To the Western world masks are the most commonly known art form of Africa. They can be admired for their aesthetic beauty and craftsmanship. Although the artistry of the African masks is evident, for the people who create them, they have a meaning much deeper than surface beauty. African masks are used to make a connection between the human and the spirit worlds, to express ideas, and to reinforce social controls and religious beliefs. Masks are used at funerals, initiation ceremonies, reenactments of legends, and to ask a spirit's blessing for the wealth and protection of an individual, family or community. Some of the spirits these masks evoke are represented in masks depicting women, royalty and animals.
In this investigation, I will be presenting examples of African masks from two different societies of people, the Igbo and the Kuba. I have provided background information in order to place the chosen masks within each culture group and time period. Throughout the information given over the next few pages, I intend to summarize the main aspects of the masks, as well as present both the similarities and differences in the masks of the Igbo and Kuba people. .
There are eight million or so Igbo who occupy the forest and marshland in Nigeria. They are a large but widely spread population extending to both sides of the Niger River. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries many were forced into slavery and formed a large amount of the slave trade to parts of the New World. In the nineteenth century they accepted the name "Igbo" from the Yoruba people, which means "people of the bush." The lack of overall centralization among the Igbo-speaking peoples has contributed to the development of a great variety of art styles and cultural practices.
The Igbo managed to retain their language, social organization and beliefs throughout time. The Igbo are a profoundly religious people who believe in a benevolent creator, usually known as Chukwu, who created the visible universe.