It’s a real ocean, a separate planet, and a diverse and rich cosmos. Only in great simplification, for convenience, we say „Africa”
– Ryszard Kapuściński, Heban
We invite you on an extraordinary journey in the footsteps of the mysterious Mask Dance, showing the non-obvious beauty and traditions of West Africa. Penetrate deep into this magical region during our unique journey, where everything is surprising and at the same time, carefully planned by our experience and knowledge.
West Africa is a place of challenges and unique experiences, created for those who are ready to make the effort to explore its beauty and cultural depth. Our blog invites you to take part in a unique journey that surprises and inspires at every step.
- I invite you to West Africa: a journey through time and tradition
- I invite you on a journey through time: West Africa – mysterious dances, roots, challenges. You will be transported to distant discoveries.
- I invite you to the circle of culture and landscapes. Although luxurious in the capital, the expedition is about discovery and nature.
Feel the rhythm and secrets: Jacob’s masks. History, spirit, dances – they shape the identity and life of West Africa.
Non-obvious obviousness
Non-obvious travel is something unexpected. Although it’s better if they are planned. Our experience and knowledge in this matter allow us to assume that only then will the program be implemented in accordance with art. Africa – especially Western Africa – is a destination full of challenges. This is a direction for those who are persistent and experienced, patient and willing. For people who are ready to make sacrifices sometimes. The journey I would like to write a few words about required this every time.
How to get there?
Even though we know this direction perfectly, each time the preparations are made practically from scratch. It is impossible to correspond with this part of Africa via e-mail or telephone. There you need to know the right people who will get into a car or a motorcycle and reach the depths of the savannah to a tribe that, after long consideration, will agree to let white people visit their village. Once we obtain their consent, we begin to create a plan for the entire project. I A description of one of them can be found HERE . Reaching Abidjan is one thing, and anyone can do it. At first, it is surprising that Airbus 380 has been flying on this route every day so far. The business of former colonizers with former colonies is still dynamic. Today, Côte d’Ivoire has nothing to do with ivory. The official name is Côte d’ivorie . Yes, it is a French name and this is the name of this country expected by its inhabitants. The local Atlantic coastline is simple with wide beaches. Nice and dramatic at the same time. Often cluttered. Fortunately, it looks better and better every day.
Will it taste good?
The places where very good quality hotels are located – mostly run by French – are clean and Atlantic. A huge advantage of this is very good cuisine. Often French with local influence. Fresh ingredients and products, fortunately still grown traditionally on new plots, or just caught fish and seafood straight from the Atlantic. It is a paradise for chefs and a paradise for gourmets. The World of Qchni in its pure form – ready to be discovered.
What to expect?
There are several places along the Ivory Coast worth seeing and stopping by. The coast is quite long and moving along takes time and patience. But not about that this time. To get to the tribe that agreed to host us, we have to fly over 600 km northwest to the town of Man. From there, another 180 km north along the border with Guinea. There we reach a village where all the inhabitants did not go to work in the fields that day. The children didn’t go to school. Everyone is preparing for the big event. The whole village is alive with what will soon await our group. It all starts with women singing. It takes about an hour and a half. Meanwhile, the rest of the village joins the others. The party is starting to get going. In addition to the women’s singing, the men’s dances begin. Acrobatics and various other performances by young men make the entire event more attractive. At some point, the Mask enters the stage – which is the main courtyard of the village. The Mask Dance begins. An amazing event. A unique and emotional experience. No commercialism. No bloat. Exclusively, only for us.
A mask, but not Zorro
African masks say a lot about African culture. They are mainly used during important rituals and ceremonies. However, the first African masks appeared before the Paleolithic era. They represented the souls of animals, ancestors, and mythological heroes and were used mainly to honor deceased people in a very symbolic way.
There are many types of African masks. Some of them are intended to scare the enemy or evil spirits with their appearance, others – especially those depicting animals – are intended to make the wearer acquire features considered characteristic of a given animal. Most often, the muzzles of buffalo, hyena, hawk, crocodile or antelope are used for this purpose. The antelope in particular is one of the most frequently used motifs for animal masks. The antelope is a symbol of agriculture, and wearing a mask with its image should help ensure better harvests. The antelope’s horns represent millet growth, while the legs represent plant roots. The ears represent songs sung by women during the most difficult period, which is also supposed to help them survive and improve the difficult period as quickly as possible.
If not Zorro’s mask, then what?
There are also masks that are intended to show in a grotesque and exaggerated way the features of living tribe members or former rulers. It is important to remember that the history of African peoples has never been transmitted in writing, but only orally. Often, during various rituals, masks are used to remind or teach some history or to convey the desired type of social behavior to tribesmen. The dancer also puts on a mask and goes into a trance, wanting to convey some request to God or obtain some information from Him. The intermediaries in contacts with God are always unknown spirits. This mask is supposed to make him remain incognito . At the same time, its usually „scary appearance” is supposed to scare away evil spirits and summon those that are good and have nothing to fear. The most important thing, however, is that African masks are an incredibly ethnographically, visually and artistically interesting object.
The materials from which the masks are made are primarily wood, ceramics, fabrics, copper and bronze. In addition to the basic materials, animal teeth, hair, bones and horns, as well as feathers, shells and even straw are also used to make various details of the mask and to finish it. Depending on the virtue that a given mask is to represent, various additional materials are used. To better explain what it is, I will present one example, which is a mask representing power. It is made of antelope horns, crocodile teeth and warthog tusks.
Of course, masks that are supposed to represent certain values may as well have the shape of a human face. Depending on their value, they have certain characteristic features. If the mask is supposed to represent peace and patience, then it has closed eyes. If such a mask has a small mouth and eyes, it represents humility, a mask with a convex forehead – wisdom, and a mask with a wide chin means strength and power.
Who and why?
Jacob’s tribe – belongs to a larger family of West African tribes called DAN. It inhabits the western borders of Cote d’Ivoire near the city of Man (2-hour flight from Abidjan), and neighboring Liberia. They number about 700,000 people, living mainly from agriculture (rice, chestnut, elephant potatoes, yam, cocoa and rubber). Dan are also known for the art of making amazing ritual masks – Gle .
Masks are the most important art form of the Dan people. The Dan refer to these masks as Ile or Ge, terms referring to both the physical mask and the individual spirits that the mask is said to embody in masquerade performances. Before Gle can perform, his performance must first be approved by the appropriate authorities – those associated with the „sacred house” of a specific person. A person or group of people can hire workers, but to do so they must also present their reasons, as well as where, when and how they will operate, to the same authorities. The process that authorities go through to determine whether Gle can perform is shrouded in mystery, but essentially authorities consult a powerful spirit, called Yinan, through the „throwing” of kola nuts, a process used in divination. There are a number of rules that must be followed for Gle to appear.
Masks : two large groups of masks: Gebande and Genom . Gebande is the most sacred example of Dan masks, while Genome has a lower rank of masks. The classifications refer to the content that Dan assigns to the mask, rather than the appearance of the mask. Gle can be divided into two categories: that of Dan Gle, which is a gentle, peaceful Gle with no gender, but whose characteristics are considered feminine, and that which is a war named after the sound of a gunshot, whose characteristics are considered masculine. The Dan Gle mask represents an idealized version of Dan’s beauty. It is characterized by narrow eyes, an oval shape, a smooth forehead, and a slightly open mouth to expose its teeth. Dan Gle is here to teach, entertain and nurture. Bu Gle are intended to scare. Their eyes are depicted as protruding tubes, and the surface of their faces protrudes boldly at an angle. The most powerful masks are decorated with animal and human parts, such as bone and fur, feathers.
Not every African can create masks. The people producing them have a very high position in the village. This is due to the fact that they are considered a kind of intermediary between the world of the living and the world of the dead. Making masks is an art in itself, which is also passed down from generation to generation in the family. Additionally, special knowledge and skills are needed.
Mask Dance
Another important topic of African masks is the female face, which is the ideal of beauty. Depending on the tribe, the masks may additionally have breasts and decorative scars, different almond-shaped eyes, curled eyelashes, a narrow chin and other decorations. Everything depends on the attributes of beauty prevailing in a given tribe. What’s more interesting – in most cases, wearing masks using the image of women is reserved only for men.
Another type of masks are those representing ancestors. To distinguish them from other masks with a human face, they have a slightly different appearance – the shape of a human skull. This type is usually used during various ceremonies, and their task is to protect the souls of the dead and protect the living from spirits.
Of course, wearing masks can also be more fun. In this case, dancers wearing masks become an intermediary between the tribe members and the spirit of the mask. It can be said that they then become a medium, and the state they achieve can easily be compared to a trance. It is accompanied by music, singing and dancing. Interestingly, other events such as weddings, initiation rites and funerals also use mask dancing.
As you can guess, masks are treated differently – it all depends on the views and customs of a given tribe. There is one rule everywhere, which is that no one can wear a mask. Only selected people from the tribe have this honor. They are usually experienced older people, chosen ones and dancers.
African masks should be perceived by us not only as an opportunity to decorate the interior, but also as part of ceremonial attire, as an essential part of the spiritual experience. They are used in religious and social events and allow the control of good and evil forces. Additionally, masks help combine human and animal features and allow people to unite with their natural environment. The natural bond is of great importance to Africans, which is why masks have been used to express this relationship for centuries.
Is it worth it and where else?
During the trips we organize, you can better learn about traditions, customs and generally meet tribes that still cultivate the customs of their ancestors. One of the most interesting destinations for such trips is West Africa. Ghana or Sierra Leone are also interesting destinations for such trips. More demanding destinations for seasoned travelers. Patient, passionate and open to the world. Very often, reaching the tribes takes a lot of time and requires sacrifices. You have to go a long way deep into Africa, where accommodation conditions are far from any stars. Another equally interesting destination is Filipino Island of Luzon, where the Kalinga tribe still lives in the Cordilleras. Known min. From tattoos.
This does not mean that travel conditions are terrible.
It means that sometimes you have to close your eyes and keep your distance while maintaining the same level of curiosity.