The country of Mali
had many different forms of art, but all of the ancient traditional art pieces
had a day to day purpose or meaning and were usually linked back to religion,
health, harmony in the village, or agriculture work. Mali has had a lot of rich
art throughout the history of the country, and this week’s post will highlight
some of the main types.
One form of art that is commonly
seen around Mali is different types of cloth. Wedding blankets are usually blue
indigo cloths from the village of Tuareg and are sold all around the country of
Mali. Jewelry is also an important part of art and is worn by both men and
women. Gold is the predominant material of jewelry in Mali. In fact some of the
more wealthy people wear 14 carat gold earrings that are so big and heavy that
they have to be wrapped with red wool or silk near the top to protect the ear!
Another major type of art in Mali
is wood carving. Wooden sculptures are a major part of this and are
naturalistic in nature. Gender is extremely important in the Mali culture so
when a wooden sculpture is made, the size of body parts is emphasized so it is
very obvious which gender the sculpture is supposed be. Masks are another
important part of wood carving. It is believed that when a person dies the
spirit of the person dwells in a mask. Exquisite wooden doors, locks, and other
house identifiers are also made for the mud buildings of the wood carvers.
Other forms of art in Mali
include music and storytelling. Music in Mali consists of many rhythms and
tunes at the same time. They use many instruments including flutes, strings and
drums. The drums were also used for communication and come in many different
shapes and sizes. Storytellers were called griots and were usually the village
entertainers, historians, or genealogists. They would usually tell stories
about the great leaders of Mali as well as life events of the people in the
village. One of the greatest stories and one that has become quite famous is
about Sundjata (the founder of the Mali empire) or as he is better known “the
Lion King”.
Mali has a rich history and many pieces
of art, music, and stories come from this rich history. Mali’s unique culture
and country events played a role in the making of all of this art, and should
be cherished and studied for many years to come.
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