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A History of Masks across cultures, time, and peoples
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A (Very) Brief History The use of masks in rituals or ceremonies is a very ancient human practice across the world. The oldest masks that have been discovered are 9,000 years old, being held by the Musée "Bible et Terre Sainte" (Paris), and the Israel Museum (Jerusalem). The practice of masking is much older – the earliest known anthropomorphic artwork is circa 30,000–40,000 years old – but insofar as it involved the use of war-paint, leather, vegetative material or wooden masks, the masks probably have not been preserved (they are visible only in paleolithic cave drawings, of which dozens have been preserved). Benz, Otto, CDU und Freie Wähler wollen einen „Steinzeitpark“, news story (in German), July 7, 2011
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Uses Masks can be worn for protection, in hunting, in sports, in feasts or in wars – or simply used as ornamentation. Some ceremonial or decorative masks were not designed to be worn. Although the religious use of masks has waned, masks are used sometimes in drama therapy or psychotherapy. Inuit Tribes of Northern America Use: Exorcising evil spirits Oceanic Cultures Use: Warding off Evil Spirits Ancient Aztecs Use: Warding off Evil Spirits Japan Use: Honor the dead
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Ibo Culture The Igbo use thousands of masks
Represents unspecified spirits of the dead, forming a vast community of souls. The outstanding characteristic of the many Igbo masks is that they are painted chalk white, the color of the spirit. Masked dancers wore extremely elaborate costumes With their masks, the Igbo oppose beauty to bestiality, the feminine to the masculine, black to white. The masks, of wood or fabric, are employed in a variety of dramas: social satires, sacred rituals (for ancestors and invocation of the gods), initiation, second burials, and public festivals Some masks appear at only one festival, but the majority appear at many or all. NA. "Ibo." Ibo. NP, Aug Web. 08 Apr
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Mask Activity PART ONE EXAMPLE Value 1: Society - Individuality
Individuality is something that is valued in today’s society. The idea of you being different than everyone else and flaunting those differences is something that is idealized and is, in fact, sought after and rewarded. This emphasis on the individual sometimes overshadows the idea that it takes the efforts of a cohesive group of individuals to create an ideal society. For my mask, I would paint it all white with a single black dot over the eye to signify the focus on the individual. There would be a red line that circles the white part of the mask [the side that represents all that is good about focusing on the individual] to signify that the focus on on the back of the mask and to foreshadow the chaos that can be created in a world focuaed on the individual. would make the inside of the mask black with a white dot to show that, conversely, and in reality, that if we only focused on the individual there would be darkness. Value 2: Myself - Courage Courage is something that I personally value. One of my favorite professors once told me that, “Courage is the spark of most other virtues”. I feel that this statement rings true because without courage you may not have the confidence to be honest or to act wisely. My mask would be a bright yellow to represent the power of courage and how illuminating it can be. It would also incorporate red feathers to represent how much courage stands out among other values. Lastly, my mask would be on a handle to show that courage is not something constant and is something that is constantly challenged, and like a mask with a handle, it can easily be removed and out of sight. Value 3: Things Fall Apart - Power Power is one of the most salient values in the Ibo society. He who has many wives has power. He who has many yams has power. He who has many cowries has power. And what are the three most sought after objects in Ibo society? Wives, yams, and cowries. My mask would be larger than an average face mask to symbolize how overwhelming power can be and how imposing it can be. The mask would also be completely red, which, in my mind, would is a rather intimidating color. The final feature of my mask would be dark rings around the eyes. Power can be blinding and so the darkness around the eyes will symbolize the tiring effect of power and the darkness that could envelope someone if they hold too much power.
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SOME EXAMPLES OF VALUES
Abundance Acceptance Accessibility Accomplishment Accountability Accuracy Achievement Acknowledgement Activeness Adaptability Adoration Advancement Adventure Affection Affluence Aggressiveness Agility Alertness Altruism Amazement Ambition Amusement Anticipation Appreciation Approachability Approval Articulacy Artistry Assertiveness Assurance Attentiveness Attractiveness Audacity Availability Awareness Awe Balance Beauty Being the best Belonging Benevolence Bliss Boldness Bravery Brilliance Buoyancy Calmness Camaraderie Candor Capability Care Carefulness Celebrity Certainty Challenge Change Charity Charm Chastity Cheerfulness Clarity Cleanliness Clear-mindedness Cleverness Closeness Comfort Commitment Community Compassion Competence Competition Composure Concentration Confidence Conformity Congruency Connection Consciousness Conservation Consistency Contentment Continuity Contribution Control Conviction Conviviality Coolness Cooperation Cordiality Correctness Country Courage Courtesy Craftiness Creativity Credibility Cunning Curiosity Daring Decisiveness Decorum Deference Delight Dependability Depth Desire Determination Devotion Devoutness Dexterity Dignity Diligence Direction Directness Discipline Discovery Discretion Diversity Dominance Dreaming Drive Duty Dynamism Eagerness Ease Economy Ecstasy Education Effectiveness Efficiency Elation Elegance Empathy Encouragement Endurance Energy Enjoyment Entertainment Enthusiasm Environmentalism Ethics Euphoria Excellence Excitement Exhilaration Expectancy Expediency Experience Expertise Exploration Expressiveness Extravagance Extroversion Exuberance Fairness Faith Fame Family Fascination Fashion Fearlessness Ferocity Fidelity Fierceness Financial independence Firmness Fitness Flexibility Flow Fluency Focus Fortitude Frankness Freedom Friendliness Friendship Frugality Fun Gallantry Generosity Gentility Giving Grace Gratitude Gregariousness Growth Guidance Happiness Harmony Health Heart Helpfulness Heroism Holiness Honesty Honor Hopefulness Hospitality Humility Humor Hygiene Imagination Impact Impartiality Independence Individuality Industry Influence I
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