ARTH275 ARTS OF AFRICA UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND FALL 2011 PROFESSOR REN E ATER TERMINOLOGY FOR ASSOCIATIONS SOCIETIES AND MASQUERADES UPDATED AND POSTED OCTOBER 29 2011 CULTURAL GROUPS AND COUNTRIES Bamana Mali Dogon Mali Senufo C te d Ivoire Mali Burkina Faso Bwa Burkina Faso Mende Sierra Leone Guro C te d Ivoire Baule C te d Ivoire TERMINOLOGY accretion the addition or accumulation of materials to the surface of an object layers of materials add meaning and power age grade associations groups of men and sometimes women with the same social age who share experiences such as initiations or military service age group the organization of young men and women into groups by age for initiation purposes altar any structure upon which sacrifices or other offerings are offered for religious purposes or some other sacred place where ceremonies take place Altars are usually found in shrines temples and other sacred places anthropomorphism attribution of human motivation characteristics or behavior to inanimate objects animals or natural phenomena aphonic of or having loss of voice apotropaic capable of warding off evil assemblage three dimensional composition made of various materials including but not limited to wood cloth meta and shells beds blacksmiths iron workers usually male They are members of an endogamous group and may be the sculptors and ritual specialists of their communities circumcision the surgical removal of the foreskin of the penis ARTH275 Terminology for Associations Societies and Masquerades page 2 conceptual the formulation of ideas cosmology the study of the physical universe considered as a totality of phenomena in time and space ensemble massing of several elements each often a work of art in its own right but depending for their rich dazzling impact on their assemblage escarpment a steep slope or cliff excision clitoridectomy partial or complete removal of the clitoris prepuce or labia of a girl or young woman initiation a ceremony ritual or test or period of instruction with which a new member is admitted to a secret association or age group organization liminal ity the state of being in between in ritual contexts masquerade use of masks costumes headdresses and body paint in a performance that includes dance singing and music occult supernatural practices and techniques polychrome related to made with or decorated in several colors Often used to describe sculpture and architectural decoration power associations institutions that function as regulators and protectors of the community and as intermediaries between the temporal and spiritual worlds primordial fundamental original raffia an African palm tree having large leaves leaf fibers of this plant are used for mats baskets cloth and other products ritual a ceremonial act or rite shrine a sacred place that holds a collection of objects representing a deity or deities a specially constructed sites of ritual objects and activity wilderness distinction between the civilized world of the village town or camp and the wilderness which is associated with a variety of powerful and dangerous spirits zoomorphic of animal for or character used to describe masquerades and other art forms depicting animal like characteristics ARTH275 Terminology for Associations Societies and Masquerades page 3 Bamana associations Gwan Jo Ntomo Kor K m K n Ci wara Bamana Jow generic term for Bamana power initiation and religious associations Bamana nyama energy sacred power potential power described as energy or action energy released by any act whether positive of negative Bamana boli portable altar Bamana basi medicine Bamana nyamakala Bamana artisans known as handlers of nyama Bamana bogolafini or bogolan mud dyed cloth used in femaile initiation Bamana nomo primodial prehuman ancestor and master of water Dogon hogon priest Dogon Awa men s association of the Dogon in which all men were initiated Dogon dama collective funerary rite Dogon Poro society men s association of the Senufo principal framework through which Senufo men learn and practice their social political and spiritual roles in society Senufo sinzanga Poro society s sacred grove Senufo d bl rhythm pounder Senufo five primordial creatures chameleon tortoise serpent crocodile hornbill Senufo Do religious organization that is a major unifying force in Bwa life also an anthropomorphic being incarnated as a grass mask Bwa Sande society female society into which all Mende girls are traditionally initiated at puberty Mende sande the medicine of the Sande society Mende Sowei title of the highest rank of Sande society officials Mende sowei name of the Sande society mask Mende ndoli jowei usual term for the Sande masker literally meaning dancing Sowei Mende dye sacred ensemble of animal and human faced masks performed as a group Found among the western and southern Guro ARTH275 Terminology for Associations Societies and Masquerades page 4 gye large powerful ritual helmet mask with animal features Found among the northern Guro yo ritual objects Guro zamble gu and zauli sacred triad of masks family that are performed together and considered to be yo Face masks combine animal and human features Found among the northern Guro bo usu bush spirit figures klo village Baule blo wilderness the bush Baule blolo world beyond and all its invisible powers the place one comes from before birth and returns to after death Baule blolo bian husband of the other world often localized in a carved figure Baule blolo bla wife of the other world often localized in a carved figure Baule