APAH Quiz 03/07/25

1. Bandolier Bag

• Artist: Unknown (likely made by Native American artisans of the Lenape tribe)

• Time Period: Mid-19th century (1850 CE)

• Subject: Decorative bandolier bag, often worn as a symbol of status or used in ceremonial contexts.

• Background: Created during a period of forced relocation for the Lenape tribe, blending traditional craftsmanship with European trade goods (beads, silk ribbons).

• Overall Message: Reflects the resilience and adaptability of Native American culture during times of displacement, as well as a connection to spiritual and cultural identity.

2. Transformation Masks

• Artist: Unknown (Kwakwaka’wakw or other Pacific Northwest Coast Indigenous artists)

• Time Period: Late 19th century (1880s-1900s), Traditional Indigenous Art

• Subject: Masks used in potlatch ceremonies; the masks often represent beings like the Thunderbird, Raven, or supernatural figures.

• Background: Potlatches were ceremonial feasts that included dancing, storytelling, and the use of masks, later banned by Canadian law. The masks symbolize transformation, spiritual beliefs, and ancestral connections.

• Overall Message: Represents spiritual transformation and the supernatural, emphasizing the Kwakwaka’wakw's connection to ancestral spirits and the natural world.

3. The Painted Elk Hide

• Artist: Attributed to Cotsiogo (Cadzi Cody)

• Time Period: Late 19th to early 20th century (post-1870), Traditional Native American ceremonial art

• Subject: Depicts the Sun Dance, a sacred religious ceremony among Plains Indian tribes.

• Background: Created during a time when Native American religious practices were outlawed, this artwork was used as a way to preserve and transmit sacred traditions.

• Overall Message: Symbolizes the spiritual connection to nature, ancestors, and the divine, while also serving as a tool for cultural survival.

4. Ndop

• Artist: Unknown (likely a Kuba artist)

• Time Period: 1760–1780 CE, African royal portraiture

• Subject: A wooden sculpture of a Kuba king, a royal portrait.

• Background: Commissioned by the Kuba Kingdom in Central Africa, these portraits were created to immortalize kings and celebrate their power, wisdom, and spiritual connection.

• Overall Message: Emphasizes the king's role as a spiritual and political leader, symbolizing power, authority, and the divine nature of kingship.

5. Power Figure (Nkisi Nkondi)

• Artist: Unknown (likely a Congo artist)

• Time Period: Late 19th to early 20th century, African Spiritual Art

• Subject: A carved wooden figure, often associated with healing, protection, or punishment, with nails and other objects embedded in it.

• Background: Nkisi Nkondi figures were used in rituals to call upon spirits for healing, protection, or to punish wrongdoers.

• Overall Message: Represents spiritual power, justice, and protection; it serves as a mediator between the human and spirit worlds.

6. Female Pwo Mask

• Artist: Unknown (Chokwe artists from Central Africa)

• Time Period: 19th to 20th century

• Subject: A mask representing the female ancestral spirit, typically worn by men during initiation ceremonies.

• Background: The mask is used during ceremonies marking the initiation of young men into adulthood, embodying the ideal qualities of womanhood and fertility.

• Overall Message: Symbolizes fertility, female beauty, and the spiritual power of women within Chokwe society.

7. Lukasa Memory Board

• Artist: Unknown (Luba people from Central Africa)

• Time Period: 19th century

• Subject: A carved wooden memory board, with beads and other materials to represent historical events, people, or places.

• Background: Used by Luba historians and diviners to recall important events and pass down oral histories and traditions.

• Overall Message: Serves as a physical manifestation of memory, knowledge, and the preservation of history through a visual language.

8. Ikenga

• Artist: Unknown (Sande Society artists of West Africa)

• Time Period: 19th to 20th century

• Subject: A mask representing a female spirit, used by the Sande Society in initiation rituals for young women.

• Background: The mask is used during initiation ceremonies to prepare young women for adulthood, teaching them values like modesty and social responsibility.

• Overall Message: Represents ideal femininity, wisdom, and the spiritual power associated with womanhood in Sande Society.

9. Bundu

• Artist: Unknown, Mende peoples

• Time Period: 19th century

• Subject: A wooden mask worn by women in initiation rituals, featuring an idealized female face and a large headdress.

• Overall Message: The Bundu mask symbolizes feminine beauty, social status, and the role of women in society. It represents the ideal qualities of a mature woman, emphasizing grace, fertility, and wisdom in the Mende culture.