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Art in Sierra Leone

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268: 227: 88: 30: 150: 1101: 291:, the capital of the country. From 1961 until 1991, the Young Men's Muslim Association (YMMA) held competitions where various different civil groups would design large floats, often with lights inside or outside, in celebration of Ramadan. The lanterns are constructed out of wood, bamboo, wire, paper, rice and other materials and represent landmarks, animals, or supernatural beings. 255:, are found throughout a large area that was controlled primarily by the Temne until the Mende entered in the 1600s. When asked about the statues by early explorers, the people in the region expressed the belief that they were the work of spiritual beings and that no one in the communities knew how to make such a figure. 238:
Ivory carvings have been produced by many of the ethnic groups in the current area of Sierra Leone and were a primary export to Portuguese traders when they first began the trade networks with the coastal communities. It was not until the 1950s that the stylistic connections between the ivory pieces
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As the competition grew, violence occasionally broke out and the event grew larger and larger. The events and lanterns often have political themes related to the issues in Sierra Leone at the time and are affiliated with various movements. The regular holding of the lantern competition was ended in
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Twin figures are prominent in Temne cultural practice and the wood carvings play a key role in the ceremonial life of the community. These figures of no more than a foot tall are created with a twin child passes away, and are used initially as a play partner for the living twin and as a ceremonial
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In general, there are clear regional differences in the wood carving techniques of the forest communities (the Mende, Vai, and Bullom) with smooth edges and intricate details. The savannah style (the Temne Limba, and Loko communities), in contrast, is defined by abstract styles with straight lines
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The Mende believe the stones are the representations of the people who lived in the region before they came to the area and the Temne people have a ceremony around the stones where they treat them as former chiefs and kings of the region. African art curator Frederick Lamp believes that the stone
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The Sande and Poro societies, which are primarily tasked with the initiation ceremonies for women and men to become a part of the community, produce an important range of artwork associated with the ceremony. One of the most prominent artistic forms associated with these societies are the helmet
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The lantern festival began small in the 1930s when the businessman Daddy Maggay witnessed a Catholic lantern festival in the Gambia. The small processions slowly grew, largely as a result of the reputation for good cooking by Maggay's wife (whose specialty was corn and couscous), and eventually
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stone carvings of unclear origin have been discovered buried around southern Sierra Leone. The figures were first described by Europeans in 1852 by missionary George Thompson who discovered a group of five of them on the site of a destroyed village. The human figures, carved out of
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The twin figures are carved into a number of other ceremonial related wood, including staffs for religious initiation and healing. Associated with these figures is the construction of small-scale houses for the twin (called
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has a long and significant tradition of carving and ceremonial works like masks and cloth for initiation and protection. Although art styles are oftentimes ascribed to a single ethnic group (often the
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Cloth arts are often used in many of the different groups in Sierra Leone to provide special types of protection. The cloth is provided with specific designs for spiritual protection for the wearer.
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in the lanterns and masks by the odelay societies in Freetown. In addition to historical heroes, the art often depicts National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC) leaders and symbols (such as
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The Sande (female) and Poro (male) ceremonial societies have a long history of artistic construction in many different ethnic groups of Sierra Leone. Although most often affiliated with the
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in Temne) which are spread throughout the area. This use of twin figures is associated with wider spiritual powers that twins are claimed to possess in Temne beliefs.
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Sierra Leone did not develop a significant artistic tradition of patriotic imagery during the struggle for independence and after. However, after the
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carvings are a Temne tradition which was lost when the Mende invaded and displaced the communities which had existed there before that.
51:), the styles and processes are spread throughout the country and many artists move between the different ethnic groups in the country. 1317: 1398: 1199: 1090: 1010: 29: 1346: 1123: 198: 1363: 1261: 1251: 1128: 641: 1383: 1256: 772: 1068: 1456: 1418: 1368: 1327: 1209: 1148: 1100: 1058: 1003: 1535: 1408: 1287: 1373: 1236: 1204: 1403: 1378: 1332: 1246: 1214: 1194: 1133: 1111: 807:
Lamp, Frederick J. (1990). "Ancient wood figures from Sierra Leone: Implications for Historical Reconstruction".
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and the large stone carvings which were discussed significantly by European sources earlier in that century.
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Opala, Joseph A. (1994). "'Ecstatic Renovation!': Street Art Celebrating Sierra Leone's 1992 Revolution".
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Lamp, Frederick J. (2008). "Temne Twins (Ta-bari) Should Share Everything: Do You Mean Everything?".
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Fraser, Douglas (1971). "Note on the Stone Nomoli Figures of Sierra Leone".
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A prominent modern artistic expression involves the design and floating of
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competitions where different groups construct large, decorative floats.
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Oram, Jenny (1998). "Float Traditions in Sierra Leone and the Gambia".
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Art is often practiced by organized societies, whether the traditional
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Viditz-Ward, Vera (1987). "Photography in Sierra Leone, 1850-1918".
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Nunley, John W. (1985). "The Lantern Festival in Sierra Leone".
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Hart, W.A. (1989). "Woodcarving of the Limba of Sierra Leone".
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Ivory carving of approximate 1500s origin from Sierra Leone
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Nomoli stone carving of a man holding a crocodile. (
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"Art of Sierra Leone". 646:South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust 315:: Early 20th-century photographer in Freetown. 141:in Temne) involved in the initiation rituals. 1011: 303:, but irregular competitions still are held. 37:helmet mask (1940–1965) in the collection of 8: 599: 1351: 1280: 1172: 1116: 1018: 1004: 996: 318:Alusine Bangura: 1990s Freetown muralist. 1059:Sierra Leone in World War II (1939–1945) 386: 353: 587: 488: 611: 422: 410: 398: 39:The Children's Museum of Indianapolis 7: 914:10.1093/oxfordjournals.afraf.a098707 568: 556: 539: 527: 515: 500: 473: 461: 449: 437: 363: 629:Wall Street International Magazine 25: 201:Wood figure of the Mende people 167:1992 Sierra Leonean coup d'état 1064:Early independence (1961–1978) 792:10.1080/00043079.1983.10788068 724:10.1080/00043079.1971.10790511 659:"Stories of Recovery and Hope" 1: 78:Artistic societies and groups 62:societies or the more recent 771:Lamp, Frederick J. (1983). 1552: 1230:Chief of the Defence Staff 1054:British colony (1787–1961) 625:"It's how well you bounce" 324:Esther Maxwell-Orumbie 98: 1494: 1389:Female genital mutilation 1354: 1283: 1175: 1119: 1097: 1086:2014 Ebola virus epidemic 853:10.1162/afar.2008.41.1.50 1180:Administrative divisions 295:became run by the YMMA. 83:Sande and Poro Societies 991:(subscription required) 959:(subscription required) 927:(subscription required) 895:(subscription required) 834:(subscription required) 766:(subscription required) 705:(subscription required) 222:Stone and ivory carving 1104: 272: 235: 202: 162: 96: 41: 1144:Upper Guinean forests 1103: 1076:Civil War (1991–2002) 270: 229: 210:site for the mother. 200: 152: 90: 32: 1044:Atlantic slave trade 206:and bold contrasts. 940:(3): 50–57, 94–96. 313:Alphonso Lisk-Carew 45:Art in Sierra Leone 18:Art of Sierra Leone 1536:Sierra Leonean art 1318:Telecommunications 1105: 330:Tarawali Tarazadio 287:down the river in 273: 236: 203: 183:Valentine Strasser 163: 97: 42: 1523: 1522: 1490: 1489: 1399:Human trafficking 1341: 1340: 1270: 1269: 1242:Political parties 1200:Foreign relations 1162: 1161: 1091:COVID-19 pandemic 307:Prominent artists 16:(Redirected from 1543: 1503: 1352: 1308: 1281: 1173: 1129:Cities and towns 1117: 1020: 1013: 1006: 997: 992: 989: 960: 957: 928: 925: 908:(371): 195–218. 896: 893: 864: 835: 832: 803: 780:The Art Bulletin 777: 767: 764: 735: 712:The Art Bulletin 706: 703: 666: 655: 649: 638: 632: 621: 615: 609: 603: 600:Viditz-Ward 1987 597: 591: 585: 572: 566: 560: 554: 543: 537: 531: 525: 519: 513: 504: 498: 492: 486: 477: 471: 465: 459: 453: 447: 441: 435: 426: 420: 414: 408: 402: 396: 390: 384: 367: 361: 171:odelay societies 169:, youth groups ( 145:Odelay societies 127:Bullom languages 21: 1551: 1550: 1546: 1545: 1544: 1542: 1541: 1540: 1526: 1525: 1524: 1519: 1506: 1499: 1486: 1433: 1337: 1306: 1266: 1220:Law enforcement 1158: 1139:Protected areas 1106: 1095: 1081:2002 to present 1030: 1024: 990: 978:10.2307/1159896 963: 958: 946:10.2307/3337576 931: 926: 902:African Affairs 899: 894: 882:10.2307/3336188 867: 838: 833: 821:10.2307/3336898 806: 775: 770: 765: 753:10.2307/3336799 738: 709: 704: 692:10.2307/3335236 677: 674: 669: 656: 652: 642:"IN/DIV/ISIBLE" 639: 635: 622: 618: 610: 606: 598: 594: 586: 575: 567: 563: 555: 546: 538: 534: 526: 522: 514: 507: 499: 495: 487: 480: 472: 468: 460: 456: 448: 444: 436: 429: 421: 417: 409: 405: 397: 393: 385: 370: 362: 355: 351: 346: 339:Samuel S. Marco 309: 281: 265: 232:Brooklyn Museum 224: 195: 159:Brooklyn Museum 153:Odelay mask by 147: 107: 99:Main articles: 93:Brooklyn Museum 85: 80: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1549: 1547: 1539: 1538: 1528: 1527: 1521: 1520: 1518: 1517: 1512: 1505: 1504: 1496: 1495: 1492: 1491: 1488: 1487: 1485: 1484: 1479: 1474: 1469: 1464: 1459: 1454: 1449: 1443: 1441: 1435: 1434: 1432: 1431: 1426: 1421: 1416: 1411: 1406: 1401: 1396: 1391: 1386: 1381: 1376: 1371: 1366: 1364:Child marriage 1361: 1355: 1349: 1343: 1342: 1339: 1338: 1336: 1335: 1330: 1325: 1320: 1315: 1310: 1302: 1301: 1300: 1290: 1284: 1278: 1272: 1271: 1268: 1267: 1265: 1264: 1262:Vice-President 1259: 1254: 1249: 1244: 1239: 1234: 1233: 1232: 1222: 1217: 1212: 1207: 1202: 1197: 1192: 1190:Chief Minister 1187: 1182: 1176: 1170: 1164: 1163: 1160: 1159: 1157: 1156: 1151: 1146: 1141: 1136: 1131: 1126: 1120: 1114: 1108: 1107: 1098: 1096: 1094: 1093: 1088: 1083: 1078: 1073: 1072: 1071: 1061: 1056: 1051: 1046: 1040: 1038: 1032: 1031: 1029: articles 1025: 1023: 1022: 1015: 1008: 1000: 994: 993: 972:(4): 510–518. 961: 929: 897: 865: 836: 804: 786:(2): 219–237. 768: 736: 707: 673: 670: 668: 667: 650: 633: 631:, Aug 21, 2017 616: 614:, p. 201. 604: 602:, p. 515. 592: 573: 561: 544: 542:, p. 230. 532: 530:, p. 237. 520: 518:, p. 220. 505: 503:, p. 219. 493: 491:, p. 393. 478: 466: 454: 442: 427: 425:, p. 205. 415: 413:, p. 199. 403: 401:, p. 198. 391: 368: 352: 350: 347: 345: 342: 341: 340: 337: 336:Mudiama Kammoh 334: 331: 328: 327:Loiuse Metzger 325: 322: 321:Kwame Haleston 319: 316: 308: 305: 280: 277: 264: 261: 223: 220: 194: 191: 146: 143: 133:masks (called 84: 81: 79: 76: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1548: 1537: 1534: 1533: 1531: 1516: 1513: 1511: 1508: 1507: 1502: 1498: 1497: 1493: 1483: 1480: 1478: 1475: 1473: 1470: 1468: 1465: 1463: 1460: 1458: 1455: 1453: 1450: 1448: 1445: 1444: 1442: 1440: 1436: 1430: 1427: 1425: 1422: 1420: 1417: 1415: 1412: 1410: 1407: 1405: 1402: 1400: 1397: 1395: 1392: 1390: 1387: 1385: 1384:Ethnic groups 1382: 1380: 1377: 1375: 1372: 1370: 1367: 1365: 1362: 1360: 1357: 1356: 1353: 1350: 1348: 1344: 1334: 1331: 1329: 1326: 1324: 1321: 1319: 1316: 1314: 1311: 1309: 1303: 1299: 1296: 1295: 1294: 1291: 1289: 1286: 1285: 1282: 1279: 1277: 1273: 1263: 1260: 1258: 1257:Supreme Court 1255: 1253: 1252:Special Court 1250: 1248: 1245: 1243: 1240: 1238: 1235: 1231: 1228: 1227: 1226: 1223: 1221: 1218: 1216: 1213: 1211: 1208: 1206: 1203: 1201: 1198: 1196: 1193: 1191: 1188: 1186: 1183: 1181: 1178: 1177: 1174: 1171: 1169: 1165: 1155: 1152: 1150: 1147: 1145: 1142: 1140: 1137: 1135: 1132: 1130: 1127: 1125: 1122: 1121: 1118: 1115: 1113: 1109: 1102: 1092: 1089: 1087: 1084: 1082: 1079: 1077: 1074: 1070: 1067: 1066: 1065: 1062: 1060: 1057: 1055: 1052: 1050: 1047: 1045: 1042: 1041: 1039: 1037: 1033: 1028: 1021: 1016: 1014: 1009: 1007: 1002: 1001: 998: 987: 983: 979: 975: 971: 967: 962: 955: 951: 947: 943: 939: 935: 930: 923: 919: 915: 911: 907: 903: 898: 891: 887: 883: 879: 875: 871: 866: 862: 858: 854: 850: 846: 842: 837: 830: 826: 822: 818: 814: 810: 805: 801: 797: 793: 789: 785: 781: 774: 769: 762: 758: 754: 750: 746: 742: 737: 733: 729: 725: 721: 717: 713: 708: 701: 697: 693: 689: 685: 681: 676: 675: 671: 664: 663:Business Wire 660: 654: 651: 647: 643: 640:Albany Arts, 637: 634: 630: 626: 620: 617: 613: 608: 605: 601: 596: 593: 590:, p. 45. 589: 584: 582: 580: 578: 574: 571:, p. 52. 570: 565: 562: 559:, p. 50. 558: 553: 551: 549: 545: 541: 536: 533: 529: 524: 521: 517: 512: 510: 506: 502: 497: 494: 490: 485: 483: 479: 476:, p. 48. 475: 470: 467: 464:, p. 56. 463: 458: 455: 452:, p. 53. 451: 446: 443: 440:, p. 51. 439: 434: 432: 428: 424: 419: 416: 412: 407: 404: 400: 395: 392: 389:, p. 79. 388: 387:Cromwell 1977 383: 381: 379: 377: 375: 373: 369: 366:, p. 45. 365: 360: 358: 354: 348: 343: 338: 335: 332: 329: 326: 323: 320: 317: 314: 311: 310: 306: 304: 302: 296: 292: 290: 286: 278: 276: 269: 262: 260: 256: 254: 249: 245: 240: 233: 228: 221: 219: 217: 211: 207: 199: 192: 190: 188: 184: 180: 176: 172: 168: 160: 156: 151: 144: 142: 140: 137:in Mende and 136: 130: 129:communities. 128: 124: 120: 116: 112: 106: 102: 101:Sande society 94: 91:Sande mask. 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Index

Art of Sierra Leone

Sande society
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis
Mende
Sande
Poro
Freetown

Brooklyn Museum
Sande society
Poro
Mende
Temne
Kono
Vai
Bullom languages

Temne people
Brooklyn Museum
1992 Sierra Leonean coup d'état
Bai Bureh
Sengbe Pieh
Valentine Strasser
Solomon Musa


Brooklyn Museum
soapstone

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