AFRIKDÉCOR: African home decor ideas.

Meaning of West African masks

2010-08-08T10:38:00.007-04:00

Now used as visual art pieces and décor items, African masks have a history as exotic as the masks themselves. Each mask is unique in design, shape, and size. Masks each have their own extremely important ceremonial, political, economic and cultural significance. Within these domains, masks connect the wearer or holder to the spiritual world, providing assistance, gain, or power.

Within the cultural domain, the masks are used in initiation ceremonies, in birth rites, worship and funerary ceremonies. When used strictly in the religious realm, the masks protect against evil spirits and play the role of intermediaries between gods and men.

As a last resort, the masks rule in the country’s disputes and times of war. Its decisions are irrevocable, so, within the socio-political domain, the masks provide guidance to policy makers for the management of the community. Finally, they ensure the safety of villagers by organizing police in the villages, and are responsible for providing news to the community, if necessary.

The masks play a role in the economic domain because they ensure the proper manner of sowing seeds and harvesting. They intervene to appease the wrath of the gods during natural disasters, which disrupt agricultural life and threaten the survival of the community.

During celebrations, festivals, and games the masks provide their assistance to men in masked dance, song, and flight. Within the cultural domain, these areas of intervention correspond directly to the important social functions the masks play. Each function, whether in dance or song, requires the appropriate mask. This hierarchy of functions is called the hierarchy of masks.

The traditions of African masks date back centuries, and so today, historians and art collectors alike seek out unique African masks for their studies and collections. They are a great addition to any space, creating a striking conversation piece, with historical and cultural significance.

African ceremonial masks

2010-07-11T16:23:00.005-04:00

Afrikdecor is happy to announce the arrival of new African ceremonial masks from the Guro ethnicity. These masks are part of our 2010 African crafts collection. For more decor accessories visit www.afrikdecor.com.

African Penholder

2010-06-13T10:20:00.007-04:00

Add an African touch to your desk with this unique handcrafted pen holder. This item is part of our decor items collection from Senegal, West Africa.

African tribunal

2010-05-19T21:35:00.003-04:00

Part of our african crafts collection, this item is used to identify those guilty of committing a crime within a village. When a crime is committed, the villagers are summoned to the village square to identify the guilty person(s). At the village square, a mouse is placed into a hole inside this item with a piece of yam covering the hole.

After reciting the incantations to a spell, the sorcerer calls each villager to face the court. When a villager faces the tribunal, the cover of the box is lifted to see if the piece of yam remains in place. If so, the villager is acquitted, but if the yam has disappeared (taken by the mouse), the villager is found guilty. Origin: Senufo ethnicity, region North of the Ivory Coast.

2010-05-01T14:46:00.004-04:00

Set of African ceremonial masks from Ivory Coast, You can discover our new Collection at afrikdecor.com

Senegales Coasters

2010-04-11T10:08:00.004-04:00

5 Senegalese coasters decorated with glass painting. The paintings represent a man and a woman wearing traditional senegalese clothes. The coasters come with their container.

Traditional African mask

2010-03-21T14:14:00.003-04:00

Traditional Baule african mask from Ivory Coast.

African mask from the Democratic Republic of Congo

2010-03-08T20:55:00.004-05:00

Traditional African mask from the Democratic Republic of Congo. This mask is used during Ritual Ceremonies.

Senegalese Handmade Doll

2010-03-02T20:49:00.004-05:00

Handmade African doll representing an elegant Senegalese woman, she is wearing a traditional blue Bubu (Boubou, wide Senegalese robe) with a headscarf. She has a pearl necklace on her neck. The doll is made of foam and cotton, it has an iron skeleton. This product is from Senegal.
This doll, part of our African decor collection, should only be used as a decorative item.

More Handmade Dolls

African art: AKAN Bench

2010-02-13T15:02:00.007-05:00

Traditional black Akan king's bench. African Art piece from Ivory Coast.

In Africa benches are considered artwork whether they are used as functional object or as an art piece. Some of these benches are used during Ashanti ceremonies, they are decorated in a way that they personify their owner. Some of the ethnicities that use these benches are Baule, Senufo and Lobi. Some benches are sometimes 60 years old.

This item can be used in your living room as a home decor accessory!

More details about this product

African Decor: Old man smoking pipe

2009-11-13T05:57:00.006-05:00

Decorative smoking pipe with old man face, entirely handmade with teak wood and copper. It has a bronze base.
African Decor accessories

African Decor: Teak wood box

2009-11-13T05:48:00.007-05:00

Small box made of teak wood decorated with copper drawings, it could be used to keep your jewelry.
African Decor accessories on Afrikdecor

Baule African mask

2009-11-05T08:23:00.006-05:00

Traditional Baule African mask, the Baule are an ethnicity of Ivory Coast. This mask is used to honor important people during ceremonies (Gbagba, Adjoussou, Adiemble).

African Masks Gallery

Guro african mask

2009-11-05T08:21:00.006-05:00

Traditional Guro African mask, the Guro are an ethnicity of Ivory Coast. This mask protects the community against bad omen.
African Masks on Afrikdecor

African Mask Lo

2009-11-05T08:17:00.006-05:00

Traditional Baule African mask called "Lo", the Baule are an ethnicity of Ivory Coast. This african mask is used during funerals, it symbolizes light overcoming shadows.

African Masks Gallery

Painting from Malang

2009-09-03T21:16:00.010-04:00

Oil painting on canvas from Malang (2009) part of his 2009 Collection. This painting represents a young girl smiling, she is wearing a traditional dress. You can find a set of West African paintings mainly from Senegal at Afrikdecor.com. You will discover famous artist like Kré Mbaye and Mdida (Glass painting) but also new artists like M. Baba Ly.

Painting from M. Baba Ly

2009-09-03T21:11:00.010-04:00

Mahmouth Baba Ly is the future of Senegalese painting. He started painting as an autodidact. His paintings praise the beauty of the Senegalese woman. Baba Ly is truly one young gifted Senegalese painter to discover!
African painting from M. Baba Ly

Painting from Kre

2009-09-03T20:49:00.008-04:00

Amadou (or Armedy) Kre M’Baye is a famous Senegalese artist. M'Baye is known for his abstract style. He uses knifes instead of brushes to create his paintings. He won the following prices: 1987 Prize of the Head of State of Senegal; 1996 City Prize of Dammarie-Les-Lys France; 1999 Awarded L’Ordre National du Lion by Abdou Diouf, President of the Republic of Senegal.
More details on African paintings from Kre!

Ebony statuette

2009-08-08T11:19:00.009-04:00

Unique ebony statuette representing a sitting woman carrying water. This product is from Ivory Coast.
African carvings on Afrikdecor

Bronze sculpture: water carrier

2009-08-08T11:14:00.009-04:00

Unique bronze statuette representing a woman carrying water on her head. This product is from Burkina Faso.
African sculptures

African art: Decorative doll

2009-08-08T11:06:00.007-04:00

Original handmade doll representing a traditional dancer from Northern Ivory Coast. The dancer is wearing a raffia skirt, a pearl collar, and a jute headdress. The doll is made of cotton, resin, foam, and has an iron skeleton. This product is from Ivory Coast.
Details on Zulu dancer doll

African mask "Passeport" : Reverse horn

2009-08-08T10:54:00.011-04:00

Traditional African mask called "Passeport" created in the Ivory Coast. This mask is made of bone dyed with henna, and has an ebony base.
African mask tribal masks
Find more African masks on Afrikdecor.com

African dolls

2009-07-22T12:03:00.004-04:00

Decorative African handmade doll representing a Masai woman wearing a traditional dress.

Bronze sculptures

2009-07-19T21:33:00.009-04:00

Bronze sculpture from Burkina Faso.
To view more bronze sculptures, click on the link below:
African bronze sculpture on Afrikdecor.com

Decorative cushions

2009-07-19T21:22:00.007-04:00

Decorative cushion made with Kasai fabric (a province of the Democratic Republic of Congo). This cushion could be used to decorate your armchair.
For more cushions, click on the link below:
Decorative cushions on Afrikdecor

African tablecloths

2009-07-19T21:15:00.011-04:00

Fine blue tablecloth with dog paw design. The tablecloth is sold with 8 napkins. This item is from Ivory Coast.
To view more tablecloths, click on the link below:
African Tablecloths on Afrikdecor

African mask "Passeport"

2009-07-19T20:56:00.014-04:00

African mask called "Passeport", originally from Ivory Coast. These masks are made of bones. You can leave a comment for this product and all other "Passeport" masks.
For more details and to view all other masks, follow the link below:
African masks