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.