specific 2 Flashcards
1
Q
The histories of Europe and Africa were intertwined
since
A
the first exploratory contact in the fifteenth
century
2
Q
leo africanus
A
Between c.1509 and c.1517, the Spaniard Leo Africanus
visited Western Africa more than once, describing
his journeys in A Geographical History of Africa. described a rich, thriving culture
3
Q
The
greatest number of African slaves exported from the continent
during this period came from __,
where trade relations were most developed.
A
western africa
4
Q
The colonization of Africa took its fullest
form following
A
the Berlin Conference of 1884-85
5
Q
It
was at the berlin conference that the major European nations
A
divided Africa into regions allocated for European
control – “scramble for africa”
6
Q
The Kongo are a Bantu people who speak the
common language of
A
kikongo
7
Q
Today, Kongo peoples
live in an area spanning
A
the western coast of
Africa, from Pointe-Noire in the Republic of Congo,
south to Luanda in Angola.
8
Q
Kongo societies were organized into a
number of kingdoms, including (5)
A
the Kongo, Kakongo,
Ngoyo, Loango, and Vungu.
9
Q
The __ was the dominant Kongolese
group in the region.
A
Kingdom of Kongo
10
Q
what did the kingdom of kongo trade
A
slaves, ivory, and textiles.
11
Q
Through its diplomatic
relationship with the __, who arrived in
the __, Kongo became a largely
__ kingdom
A
portuguese
late 15th century
christian
12
Q
The kongo kingdom reached the
height of its power in the __ and __
centuries and then began to weaken throughout
the __ century
A
16th and 17th;
18th
13
Q
why’d the kongo kingdom weaken
A
during a period of civil war
when multiple members of the royal family vied for
control of the throne.
14
Q
late 19th century – which european countries controlled which parts of congo basin?
A
france – northern areas (republic of congo)
portuguese – south (angola)
belgium – central (Democratic Republic of Congo)
15
Q
the kongo people lived where?
A
congo basin
16
Q
describe belgian rule of Congo
A
King
Leopold II initiated Belgian rule in the form of the
Congo Free State in 1885. Some of the worst horrors
of colonialism were enacted in Congo during this period, including extreme violence against the native
population and massive environmental exploitation
and degradation in support of the trade in ivory and
rubber. The Belgians also removed much of the art
and cultural production of the country.
17
Q
beginnign and end of belgian rule
A
begin: 1908, with the
establishment of the Belgian Congo
end: 1960 when Congo was
declared an independent state
18
Q
Perhaps the most significant spiritual objects
in Kongo culture are the
A
minkisi (singular nkisi).
19
Q
describe minkisi funcgtion
A
They are composed in order to relieve and
benefit people, and also to make a profit.
They are composed to visit consequences
upon thieves, witches, those who steal by
sorcery, and those who harbor witchcraft
powers. Also to oppress people. These are
the properties of minkisi, to cause sickness
in a man, and also to remove it
20
Q
minkisi (nkisi)
A
sculptural forms that serve as receptacles to house
spirits
21
Q
Minkisi are created and maintained by
A
banganga
22
Q
banganga
A
spiritual leaders in Kongo culture who serve as healers
and mediums to connect this world with that of
the ancestors
23
Q
what do the kongo peoples believe about the minkisi objects?
A
The Kongo peoples believe that the
sprits of the dead are housed in the minkisi objects
and that these spirits can be called upon to heal disease
and provide protection or to inflict pain and
suffering on an enem
24
Q
Minkisi generally take the
form of
A
a vessel, such as a gourd, ceramic container,
or wrapped bundle.
25
minkisi are filled w/
wide variety of materials-bilongo or "medicine" -
| including animal parts, dirt, and fruit.
26
nkondi
a specific type of minkisi that are particularly
| aggressive in nature
27
nkondi are constructed
in a number of different forms, though the __, such as the example we will examine
here, is most frequently seen
human
| figure type
28
Nkondi are typically used in
rituals intended to
| discover and punish criminals
29
One calls upon the
| nkondi to
avenge a wrong
30
after calling upon the nkondi, the supplicant
then affirms this appeal by driving
| a metal nail or scrap into the sculpture
31
the practice of affirming a request to the nkondi by driving a metal piece into the sculpture tells us that
The
more bristling with metal fragments a nkondi is, the
more it has been in use and thus the more powerful
its magic.
32
who holds the Nail Figure?
Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA)
33
the nail figure depicts a variety
| of roles in one:
-chief, doctor, priest, and judge
34
the predominance of __ over _ in the Nail figure indicates
| its use primarily in __
blades over nails;
| civil matters
35
the nkondi is an abstracted representation
| of __
socially unacceptable behavior, as well as a physical
demonstration of a community's efforts to right
such wrongs
36
One of the most significant details of this nkondi
| figure is the
large swelling at its belly, which has
| a large cowrie shell embedded within it
37
the nkondi's belly serves as
the receptacle for the nkondi's medicine,
| the element that gives it its power
38
Reliquary objects
containers that hold relics of the dead
39
The bones and other relics of important
| relatives were collected b/c
they were believed to be imbued
with the powers that those extraordinary
people had during their lives, powers that
could be drawn upon to help the living
40
a ___ surmounts the reliquary vessel, typically carved in __ but also possibly fashioned in __
scculpted head form; wood, metal
41
reliquary vessels: the heads are not
intended to be __, but rather
are __
portraits of the deceased; protectors of the relic materials inside
42
2 primary functions of reliquaries
1) consultation
with the dead, particularly prior to undertaking
any significant event.
2) initiation rituals. With such ceremonies, youth
are brought into full adulthood and introduced to
the ancestors and culture of their community.
43
reliquary rituals
| were intended to elicit
commmunication w/ the dead
44
The Fang people of Gabon live primarily in the
rainforests of southern Cameroon and northern Gabon
45
the fang of gabon are one of twenty clans that make up the
| __ ethnic group
Beti-Pahuin
46
In terms of artistic production, the Fang are particularly
| known for their
reliquary statuary
47
Bieri
Fang people's ancestor cult
48
the great bieri is the [ MOST ] what ??
largest known Fang head of its kind
49
described materials used in the great bieri
It
| is carved in wood polished liberally with palm oil.
50
what has the palm oil done for the great bieri?
The oil has not only preserved the sculpture, it has
| given it the rich, black, burnished surface we see today.
51
what color is the wood used in the great bieri?
red brown
52
ekuma
a wig-like headdress worn by Fang warriors in
| the nineteenth century
53
great bieri -- the long, cylindrical neck would have originally connected the head
to
a bark box containing the skulls of at least nine
| generations of the family lineage
54
nsek-bieri
portable
ancestral shrine containing the skulls of at least nine
generations of the family lineage
55
a nsek-bieri allowed the fang to
retain and protect their ancestors during
| the clan's primarily migratory period
56
trace the ownership of the great bieri
1. Chilean poet Vicente Huidobro
2. French art dealer Paul Guillaume
3. British sculptor Jacob Epstein
4. Robert Goldwater purchased for Museum of Primitive Art in New York
5. transferred to Metropolitan Museum
of Art
57
Almost
all African societies use __, making it a major
unifying force across the continent
masks
58
In its most basic form, a mask is
an object to cover
| the head or face
59
masks
also present a great deal of variety and creativity
within these established norms. They tend to emphasize
simplification, distortion and exaggeration
| in their detail
60
masks are meant to __, rather than a __ rendering
capture the spirit
| of a character,; naturalistic
61
It is possible that masking activity began with
the use of animal skins and heads, "first to embody,
and then to deceive, sought-after prey and/or to placate
their spirits
62
about masks -- Many of these african myths offer the idea that
women were the first to know the secrets of masks
and to perform masquerade. This power was later
taken from women, and today most masquerade is
performed by men.
63
Masquerade is performed for a variety of reasons,
though in general this activity is consistent with the
nkondi and reliquary examples previously discussed
in that the goal is to
build bridges between the world
| of the living and the world of the spirits.
64
how does masquerade connect the living and spiritual realms?
materialize spirits by impersonating them
so that these spirits may act upon the human realm
and, equally, so that people may respond to-thank,
placate, entertain-the forces upon which life depends
65
The Chokwe were originally one of the clans of
| the
lunda empire
66
The Chokwe nation was established
| in Angola at the end of the
16th century
67
who established the chokwe nation
a disinherited son of a Lunda king (although
it remained under the control of the Lunda until
the end of nineteenth century)
68
Politically, the Chokwe are organized into
small,
| decentralized, relatively autonomous chiefdoms
69
__ is very important in Chokwe
| society, with __ organized into __
hunters, hunters;
a professional
hunting society that is supported by significant
aspects of Chokwe religious practice
70
what type of society is the chokwe
matrilineal
71
Pwo
a mask category that celebrates founding female
| ancestors of the Chokwe culture
72
Indeed, Pwo "is said to
reincarnate the
feminine ancestors of the Chokwe and to encourage
fertility."
73
Pwo is typically performed with
Cihongo,
| her male counterpart who represents wealth.
74
the pwo + cihongo's performance does what?
brings fecundity and
| prosperity to the community
75
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the pwo mask is __, which suggests __
is the linear detail inscribed across its surface. Such
detail typically indicates tattoo or scarification decorations
of the face
76
pwo mask -- The markings on
| the cheeks are understood to suggest
tears falling
down the mask's face-a detail that relates to one of
Pwo's key ritual functions.
77
pwo mask -- The pattern on the forehead has
| been described as
a cosmogram
78
Much Chokwe masquerade relates to
initiation
rituals-celebrations that mark the transition from
childhood to adulthood.
79
why is the tear motif present on the pwo mask?
intiation rituals --> marks the dissolution of the bonds of intimacy between
mothers and their sons. The pride and sorrow
that event represents for Chokwe women is alluded
to by the tear motif
80
The figure of the king is centrally important in
most African cultural groups.
The king serves a
variety of roles,
frequently acting not only as the
political leader, but also as the supreme spiritual
figure. In fact, the king is often understood to be divine.
81
images
| and objects related to the king often emphasize his
head and hand
82
2 common images connected w/ king
elephant and leopard
83
why's the leopard treated as the main symbol of chieftainship?
it embodies qualities such as courage,
strength, ferocity and cunning which are considered
appropriate for chiefs
84
why is common animal
| image connected to the king is the elephant?
the elephant head implies a reference to extraordinary
powers ( deriving from the colossal might of
the animal), as befits a king
85
why do images epmahsize the king's head and hand?
the hand, in a ritual
context, signifies a man's power to do things, i.e.,
his own ability to achieve success in material and
practical things," while the head is a symbol of good
fortune
86
Kingship in Africa is marked by
the use of specific
| material objects
87
Particular precious materials may
| be associated with the king, such as
gold and ivory
| or specific types of beads.
88
the first
objects from Black Africa to reach European collections
were
ivories brought from West Africa to
| Portugal in the last years of the fifteenth century
89
define Ivory
a hard, white material harvested from the
| teeth and tusks of animals
90
what did the portuguese nickname ivory
"white gold"
91
Today the Yombe live in
the northwestern tip of
the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in the
Republic of the Congo
92
the yombe cultural group is am amalgamation of
various clans who migrated to the
| region from 15th - 17th centuries
93
Today the Yombe are organized into
| __ major clans
nine
94
yombe -- clan chiefs are elected by the clan in recognition
| of
their social status and wealth as well as their
| oratory skills
95
yombe -- role of clan chiefs
Clan chiefs wield primary religious
power and also act as the highest judges within the
community
96
describe Finial of a Royal Scepter:
It is an ornamental flourish decorating the end
of a staff that would have been held by the Yombe
king
97
The finial depicts
| a figure -- describe
seated with crossed legs. In one hand
he holds a horn or short scepter, and in the other an
object which he raises to his mouth. probably the king
98
how does the finial depict a key aspect of
| Yombe spiritual practice?
In order to connect with the spirit world,
the· king would chew on a hallucinogenic root in ritual.
the top portion is hollowed out and would have served
as a receptacle for the plant consumed by the chief.
99
The peoples of the Cameroon Grasslands include
| three smaller subgroups
Bamilike, Barnum,
| and Bamenda Tikar
100
ppls of cameroon grasslands all arrived from the __ during
| the period of the Bantu migration
north
101
according to cameroon grasslands ppl, The
| spirits of ancestors are held in
the preserved
skulls of the deceased, which are venerated and
maintained over time.
102
The Cameroon Grasslands
people rely primarily on __ (2),
with __ functioning as a relatively peripheral
activity
farming and animal husbandry;
| hunting
103
Traditionally, each Cameroon Grasslands village
paid allegiance to a single chief, known as the
| Fon
104
As the spiritual
| leader, the Fon served as
the main performer in ceremonies
and rituals. He also oversaw the group's secret
societies.
105
how was the Fon selected
He was typically the head of one of the
dominant families in the village and was selected by
his predecessor, in consultation with a. council of elders.
106
quote about the Fon
The Fon was "the sacred representative of the
founding dynasty of his kingdom, the traditional
political leader of his people, and the ideal embodiment
of traditions and values.'
107
__ was a central
| illustration of the Fan's status
palace architecture
108
summaarize european control of cameroon
1. germans in 1902
2. british ruled Western
Cameroon under the League of Nations after
World War I
3. After World War II, the region became
a United Nations Trust Territory (still under the
administration of the British)
4. in 1961,
it joined with independent Republic of Cameroon
(formerly French-administered Eastern Cameroon)
to become the Federal Republic of Cameroon
109
While contemporary palaces, such as
the example we will study in depth here, are constructed
in very different ways, using modern materials
and often representing westernized styles,
traditional palaces
were built as a grouping of raffia
| pole buildings.
110
historically, cameroon palaces had a clearly marked
entrance
| building with a large, public audience hall.
111
movement through cameroon palaces was very controlled --
only high ranking individuals were allowed further
| into the building and past the main hall space.
112
Deep in its interior the cameroon palace contained a
royal grave shrine, dedicated to the king's ancestral
| line
113
__ was charged with the day to day running of
| the palace
The queen mother, or the Fon's first or favorite
| wife
114
The cameroon palace would have been bordered
| by
a large open square, where the king's subjects
| would gather for markets and religious gatherings.
115
Many of the traditional palaces fell into disrepair
| over time. why?
Made from highly flammable materials,
| they often caught fire and burned to the ground.
116
Most contemporary palaces have succumbed
| to the pragmatic benefits of
mud
| brick and metal room constructions.
117
The Royal Palace of Foumban is located in
in the
| capital city of Bafoussam in the Republic of Carneroon.
118
Royal Palace of Foumban: Today, the palace is the home of
the nineteenth
ruler of the Bamun dynasty, a king whose line extends
back to the fourteenth century.
119
The original Bamun palace complex
| was destroyed when?
end of 1910
120
Royal Palace of Foumban: the original building had an __ plan
irregular trapezoid ground plan
121
Royal Palace of Foumban: the original building was made up of a series of __, the basic unit of which was ___
```
domed, thatched
roof structures,;
a square
room with a domed roof and walls plastered with
clay
```
122
Royal Palace of Foumban: the original building housed __ people
3,000
people, including the king's 1,200 wives and 350
children.
123
Royal Palace of Foumban: the current building looks a bit like
a medieval
| chateau with vaguely Islamic flourishes
124
We will consider Western Africa to include present-day
Senegal, Guinea, Cote D'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo,
| Benin, Nigeria, and Cameroon
125
In terms of its geography,
| western africa geography region is characterized primarily by
low plains
126
western africa is bordered by ___, while the northern region is a ___
the Atlantic Ocean to
the west and south,
semi-arid transitional zone to the Sahara Desert
127
The peoples of Western Africa, unlike the other areas
| we have studied, are not
predominantly Bantu-speaking
128
3 cultures in western africa
asante, ife, kingdom of benin
129
Several
Western African communities fought valiantly to
maintain their independence in the face of European
incursions, but in the end, all but __ would fall
Liberia (with its
| strong historical ties to the United States)
130
Much of our understanding of Nok culture is necessarily
| speculative b/c
As with several of the ancient
societies we have already examined, the Nok left no
written or oral histories
131
While __ and __
maintained minor strongholds in West Africa, it was
__, and to a lesser degree __, that dominated
the region during the colonial era.
While Portugal and Germany
maintained minor strongholds in West Africa, it was
France, and to a lesser degree England, that dominated
the region during the colonial era.
132
The initial discovery of significant Nok sites occurred
in the 1880s, during the advent of __ in __. For many years prior, British employees of
the __ had been purchasing __ at __
The initial discovery of significant Nok sites occurred
in the 1880s, during the advent of major tin
mining operations in the lowlands south of the Jos
plateau.
For many years prior, British employees of
the Royal Niger Company had been purchasing ingots
of tin at various trading centers in the Benue
Valley.
133
The first intact nok sculpture was discovered in
__ byC__. Young
found a small __ head
The first intact sculpture was discovered in
1928 byColonelJ. Dent Young, co-owner of one of the
mining partnerships established in the area. Young
found a small terracotta head
134
Fagg was central in establishing an
"__" in the area, set aside by the
L__ in 1947. In 1952, he established
a __ in __ focused on __
He was central in establishing an
"archeological reserve" in the area, set aside by the
Lieutenant-Governor's office in 1947. In 1952, he established
a national museum in Jos focused on Nok
material
135
the __
appears to be the cradle of the first important tradition
of figurative sculpture of sub-Saharan Africa
the Republic of Nigeria
appears to be the cradle of the first important tradition
of figurative sculpture of sub-Saharan Africa
136
Nok terracotta figurative statuary was created between
| approximately __
1000 BCE and 1000 CE
137
nok terracotta works are generaly __, except for __
generally hollow,
| except for some miniature pendant examples.
