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Dogon Art

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:36:29 GMT

ART DOGON

WikipédiA: ART DOGON

To the XIV E century and XV E century, Dogons drove out Tellem to occupy their territory. Dogons live on escarpée cliff of Bandiagara in Mali. They live agriculture and cultivate the millet, it but and groundnut.

The artistic centers let us dogons are in Bandiagara, Sangha and Ireli. The oldest statues let us dogons are recognizable with their lengthened forms. They represent a character who tightens his arms towards the sky. We cannot interpret with exactitude the significance of this gesture but it could be that of a prayer (so that the gods grant the rain, for example). Stylistiquement, these statues let us dogons resemble those their predecessors Tellem. They are sometimes named of “style tellem”. Blood of the sacrifices, hulled grain of millet and beer are widespread on the statues, which gives to the patina a croûteux aspect. The statues comprise at the same time female elements and masculines because, for Dogons, separation between the two sexes is not absolute. The hermaphrodism shows the vital power of these statues.

The creative god dogon is Amma. There are eight paramount ancestors, Nommo. They have a sinuous body and of which the lower part is serpentiform. The sculptures represent one of the nommo in general.

Apart from these sculptures, the most typical achievements of the dogon are the masks of dance. One of their ritual, the sigui, takes place every sixty years. It is intended for the atonement of fished and present of the anthropomorphic masks or zoomorphes (antelope, hare, buffalo, monkey, bird, hyena, lion) very important cuts some (up to ten meters for the mask - snake). The mask snake is the symbol of the dead ancestor. It is carried out on this occasion. All the community takes part in this ceremony. Initiate must keep it and are regarded as persons in charge of the heart of the ancestor.

We are informed also of shutters or of doors dogon, they closed the attics and are very interesting because they represent the ancestors. The sculptures are very stylized.

Dogons
Dogons are people of Mali, in West Africa. Their population is estimated at 700.000 people. They occupy the area which goes from cliff of Bandiagara to the south-west of the loop of Niger. Some Dogons are installed in the north of Burkina Faso, others settled in Ivory Coast.

Dogons are above all the farmers (primarily millet) and blacksmiths. They are famous for their cosmogony and their sculptures. The spoken language by Dogons is the dogon which gathers several dialects. There exists also a secret language, the sigi so, language reserved for the company of the masks. Dogons are dependent with the ethnos group of Bozos by the relationship on joke. Dogons and Bozos make fun reciprocally but in parallel owe assistance.

The cliff of Bandiagara is a long sandstone chain stretching south in the North-East on a distance of 200 km and prolonged by the solid mass of Gandamia, itself finished by the Mount Hombori, more the high summit of Mali (with 1155 meters). It is one of the most imposing sites of West Africa, which it is by its archaeological characteristics, ethnological or geological. Part of cliffs are in the adjoining country that is Burkina Faso.

In the wall of a rock corridor named toloy and located not far from Sangha, a cave delivered the first traces of human occupation: made attics of superimposed clay rolls, pottery and remainders of plants, going back to the III E and II E centuries before our era. This cultural phase is named toloy. Thirteen centuries later, these attics were re-used by Tellem.

In the cliffsides lived as troglodytes Tellem, an ethnos group of hunters-gatherers which left cliff following the arrival of Dogons and the environmental modifications made by their lifestyle of farmers. Tens of villages are located along cliff like Sangha or Kani Bonzon where arrived Dogons at the XIV E century. Dogons preserved Tellem constructions, and developed their villages below the sites tellems.

The Dogon are a group of people living in the central plateau region of Mali, south of the Niger bend near the city of Bandiagara in the Mopti region. They number just under 800,000 The Dogon are best known for their mythology, their mask dances, wooden sculpture and their architecture. The past century has seen significant changes in the social organization, material culture and beliefs of the Dogon, partly because Dogon country is one of Mali's major tourist attractions.Geography and history

The Bandiagara CliffsThe principal Dogon area is bisected by the Bandiagara Escarpment, a sandstone cliff of up to 500m (1,640 ft) high, stretching for about 150km (almost 100 miles). To the southeast of the cliff, the sandy Séno-Gondo Plains are found, and northwest of the cliff are the Bandiagara Highlands. The current population is at least 450,000. Historically, Dogon villages have frequently fallen victim to Islamic slave raiders Neighboring Islamic tribal groups acted as slave merchants, as the growth of cities increased the demand for slaves across the region of West Africa. The historical pattern has included murder of indignenous males by Islamic jihadists and enslavement of women and children.[1] As early as the 12th century AD the Dogon people fled west to avoid conversion to Islam and enslavement.

At the end of the eighteenth century, the jihads that were triggered by the resurgence of Islam caused slaves to be sought for warfare. Dogon insecurity in the face of these historical pressures caused them to locate their villages in defensible positions along the walls of the escarpment. The other factor influencing their choice of settlement location is water. The Niger River is nearby and in the sandstone rock, a rivulet runs at the foot of the cliff at the lowest point of the area during the wet season.

Dogon art

Dogon wood sculpture, probably an ancestor figure, 17th-18th centuryDogon art is primarily sculpture. Dogon art revolves around religious values, ideals, and freedoms (Laude, 19). Dogon sculptures are not made to be seen publicly, and are commonly hidden from the public eye within the houses of families, sanctuaries, or kept with the Hogon (Laude, 20). The importance of secrecy is due to the symbolic meaning behind the pieces and the process by which they are made.

Themes found throughout Dogon sculpture consist of figures with raised arms, superimposed bearded figures, horsemen, stools with caryatids, women with children, figures covering their faces, women grinding pearl millet, women bearing vessels on their heads, donkeys bearing cups, musicians, dogs, quadruped-shaped troughs or benches, figures bending from the waist, mirror-images, aproned figures, and standing figures (Laude, 46-52). Signs of other contacts and origins are evident in Dogon art. The Dogon people were not the first inhabitants of the cliffs of Bandiagara. Influence from Tellem art is evident in Dogon art because of its rectilinear designs (Laude, 24).

Most men, however, have only one wife; and it is rare for a man to have more than two wives. Formally, wives only join their husband's residence unit after the birth of their first child. Women may leave their husbands early in their marriage, before the birth of their first child. After having children, divorce is a rare and serious matter, and it requires the participation of the whole village. An enlarged family can count up to hundred persons and is called guinna.

The Dogon are strongly oriented toward harmony, and this harmony is reflected in many of their rituals. For instance, in one of their most important rituals, the women praise the men, the men thank the women, the young express appreciation for the old, and the old recognize the contributions of the young. Another example is the custom of elaborate greetings whenever one Dogon meets another. This custom is repeated over and over, throughout a Dogon village, all day. During a greeting ritual, the person who has entered the contact answers a series of questions about his or her whole family, from the person who was already there. Invariably, the answer is sewa, which means that everything is fine. Then the Dogon who has entered the contact repeats the ritual, asking the resident how his or her whole family is. Because of the word sewa is so commonly repeated throughout a Dogon village, neighboring peoples have dubbed the Dogon the sewa people.

The Hogon is the spiritual leader of the village. He is elected between the oldest men of the enlarged families of the village. After his election he has to follow a six-month initiation period, during which he is not allowed to shave or wash. He wears white cloths and nobody is allowed to touch him. A young virgin that has not yet had her period takes care of him, cleans the house and prepares his meals. She returns to her home during the night. After his initiation, he will wear a red bonnet. He has an armband with a sacred pearl that symbolises his function. The virgin is replaced by one of his wives, but she also returns to her home at night. The Hogon has to live alone in his house. During the night, the sacred snake Lébé comes to clean him and to transfer wisdom.

The Dogon maintain an agricultural mode of subsistence, and cultivate pearl millet, sorghum and rice, as well as onions, tobacco, peanuts, and some other vegetables. Marcel Griaule stimulated the construction of a dam near Sangha and incited the Dogon to cultivate onions. The economy of the Sangha region doubled since then and onions are sold as far as on the market of Bamako or even in Ivory Coast. They also raise sheep, goats and chickens. Grain is stored in granaries.
Boys are circumcised in age groups of three years, counting for example all boys between 9 and 12 years old. This marks the end of their youth, and they are now initiated. The blacksmith performs the circumcision. Afterwards, they stay for a few days in a hut separated from the rest of the village people, until the wound has healed. The circumcision is a reason for celebration and the initiated boys go around and receive presents. They make music on a special instrument that is made of a rod of wood and calabashes that makes the sound of a rattle. The village of Songho has a circumcision cave ornamented with red and white rock paintings of animals and plants. Nearby is a cave where music instruments are stored. The newly circumcized men must walk around naked for a moon after the procedure so that their achievement in age can be admired by the citizens of the tribe. This practice has been passed down for generations and is always followed, even during winter.

They are one of several African ethnic groups which practice excision of the female genitalia; see female genital cutting. According to Sékou Ogobara Dolo, at least in the Sangha region, the milder form is practiced. This means that only the clitoral hood is removed, which is similar to male circumcision. Girls are circumsized around the age of 7 or 8 years, sometimes younger. Circumcision for both male and female is seen as necessary for the individual to gain gender. Before circumcision they are seen as 'neuter'.

Funeral Masquerade
Due to the expense, their traditional funeral rituals or “damas” are becoming very rare. They may be performed years after the death. Damas that are still performed today are not usually performed for their original intent, but instead are done as a source of entertainment for tourists interested in the Dogon way of life. The Dogon use this entertainment to gain profit by charging the tourists money for what masks they want to see and the ritual itself (Davis, 68). The traditional dama consists of a masquerade that essentially leads the souls of the departed to their final resting places through a series of ritual dances and rites. Dogon damas include the use of many masks and statuettes. Each Dogon village may differ in the designs of the masks used in the dama ritual. Every village may have their own way of performing the dama rituals. The dama consists of an event, known as the Halic, immediately after the death of a person and lasts for one day (Davis, 68). According to Shawn R. Davis, this particular ritual incorporates the elements of the yingim and the danyim. During the yincomoli ceremony, a gourd is smashed over the deceased’s wooden bowl, hoe, and bundukamba, (burial blanket), which announces the entrance of the masks used in this ceremony while the deceased entrance to their home in the family compound is decorated with ritual elements (Davis, 72-73). Masks used during the yincomoli ceremony include the Yana Gulay mask, the Satimbe mask, the Sirigie mask, and the Kanaga mask. The Yana Gulay mask’s purpose is to impersonate a Fulani woman and is made from cotton cloth and cowell shells. The Satimbe mask represents the women ancestors who are said to have discovered the purpose of the masks by guiding the spirits of the deceased into the afterlife. (Davis, 74) The Sirigie mask is a tall mask that is only used in funerals for the men that were alive during the holding of the Sigui ceremony (see below) (Davis, 68). The Kanaga masqueraders, at one point, dance and sit next to the bundkamba which represents the deceased.

The yingim and the danyim rituals each last a few days. These events are held annually to honor the elders that have died since the last Dama. The yingim consists of the sacrifice of cows, or other valuable animals, and large mock battles performed in order to help chase the spirit, known as the nyama, from the deceased body and village and towards the path to the afterlife (Davis, 68). The danyim then takes place a couple of months later. During the danyim, masqueraders perform dances every morning and evening for anytime up to six days depending on how that village performs this ritual. The masqueraders dance on the deceased’s rooftops, throughout the village, and the area of fields around the village (Davis, 68). Until the masqueraders have completed their dances and every ritual has been performed, it is said that any misfortune can be blamed on the remaining spirits of the dead (Davis, 68).
[edit] Cults
The Dogon know different cults:

Sigui: the most important ceremony of the Dogon. It takes place every 65 years and can take several years. The last one started in 1967 and ended in 1973, the next one will start in 2032. The Sigui ceremony symbolises the dead of the first ancestor (not to be confounded with Lébé) till the moment that humanity acquired the use of the spoken word. The Sigui is a long procession that starts and ends in the village of Youga Dogorou and goes from one village to the other during several months or years. All men wear masks and dance in long processions. The Sigui has a secret language that women are not allowed to learn. The secret Society of Sigui plays a central role in the ceremony. They prepare the ceremonies a long time in advance, and they live for three months hidden outside of the villages while nobody is allowed to see them. The men from the Society of Sigui are called the Oloubarou. The villagers are afraid of them and fear is cultivated by a prohibition to go out at night, when sounds warn that the Oloubarou are out. The most important mask that plays a major role in the Sigui rituals is the Great Mask or the Mother of Masks. It is several meters long and is just held up by hand and not used to hide a face. This mask is newly created every 65 years.
The Amma cult: worships the main, creator god Amma. The celebration is once a year and consists of offering boiled millet on the conical altar of Amma, colouring it white. The Lébé cult: worships the sacred snake Lébé, who was the first mortal human being. Lébé was transformed into a snake. The celebration is once a year and takes three days. The altar is a pointed conic structure on which the Hogon offers boiled millet while mentioning in his benediction eight grains plus one. Afterwards, the Hogon performs some rituals in his house that is also the home of Lébé. The last day, all the village men visit all the Binou altars and dance three times around the Lébé altar. The Hogon invites everybody that assisted to drink the millet beer.
The Binou cult: uses totems, common ones for the entire village and individual ones for totem priests. A totem animal is worshipped on a Binou altar. Totems are for example the buffalo for Ogol-du-Haut, and the panther for Ogol-du-Bas. Normally, nobody will ever be harmed by its own totem animal, even if this is a crocodile as for the village of Amani. Here is a large pool of crocodiles that do not harm any villager. However, a totem animal might exceptionally harm if one has done something wrong. A worshipper is not allowed to eat his totem. For example, an individual with a buffalo as totem is not allowed to eat buffalo meat, but also not to use leather from its skin and even not to see a buffalo die. If this happens by accident he has to organise a purification sacrifice at the Binou altar. Boiled millet is offered and goats and chickens are sacrificed on a Binou altar. This colours the altar both white and red. Binou altars look like little houses with a door. They are bigger when the altar is for an entire village. A village altar has also the ‘cloud hook’, that will catch clouds and make it rain.
The twin cult: the birth of twins is a sign of good luck. The enlarged Dogon families have cult rituals during which they evoke all their ancestors till their origin, the ancient pair of twins from the creation of the world myth.
The Mono cult: the Mono altar is at the entry of every village. Unmarried young men celebrate the Mono cult once a year in January or February. They spend the night around the altar, singing and screaming and waving with fire torches. They hunt for mice that will be sacrificed on the altar at dawn. Dogon villages
Dogon villages have different buildings:

Male granary: storage place for pearl millet and other grains. Building with a pointed roof. This building is well protected from mice. The amount of filled male granaries is an indication for the size and the richness of a guinna.
Female granary: storage place for a woman's things, her husband has no access. Building with a pointed roof. It looks like a male granary but is less protected against mice. Here, she stores her personal belongings such as clothes, jewelry, money and some food. A woman is economically independent and earnings and things related to her merchandise are stored in her personal granary. She can for example make cotton or pottery. The amount of female granaries is an indication for the amount of women living in the guinna.
Toguna (also called case à palabres): building only for men. They rest, discuss and take important decisions in the toguna. The roof of a toguna is made by 8 layers of millet stalks. It is a low building in which one cannot stand upright. This helps avoiding violence when discussions get heated.

DOGON

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 10:45:40 GMT

DOGON

Exposition du 7 avril 2011 au 31 août 2011

Dominant depuis le XVème siècle les falaises de Bandiagra

au Mali, les Dogon sont les héritiers d'une tradition artistique ethnique exceptionnelle : Chaque œuvre d'art témoignant à la fois de l'intimité des familles – les œuvres ne sont pas destinées à être vues mais au contraire conservées dans la pénombre des maisons, telles qu'au sanctuaire- et de la représentation d'une cosmogonie unique qui structure la vie quotidienne comme le rythme et les rituels des cérémonies sociétales ou initiatiques.

Cosmogonie et organisation sociale

Dogon ou Hebbesignifie littéralement " païen "; soit celui qui refuse de s'intégrer à l'Islam.
les Dogon vénèrent le dieu Amma. Amma selon leur cosmogonie avait l'aspect d'un oeuf.
La statuaire Dogon présente toujours des têtes ovoïdes signifiant de ce Dieu du ciel.
Amma est associé à huit ancêtres, représentant la hiérarchie d'une société construite sur un modèle patriarcal.
Ces huit ancêtres répondent à un métier et à des couleurs spécifiques :
Forgeron et potier – rouge et bleu
Agriculteur – blanc et vert
Sculpteur - orange
Danseur – blanc
Commerçant – noir
Le maître de la parole/tissage – vert.

Masques et Statuaire Dogon

Associés au culte des ancêtres, les masques Dogon fabriqués à la mémoire des défunts - Masque Sirige, masque Kanaga, s'accompagnent souvent de masques zoomorphes dont la fonction est de protéger les vivants en récupérant la force vitale des êtres ou des animaux disparus. A la différence des statues, ces masques sont sculptés par des non spécialistes.
La sculpture des statues appartient au forgeron qui exécute en public des œuvres dont la qualité dépend de la richesse de celui qui en passe la commande.

** Maternité Dogon, Mali, bois, patine ancienne

Armand Auxietre, Directeur de la Galerie " l'oeil et la main "a choisi de présenter pour cette exposition une maternité Dogon.
Cette maternité, comme le veut la tradition, représente une femme assise sur un tabouret finement orné de signes symboliques des ancêtres. Pourtant la forme de la figure répond aux critères du cubisme tels que le définissaient Fernand Léger, Blaise Cendras en littérature ou le Corbusier en architecture : Une poétique de la modernité, dans le parti pris des choses, pour un monde meilleur.
Traité avec austérité, visant à incarner l'essentialité d'un monde "pur", le visage lisse présente des yeux en losange, un nez rectiligne et une bouche fendue. L'enfant s'agrippe au sein de sa mère. Vecteur héréditaire de la première " connaissance ", du premier degré du passage initiatique qui le conduira de l'âge adulte à la mort. Le corps rectiligne, aux volumes épurés, membres pointus, épaules carrés, coiffure stylisée confèrent à l'œuvre, par sa monumentalité une dimension noble et mystique de la connaissance du monde et de l'humanité.
La patine ancienne, vraisemblablement de sang, de bière de mil, indique qu'elle a fait l'objet d'offrandes ou de sacrifices nombreux et atteste donc de sa valeur patrimoniale d'exception.

Vernissage le Mardi 7 décembre 2010, à partir de 18H30

Art Gallery l’œil et la main
41 rue de Verneuil, 75007 Paris

contact@agalom.com /www.african-paris.com
01.42.61.54.10

Horaires d’ouverture : du lundi au samedi 14h-19h

Art Mossi

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:12:52 GMT

ART MOSSI

WikipédiA: ART MOSSI

Mossi are people originating in Burkina Faso as well as areas bordering on the surrounding countries. More than 6 million people are considered mossi, the membership at this ethnic community founded on the practice of being moré and the practice of a certain number of traditions.

They constituted, to the XV E century and the XVI E century, of the large kingdoms of which the two principal ones (Yatenga and Ouagadougou) remained independent until the European penetration and were subjected only with difficulty by the French colonizers. They have at their head “Mogho Naba”, literally “king of the kings”, who always resides in his palate of Ouagadougou.

The political structure of Mossis is still very present in their daily life, thus their traditional chiefs (nabas), play a big role in their communities.

It provided an important labour to the Ivory Coast and Ghana. Still nowadays a strong community mossi resides in Ivory Coast.

They speak moré, voltaic language.

YORUBA ART

Sun, 10 Aug 2008 17:31:26 GMT

ART YORUBA The yoruba (local name: yorùbá) is a tonal language belonging to the family of the nigéro-Congolese languages. According to the linguistic schools, it is classified, either in the languages kwa, or in the bénoué-Congolese languages. The traditions of the various populations yoruba recall all their origins jusqu' at the Nigerian city of Island-Ife. Their language is spoken by approximately twenty-five million people, in Nigeria, where it is l' one of the three national languages, but also in certain areas of Benign and Togo. Yoruba is also spoken in the Antilles and in Latin America, in particular in Cuba, by the descendants d' African slaves, practitioner inter alia the religion Santeria (syncretism), and in Brazil, in particular in the worship of candomblé. The language is subdivided in many dialects. There exists nevertheless also a standard language.

Art Cameroun

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 15:44:38 GMT

ART CAMEROUN

In the kingdoms of Cameronian Grassland, the masks ngoin belong to units exhibés at the time of commemorative ceremonies organized in the honor of the late one. Each unit, property of a particular chalk-lining includes/understands several masks like the kam, mask male which carries out the dance, It acts of a flat mask posed on the head. The mask ngoin which incarnates his first wife, is a mask in round bump related to the top of the head by the dancer dissimulated under a full costume and holding in hand a hunting fly. The notable ones are represented with their cover-chiefs characteristic, suitable for the dignitaries and of use until today. They are superb portraits been useful by a sculpture of a great expressivity.

Wikipedia: Cameroun, or the Republic of Cameroun for the official uses, is a country of central and Western Africa, located between Nigeria, Chad, the Central African Republic, Gabon, Guinea Equatoriale, the Republic of Congo and the gulf of Guinea. Old German colony, the territory was placed under the supervision of the Company of the Nations at the end of the First World War and was entrusted to the administration of France and the United Kingdom. The old territory under French administration reached independence under the name of Republic of Cameroun on January 1, 1960). It is joined by part of the territory under British administration (Cameroons) in 1961 to train the Federal republic of Cameroun, which, on May 20, 1972, was famous United Republic of Cameroon, then République of Cameroun since 1984. Cameroun and its current borders result from European colonization, but the history of its inhabitants goes back to good longer. Before the colonial period at the XIXe century, the inhabitants did not form only one homogeneous group and thus presented the various shapes of social organization going of kingdoms structured to wandering ethnos groups.
History: The first inhabitants of Cameroun were probably Baka, also called Pygmies. They always live the forests of the provinces of the south and the east.

Thousand-year-old Ier front J. - C.: the zone covering the south-west of L `current Cameroun and the south-east of Nigeria would have been the cradle of the people bantous.
The first contact with Europeans would have occurred at the time of the tour of the Hannon Carthaginian which, according to the legend, in Ve front century J. - C., would have reached the Cameroun Mount which he baptized the “Tank of the Gods” [ref. necessary]. In 1472, the sailors of the Portuguese Fernando Pó enter the estuary of Wouri, extasient themselves in front of the abundance of shrimps in the river which they call at once Río back Camarões, from where the current name of Cameroun.

After the Portuguese the Netherlanders come then the Germans. After the contacts with Europeans begin from the commercial exchanges, including the draft négrière, the introduction of Christianity and the progressive dismantling of the existing political organization (like the Bamoun Kingdom).

The Germans lose their colony because of their defeat at the time of the Great War, in 1918: the Company Of the Nations entrusts the oriental party to France, and the Western zone in the United Kingdom. Each one of these two countries will print its mark in “its” Cameroun, France adopting the policy of the assimilation and the United Kingdom that of indirect the rule.

The shortly after the Second world war, the movement of UPC (Union of the Populations of Cameroun created on April 10, 1948 with Douala by the group of the twelve) asserts independence and reunification before being prohibited then heavily repressed by the French colonial capacity, leading to true massacres in Bassa country and Bamileke country. The independence of the French zone is proclaimed on January 1, 1960 and the reunification takes place the following year with the southern part of the British zone. It follows one period of violent repression against the movement of the U.P.C., and the ALNK, its “Army of national release Kamerounaise”, by the new government with the assistance of France, which will last until the end of the years 1960 [1]. On May 20, 1972, a referendum led to a unit State and puts an end to the federalism.
Culture
Detailed article: Culture of Cameroun.
The Cameronian culture is characterized by a very great ethnic diversity. One counts there more than 200 languages, among which one finds Bamoun, Ewondo, Douala, Based it, Bakweri, Bulu, Peul or Foufouldé, the Bamiléké languages made up of several under - whole like Fe' efe' or nufi (Bafang), Ghomala' (Baham, Bandjoun, Batié, Bansoa, Bandenkop), Medumba (Bangangté), Yemba (Dschang), Ngomba' has (Bamesso)… and well of others. With the result that contrary in the majority of the African countries, Cameroun does not have a dominant or common regional language. However, urban youth created a complex form of said slang camfranglais (mixture of French, English, Cameronian phrases vernacular and verlan) which varies according to the cities. In addition, there exists a pidjin english (the shape of English Creole) which is used sometimes as lingua franca to the tradesmen.

With regard to the official languages, English and French are the two languages of the administration, teaching and the media. This bilingualism is a heritage of colonization, and makes it possible Cameroun to make at the same time French-speaking and anglophone part of the world. Despite everything, French is largely favoured in the administration and the media, by the fact of the demographic majority of the French-speaking people. Certain english-speaking complain even sometimes about discrimination with regard to their language.

However, bilingualism is officially encouraged by the government and the majority of the public documents read or written are it in the two languages. In addition, 4 of the 6 public universities are bilingual and entirely anglophone (University off Buea) and many elementary schools and bilingual colleges exist on the whole of the territory.

Downtown 2001,6 exceeded the threshold of the 200.000 inhabitants: Douala (the economic capital, 1,5 million inhabitants in 2001), Yaounde (the political capital and sits of the institutions, approximately 1,25 million inhabitants in 2001), Garoua (approximately 357.000 inhabitants in 2001), Bamenda (approximately 316.000 inhabitants in 2001), Maroua (approximately 272.000 inhabitants in 2001) and Bafoussam (approximately 242.000 inhabitants in 2001).

The provinces densément populated (more than 100 inhabitants per km ²) are the provinces of the West, the Littoral, Extreme-North and the North-West. A contrario, the provinces of Adamoua, the East and the South are very slightly populated (less than 15 inhabitants per km ²).

Many ethnos groups populate Cameroun. Thus, Peuls of savannas of North, with very large Moslems majority, often were organized in Lamidats directed by Lamido, the equivalent of a chief of village. Their constructions are still visible so far and their habits perdurent. The populations of the Center and the South also have their habits, characterized by a very great linguistic diversity, but with very great catholics majority. The dwellings of the former traditional chiefs almost disappeared, with the profit of modern constructions, the zone being developed more country, but several memorials are set up there.

The Pygmies of the South, generally animist or pagan, live in the forest. Lastly, the people of the plates of the West, also Christians, however gather some animists groups which practise religions autochtones such as the worship of cranium.

ART SONGYE

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:31:36 GMT

Art Songye

The linear decoration, the Songyé signature.

All the masks of the Kifwebe type present a linear decoration; alternation of bands and white, black scratches and reds also, whose finality is however not known. The masks show characteristics stylistics and formal interesting and original. They are often of large cuts, in particular the masks of the male type surmounted by immense peaks. The deformations brought to the face in the projection in front of the mouth and of the eyes is probably single in the history of Article It results from it from creations of a great beauty and particularly impressive. Of large modernities, they count without question among the chiefs of work of Article.

In spite of their similarities, the functions of these masks are different since the male mask Kifwebe Songye, easily recognizable by the existence of a peak, makes the police force and the female mask Songye leaves at the time of ceremonies nomination or funeral dignitaries.

The colors have a symbolic system, like the forms, they indicate the “sex” of the mask but also its magic potential. The white, always female, has a form of benevolence. The black is associated with occult qualities of the mask. The black scratches would be intended to dissimulate the malevolent aspects of the mask to the uninitiated persons. The red is associated with blood, with fire but also with courage, strength, and knowledge.

WikipédiA: As in all the countries d Afric black, the tradition of sculpture remains long-lived. The sculptures always have as silent partners of the secret societies, often for religious reasons.

Several old works of Congolese traditional art were flights during and after colonization. For example, the Museum of Tervuren in Belgium has several works in its collection, like the carrying one cut. But it there also of the parts in the English, American and Swiss museums. Certain works d´art belong to collector deprived like the Ryckers family.

The carrying one cut is probably the most known sculpture. It is l´oeuvre of the Master of Buli, of l´ethnie luba-hemba.

The statue of Kuta Mbula, 109e king of Bakubas.

Balubas carve kinds of small chess-boards called lukasa decorated small balls of several colors which form various reasons that one can decipher in order to recall the hístoire of their people.

Towards the end of the Middle Ages, various populations, then organized in cheffery, are built in kingdoms (luba, kuba, lunda, kongo, etc) which, for some, see their apogees corresponding with the first contacts with Europeans of the XV E century. This period is marked by various commercial kingdoms, trading with the slave ones on the coast and between them inside the continent. Certain kingdoms extend on several thousands from kilometers and have sales networks across their borders. The trade is done by bearing or waterway.

These populations did not know the private property, the ground cultivated in group is not sold, the various kingdoms do not have exact borders (the territory of a small ethnos group includes/understands to little 4960 km ²). Much does not know the currency and makes barter, the members of the same cheffery helps itself free. Not written science is transmitted of one generation to the other, the children having to assume the same trade as their parents. The kings or emperors do not have true capacity. They are rather the chiefs of villages which have authority. The kingdoms are rather the result of temporary unions of various regroupings of of the same villages language to defend oneself against a close ethnos group.

The draft of the blacks extends until the interior of the continent and corresponds, with the draft of the ivory, with the economic advancement or the decline of the various kingdoms. It had especially a demographic impact on the east of the country and made suffer the oral tradition. Europeans limited themselves to the coastal regions until half of the XIX E century. In the east of the country, today Ituri and Kivu, Arabo-swahili spread Islam and also practised the draft négrière.

Origins
Stone tools of 2 million years were found in the north of the lake Edouard. Of 2000 av. J. - C. with 500 a. J. - C., waves of migrations bantoues arrived at Congo of the area of current Nigeria, in these territories hitherto only inhabited populations Pygmies. The bantous were installed initially on the coasts and the plates of the south and the east and avoiding the dense forest. Other migrations of populations resulting from the areas of Darfur and of Kordofan in Sudan occurred in the north of Congo, as well as Eastern Africa, adding a nilotic component to the mixture of the ethnicities. Bantous brought the agriculture and the techniques of work of the iron of Western Africa in this area. Bantous reflect in place of the States (Kongo, Kuba, Lunda). They used the tom-tom as means of communication, built paths and manufactured clothing thanks to a textile matter drawn from the sheet of bamboo. The people bantous had the knowledge in medicine pushed enough like the vaccine (Kutéma Lulindi).

The Kongo kingdom
Kongo kingdom.
In the west, the Kongo Empire. Very old (perhaps IV E century), it occupied with its apogee a territory extending on the west from democratic Congo, the Republic of Congo and Angola.L' economy was based on agriculture (yam, palm oil). The relations between the bakongos and their neighbors of the North-East, batékés will be either hostile or commercial.

With the entry in liaison with Portuguese in 1482, the topic of the decline becomes increasingly imminent. From 1532 the bakongos launch raids against the close ethnos groups in order to provide slaves to Portuguese against goods (rifles, clothes, glass, fruits). In 1568 it is only with the assistance of Portuguese that the bakongos manage to push back the invasion of Yakas people of wandering razzieurs. As of the following year Portuguese does not hesitate to seize slaves among the subjects the king.

In 1665 after many let us divide internal of Kongos, Portuguese manage to subject those to the Battle of Ambuila; Portuguese off-set many Blacks like slaves in Brazil with the complicity of certain African tradesmen. Their port of deportation was Emboma, current Boma.

The Kuba kingdom
Kuba kingdom.
The Kuba kingdom was formed in Western Kasaï and Luluwa. Its origins would go up, to the XV E century, but it took really its rise only to the XVII E century, under the reign of Chamba Bolongongo called Shyam Mbula Ngoong by Vansina (or Shyam has mbul has Ngoong). This sovereign encouraged the new cultures; he would have introduced the cultures of corn and the tobacco. He learned on his subjects weaving raffia; sculpture; and a true military service instituted.

The kingdom of Bakuba is particularly interesting because it is only, in this area of Africa, where the sovereigns had instituted a load of guard of the oral traditions: Moaridi. In addition, the art of the sculpture and decoration reached a remarkable level there.

At the end of the XVII E century, Luba invaded the Kuba kingdom. This one will perdura nevertheless until its tender by the Belgians in 1904. The bakuba were the Congolese populations ready to be defended against carried out police force with the baboa and the babudje.

Baluba space
Worsen Luba.
To the XVI E century Balubas, people coming from Katanga, born from the secession of a clan of the Songhoy ethnos group, migrates towards north between the Kasai river and the lake Tanganyika. Balubas lived then in the current provinces of Kasai and the north of Katanga. The balubas s´organisèrent in independent chefferies, of the kinds of tribes. Among the most important tribes one counts, the bena lulua, the bena tshibanda, the bena mpuka, the bena mualaba, the bena mutombo, the bena luntu, the bakwanga or the bena mukuna. With the head of each cheffery was a bulopwe, l emperor of all the balubas; the kalamba n´avait as for him qu´un title symbolic system. The first emperor of the balubas will be Kongolo, which according to the tradition would be also l´ancêtre basonges.

Many were the other ethnos groups which lived at the sides of the balubas (basonge, tetela, etc) but the balubas dominated them economically being more numerous. Thus their language, the kiluba was used as interethnic language. So in Kasai the political organization did not exceed the village, the balubas of Katanga gathered several villages under the authority of a lord, Kilolo. Armed conflicts opposérent the baluba with their neighbors but there is had also conflicts between different bulopwe.

Archaeological excavations close to the lake Kisale revealed that Balubas used as of the IX E century a cruciform copper currency, the small crosses of various weights. Each king had his capital. If Baluba used the tom-tom as means of communication with long distance they had also an oracle, Lubuko, left house with a main door to the back and a wall out of wooden to the front one. The person inside answered then the questions by yes or by not the questions put by the interlocutor in front of the wall, while typing about the wall out of wooden.

The towns of Lusambo and Kabinda were plate-revolving trade of the slaves. With the Model: XIXe century right before the European penetration, the balubas could not resist to the invaders Tchokwés and Lélés. It is as at this time as the first rifles appeared.

Akan: The Story of the Asante Stool

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 22:24:30 GMT

Selon la légende, c'est au XVIIIème siècle que le premier roi ashanti, Oseï Tutu, a reçu du ciel le Tabouret d'Or. Elevé au rang de symbole de la monarchie ashanti, il incarne, jusqu'à nos jours, l'âme collective de ce peuple. Personne ne peut s'y asseoir, pas même le roi. Lors des très rares présentations publiques du Tabouret d'Or, le souverain doit, en effet, s'asseoir en arrière de lui, sur son propre siège.Traditionnellement, le siège est, pour les Ashantis, un objet de toute première importance, réalisés sur des critères très stricts, et décoré pour personnifier son propriétaire.Avec sa colonne centrale ajourée et ses quatre piliers ouvragés qui soutiennent le plateau, ce siege est caractéristique de ceux que l'on offre en dote aux nouvelles épouses.Akan: The Story of the Asante Stool

Galeries d'art primitif � Paris

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:51:06 GMT

Agrandir le plan

Art Baule

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 22:12:07 GMT

Art Baoule

The ART OF the BAOULES

by Suzanne VOGEL

The artists baoulé of Ivory Coast created objects of an almost unequalled esthetics in traditional African art, that it is by their refinement, their diversity, their profusion and the amount of work which they represent. The masks and the statuettes of Baoulés, have
caused the passion of the Westerners as of their discovery and they are regarded as one of the most completed successes African art, this is why these sculptures always occupy a dominating place in any exposure or study devoted to Africa. However, as important as that is to say their fame in Occident, it forever be easy for whoever to see the representations of this art on the same spot of its creation, in the villages baoulé.
Baoulé art is far from limiting to the masks naturalists relatively and with the human figures cut in wood, it also includes/understands a large variety of works out of ivory, bronze and gold: large masks-heaumes representing of the aggressive animals or the simiesques figures, and various objects offering of the myriads of carved reasons: doors, chairs and stools, tom-toms, spoons, sticks, combs, ranges, slings, bowls and plates, weights, etc It is also necessary to mention potteries, jewels and fabrics, decorated small human or animal figures.
In a paradoxical way, in the ethnos group baoulé, only a number limited individuals had the privilege, always potentially dangerous, to be able to look at a work of art, in the past as in the present. A simple glance posed by inadvertency on a defended object can be expensive, and to even be fatal with that which did not receive the permission from it. Certain masks are carried at the time of ceremonies or are occasionally shown with the public; other objects, kept in closed parts, can be seen by chance, and they will then remain engraved forever in the memory. But the majority of the sculptures remain hidden, and are visible only for their owners and some others, invested of a personal relation privileged with a work of Article In spite of the profusion of these objets d'art so finely engraved, the opportunity to admire them thus arises seldom to the baoulé adult, and this experiment will remain a memorable event for him.
The language of Baou1és distinguishes various forms to see when they are works of Article Nian means “to look at” or” to observe "; the term is used for dances the masked, various festivities, and for television, inter alia things. Nian Kpa, which wants to say “to look at fixedly”, gets busy only for the objects decorative or utility of no importance but is never used for the invested sculptures of capacities. Klekle indicates a furtive glance; one uses the term when, for example, the spirit-husband, placed in a corner of the room to sleep, was foreseen at the time of the opening of the door, or when one sees the object out of gold exposed at the time of funeral in the decorated room where one receives endeuillés. For other ritual dances or celebrations, no verb meaning” to see " or “to look at” can be employed: the person will say, for example: “I was present at a dance divinatoire”, or” at a masked funeral ritual (or not masked) “. Nobody would think of making a comment, nor to put questions about the statuettes with divinatoire use, not more than on the aesthetic success of the dances where they appeared. On the other hand it is completely allowed to comment on other” spectacles “.
If works of art baoulé are for majority invisible, it is because they are private, that they are the property of certain people, who reserve to them a particular place in the intimacy of their hearth, where penetrate only the owner and very the young children; (Mbra, and the masks Bonun amuen reserved to the men constitute an exception, because they must remain secret and cannot be seen by the women).
Baoulés maintain a close relationship to their sculptures, which represent (like the majority of the cultural objects) something of very important and very personal “to bring chance and richness”. Nobody would think of revealing their existence with whoever, of fear of exposing them to the destruction.
The beliefs and the ritual ones baoulé confer power on the object considering rather than with the spectator. It is implicitly recognized that what is looked at could penetrate in the body by the eyes and make wrong to the spectator, and that, on the contrary, nothing beneficial can enter the body by the eyes, Baoulés considering that the glance does not have an effect on its object.
The greatest artistic success of the baoulé people, and all African art, took form in the sculptures carried out for 1 ' “wife-spirit” (Blolo bla) and the” husband-spirit " (Blolo bian). These statues illustrate a male and female ideal, incarnated in the physical perfection, but also in social, moral blooming and intellectual of the human being. The spirit-husband is a kind of alter ego of the opposed sex, and the sculptures the representative are an attractive example in the way in which the Africans use art at ends of individual psychological assistance. Baoulés think, following the example many other ethnos groups, that the human beings had all, in a former life, a wife-spirit Blolo bian or a husband-spirit Blolo bla, and that those can influence their life. The artists baoulé, with their neighbors Yaourés, however seem to be the only ones in Africa to carve figurative representations of their spirit-husband. The concept of spirit-husband expresses a subversive idea which one finds under other aspects in the company baoulé, namely that there exists a male element among women and a female element at the men. The spirit-husband is personal, it can bring chance and richness, and nobody would take the risk to speak about it with whoever. But one tells readily dreams of sexual character with the spirit-husbands, or many dreams where they brought gifts, of food and money. Certains Baoulés tells that their real couple dream sometimes that they fight with their rival spirit-husbands, and insist on the fact that the last person whom it is necessary to inform on her spirit-husband is well her husband or his wife in the life. One generally keeps the statuette in a corner of the part where one sleeps, where almost nobody will see it, and the husband where the wife will never put questions about it. The complex relations that Baoulés maintain with their works of art are carried to a paroxysm with these statuettes because those, as well as the spirits which live them, are integrated into a parental diagram including/understanding the ascending ones and the descendants of those which have them. Thus a woman tells that his/her daughters speak about her husband-spirit like theirs “father”.
The second shape of statuette carved by the artists baoulé is also with private use and represents Asia usu, spirit of the nature which “follows” the individual like his shade, to also bring chance and serenity to him. These figures, which it are humanoïdes or simiesques, almost identical to the other statuettes are baoulé, and, when the object was withdrawn from its cultural context, especially if it were cleaned, it is extremely difficult to identify. Moreover, although the spirits which live these statuettes are described like hideous creatures, grotesque and wild, the sculptures generally illustrate the ideal of human beauty of Baoulés.
The goal is to bring these wild spirits to the village “to civilize them”, so that they take part in the good of the community. They is so powerful however that the simiesques figures carved for Mbra, for example, cannot in no case to be seen by the women, even when it is a woman whom the spirits chose “to follow” and to have.
The Mblo masks represent particular individuals and are carried at the time of the festivities and the funeral of women. They belong to a very old tradition and one finds them in all the villages, under various names and sometimes in slightly different forms. One generally uses them during two generations, then a new mask of Mblo dance is created, and the old tomb in disuse. The masks of Goli style represent four characters indicates implicitly which is the hierarchy in force in the company baoulé: the capacities of the women are preeminent. But, to add to complexity, each mask-character appears under two aspects, one female and the other masculine (in a complete representation, thus eight masks appear). Thus, even the seniority, traditionally male, appears as a man and a woman, in the shape of two almost identical masks which arrive together and enter an unrestrained dance alternatively.
These Goli masks were adopted by Baoulés about 1910 and they are most popular today in the ritual dances. Pleasant forms, they are continuously recreated by many artists but they are remained practically unchanged. In eight decades, the Goli style resisted all the innovations and produced only very few remarkable works.
The masks-heaumes in the shape of large animals are called Banun Amuin (amuin forest) or Amuin Yaswa (amuin male). Belonging to the one of the oldest traditions of Baoulés, these masks of dance also incarnate one their gods more terrifying. The Amuin term indicates a religious art which includes all the capacities and the objects subjected to the bloody sacrifice (in general of chickens). and which can involve the death of whoever would offend or violate its laws. The form of these masks, their names and the order of the dances where they are carried vary from one village to another, but they should not in no case to be seen by the women, under penalty of death. Their dances, often very violent, are carried out at the time of the funeral of the men, or to ensure the protection of the village, and they last all during the night in general. For my part, I never saw masks Bonun Amuin in a baoulé village, nor approximate one their sanctuaries in the forest.
The masks Bonun Amuin, or Amuin Yaswa, “Gods of the men”, as well as the religious observances which are associated to them, are identified with virility, the forest, the roughness of nature. These masks personify dangerous nature and relentless of the wild extents. However, following the example other artistic forms baoulé, they suggest that there can be an interpretation de_ opposed forces, because these masks related to the bush only officiate very seldom in the forest, they enter regularly the village for the celebrations.
The message incarnated in the art of Baoulés comes to counterbalance two large stereotypes applied to the African culture. The first, commonly allowed, is that art would be the visible part of the daily life. However, at Baoulés, visual art is a presence in major invisible part, and this should draw the attention to a similar situation in the majority of the African traditional companies. The second error is to reduce African art “tribal” to the stereotypes of a monolithic and anonymous experiment. Sculptures of Baoulés - including the masks used for Community dances are always personalized, they belong to particular individuals, or their heirs, who take great care of it. The majority are carried out at the request of a person, according to the instructions which it received in dream. If these works of art are used also sometimes for the economic one or the policy they satisfy especially personal needs, related on the serenity of the spirit or physical health. They are able from there to be integrated into whole share into the parental diagram, at the sides of the natural persons, and it is an aspect which the healers baoulé use for their practice of psychological support, while helping to solve the problems by the medium of a personal relation privileged with a carved figure.

WikipédiA: Baoulé constitute people of Ivory Coast, living primarily in the center of the country, close to the towns of Bouaké and Yamoussoukro. They represent approximately 23 % of the population of the country (approximately 3.000.000 individuals), belong to the Akan group, and are originating in close Ghana. It settle in Ivory Coast to the XVIII E century, guided by the queen Abla Pokou the name Baoulé comes from the sacrifice, by the Pokou queen, of the one of its sons in order to pass a river, whereas she carried out the escape of her people of Ghana: “Ba or Li” (“the child died”). Baoulé were established between the rivers Bandama and Comoé.

Baoulé are skilful sculptors, tisserands, goldsmiths

them weights to weigh gold, the jewels, the objects decorated out of gold with any kind existed and exist at Baoulé which dedicate an admiration and “a worship” with the gold which is symbol of heritage, opulence, of being able, and that it is necessary to avoid flying but deserving.

them loincloths Baoulé “Baoulé Tanni” are very snuffed for their bright quality and their reasons. Baoulé of the areas of Yamoussoukro and Tiébissou are best manufacturing.

Them Baoulé are also of skilful sculptors: masks, of the objects of any kind…

Akouè in the area of Yamoussoukro;
Sah in the sub-prefecture of Djébonoua, with a community in the sub-prefecture of Toumodi;
Agba in the departments of Dimbokro, Bocanda, Daoukro, Ouéllé; and in the Sub-prefectures of Kouassi-Kouassikro and Ettrokro;
Gbloh in the sub-prefectures of Diabo and Languibonou;
Ahitou in the department of Tiébissou;
Kôdè in the sub-prefectures of Ando-kékrénou, Béoumi and Kondrobo in the department of Béoumi;
Nanafouè in the sub-prefectures of Yamoussoukro and Attiégouakro and Tiébissou;
Satiklan in the sub-prefecture of Botro;
Gôly in the sub-prefecture of Bodokro;
Oualébo in the department of Sakassou and Toumodi (Oualèbo Southern);
Ahaly in the sub-prefecture of Brobo;
Sondo in the department of Me bahiakro;
Fâly in the north of Bouaké;
Dô' N occupying the intersection of the Sub-prefectures of Bouaké, Sakassou and of Languibonou;
Souhamlin in the sub-prefecture of Taabo;
the gban in the sub-prefectures of Tién' diékro, Kpouébo and Taabo like in the department of Toumodi;
the zikpli in the department of Didiévi and a community in the sub-prefecture of Toumodi;
Ayahou in the departments of Sakassou and Bouaflé;
Fahafouè in the commune and sub-prefecture of Bouaké;
Anôh in the sub-prefecture of Prikro.
Elomoué in the Department of Tiassalé

MUSEE DU QUAI BRANLY DOGON

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 09:59:30 GMT

DOGON

L’exposition DOGON présente l’histoire de l’art et de la culture dogon, depuis le 10ème siècle jusqu’à nos jours, à travers plus de 330 oeuvres exceptionnelles issues de collections du monde entier et rassemblées pour la première fois en France.

Galerie jardin

billet Expositions temporaires et billet jumelé

DU MARDI 5 AVRIL AU 24 JUILLET 2011

COMMISSARIAT : HÉLÈNE LELOUP, SPÉCIALISTE DE L'ART DOGON

l'exposition

L’art des Dogon du Mali est l’un des plus connus parmi les oeuvres issues des cultures d’Afrique.

Outre les chefs-d’oeuvre qui ont fait la renommée de l’art dogon, l’exposition présente des pièces cultuelles, ou même d’usage quotidien, qui évoquent les préoccupations métaphysiques et esthétiques des populations les ayant produites. Les typologies de ces objets, aux techniques virtuoses et variées, ont été rarement dévoilées en regard des grandes pièces de la statuaire.

Plus de dix siècles d’histoire des peuplements, des influences artistiques et culturelles sont ainsi parcourus à travers un rassemblement unique de chefs-d’oeuvre incontournables et de pièces du quotidien inédites qui témoignent du peuplement progressif du pays dogon et de la richesse de sa diversité stylistique.

L’exposition créée au musée du quai Branly entend restituer toute la force de l’art de la sculpture telle que l’ont conçue les Dogon, qu’il s’agisse du bois ou du métal, de pièces imposantes ou de puissants objets de petite dimension. Hélène Leloup

le parcours de l'exposition

Maternité © musée du quai Branly, photo Hughes Dubois

Sur les 2000 m2 de la Galerie Jardin, l’exposition DOGON se compose de trois grandes parties thématiques qui illustrent l’histoire de l’art et de la culture du peuple dogon au travers de productions artistiques variées.

INTRODUCTION : HISTOIRE ET ORIGINES DES MIGRATIONS DES DOGON

Les récentes recherches historiques sur l’Afrique de l’Ouest ont démontré que les populations établies dans les diverses zones de la région n’étaient pas isolées. Les vagues de migrations, les pistes caravanières, les échanges commerciaux sur de longues distances ainsi que les relations avec les autres peuples résidant dans la région de Bandiagara ont permis de former un réseau développé de contacts, bien avant l’arrivée des Européens. La population dogon s’est donc enrichie de ces acquis que lui ont apportés les civilisations alentours.

PREMIÈRE PARTIE : L’HARMONIE AU MONDE

Au-delà de l’unité apparente d’une identité commune forgée au fil des siècles, les statues présentées dans cette partie dévoilent la remarquable créativité du peuple dogon et la grande diversité de ses productions artistiques. Elle explore la complexité sous-jacente au pays dogon, perçu à tort comme un continuum culturel.

Réparties selon différents styles correspondants à des sous-groupes ethniques ou à des aires géographiques spécifiques, 133 sculptures exceptionnelles témoignent de cette richesse : Djennenke, Niongom, Tombo, Tellem, Mande, N’Duleri, Tintam, Sculptures de la falaise, Bambou Toro, Kambari, Komakan.

A leur arrivée sur le plateau de Bandiagara, les Dogon se retrouvent face à des peuples occupant déjà la région et possédant une culture matérielle élaborée.

Sculptures et textiles des Tellem retrouvés dans les sanctuaires coexistent sur la falaise avec les oeuvres Niongom et Dogon mandé, tandis qu’au nord les sculptures Djennenké et, au centre du plateau, les pièces Tombo témoignent des vagues migratoires différentes.

Masque zoomorphe

DEUXIÈME PARTIE : L’IMAGINAIRE ANTHROPOLOGIQUE

L’intérêt qui se développe en Occident pour l’art dogon, de la conquête de Bandiagara en 1893 jusqu’à aujourd’hui, est d’abord une ambition scientifique, qui trouve sa pleine expression dans la mission Dakar-Djibouti. Cette partie explorer l’approche institutionnelle des premières collectes, point de départ de la diffusion de la connaissance de l’art dogon en Occident.

L’évocation de deux figures de l’imaginaire anthropologique, Louis Desplagnes et Marcel Griaule, permet de comprendre comment l’art dogon s’impose à la curiosité et au goût européen.

* Peintures rupestres

C’est en 1907 que Louis Desplagnes, dans son livre Le plateau central nigérien,amorce les premières études des arts et cultures du pays dogon, suite à une expédition dans la région de Bandiagara. Il met au jour un art rupestre remarquable par la vivacité et le dynamisme de son expression, et ses collectes alimentent le musée d’ethnographie du Trocadéro.

Une dizaine de peintures rupestres sont présentées dans cette sous-section.

* Masques

Marcel Griaule propose dans Masques dogons (1938) une typologie d’une grande précision ethnographique.

Objet de recherche privilégié, le masque dogon participe à la construction de cette discipline ethnologique. 35 masques dogons exposés évoquent la classification définie dans cet ouvrage.

Un programme multimédia invite le visiteur à se plonger dans l’histoire de la découverte de l’art dogon, de sa diffusion et de la naissance des grandes collections en Occident.

Volet de Grenier © musée du quai Branly, photo Thierry Ollivier, Michel Urtado

Grande statue Djennenké acquise grâce au mécénat de AXA © musée du quai Branly, photo Patrick Gries

TROISIÈME PARTIE : L’ENCHANTEMENT DE LA COLLECTION

Parallèlement à la quête scientifique et au développement des missions d’enquêtes sur le terrain, la fascination pour les objets et sculptures dogon s’intensifie. Les collectionneurs s’entourent non seulement de pièces de statutaires dogon mais aussi d’objets singuliers.

Les 140 objets exposés dans cette dernière section témoignent de l’inclination des sculpteurs dogons à évoquer le mythe d’origine dans les objets du quotidien tels que bijoux, objets en bronze et en fer, poulies, portes, serrures, sièges, appuie-têtes, sculptures d’animaux, autels, arches, coupes et plats. Ces objets déclinent les mêmes canons stylistiques que les sculptures présentées dans la première partie.

À la fin du parcours, une allée bordée de 10 piliers de Toguna, la « case à palabres » - construction ouverte érigée au centre des villages dogon - mène à la grande statue Djennenké du musée du quai Branly, chef d’oeuvre incontournable de l’art dogon.

Grande statue Djennenké acquise grâce au mécénat de AXA © musée du quai Branly, photo Patrick Gries
musée du quai Branly

37, quai Branly

75007 – Paris

Tél : 01 56 61 70 00

mardi, mercredi et dimanche : de 11h à 19h

jeudi, vendredi et samedi : de 11h à 21h

Griaile Marcel

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:48:35 GMT

Marcel Griaule (Aisy-on-Armançon, Yonne, 1898 - Paris, 1956) are a French ethnologist. After having spent several months in Abyssinie (1928 - 1929) it organized the crossing of l' Africa d' west in east: the Dakar-Djibouti mission of 1931-1933 with Michel Leiris, Andre Schaeffner, and d' other ethnologists, inaugurating l' ethnology of ground on this occasion. During this forwarding, he studied Dogons on which he made the large majority of his research. Very attached to the culture dogon, it took part in the development of the area by supporting construction d' in particular; a stopping d' irrigation for the culture of l' onion, of pepper in the area of Sangha (Sanga). One of its essential contributions (relative to l' ethnography) is d' to have shown that cosmogony dogon (oral) is at least as important as Western cosmogonies. It however will be very criticized to have underestimated l' Western influence in astronomical knowledge of Dogons. It was l' one of the rare ethnographers to be profited from African traditional funeral. In 1941, it replaces with l' INLCOV (School of the Eastern languages) its former professor d' amharic Marcel Cohen, prohibited d' to teach by the laws anti-semites. From 1943 with its death, he is professor in the Sorbonne (first pulpit d' ethnology). He is also to advise of l' French union. Since 1940, he was general secretary of the Company of the Africanists. He worked, inter alia, with Germaine Dieterlen and his daughter Genevieve Calame-Griaule.

Eternal Ancestors - The Aesthetics of the Reliquary in Central Africa and Beyond

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 13:14:51 GMT

Eternal Ancestors - The Aesthetics of the Reliquary in Central Africa and Beyond

Eternal Ancestors - African Art and Modernism

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:56:21 GMT

Eternal Ancestors - African Art and Modernism

ETHNIES AFRICAINES

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:46:37 GMT

Liste des groupes ethniques d'Afrique
Un article de Wikipédia, l'encyclopédie libre.

A
Achi - Adangmé - Adio - Afar - Afo - Aka - Akan - Akyem - Akwaim - Alagya - Aman - Amhara - Amba - Ambo - Angoni - Anga - Ankwé - Ano - Anyi - Arabe - Asarté - Ashanti - Attié - Aushi - Avikam - Azande

B
Babessi - Bamessing - Babukur - Babwa - Badiaranké - Bafang - Bafo - Bafut - Baga - Bagam - Bagami - Bailundu - Baïnouk - Baka - Balantes - Bamana - Bamenda - Bamum - Bandial - Bandjoun - Banga - Banki - Bambaras - Bamiléké - Bamoun - Banda - Bandia - Bangi - Bantou - Banyun - Baoulé - Barambo - Barawa - Bargu - Bashi - Bassa - Bassari - Baulé - Bédouins - Bejas - Bélé - Bemba - Bembé - Béna - Béna-Kalundwé - Bengé - Berbère - Bétammaribé - Bété - Béti - Betsi - Bijago - Binga - Bini - Bira - Bobo - Bobo-Fing - Bodo - Bokala - Bolemba - Bolia - Bomwali - Boni - Bonjo - Borana - Boudouma - Boyéla - Bozaka - Bozo - Brong - Budja - Budu - Bulu - Bunu - Bura - Busansé - Bushmen - Bwa

C
Chaga - Chamba - Chaoui - Chara - Chenoui - Chéwa - Chleuh - Chokwé -Chopi - Chuka - Coniagui

D
Daba - Dagomba - Dakakari - Dakpa - Dama - Dan - Dendi - Denkyira - Diawara - Dido - Dinka - Diola - Djerma - Doé - Dogari - Dogons - Dondo - Doyayo - Duala - Duma - - Dyula - Dzing

E
Ebira - Ébrié - Edo - Ejagham - Ekonda - Enya - Eton - Éwés

F
Fang - Fali - Fanti - Fingo - Floups - Fon - Foulankriabé - Four - Fra-Fra - Fulani-Adamawa - Fulani-Baudri - Fulani-Borgu - Fulani-Bornu - Fulani-Liptako - Fulani-Macina - Fulani-Sokoto - Fur

G
Ganda - Gaya - Gbaya - Gbé - Gbundi - Géléba - Giriama - Gisu - Giziga - Gogo - Goin - Gopla - Gouro - Grébo - Guang - Gurma - Guro - Gurunsi - Gusii

H
Ha - Hadimu - Hadza - Hausa - Haya - Héhé - Hemba - Henga - Herero - Holo-Holo - Hongwé - Huambo - Huana - Hum - Huna - Hurutsé - Hutu

I
Ibibio - Idoma - Ife - Igala - Igbo - Ikenga - Ila - Imerina - Ijo - Irangui - Iraqwé - Issa

J
Jaba - Jallobé - Jalonké - Jarawa - Jukun

K
Kabyles - Kaguru - Kahé - Kako - Kalanga - Kalebwé - Kamba - Kambari - Kandé - Kanuri - Kanyok - Kaondé - Kapsiki - Kara - Kasena - Kawendi -Kgatla - Khassonkés - Khoi-Khoi - Kikuyu - Kilengé - Kilinka - Kim - Kimbu - Kimbundu - Kinga - Kipungu - Koko - Kom - Koma - Kombé - Komo - Kongo - Konjo - Konkomba - Konongo - Konso - Kopten - Koro - Kossi - Kota - Kountas - Kourteï - Kpelle - Kreish - Krobo - Kru - Kuanyama - Kuba - Kumdu - Kunda - Kung (Bushmen) - Kurumba - Kusasi - Kusu - Kutu - Kwahu - Kwangé - Kwélé - Kwéré

L
Laka - Lali - Langa - Lango - Laobé - Laobé Lana - Laobé Gorworo - Léga - Lendu -Lengola - Li - Lobala - Lobi - Logoli - Loko - Loma - Lombo - Londa - Lovedu - Lozi - Luba - Luéna - Luembé - Lugbara - Luguru - Lulua - Lunda - Lundu - Luo

M
Madi - Maka - Makhuwa - Malinkés - Mamvu - Mandingues - Mangbétu - Manjaques - Makondé - Makua - Mama - Mambila - Manganja - Mano - Manyéma - Maravi - Marka - Masa - Masaesyle ( peuple numide ) - Massa - Massyle (peuple numide) - Matakam - Maure - Masaï - Mau - Mbala - Mbanza - Mbembé - Mbété - Mbiré - Mbolé - Mbudza - Mbugu - Mbula - Mbum - Mbun - Mbunga - Mbukushu - Mbuti - Mdumbo - Méké - Mendé - Métoko - Mijikenda - Minianka - Moba - Mondari - Mongo - Mono - Montol - Mossi - Motembo - Moundang - Mozabite - Mpongwé - Mrazig - Msalala - Mumuyé - Mundu - Mvai - Mwéra

N
Nafana - Nago - Nalu - Nama - Namba - Nandi - Naudemba - Ndébélé - Ndembu - Ndob - Ndogo - Ndombé - Ndut - Néyo - Ngala - Ngandu - Ngbaka - Ngbandi - Ngiri - Ngombé - Ngondé - Ngoni - Nguni - Ngwa - Ngwato - Njamus - Njembo - Njemps - Nkolé - Nkoya - Nsapo-Nsapo - Ntunu - Nuba - Nuer - Numides - Nunuma - Nupé - Nyai - Nyakyusa - Nyamwezi - Nyanga - Nyanja - Nyassa - Nyemba - Nyoro - Nzakara - Nzaman - Nzema - Nzimu

O
Ogoni - Ogowé - Okah - Onitsha - Oromo - Ovimbundu - Oyo - Omo

P
Pahouins - Papel - Paré - Pédi - Pendé - Péré - Peuls - Pogoro - Pomo - Pondo - Poto - Punu - Pygmée

R
Rendilé - Rifain - Rimaibé - Rukuba - Rwanda -

S
Sagara - Sakata - Samburu - Samia - Samo - San - Sandawé - Sanga - Sangu - Sankura - Sapo - Sara - Sarwa - Séké - Sélé - Séna - Sengélé - Sénoufos - Séré - Sérères - Séréré - Shambala - Shankadi - Shashi - Shinshé - Shira - Shona - Sidamo - Sisala - So - Soko - Somali - Somba - Somono - Sonrhaïs - Songo - Songyé - Soninkés - Sotho - Soussou - Subia - Suku - Sukuma - Sundi - Swahili - Swazi

T
Tabwa - Tallensi - Tamberma - Tanga - Teita - Téké - Tellem - Tem - Temne - Tendé - Tétéla - Thonga - Tikar - Tiv - Tlaping - Togbo - Toka - Tonga - Topoké - Totéla - Touaregs - Toucouleurs - Toupouri - Tswana - Turka - Turkana - Tura - Turu - Turumbu - Tusyan - Tutsi

U
Ukuambi - Unga - Ura - Urhobo - Uyanga

V
Vaï - Venda - Véré - Vezo - Vili - Viyé

W
Waja - War - Wé - Wéé - Wéweebé - Widekum - Wobé - Wodaabe - Wolof - Wogos - Wuum

X
Xhosa

Y
Yakoma - Yangéré - Yaka - Yako - Yauré - Yombé - Yanzi - Yoruba

Z
Zandé - Zarma - Zaramo - Zayané - Zerma - Zigula - Zimba - Zinza - Zoulou

Comtemporary Art

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:46:15 GMT

African art contenporain The African Contemporary art is very dynamic. It s' inspire as well by the traditions of the continent as, and c' is more and more the case, contemporary urban realities d' Africa in change, which still seeks an identity. The techniques and the supports are varied, active simple painting with the installations with video projection, while passing by sculptures made out of materials of recovery… In 1989, l' exposure “the magicians of the ground” (Centre Pompidou, 1989) presented works d' contemporary African art (d' alive artists) for the first time in Europe, mode of monstration emphasizing a certain primitivist and exotic. In 2005, the exposure “Africa Remix” which was presented in Germany, in England, in France and in Japan can be regarded as the first to present an important panorama of l' specifically African contemporary art, showing the richness of l' especially; sub-Saharan African art. But l' Africa itself s' is equipped with centers d' contemporary art, of festivals or biennial are regularly organized on the continent to emphasize the talent of the artists d' aujourd' today.

On the Pale Fox's trail

Sun, 10 Aug 2008 18:21:54 GMT

PICASSO

Sun, 10 Aug 2008 17:44:13 GMT

bois wood

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:30:56 GMT

ACAJOU D'AFRIQUE
Nom latin : KHAYA IVORENSIS

Autres noms utilisés : ACAJOU - GRAND BASSAM - MAHOGANY

Zones de production :

Ghana - Nigéria - Côte d'Ivoire - Cameroun - Guinée - Gabon - Angola

Densité : 0,45 à 0,60

AFROMORSIA
Nom Latin: AFRORMOSIA ELATA - PERICOPSIS ELATA

Autres noms utilisés: AFRORMOSIA - ASAMELA - GOLDEN TEAK

Zones de production:

Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Cameroun, République Centre Afrique, Congo, Zaïre, Nigeria

Densité 0,70 à 0,80

ANIEGRE
Nom Latin: ANINGUERIA SUPERBA

Autres noms utilisés: TANGANIKA - ANEGRE

Zones de production:

Côte d'Ivoire Congo - Angola Nigéria

Densité: 0,50 à 0,60

AVODIRE
Nom Latin: TURRAEANTHUS AFRICANUS

Autres noms utilisés: LUSAMBA APAPAYE

Zones de production:

Congo Ghana Cameroun Nigeria Côte d'Ivoire

Densité: 0,50 à 0,65

BETE
Nom Latin: MANSONIA ALTISSIMA

Autres noms utilisés: MANSOLIA - NOYER D'AFRIQUE

Zones de production:

Congo - Ghana - Nigeria - Côte d'Ivoire

Densité: 0,60 à 0,70

BILINGA
Nom Latin: NAUCLEA TRILLESII

Autres noms utilisés: BILINGA OPEPE

Zones de production:

Congo - Ghana - Nigeria - Côte d'Ivoire - Cameroun

Densité: 0,70 à 0,90

BOSSE
Nom Latin: GUARERA CEDRATA

Autres noms utilisés: BOSSE - SCENTED GUARERA

Zones de production:

Côte d'Ivoire - Nigeria - Cameroun - Congo - Gabon

Densité: 0,55 à 0,75

BUBINGA
Nom Latin: GUIBOURTIA DEMEUSEI

Autres noms utilisés KEVAZINGO

Zones de production:

Cameroun - Gabon - Guinée - Congo

Densité: 0,80 à 0,95

Fûts de 15 à 20 mètres. Diamètre 0,80 à 1,50 m

DIBETOU
Nom Latin: LOVOA TRICHILIOIDES

Autres noms utilisés: NOYER DU GABON -. TIGERWOOD - BIBOLO

Zones de production:

Côte d'Ivoire - Congo - Ghana - Nigeria - Cameroun - Guinée

Densité: 0,50 à 0,55

DOUSSIE
Nom Latin: AFZELIA BIPINDENSIS

Autres noms utilisés: DOUSSIE - AFZELIA

Zones de production:

Sénégal - Côte d’ivoire - Ghana - Nigéria - Cameroun - Congo - Angola - Mozambique

Densité: 0,70 à 0,90

EBENE DU GABON
Nom Latin: DIOSPYROS CRASSIFLORA - DIOSPYROS ATROPURPUREA

Autres noms utilisés: EBENE NOIR

Zones de production:

Cameroun - Gabon - Congo - Guinée

Densité:1,10 à 1,20

ETIMOE
Nom Latin:COPAIFERA SALIDOUNDA

Autres noms utilisés: ETIMOE - RIO CAMUNI - PALISSANDRE D’AFRIQUE

Zones de production:

Côte d’Ivoire - Cameroun - Gabon - Congo - Nigéria

Densité: 0,65 à 0,75

FRAMIRE
Nom Latin: TERMINALIA IVORENSIS

Autres noms utilisés: FRAMIRE - IDIGBO

Zones de production:

Côte d’Ivoire - Ghana - Nigeria - Cameroun

Densité: 0,45 à 0,60

FROMAGER
Nom Latin: CEIBA PENTANDRA

Autres noms utilisés: FROMAGER - CEIBA - CORKWOOD

Zones de production:

Côte d'Ivoire - Nigeria - Cameroun - Congo - Surinam - Guyane F. - Vénézuela

Densité: 0,20 à 0,35

IDEWA
Nom Latin: HAPLORMOSIA MONOPHYLLA

Autres noms utilisés:IDEWA - HAPLORMOSIA

Zones de production:

. Liberia Côte d'Ivoire Gabon

Densité: 0,80 à 0,95

IROKO
Nom Latin: CHLOROPHORA EXCELSA

Autres noms utilisés: IRIKO -TECK D’AFRIQUE

Zones de production:

Côte d’Ivoire - Cameroun - Guinée - Gabon - Congo - Mozambique - Liberia

Densité: 0,60 à 0,75

KOSIPO
Nom Latin: ENTANDROPHRAGMA CANDOLLEI

Autres noms utilisés: KOSIPO

Zones de production:

Côte d’ivoire - Nigeria - Cameroun - Congo - Angola

Densité: 0,60 à 0,80

KOTIBE
Nom Latin: NESOGORDONIA PAPAVERIFERA

Autres noms utilisés: KOTIBE

Zones de production:

Côte d’ivoire - Ghana - Nigeria - Cameroun - Gabon

Densité: 0,70 à 0,85

KOTO
Nom Latin: PTERYGOTA

Autres noms utilisés: KOTO - CHENE D’AFRIQUE

Zones de production:

Côte d’Ivoire Ghana Nigeria

Densité:0,55 à 0,75

LIMBA
Nom Latin: TERMINALIA SUPERBA

Autres noms utilisés: LIMBA - FRAKE

Zones de production:

Côte d'Ivoire Ghana Cameroun. Guinée Congo

Densité: 0,45 à 0,65

MAKORE
Nom Latin: DUMORIA HECKELII

Autres noms utilisés: MAKORE - DOUKA

Zones de production:

Côte d'Ivoire - Ghana - Cameroun - Gabon - Guinée

Densité: 0,60 à 0,75

MOABI
Nom Latin: BAILLONELLA TOXISPERMA

Autres noms utilisés: MOABI

Zones de production:

Cameroun Guinée Gabon Congo

Densité: 0,80 à 0,90

MOVINGUI
Nom Latin: DISTEMONANTHUS BENTHAMIANUS

Autres noms utilisés: MOVINGUI - AFRICAN SATINWOOD

Zones de production:

Côte d'lvoire - Nigeria - Cameroun - Guinée - Gabon

Densité: 0,60 à 0,80

NIANGON
Nom Latin: TARRIETIA UTILIS

Autres noms utilisés: NIANGON

Zones de production:

Côte d'Ivoire - Guinée - Ghana - Congo

Densité: 0,60 à 0,80

NIOVE
Nom Latin: STAUDTIA STIPITATA

Autres noms utilisés: NIOVE

Zones de production:

Cameroun - Guinée - Gabon - Congo - Zaïre

Densité: 0,75 à 1

OKOUME
Nom Latin: AUCOUMEA KLAINEANA

Autres noms utilisés: OKOUME - GABOON

Zones de production:

Gabon Guinée

Densité: 0,40 à 0,50

PADOUK D'AFRIQUE
Nom Latin: PTEROCARPUS SOYAUXII

Autres noms utilisés: CORAIL - PADOUK - BARWOOD

Zones de production:

Cameroun - Guinée - Gabon - Congo

Densité: 0,65 à 0,85

PALISSANDRE DE MADAGASCAR
Nom Latin: DALBERGIA BARONII - ALBERGIA GREVEANA

Autres noms utilisés: PALISSANDRE DE MADAGASCAR

Zones de production:

Madagascar. Voamboana

Densité: 0,80 à 1,05

PALMIER
Nom Latin: OENOCARPUS BATAWA

Autres noms utilisés: PALMIER BATAWA

Zones de production:

Guyane

Densité 0,40 à 0,80 (selon cœur tendre ou extérieur dur).

PAU ROSA
Nom Latin: SWARTZIA FISTULOIDES

Autres noms utilisés: PAO ROSE

Zones de production:

Gabon Congo

Densité: 0,75 à 0,85

SAMBA
Nom Latin: TRIPLOCHITON SCLEROXYLON

Autres noms utilisés: AYOUS - ABACHI

Zones de production:

Côte d'Ivoire - Ghana - Congo - Nigeria - Cameroun - Guinée

Densité: 0,35 à 0,50

SAPELLI
Nom Latin: ENTANDROPHRAGMA CYLINDRICUM

Autres noms utilisés: SAPELLI - ABOUDIKROU

Zones de production:

Côte d'Ivoire - Nigeria - Cameroun - Congo

Densité: 0,60 à 0,75

SIPO
Nom Latin: ENTANDROPHRAGMA UTILE

Autres noms utilisés: SIPO - UTILE

Zones de production:

Côte d'Ivoire - Ghana - Cameroun - Gabon - Congo

Densité: 0,55 à 0,70

TCHITOLA
Nom Latin: OXYSTIGMA OXYPHYLLUM

Autres noms utilisés: TCHITOLA LOLAGBOLA

Zones de production:

Nigeria - Guinée - Gabon - Congo - Angola

Densité: 0,65 à 0,85

TIAMA
Nom Latin: ENTANDROPHRAGMA ANGOLENSE

Autres noms utilisés: TIAMA

Zones de production:

Côte d'Ivoire - Ghana - Nigeria - Cameroun - Congo - Gabon

Densité: 0,55 à 0,65

TROPICAL OLIVER
Nom Latin: GUIBOURTIA ARNOLDIANA - GUIBOURTIA EHIE

Autres noms utilisés: Tropical Oliver - Mutenye - Ouangkol

Zones de production:

Gabon - Congo - Côte d'Ivoire -Guinée

Densité: 0,80 à 1

WENGE
Nom Latin: MILLETTIA LAURENTII

Autres noms utilisés: WENGE - Awong

Zones de production:

Cameroun - Congo - Est Africain - Mozambique

ZEBRANO
Nom Latin: MICROBERLINIA BRAZZAVILLENSIS

Autres noms utilisés: ZEBRANO - ZINGANA

Zones de production:

Cameroun - Guinée - Gabon

Densité: 0,70 à 0,85