APAH: Unit 6: Africa Vocabulary

Ife

An ancient city in Nigeria known for its naturalistic brass and terracotta sculptures representing early Yoruba rulers.

Oba

A king or ruler in the Benin Kingdom, often depicted in brass plaques or sculptures.

Nkisi (Plural: Minkisi)

Sacred objects used in Kongo rituals, believed to harness spiritual power for protection, healing, or justice.

Nkisi Nkondi

A type of nkisi statue embedded with nails or blades, used to resolve disputes or ward off evil.

Mblo Mask

A portrait mask of the Baule people, representing an honored individual and used in ceremonial performances.

Pwo Mask

A mask of the Chokwe people, representing idealized feminine beauty and maternal roles.

Ikenga

A carved wooden figure from the Igbo people, symbolizing personal achievement, strength, and success.

Reliquary

A container holding sacred relics, such as the Fang people's Byeri, which guarded ancestral remains.

Byeri

Fang reliquary figures used to honor and protect ancestral remains, often abstract in form.

Great Zimbabwe

A medieval city in Zimbabwe known for its massive stone walls and towers, symbolizing royal authority.

Zimbabwe

A term meaning 'houses of stone,' referring to the architecture of Great Zimbabwe.

Ndop

A Kuba portrait statue representing the idealized image of a king, used to document his reign.

Sika Dwa Kofi (Golden Stool)

A sacred stool of the Asante people, symbolizing the unity and soul of the Asante nation.

Kente Cloth

A woven textile of the Asante people, characterized by colorful patterns and used for ceremonial purposes.

Lukasa

A memory board of the Luba people, used by oral historians to recount history and genealogies.

Bundu Mask

A mask of the Sande Society among the Mende people, representing ideals of feminine beauty and worn in initiation ceremonies.

Toron

Wooden beams projecting from the walls of adobe structures like the Great Mosque of Djenné, used for scaffolding during repairs.

Scarification

The practice of making patterns on the skin using cuts or scars, often seen in African portraiture to signify status or identity.

Great Mosque of Djenné

A monumental adobe mosque in Mali, significant for its Sudano-Sahelian architecture and community importance.

Oliphant

A carved ivory hunting horn, often associated with African artistry and European trade during the medieval period.