My African Canvas - MAC

African Folk Art and Basic Household Functionality and beauty come together when creating even the basic utilitarian objects. Among the most common everyday items that are finely designed and decorated include: furniture; handmade pottery and baskets of different sizes, shapes and uses; eating utensils; and dishes

African Art and Personal Adornment

Naturally, people beautify themselves in ways which commonly involve hairstyles, jewelry and clothing.

The different African tribal cultures establish some typical statement of beauty or indication of people's age, rank in the tribal political hierarchy, social status or affiliation in an exclusive ethnic group. These may be made evident through body adornments like scars; tattoos; body paint; reshaping of earlobes, lips or necks; and other accessories like staff, crowns or other headgear, and weapons.

Sudanese art is representative of the art and culture of nearly 600 tribes that inhabit the great continent, and is as extreme and varied as its geography of lush tropical forests to sandy deserts.
Throughout the colorful African history, many empires have risen and fallen. These empires and other smaller ethnic groups have caused this type of art to flourish.

Though the earliest known civilization in this part of Africa was Ghana, it was the empire of Mali that contributed more to the art of the Sudan. The legendary magician, Sundjata, who had introduced cultivation and weaving of cotton into the region, historically founded the empire. An empire of vast territorial dominance, it comprises of smaller cultures that illustrate a distinct form of art.

The Bambara people are known for their carved antelope headdresses known as the Chi Wara. This type of art is made out of wood, crafted into an abstracted antelope form with its horns, and is adorned with twine and metal. The figure symbolizes the mythical creature, who is half antelope and half man, and who taught the Bambara people how to till the soil. Its ceremonial purposes range from asking the gods to bless the land for cultivation, celebrate bountiful harvest to investment of power in a king.