At the Museum

The Museum of African Culture is the only museum in New England devoted exclusively to Sub-Saharan African art and culture. There are over 1,500 pieces in the collection of the Museum ranging from large scale, elaborately carved wooden masks to smaller scale figures, cast copper alloy (bronze) figures, textiles, utilitarian objects, ceramic, bone, ivory and composite objects. The oldest mask in the collection dates back to 1600 AD. Many of the bronzes are 1000 years old and the ivory flutes and clay vessels are up to 2000 years old. These pieces are important as they preserve the religious and cultural legacy of Africa that is fast disappearing in our globalizing world. The collection is supported by displays of audio and video footage of ceremonies and festivals in Africa.

There are other artifacts in the collection that are displayed on a rotating basis in the second exhibit gallery in the Museum. The rotating displays are grouped around specific themes, often corresponding to seasonal significance or contemporary issues.

Current Exhibit

"Spirits masks of the Igbo"

A collection of traditional masks ritual objects from the nine villages of ObaIdemili people of South Eastern Nigeria. This collection reflects the artistic, ritualistic and ceremonial implements used to communicate ideas through performances among the Igbos.

 

Traveling Exhibits

"Discover Africa in Maine" is a rotating series of objects which serve as an introduction to the cultures of various Sub-Saharan peoples who have rising

immigrant populations in Maine and Northern New England. The objects in this collection illustrate traditional values, and are meant to foster understanding among communities and promote cultural diversity. The exhibit was popularized by its presence for over two years in Portland City Hall. "Black History: African to American" celebrates the African presence and cultural role in American history.

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Featured Traveling Exhibit :   "Nmuo" Spirits!

CURATORIAL STATEMENT:

"Mmuo -Spirits masks of the Nigerian Igbos - Celebrating the Artistic heritage of Igbo-African people of Oba-Idemili." Nigeria.The exhibition highlights the masks as both ritualistic and as communication figures.

Masks as African Communication tools is an exhibit of Igbo mask as a composite art that communicates ideas through interpersonal verbal symbols, as well as intrinsic symbols and ritualized action that are based on conventions of the society. Mask as ritual object, entertainment figure, political voice, and gender manager, will be explored with the use of examples from different ethnic groups that use mask as voice. This exhibit will give visitors an on-the-spot explanation of different masks that are displayed, witness a mask figure in motion, observe its performance, and appreciate the fundamentals of mask making. This experience will enable visitors to go beyond museum exhibition discussion to a practical arena, where they can feel the complex dynamics of mask communication. Appreciation of mask as important communication system will enrich multicultural competence and interpersonal literacy.

Different mask groups that include mono, parallel, and dual cults, as well as different gender and age-grade voices, will be explored in order to enable visitors appreciate the communication process. Exhibition will consist of lectures, discussions, explanations and videos.

Objectives

The aim of the exhibit is to enable visitors appreciate the African mask as a central voice that includes the artifact and its techniques, as well as audience and social conventions in a communication system that insignificant in Africa. An interdisciplinary and cross-cultural approach that shows the place of music, dance, ritual, and oral saga, in the masking experience of various cultural groups will be adopted. The exhibit will help visitors to develop new critical thinking about African masks as a central communication system that is important in understanding African cultures and peoples. Individuals who successfully completed this exhibit should be able to appreciate:

1. Mask not just as a decorative art but a communication figure.

2. Mask as a phenomenon with significant cultural voice

3. The place of mask voice in construction of gender and other hierarchies.

4. Mask as a doorway to understanding the peoples and their cultures.

5. The interaction of mask and other arts

"Nmuo" is an Igbo word meaning "Spirit" The Igbo (of Nigeria) believe that sacred objects embody spirit beings that are effective in rituals such as healing of body and mind, fertility and funeral, good luck in harvest, courage to overcome grief, communal celebration, honor and homage to ancestral spirits, and glorification of God. The beauty, variety, power and symbolism of this collection can be seen in its contents that consist of the following:

The above collection has historical significance since it represents over 15,000 years of Igbo and the African traditions. In addition, the objects are valuable for their artistic and ornamental purposes. Most of them are of deep spiritual significance. For example, the masks and shrines embody spirits that serve ritual and social purposes. They are from a private collection of 5,000 masks celebrating the Igbo spirit mask and ritual implements of Oba-Idemili, a region in the Igbo ethnic group of southeastern Nigeria.

Igbo people and African peoples are noted for their artistic ingenuity and creativity. This is illustrated through this collection of masks and objects from the nine villages of Oba-Idemili, because it provides an insight into the cultural history, customs, values and spiritual beliefs of the Igbos and Africans. Primarily known for their skill in palm-wine tapping, spiritual power in healing, magical charms and awesome masks, Oba-Idemili people have been remarkably successful in retaining their ancestral culture in the changing world. The inherent power of ritual and communication projected in this collection speaks to all regardless of age, race, religion and sexual orientation.

Technical requirements -Strong 8 feet high metal stands for eye level display and hooks for wall mounting.

Security -Must be in a well-secured environment, out of reach or touch by the audience.

Environment -Humidity controlled environment.

Handling -Hand gloves, carefulness recommended due to fragility of most objects.

Lighting -Lights must be deemed to produce mysticism.

Space requiremen t -7000-10,000 square feet for maximum effect Small and intimate exhibitions can be arranged as well. example, 1000-5000 sq ft.

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Past Exhibitions

Utilitarian Pottery & Vessels

Since the beginning of time, African women and craftsmen have produced both simple and figurative pottery with the techniques of sun baking, quick firing and cooling with water and air. These clay vessels are used in all aspects of life, for example, to store cool water, make food, serve food, and brew local beer. They are also used as ritual ceremonial objects, such as medicine pots and fertility mounds.

All these earthen pots are decorated with intense patterns and symbols that represent ancient metaphors, dreams and other sacred information. Clay vessels are one of the most important tools used in daily life. There is no household anywhere in Africa that does not own vessels made of clay; yet they appear almost invisible and unimportant in most archeological research and in most museum collections. The vessels in this exhibition are a combination of archeological and historical objects that were exclusively utilitarian. They represent the philosophical reflections of ancient wisdom used in traditional ceremonies that emphasized the importance of the human spirit as well as the value of deep humility and simplicity.

  The forms were created from the knowledge that truth, and the beauty of imperfection in nature transcends all questioning. The history in these vessels represents over 3000 years of Sub-Saharan African culture.

 

The Role of Women in Africa

This exhibition was selected from the private collection of Joyce and Eliot Sterling of Needham, MA. It featured masks, figures, dolls, utensils and gold weights. The objects illustrated qualities that embody mysteries, strengths, (both good and bad), purity and danger, political and economic powers, and roles in ritual responsibilities of African women.

The exhibit included items from nineteen African countries representing more than thirty cultures. The objects were are made of different materials including wood, raffia, rope, metal, cloth, terra cotta, gourd, resin, animal hide, straw, and hair. They were decorated with feathers, paint, kaolin, beads, cowry shells, string and wire.

The museum complemented the exhibition with examples of traditional female shrines, a fertility shrine and a divination shrine. The shrines were for educational purposes, but they are also functional.

Joyce and Eliot Sterling are serving on the Board of Directors here at the Museum, and they are also members of the Friends of African and Oceanic Art at   the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

"Before and After the Amistad" contained masks, artifacts, and audio-visual elements documenting the history of the peoples affected by the Amistad, culminating in the reconstructed ship's commemorative visit to Portland. Focused on understanding and healing the psychological legacy of this difficult passage, community members honored ancestral spirits with a masquerade procession to the bay. Educational programming included an exploration of West African maritime activities, and Museum members participated in the construction of two canoes made in a manner traditional to Sierra Leone.

"Housing Spirits in Bronze" looked at leadership roles through the symbols and functionality of sacred objects in a royal setting. The exhibition reconstructed portions of the palace of the Oba of Benin to examine the purpose of ancestral shrines to the Edo people. Audio-visual components showcased the traditional technique of making lost-wax bronzes, and the ceremonies involved in harnessing the spirits and energies for which they are intended.

"Symbols of Power and Authority" featured Museum objects and artifacts containing special powers and forces. The aim of the exhibition was to bring visitors close to some of the objects and regalia those traditional rulers, spiritual leaders and other African men and women used to invoke their power and authority. The masks at the Museum have many different functions. These masks are used for initiations, rites of passage, funerals, agricultural ceremonies, marriage ceremonies, harvest festivals, and veneration to ancestors. Not everybody can wear a mask. African culture teaches that it is a privilege to wear a mask. Masks are used not only to enforce the laws of the land but also to exemplify good moral behavior.

"Role of Ancestors and Vessels of Healing" explored the essence of the oracle of religion. The aim of the exhibition was to better understand African traditions and medicine in religion, and dispel popular misconceptions about cultural practices. The exhibition consisted of several ancestral shrines and many implements used in healing rituals. Chosen to teach the museum visitor about the origins of cultural history and truths, these artifacts were displayed in a functional setting in accordance with their original purposes.