Faithfully recreated by award-winning artist Richard W. Jones, this critically acclaimed collection of 38 authentic reproductions of ancient masks, murals, and sculptures documents 3,500 years of African tribal art and traditions.
Celebrating the tradition of ritual and ceremony for more than 3,500 years, the mask is a sacred and revered object, honored and beloved in addition to being a feared and dangerous entity. For the people of Africa, tribal masks and sculpture represent the invisible force assigned to it, which may be the spirit of a wise ancestor, a tutelary deity or any embodiment of supernatural power from the animal kingdom. Whoever wears a mask combines and unites their strength to the spirit associated with it, enhancing value and heightening power, creating a mystical empyreal bond between the past and present, the sacred living and the honored dead.
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Bete Mask, Dan-Ngere Tribe, Liberia
Serving as a totem, this Bete mask is a spirit being. It is a sacred object that serves as the emblem or crest of a group of people, such as a family, clan, lineage, or tribe. The African totem is often carved from ebony or other hard woods, designed with graceful lines and showing a highly polished surface. Worn in preparation of war or tribal conflict, the spirit mask is offered as powerful magical protection against death or severe injury by instilling fear, insecurity and terror in tyrannical enemies. The Bete totem spirit will be used to preside over victory ceremonies when peace is restored and disheartened spirits have been appeased.
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Ngere Tribal Mask,
Congo
A sub group of the Dan tribal complex, the Ngere, created spirit masks from wood with naturally sculpted generic facial features to act as intermediaries for the transmission of petitions or offerings of respect to the gods. Ancestral spirits demand the creation of ceremonial masks in their honor by appearing in vivid dreams and visions in the minds of the living. Believing that spirits of the dead dwell in nature, the individual donning the mask becomes an emissary bestowing fertility upon those who witness the dance or peacefully resolving a difficult situation for all concerned within the tribal community. The mask and the entranced individual transmit spiritual power in ritual ceremony.
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Makonde Tribal Mask,
Tanzania
The Makonde of East Africa live in a vast wilderness containing the Serengeti and Kilimanjaro National Parks which are populated by great apes, elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino. Upon colonization by the Portuguese, the Makonde tribal masks became very popular in Europe. Decorated with buffalo hair and carved from wood, this mask was used by tribal members long before contact with Catholic missionaries in the nineteenth century. Worn to invite and provoke deceased ancestral spirits to share in coming-of-age rituals and joyful festivities, the mask furnishes a bond between the ancestors and nature.
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Bwani Tribal Mask,
Zaire
Living near the lush African Great Lake, Tanganyika, spreading out “like a plain,” the Bwani, a warlike society of the Lega tribe, in ancient days, fiercely divided and conquered tribes who shared the region. Their culture was assimilated and continues to influence the population of today.
Bwani society is patrilineal, stratified in accordance with lineage hierarchies and political power. The leader of the lineage inherits his position to pass on secrets and traditions, ritual activities and oral histories associated with the masks, including dances, songs and care of sacred objects. Initiates must immerse themselves in this knowledge in order to gain prominence in a society whose concerns includes administering to the dead.
Simple in design with a single connecting brow, bean-sized eyes and raffia beard, this wooden mask with a smooth surface arouses an ancestral spirit to participate in an impending decision pivotal for the well-being of the clan.
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MoAW's mission is to educate a diverse audience about the history of ancient civilizations and prehistoric life using fossils and artifacts from a variety of cultures and time periods.
MoAW is a 501(c)(3)
Tax-Exempt Organization
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Next Week:
Something Special For
Tut's 98th Birthday
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Help MoAW reopen during the pandemic.
With rising rates of infection, Riverside County moved back to the purple tier. Help MoAW and other Riverside County businesses reopen. The more people who get tested, the better for state-wide statistics.
Riverside County offers free testing at several sites, call Riverside County Health to schedule your test,
1-888-634-1123
Thank You
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Members Perks
So many reasons to join MoAW, you help keep the museum open, allow us to acquire new artifacts, plan and present programs including the Second Friday Fantasy, and help local students learn about ancient civilizations and human origins.
For all that you do to help us we thank you in many ways:
- Unlimited free admission for one year
- Free Guest Passes (see Membership levels for details)
- Invitations to Members-Only exhibition receptions and programs
- Priority registration and discounts on programs and special events
- Special rental rates for hosting events (see membership levels for details)
- Copies of exhibition catalogs (see Membership levels for details)
- Unique travel opportunities through the Museum Travel Alliance
During the initial phase of "The Pause" we offered new members two extra months with membership. While we are back in "The Pause" we are offering this again. Current memberships will be extended by the amount of time we are closed and new members, 14 months of membership will start when we reopen. Click below for more information and to join.
Thank you.
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TUTANKHAMUN:
"Wonderful Things"
Treasures From The Pharaoh's Tomb
(124 Egyptian replicas)
On view at the
Museum of Ancient Wonders
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MESOZOICA:
The Age of Dinosaurs
(Approximately 100 dinosaur elements and fully-mounted skeletons from around the world.) On view at the
Museum of Ancient Wonders
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LUCY:
The Story of Human Origins
On view exclusively at the
Museum of Ancient Wonders
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