Africa and the Pacific

Aka

an elephant mask of the Bamileke people of Cameroon

Byeri

in the art of the Fang people, a reliquary guardian figure

Bundu

masks used by the women’s Sande society to bring girls into puberty

Cire perdue

the lost wax process. A bronze casting method in which a figure is modeled in clay and covered with wax and then recovered with clay. When fired in a kiln, the wax melts away, leaving a channel between the two layers of clay which can be used as a mold for liquid metal

Fetish

an object believed to possess magical powers

Ikenga

a shrine figure symbolizing traditional male attributes of the Igbo people

Lukasa

a memory board used by the Luba people of central Africa

Mblo

a commemorative portrait of the Baule people

Ndop

a Kuba commemorative portrait of a king in an ideal state

Nkisi n’kondi

a Kongo power figure

Pwo

a female mask worn by women of the Chokwe people

Scarification

scarring of the skin in patterns by cutting with a knife

Great Zimbabwe

a prosperous trading center and royal complex; items from as far away as Persia and China have been found. Walls: 800 feet long, 32 feet tall; 17 feet thick at base. Internal and external passageways are tightly bounded, narrow, and long

Canonical Tower, Great Zimbabwe

modeled on traditional shapes of grain silos; control over food symbolized wealth, power, and royal largesse. Resembles a granary and represented a good harvest and prosperity; grain gathered, stored, and dispensed as a symbol of royal power.

Zimbabwe

derives from a Shona term meaning “venerated houses” or “houses of stone.”

Benin Wall Plaque

One of 900 brass plaques produced, each between 16 and 18 inches. Shows aspects of court life in the Benin culture.It decorated the walls of the royal palace in Benin.

Golden Stool of Ashanti (Sika Dwa Kofi)

According to a tradition, it was brought down from heaven by a priest and fell into the lap of the Ashanti king, Osei Tutu. It became the repository of the spirit of the nation; it is the symbol of the mystical bond among all Ashanti.

Ndop (portrait figure) of King Mishe miShyaang maMbul

Rubbed with oil to protect it from insects. Acted as a surrogate for the king in his absence. One of the earliest existing African wood sculptures; oldest ndop in existence. King’s charm.

Power figure (Nkisi n’kondi)

Medical properties are inserted into the body cavity, thought to be a person’s life or soul. The figure has a role as a witness and enforcer of community affairs. In order to prod the image into action, nails and blades are often inserted into the work or removed from it.

Portrait mask (Mblo) of Moya Yanso

Presented at performances in which an individual is honored with ritual dances. This one was made by the artist Owie Kimou. An idealized representation of a real person.

Female (Pwo) mask

Male dancers are covered with their identities masked; they are dressed as women with braided hair. During the ritual, men move like women. Marks around the eyes may suggest tears

Mende Bundu mask

Idealized female beauty, both physically and morally. Small horizontal features. Used by the elder women of the Sande society; and for initiation rites

Ikenga (shrine figure)

Carved from hardwoods, considered masculine.embraces traditional masculine associations of strength and potency. It is maintained in the man’s home and is destroyed when the owner dies

Ikenga

This word means “strong right arm” and thus physical prowess.

Lukasa (memory board)

Carved from wood in an hourglass shape and adorned with beads, shells, or metal. Court historian who serves as reader of the board holds the lukasa in his left hand and gently touches the beads that he will discuss with his right index finger. These are controlled by the Mbudye

Mbudye

a council of men and women who interpret the political and historical aspects of Luba society.

Aka elephant mask

Beadwork on a fabric backing; beadwork is a symbol of power. Has features of an elephant and human face. Performance art: maskers dance barefoot to a drum and gong; they wave spears and horsetails. Only important people in society can own and wear it.

Reliquary figure (byeri)

Such figures were placed on top of cylinder-like containers made of bark that held skulls and other bones of important clan leaders. These figures were made to be portable. Emphasis on the head and the tubular nature of the body.

Veranda post of enthroned king and senior wife (Opo Ogoga)

Olowe of Ise carved this for the rulers of the Ekiti-Yoruba kingdom in Nigeria. One of four carved for the palace at Ikere, Nigeria. Wooden sculpture with tall vertical emphasis. Negative space creates an openness in the composition.

‘Ahu ‘ula

Hawaiian feather cloaks

Malagan

a large, traditional ceremony from Papua New Guinea, as well as the masks and costumes used in that ceremony

Moai

large stone sculptures found on Easter Island

Tapa

a cloth made from bark that is soaked and beaten into a fabric

Nan Madol

92 small artificial islands connected by canals, about 170 acres in total.Built out into the water on a lagoonCity built to separate the upper classes from the lower classes.

Female deity

Many were kept in religious buildings belonging to the community.Sometimes they were dressed in garments; may have been decorated with ­flowers.Taken by missionaries who did not record anything about the sculptures.

Navigation chart

meant to be memorized prior to a voyageenabled navigators to guide boats through the many islands to get to a destination.made of wood, therefore waterproof and buoyant.

wapepe

Charts are called ____ in the Marshall Islands.

‘Ahu ‘ula (feather cape)

Feathers numbered 500,000; some birds had only seven usable feathers.Only high-ranking chiefs or warriors of great ability were entitled to wear these; mostly by men.

Mana

a supernatural force believed to dwell in a person or sacred object.

Red

____ was considered a royal color in Polynesia; yellow was prized because of its rarity.

Staff God

Large, column-like, wooden core mounted upright in village common spaces; the wooden core is wrapped with tapa cloth.The wooden sculpture placed on top features a large carved head with several smaller figures carved below itMost were destroyed; only the top ends were retained as trophies.

manava

Reverend John Williams observed that the barkcloth contained red feathers and pieces of pearl shell, known as the __ or the spirit of the god.

Hiapo (tapa)

cloth made from tree bark; the pieces are beaten and pasted together.After it is dried, designs are sometimes repainted to enhance the effect.Traditionally worn as clothing before the importation of cotton.

Hiapo

the word used in Niue for tapa (bark cloth).

Tapa

It takes on a special meaning: commemorating an event, honoring a chief, noting a series of ancestors.Generally worn by womenmany of the images have a rich history.

Nan Madol

92 small artificial islands connected by canals, about 170 acres in total. Built out into the water on a lagoon. City built to separate the upper classes from the lower classes.

Female deity

Many were kept in religious buildings belonging to the community. Sometimes they were dressed in garments; may have been decorated with ­flowers. Taken by missionaries who did not record anything about the sculptures.

Navigation chart

Meant to be memorized prior to a voyage. Enabled navigators to guide boats through the many islands to get to a destination. Made of wood, therefore waterproof and buoyant.

‘Ahu ‘ula (feather cape)

Feathers numbered 500,000; some birds had only seven usable feathers. Only high-ranking chiefs or warriors of great ability were entitled to wear these; mostly by men.

Mana

a supernatural force believed to dwell in a person or sacred object.

Staff God

Large, column-like, wooden core mounted upright in village common spaces; the wooden core is wrapped with tapa cloth. The wooden sculpture placed on top features a large carved head with several smaller figures carved below it Most were destroyed; only the top ends were retained as trophies.

manava

Reverend John Williams observed that the barkcloth contained red feathers and pieces of pearl shell, known as the or the spirit of the god.

Tamati Waka Nene

By Gottfried Lindauer (1890); A Maori chief and convert to the Wesleyan faith. Painting is posthumous, based on a photograph by John Crombie.

Malagan mask

Commissioned; they represent the individual’s soul, or life force, not a physical presence. Indicates the relationship of a particular deceased person to a clan and to living members of the family. Painted black, yellow, and red: important colors denoting violence, war, and magic.

Buk (mask)

Part of a larger grass costume used in ceremonies about death, fertility, or male initiation, perhaps even to ensure a good harvest. This mask shows a bird placed on top.

Torres Strait

It is the water passageway between Australia and New Guinea.

Presentation of Fijian mats and tapa cloths to Queen Elizabeth II

Multimedia performance, photographic documentation. Presented to the Queenin 1953 in commemoration of her visit to Fiji on the occasion of her coronation as queen of England.

Moai on platform (ahu)

Prominent foreheads; large broad noses; thin pouting lips; ears that reach to the top of their heads. Short, thin arms fall straight down; hands on hips; hands across lower abdomen below navel. Monuments were toppled face down because it was believed that the eyes had spiritual power.

ahu

large platforms of stone mixed with ashes from cremations;