African arts and crafts

Africa has a rich tradition of arts and crafts.

The African arts and crafts con

sist of many diversified woodcarvings, brass and leather artworks. Other African arts and crafts also comprise of sculpture, paintings, pottery, ceremonial and religious head and dressing. On African art, maulana Karenga opines that the thing was not very important but rather the force of soul that led to the creation of the thing. He further says that All art should be revolutionary and in fact revolutionary it must be collective, committing and functional.

The interpretation of his words can be trivial wherein the black art has a legitimate use on the path towards a revolutionary change. Black art should not be done simply for "arts sake" but should rather be a means by which artists make a vast change through a medium that awakens, strengthens, and provides inspiration for a massive change within the black community.

Some of the African cultures value a lot on appearance and the use of jewelry has always been considered a significant personal adornment. A large number of such pieces of jewelry are created using cowry shells and alike. Similarly, masks are made with elaborate designs and are an important part of some cultures in Africa. Ancestors and spirits, mythological characters and deities are portrayed in different ceremonies which require masks.There are also common themes in most of the African traditional arts and crafts where a couple, a woman with a child, a male with a weapon or animal, and an outsider or a stranger are recurrent in almost all the traditional practices. The couples can allude to ancestors, founders of the community, individuals in a marriage union, or twins. There is not much intimacy of men and women in the couple theme.The child or children who always accompany the mother shows how much the women crave to have their children. The theme also indicates mother mars and the people as her children. The armed or security-oriented man or the animal themes depict honor and strength. A stranger could belong to a different tribe or a person of a different country and the stranger whose depiction is highly distorted would represent a more disparate distance away. All of these are the common meanings to African craft and art.

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There is more than beauty in African arts and crafts. They narrate, spread history and relate people to their culture. Each mask/carving/pot/or jewelry is significant. Art in most of the African cultures portrays respect to ancestors and life, and lessons. African jewelry, such as cowry shell necklaces, does not only decorate, but it represents beauty, abundance and culture. African masks play an essential role in ceremonies and festivals depicting animals, spirits and special individuals.

Common in traditional African art is the use of themes such as a mother and child, a courageous warrior with a weapon or a foreign person far away. These images stand for love, strength, and community. Unification of people and the delivery of a message is also through the African crafts.

Through acquisition of knowledge on African arts we appreciate the talent as well as the creativity of African artists. We also keep this tradition growing into the future. Are you a lover of history, culture, beauty? Then African arts and crafts are a perfect means of expression. Continue to promote African art and make it known to others in the world so they can get to see the real face of Africa. 

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