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In
the writings of Hampate Ba, one of the most profound philosophers of Mali, we have learned
"weavers, sculptors, potters and smiths were members of exclusive societies in which
the masters, assisted by their servants, taught the apprentices the sacred craft. Rather
than derive money...they devoted themselves to the sacred craft in order to please the
gods and the spirits of the ancestors" (Meauze 1968 p. 12). Craftsmen were classed
according to their crafts and were considered to be capable of neutralizing or unleashing
the forces of nature to punish or reward (Ibid. p.12). Today, carving,
smithing, pottery
making, weaving--and pyrography (wood burning gourds), a more recent craft of the
Bamana--
are all seen as ways to supplement a family’s income.
In much of Africa, the concept of
"artist", as we know it in our Western cultures, is unknown. The artists did not
consciously set out to make a work of art. They considered the piece a success if it
fulfilled the task, as task that was primarily functional--economic, magical or religious
(Wassing 1968, p.6). The artist is one from the community who happens to better at
woodcarving or better at weaving or making weapons that another. They may even receive
commissions from neighboring villages. The artists’ names were originally known, but
without writing, their names were soon forgotten and they are only remembered by their
work. In many cases, the owner or others may have known the name of the sculptor. Early
collectors failed to ask, labeling the work simply by the culture from where it was
obtained (It is also important to note that many pieces were collected far from where they
originated). Likewise, there is no single word for "art" in the African
languages; there are actually a number of such words for things that are beautiful or
things that are made. The Bamana of Mali use words for sculpture: mafile fenw, laje
fenw, meaning "things to look at" (Blier in Africa 1996, p. 31).
Click
here for Internet Links on African Art
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