Mask from the BaSongye, whose Word for mask, kifwebe, is commonly applied by collectors to this type of mask. The male mask embody the power of sorcery and perform spectacular feats to induce fear in the spectators.
Art, Ethnic Patterns, Explore, Featured, Mask, Museums, Primitive art, Tribal
Fanti doll, clearly related in form ton the Ashanti akua ba. It has been claimed that both types of doll are Ashanti, and that the round-headed type is worn when girls is desired and the rectangular-headed type when a boy is wanted, but in fact they are the work of diferent peoples.
Art, Ashanti culture, colours, Dolls, Ethnic Patterns, Explore, Fante people, Featured, Ghana, Home Decor, Museums, Primitive art, Shops, Tribal
Wooden figures covered with brass or copper sheeting are placed by the BaKota over a package containing simple bones of outstanding ancestors. The form was developed to display as much of the valuable metal as possible. (Juan Gris made a copy of one in cardboard in 1922)
BaKota People, Cameroon, Ethnic Patterns, Explore, Featured, Home Decor, Juan Gris, Modern Art, Museums, Primitive art, Tribal
Figure from northern Nigeria have been made by a Mumuye. A remarkable feature of the style is the way in wich the arms and even the abdomen of one piece are used to enclose space within the sculpture.
Art, Ethnic Patterns, Explore, Featured, Modern Art, Museums, Nigeria, Primitive art, Sculpture, Tribal
White faced mask of type used by the BaKota, BaLumbo, BaPunu, Mpongwe and several other tribes. Documented pieces have been collected among all these peoples. Among th BaPunu the wearer dances on sitis
Africa, Art, Cameroon, colours, Ethnic Patterns, Explore, Featured, Home Decor, Modern Art, Museums, Primitive art, Punu people, Tribal, White
Mask made by the Fang, given in 1905 to Maurice Vlaminck whom sold it to Andre Derain. It was seen also by Picasso and Matisse. This was not the first African sculpture to attract Valminck, but it appears to be the only one from this time wich is still certainly identificable.
Africa, Explore, Fang People, Featured, Home Decor, Mask, Matisee, Modern Art, Museums, Picasso, Primitive art, Sculpture, Travel, Tribal
Cities and Countries,Decor and Architecture,History of Africa
The city of 333 saints takes its name from Tamasheq ‘tin’ or ‘tim’ Buktu, wich means the well of buktu, the name of the guardian of the place who saw the touaregs arrive in the 11th century. This place is still visible in the city amongst other architectural treasures to discover.
Architecture, Explore, Featured, Islam, Mali, Timbuktu, Travel, Tuareg
Arts,Cities and Countries,History of Africa
Set up in Amsterdam, in 1983, at the instigation of its current President, Michel Leveau, the Olfert Dapper Foundation takes its name from a xviith-century Dutch humanist who, despite never leaving his native country, wrote an encyclopedic description of Africa, first published in 1668.
The purpose of this private non-profit organization is to raise the profile of sub-Saharan Africa’s artistic heritage and contribute to its conservation, by staging exhibitions and awarding research bursaries.
Director Christiane Falgayrettes-Leveau was on the Musée du quai Branly steering committee from 1999 to the end of 2004 and is a member of the Committee for the Memory of Slavery (CPME), set up on January 5th 2004.
Africa, Art, Cameroon, Explore, Featured, Ghana, Mali, Museums, Nigeria, Paris
Cities and Countries,Our trips,Travel philosophy
A good way of recognising new arrivals to a city is, if you are travelling alone, is a muted anger whereas if you are travelling in company, this takes the form of an open argument.
Distrust, doubts, the relative nature of what one takes as read at a few hours’ distance, undermine the bemused and weary traveller’s patience.
Perhaps it is in these moments when the journey reveals itself to the traveller.
For a long time I warned that there was no tourist who was not a traveller
Later on, after travelling for many years, I reached the conclusion that this dichotomy did not go beyond the mind of the person in question. How would a mursi distinguish this?
I fear that wherever one is travelling, the most likely thing is that most people do not manage, rightly so, to distinguish you from a bog-standard group of tourists.
Let’s live with this
