African Art Vocabulary

A natural building material made from clay, water, and straw, dried into blocks.

Aka

A term used to describe a group of people from the Central African Republic, known for their rich artistic traditions, particularly in sculpture and mask-making.

Bieri

A ceremonial guardian figure used by the Fang people of Gabon, often placed on a shrine to symbolize protection and ancestral connection.

Bundu

A female initiation mask from the Mende people of Sierra Leone, symbolizing beauty and the transition to womanhood.

Ikenga

A carved figure representing personal strength and success, often associated with the Igbo people of Nigeria.

Lukasa

A memory board used by the Luba people of the Democratic Republic of Congo, featuring beads and carvings to convey historical and cultural knowledge.

Mblo

A type of mask from the Baule people of Ivory Coast, representing individual beauty and character, often used in ceremonies.

Ndop

A royal portrait figure from the Kuba people of the Democratic Republic of Congo, symbolizing the power and authority of the king.

Nkisi n’kondi

A type of power figure from the Kongo people, used in spiritual practices to invoke and contain spirits for protection or healing.

Pwo

A female mask from the Chokwe people of Angola, representing ideal feminine beauty and used in initiation ceremonies.

Scarification

A traditional practice involving the intentional creation of scars on the skin, often used in various African cultures for aesthetic, social, or spiritual purposes.

Torons

Horizontal beams protruding from mud walls in Hausa architecture, often serving both structural and decorative purposes.