are our forefathers who led good or exemplary lives while they lived in the physical world.
They are referred to as the living dead or shades because though dead physically they continue to be
members of the lineage. They did not die through accidents, child birth, and unclean diseases such as
leprosy, epilepsy or suicide but had died a good or natural death. Drunkards, adulterers, an
extravagant person, a lazy person, as well as thieves are all not considered to be ancestors. Most of
the ancestors are founders of societies and families. After their death, they enter the spiritual mode
of existence and go to live close to the Supreme Being. The Akans, however, believe that the
ancestors live in Asamando (the land of the dead). In some societies they are regarded as invisible
policemen controlling the affairs of the living. These ancestors have been given special powers by the
Supreme Being. Everything that concerns the community, its health, fertility of the land and
prosperity are of interest to them. The ancestors by virtue of their age, experience, authority and
unique position are believed to be appropriate agents to be consulted for the necessities of life.
Since they are the custodians of the societal laws and customs, they seek their consent in any
undertaking. Failure to seek their guidance would incur their wrath and displeasure resulting in a
heavy calamity for the society. Before a new land is cultivated, their permission is sought since they
are the owners of the land.

They are venerated or revered through the pouring of libations, drums, songs, dances, prayers and
offerings. Festivals and ceremonies are held in honour of the ancestors to thank them and to ask for
more help. The most important festival held in honour of the ancestors among the Akans is the Adae
festival. The ancestral spirits are propitiated, solicited and venerated. It is observed twice in every
successive period of forty-three days, once on a Sunday (Akwasidae) or (Adaekese) and one held on
Wednesday (Wukudae). It is a day on which the chief and his elders enter the stool house
(nkonguafieso) to offer sacrifices and prayers to the ancestors. Elaborate ancestral cults are organized
for them at particular times of the year. In all these rites, ceremonies and festivals, art looms high.

3.BELIEF IN SPIRITS

Spirits are special creatures of God created to fulfill specific functions. Their powers given to
them by God are limited to the performance of specific functions and none of them enjoys
the unlimited power ascribed to the Most High God. They are regarded as children, agents or
messengers of God. They may be male or female and are given places of abode or habitats in
the environment such as in hills, rivers, the sea, trees, rocks and even certain animals. The
Akans call them Abosom while the Gas refers to them as W)ji. The Ewes call them Trowo
while the Yorubas call them Orisha. Each of these spirits is believed to have his or her own
area of competence and jurisdiction. Hence, there are those in charge of war, fertility,
agriculture, travelling and various other spheres of human endeavour. An example is the
Chiwara spirit of the Bambaras of Mali who is believed to supervise agricultural activities in
the land. Special antelope masks are worn together with special costumes accompanied by
some dance tunes to invite his spirit to help them in their agricultural activities. Among the
Akans of Ghana, Asaase Yaa or Asaase Efua and Odudua of the Yorubas in Nigeria believed to
be goddesses of the earth are in charge of the fertility of women and the earth. The images
of the goddesses are modeled in clay or carved in wood together with some children.
Offerings and prayers are forwarded to them to seek their help. Another example is the god
of thunder of the Yorubas of Nigeria called Shango. He is either represented as an armed
rider on horseback or by the symbol of the thunderbolt. These are used in invoking his spirit.

4. BELIEF IN ANIMISM
It is asserted that all natural things including stones have a soul or spirit inherent in them
and some possess special powers granted to them by God. Therefore these natural objects
are highly respected. Animism is therefore the belief that God has given special powers to
some plants, animals and objects which can be tapped for human use. However, to be able
to tap this power, certain rituals, ceremonies and rites have to be performed. Sometimes
rituals are performed on concoctions prepared from some parts of a plant and is given to a
sick person to get healed. Some animals like birds, crocodiles, and snakes are believed to
 have fertility charms. Some parts of such animals like the teeth, bones and skins are used in
making amulets, talisman, charms and belts. They are worn by barren women who cannot
give birth and they help them to be able to give birth. Images of these animals are fashioned
in gold, brass, silver, ivory, bone etc. into various forms of jewels such as necklaces,
pendants, anklets and wristlets. They are worn on the body for spiritual protection. Tools and
materials for the production of artefacts are respected and feared. For this reason, before a
wood carver cuts down a tree to be used for carving, he has to propitiate or appease the
spirit inherent in the tree through the pouring of libations and the performance of other
rituals before he fell down the tree. Also, the tools for creation of the artefacts should be
treated and handled with respect otherwise it is believed that the artist would wound
himself or herself while performing the work. Some animals and sometimes plants are used
as totems to represent clans, families and societies. These animals and plants are believed to
have special relationship between members of the clan. Such animals and plants are
respected by members of the clan or family. Their bodies are not eaten and they are given
befitted burials as if they were human. An example is the python which is a totem of the
Asantes. There is an Asante myth that it was the python that taught their first descents about
conception.

5. BELIEF IN SORCERY AND WITCHCRAFT

These are practices based on magic but are used for evil purposes. It is believed that the
power of divinities and ancestors as well as the power derived from medicine can be used
for destructive purposes. Witches and sorcerers represent those elements in the African
societies that use these powers for the purpose of destroying life. In general, witches are
female while sorcerers are male. Witches are believed to be wicked and malicious human
beings whose intention is simply to kill, which they do by poisoning or cursing their victims.
Witches and sorcerers are usually identified as the major causes of misfortune or death in
the family. Due to the fear of witches and sorcerers, some seek protection against them
through medicine men who may ask them to wear a special ring, necklace etc. as either an
amulet (attract good spirits) or as talisman (wards off bad spirits). In some cultures, special
dances performed by individuals wearing special costumes and masks are believed to drive
away witches.

RITES OF PASSAGE
The term ‘rites of passage’ or ‘rites de passage’ was first used by the French ethnologist Van
Gennep in 1909. It refers to the rites, rituals and ceremonies that are used to mark the
changes or transitions from one stage of life to another. These changes include birth,
puberty, marriage and death.
BIRTH This is the first phase of the life cycle. It is a transition from the spiritual world to the
world of the living. In some societies, birth is believed to be the channel through which
ancestors are reborn into their lineages. It is viewed as a way through which the gods and
ancestors reward members of the family. Naming and outdooring ceremonies are organized
to thank the gods and the ancestors for the child and to welcome the child from the spiritual
world. The ceremonies are carried out on the eight day because it is believed that it is at that
time that the newly born child has fully severed or broken his former link with the world of
spirits. Prior to the eight day, the child is referred to as a visitor. During the rites, prayers are
said and libations are poured with water, wine or milk depending on the ethnic society the
child is born into. Among the Akans, the parents of the child put on white cloth and white
clay to signify their happiness. Several art forms are used during this occasion such as pots,
clothes, calabashes, music, dance etc.
PUBERTY This is the passage from childhood into adolescence and adulthood. At this stage of
life, several rites are performed to usher the young ones into adulthood. Initiation rites are
performed to make the initiates fully developed persons capable of discharging their duties
as full members of the society. The initiation rites contain ideals of manhood or womanhood
which society wishes to instill into the young adults who undergo the rites. In some societies,
the initiates are secluded in a camp away from home for a period of time during which
instructions such as knowledge on the customs of the land, law and justice, home
management, personal hygiene, fighting skills, practice of art etc. are given. The entire
experience that they gain brings about physical, emotional and psychological changes in
them. The return to their homes after the rites signifies a rebirth into another stage in life,
for they have been reborn into adolescence and adulthood. Special costumes and masks are
worn by the initiates and their instructors who are usually the elders in the society. Artefacts
are used as teaching aids in the giving of instructions. Drums are beaten and initiates
engaged in special dances to invite the spirits of the ancestors to the initiation ceremony.
Drama and storytelling are mediums through which the instructions are given.

MARRIAGE This is the legal union between a man and a woman who have gone through all
the rites and customs associated with marriage in the society. Marriage is more than a union
of two individuals but a union of two families. To the African, marriage is a duty or a
requirement and an aspect of life that everyone must participate. Any member of the society
who fails to participate is viewed as a curse to the society, he is a law-breaker. He is not only
abnormal but also an ‘under human’. The aim of marriage is procreation and without it
marriage is incomplete. Several artefacts are used during the marriage rites. For instance,
prayers are offered to the gods and ancestors to bless the marriage with peace, prosperity,
joy and many healthy children. Friends and loved ones offer presents and gifts to the married
couple and most of these are artefacts like bowls, vessels, clothes etc. The bride also adorns
herself in nice clothes with several jewels. Since it is a festive occasion, performing art forms
such as music, drumming and dancing are immensely used.

DEATH This is the last stage of the life cycle. It is viewed as the inevitable end of man.
However, Africans believe that death is a transition or journey from the world of the living to
the metaphysical world or the land of spirits. It is a journey which man must make in order to
reach the life beyond and continue to live as an ancestor. The dead do not remain in the
grave but become spirits and proceed to the spirit world called Asamando by the Akans.
Funeral rites and ceremonies are held for the deceased to prepare him for the journey. Items
that the deceased will need in his journey as well as in his next life are put in his grave such
as mats, sandals, clothes, money, pillows etc. It is also believed by most Africans that a
person’s status and position in the physical life is maintained in his next life in the spiritual
world. Various artefacts are used such as wooden caskets (coffins), funerary clothes such as
Kobene, Kuntunkuni, Adinkra clothes, pouring of libation, prayers are said, music, drumming
and dancing.
MYTH
The word myth is derived from the Greek word ‘mythos’ meaning ‘story’. They are sacred
stories which are told to explain how the people who give the myths think about themselves
and about the universe. Myths are means through which certain facts or ‘basic truths’ about
man’s existence and his encounter with the universe are explained. These stories give
understanding in a clearer manner than any scientific description and logical analysis. Myths
play an important role in explaining religious beliefs and practices. They are usually linked to
the worship of the gods and are told to explain festivals, ceremonies and forms of images.
They are told to explain the origin of things in the universe such as the origin of man, God,
the creation of the universe, human institutions and societal values, the origin of death, the
relationship between God and man, heroes and great leaders and political institutions. For
instance, there are numerous myths about the creation of the world and the origin of man in
Africa. These myths deepen our understanding of God’s creative powers and supremacy.
Some myths bear resemblances with biblical mythology. One of such myths is the popular
myth of the Akans that explains why God separated from humans. A woman constantly
pounded fufu with her pestle hitting God and thereby drawing him to a distance away from
man. The woman regretting her action asked her children to gather together all the mortars
they could find, and building them one upon another to reach God. Unfortunately, they were
short with one mortar. The old woman instructed her children to remove the bottom-most
mortar and place it on the top one so as to reach God. When this was done all the mortars
collapsed and rolled to the ground. This resulted in their failure to reach God. This myth is
similar to the story in the Bible about the Babel Tower. Among the Ewes there is a popular
myth that Mawu made the first men and women out of clay and water. Clay was scarce in
those days and so when men died Mawu took their bodies to make new men. This explains
why children resemble their parents and also the link between the living and the dead. All
over West Africa, there are myths that indicate that men were fashioned as women fashion
pots. This implies that man belongs to God and that God can do whatever he pleases with
them. Man, is therefore nothing before God for God can build and destroy them. In this
myth, the story may seem untrue but the basic truth is well explained in it. Therefore, myths
are not untrue stories but are sacred stories that throw more light on facts of life and
creation.

THE ART FORMS OF THE AFRICAN The Africans practiced several art forms. These art forms
were used in association with their set of beliefs as well as cultural life. The Africans made
use of Visual arts, Performing arts and Verbal arts.

VISUAL ARTS
Visual arts are the arts that can be seen and felt by the sense of touch. The Visual arts used
by the Africans include Sculpture, Painting, Architecture, Textiles, Pottery, Basketry,
Leatherwork, Bead making, Calabash art etc.
Mostly, deities and ancestors are represented in sculpture either in wood, clay, metal etc.
Images of some of the deities are painted on the walls of shrines and temples of the gods
and ancestors. Body paintings are made on the bodies of initiates during initiation rites.
Some shrine attendants and traditional priests also lavishly decorate their bodies with
symbols of their gods and ancestors. Architectural structures such as shrines, temples and
ceremonial houses are constructed to serve as places for worship and initiation ceremonies.
Dancers wear special costumes during ritualistic performances and initiation rites. Pots are
used in storing the relics of ancestors and other spiritual items. Baskets and other
receptacles are used in storing various items in the shrines and temples. Some are also used
in carrying food to be given to the ancestors and gods. Leather items such as belts, amulets
and talismans are worn as a form of protection on the body of the wearer. Some in the form
of necklaces, bracelets etc. are worn as a form of identification and personal adornment.
During puberty rites, the initiate girls are adorned in various forms of beads which serve
beautification and spiritual purposes. Calabash with beautiful patterns which are usually
symbolic are produced and used in the storing of relics, sheabutter and other items. Others
are used in pouring libations to the ancestors and deities to thank them and to ask for their
assistance.

PERFORMING ARTS
These are the arts that are played or performed. They also appeal to the kinesthetic sense or
the sense of movement. Several performing art forms are used by the Africans in their daily
activities. These include drumming, dancing, drama, music (singing), and miming. In various
festivals and ceremonies organized in Africa, drumming and dancing places a major role.
Tunes from the drums are played to assemble the people together, welcome the spirits of
the gods or deities and to entertain those in attendance. Special songs are sung to praise and
honor the ancestors and deities. Others are played to serve as entertainment. In DR. Congo,
special tunes played from some drums are believed to be the voices of the ancestors.
Symbolic forms of miming done by traditional priests during a trance which are understood
and explained by an interpreter are believed to be means by which the ancestors or deities
communicate with the people. Drama performances are staged to reenact the actions of the
ancestors that resulted in the liberation of the people, family, clan or the society for those in
attendance to observe and imitate their courage and bravery. Dramas are also staged during
initiation ceremonies to teach the young initiates how to play their roles effectively as adults
and matured members in the society.

VERBAL ARTS
They are the arts that are communicated in the form of spoken words which are usually
narrative and descriptive in nature. The verbal arts used include folklores, dirges,
appellations, storytelling etc. Folklores are stories, proverbs and riddles that discuss the
cultural life of a people. During the initiation rites, stories of heroes and our founding fathers
of the society are narrated to the young initiates to bolster their courage and preparedness
to shoulder the responsibilities of adulthood in the society. Proverbs and riddles that contain
wise sayings and important experiences worth imitating are narrated to the young ones in
the society. Dirges (A song or hymn of mourning composed or performed as a memorial to a
dead person) that narrate the achievements of the departed soul are performed during
funeral and memorial ceremonies. Appellations of deities, ancestors and kings that embody
their achievements are recited during societal gatherings, festivals and ceremonies.

THE INFLUENCE OF AFRICAN BELIEF SYSTEM

The belief system in Africa that we have discussed has greatly influenced the creation and
patronage of the various art forms. The various sets of beliefs all in one way or the other has
influenced the creation of the arts done in Africa.
BELIEF IN GOD
The belief in the existence of God has led to the construction of some shrines and temples
for him in Africa. Also, various performing art forms are used in sounding praises to him such
as drumming, music and dance. He is petitioned through prayers and the pouring of libations
which are all verbal arts. Again, verbal art forms such as stories and myths of God’s existence
and creation of the universe are told to the younger generation.

BELIEF IN ANCESTORS
Owing to the belief of the African that the founding fathers and leading members of the
society merits veneration and respect, various art forms are created to help in the
performance of rites and ceremonies in their veneration. For instance, special stools like the
blackened stools which are sculptural products are carved to represent the ancestors by the
Asantes of Ghana. Libations are also poured and prayers are said to seek favour and goodwill
from them. Special dances are performed to welcome their presence and sound their
appellations. Various masks, costumes and beads are worn in the performance of
ceremonies and cults associated with them. Tunes from special drums are played and viewed
as the voices of the ancestors in some cultures. Special songs are composed to advertise
their bravery, loyalty and commitment to the unity and development of their people.
Ancestral figures are carved, modeled and casted in various materials to represent the
ancestors. Various architectural structures such as meeting houses are constructed to house
the figures that represent the ancestors and to serve as the grounds where ancestral rites
are performed.

BELIEF IN SPIRITS
The numerous spirits or lesser gods who have been assigned special tasks to perform by God
also operate through art. For instance, the god of thunder of the Yorubas of Nigeria is
invoked through the use of special staffs. Sacrifices are offered to them in which various
verbal arts such as appellations and incantations are said. The god of metals called Ogun in
Yorubaland is offered dogs by drivers to avoid experiencing constant mechanical faults from
their vehicles. The Asantes petition the earth deity Asaase Yaa through modeled figures in
the likeness of a mother and children which is used to represent her.

BELIEF IN ANIMISM
Owing to the belief in animism, images of animals are used in producing necklaces, rings,
bracelets etc. and are worn by individuals for protection and favours. In some cultures,
animals believed to possess special powers such as Python linked with fertility are sculpted
and worshipped.

BELIEF IN SORCERY AND WITCHCRAFT

Special costumes in the form of amulets and talisman are worn as a form of protection.
Some plants and flowers believed to ward off witches and other evil spirits are kept in special
pots and placed at the entrance of the house.