Symbolic Meaning:
 Gambian
masks represent a distinct symbolic attribute and cultural
significance depending on the ethnic
group who uses it and it plays and important role
in certain tribal ceremonies, harvest time and rites
of passage. This is true of many mask ceremonies
in Africa. As in many other African societies they play
a much lesser role in Gambian daily life especially
with the advent of Islam & Christianity which forbids
idol worship.
 Many
tribes attach a symbolic meaning to masks and furthermore
ascribe supernatural, magical powers to many of them
as representing a spirit or deity such as the Dogon
Tribe of Mali. These are not the wooden carved masks
sold by sculptors in tourist craft markets in Senegambia,
for which not much spiritual value is placed, but are
the types reserved for purely ceremonial purposes which
rarely go on sale. They are passed down from generation
to generation. They are used in various rites of passage
such as circumcision and weddings as well as representing
a form of ancestral worship in local Gambian villages.
 Some
masks represent animistic fetishes such as the Jola's
Jalang which is supposed to have magical powers which
can alter future events. Sometimes a shrine is constructed
for them and they would be consulted like an oracle
over important decisions about the villages affairs.
Such works are normally made by particular castes of
people belonging to certain tribes and their very grotesque
nature represents no value except the spititual significance
meaning.
Where to Find Them:
Such creations can be found at at most tourist craft
stalls but to find real variety you should try either
the Brikama woodcarvers
Market, Albert Market in Banjul, Bakau or the craft
shops along Sayer Jobe Avenue in Serrekunda. There are
also a number of shops selling genuine antique wood
masks as well at other ritual objects such as the African
Living Art Centre in Fajara. The tribal group who specialise
in wooden crafts are the Sowe, Lobeh, Janha, Sarr and
Njie families whose works can be seen at Brikama.
Ritual Uses of Masks:
One of the rites of passage ceremony for Mandingo boys
in The Gambia, West Africa, ends with the young men
wearing the wooden carved masks of the elements they
would like to be imbued with when they become fully
grown adults. It is the very three dimensional way the
mask is made and its various textured forms that indicate
what kind of supernatural spirit occupies it. In Africa
there are different kinds of masks with different values
placed on each one such as the birth mask or the one
that indicates the coming harvest. Historically they
were also worn by some warriors to protect them in time
of battle against any physical harm from spears and
arrows. Chiefs would use them when passing new laws
and regulations as such was the respect people had for
them they would obey. They also served the purpose of
reminding people of their rules of society as well as
acting as a spiritual arbiter in cases involving village
disputes.
Beliefs:
 There
are some who are of the belief that masks are made by
spirits who wish to occupy them. Such is the power that
it holds on certain societies that sometimes only men
may look upon them and sometimes only the person who
carved them. They are often worn by a performer who
is held by their power while performed a masked dance.
However, such are their uses that they can be created
for entertainment and anybody can view them. The older
and more damaged the mask the less it is valued as a
symbol as it is believed that the spirit would move
on to find another host and these are the artifacts
to be found on display in museums around the world.
Types Worn:
Apart from the face masks there are also types worn
around the waist and down to the feet. They can often
be made having a combination of human and animal characteristics
in order to connect the power of the animal concerned
with the human world.
How Wooden Masks are Made:
One single piece of unblemished wood is used which is
then left out in the open to cure. It could be hardwood
or rosewood. Work begins as the log is rough shaped
using an axe then its features are defined using a chisel
and finally it is smoothed using sandpaper. In some
methods the final step is to apply several coats of
varnish, plant pigmentation or powder from burnt wood.
Such symbols are not only made of wood but also can
include animal hides, wood, plant fibres and people's
hair in order to connect the spirits to the human world. |
