Blog 7/African Diaspora Art

The complexity and diversity of the many various identities and ethnicities contained in the Diaspora are clearly evident in the artwork. Beautiful hand crafted sculptures, drums, clay pots, etc have been discovered, stolen, or bought by and sold by westerners.  Many of the artworks that have been displayed throughout museums around the world have been given different meanings by those who have collected them.  In sub-saharan Africa and West Africa these works that were found were a way of life. Markings on the Egyptian walls were used as communication tools between each other.  Clay pots were made to transport water from the waterways to have water to bathe and drink. The statues represented Gods of different things that were worshiped such as fertility, rites of passage, etc. Most of them were used by the Dogon culture in particular when performing animal sacrifices. In their culture, sacrificing animals was their way of getting protection from the Gods. Once Islamic views began taking over, the displaying of the statues was forbidden. According to the documentary, having statues with "human likeness goes against muslim religion."

    I feel as though throughout history people of color have had most of their lives stripped from them. Holding on to traditions I feel empowers us and gives us a sense of who we are and where we have come from. When I go somewhere like a museum and see the slave displays or the ancient statues, it gives me the urge to find out more. In the documentary, they discuss how the statues have to be hidden away in the villages because they now practice muslim culture which frowns upon the Dogon statues. Most of the men in the villages were blacksmiths so sculpting and carving was pretty much all they do. Now its more so about doing it for profit than it was religion. The problem with carving for profit is that once bought and sold and bought to America, the pieces actually lose their meaning. Chapter 16.
     In order to maintain the importance and significance of these pieces of art is to go back to its roots.  Research what the actual meaning behind the sculptures are. According to the text, when the statures were first created they were more for  ritualistic purposes. Clay pots were created to carry water from the rivers in which they bathed and drank. Also, the figures that were found carved into the mountain sides represented the tribe that had settled in that particular area.  The next time you go to a museum to view one of these works, you will know that its not just art for arts sake but, a way of living for people of African heritage.

   

blog 9

It is well documented that African women have been oppressed and mistreated for years. A woman’s role is important to her family but shows little worth when it comes to making political or business decisions.  In the video, Kakenya Ntaiya fled to gain her independence and avoided mutilation. She too came from a village where (1)women were raised to be mothers,  (2)the fathers were head of the household, and (3) Once you hit puberty you were to go thru a ceremony to motherhood where your clitoris was cut off.

I could not imagine growing up and thinking all I want to do is become a mother. Yes, I can’t wait for it to happen for me but I would not want that to have been my only option. Women throughout Africa were looked at as mothers.  They couldn’t go to school because their only goal in life was to bear children. I cannot pretend to know all about African culture but I don’t understand the concept behind mutilating female genitals when my only job is to be a wife and have children.  This practice has to be psychologically and physically damaging to a child. Not just the ones who get the procedure done but also those young girls who watch it happening. Some girls and women don’t even make it through the procedure.  I understand the urgency behind Kakenya wanted to flee her native land.  She virtually risked her life when she asked her father if she could go to school if she went thru with the ceremony. 

Because the fathers are the heads of households, she had to seek not only her own father’s permission but also permission from the other fathers in the tribe. Little girl’s lives are already planned out for them in Africa. A girl can dream but most will never get to achieve their dreams. In the case of Kakenya Ntaiya, her father was in agreence with her decision. Imagine if he wasn’t how much harder it would have been for her. She may not have even been able to make the change that she made.

Although many women and girls died from this process or had been permenantly scarred, the African people still felt as though mutilation was still necessary.  I am all about tradition but once I see that it is causing more harm than good, I would come up with a different way. Maybe the native people couldn’t see that what they are doing is harmful.  Africa is deep routed in religion and tradition. All they know is what they see. If there are casualties, that just goes along with the territory.  I guess for women especially they don’t have a different perspective because these practices are still relevant all over Africa.  The brave young woman from the video decided that the only way to keep other young girls from enduring the same fate, she had to go to school and come back to help. She made that promise to her father and the other men in the tribe and came back and opened up a school for girls.  This movement pressured other people to do the same.

Women’s roles have been slowly but surely changing in Africa. They have already made great strides in transforming conditions.  They are pushing to the forefront of efforts of peace from war and other dire circumstances.  Women have been taking on the role of mediator and peace maker among the war stricken countries throughout Africa. They have finally found their voices, and they are actually being heard. If they continue to be educated, and find their way out of poverty, and stand up for what is right, they will slowly but surely get positive results. I think the contemporary African woman has a voice that is finally being heard loud and clear.