Improving African Futures Using Lessons from the Past

Two men in masquerade attire, Bongase, 1967


Description:
Two Ligbi men from Bongase appear in masquerade regalia during a visit to Bongase by René A. Bravmann, then a doctoral student at Indiana University studying African art history. They wear carved wooden "Mbong" (baboon in Ligbi) masks decorated with ochre and white paint, representing a male and female animal. Their heads and shoulders are draped in scarves. They stand in front of a house with a thatched roof and a raffia shade. Scholars refer to this masking tradition as "Do," while locally it is termed "Bedu." For additional details, see Bravmann, René A. (1974) "Islam and Tribal Art in West Africa" (Cambridge University Press), pp. 147-177. A performance of Mbong at a Banda Heritage Event in June 2019 can be viewed through a link below. Bongase, December, 1967.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Relation:
https://exhibits.library.uvic.ca/spotlight/iaff/catalog/17-17335 ; https://exhibits.library.uvic.ca/spotlight/iaff/catalog/17-17139 ; https://exhibits.library.uvic.ca/spotlight/iaff/catalog/17-17332 ; https://exhibits.library.uvic.ca/spotlight/iaff/catalog/17-19216
Location(s) Facet:
Bongase
Subjects:
Bedu; Do; Baboon
Subjects Facet:
Regalia; Masks; Ligbi language; Textiles; Masquerades; Clothing; Wood carvings
Creator:
Dr. René A. Bravmann
Contributors:
Dr. René A. Bravmann
Date searchable:
1967
Date searchable:
1967-12
Genre:
35 mm slide
Genre Facet:
35 mm slide
Format:
Image
Location(s):
Bongase;8.238039, -2.276274
Date Digitized:
2019-09-24
People Facet:
Dr. René A. Bravmann
Commentary:
Slide scanned by Ann B. Stahl
Geographic Coordinates:
8.238039, -2.276274