African Art and Sculpture (1971)

What do you know of long ago? Of what we call our history? How many words have you overheard about folks like you What do you know of times gone by? Of heritage and home? What do you know and what is old? These things we've never known. What can we say about yesterday and what has gone before? We know you've been told of a hero old. Listen and we'll tell you more. Gather around and all sit down. Listen closely because we're going to tell it like it was. Africa is a land of many tribes and nations. Their traditions and ways of life may differ from coast to coast, but there is one language common to all of Africa. The language of art. Ancient Africa had no written language, but through sculpture and painting, people were able to express their thoughts and feelings about life. Art to the ancient Africans was a basic part of life. It symbolized life and death, fear and joy, and all that was of value was expressed in art. We can learn about life in ancient Africa through this kind of unwritten history. Some say that African art is primitive, rough, crude, but that's not really true. The people were as advanced in their particular form of art as any of the so-called civilized peoples of the world. The ancient Africans see the world in an entirely different way than we do. It was a world of nature where there aren't any straight lines or smooth surfaces. Time was ruled by the subtle change in the seasons and not by a clock. Life was good when there was food and shelter. In their art it wasn't necessary to copy copy reality. Instead they tried to express the feelings they had about their subject. Today brother Olatunji and I are going to show you sculpture and carvings from all over Africa. There is a great deal we can learn about our rich heritage in Africa if we know how to read the language of art. Alaafia brother Olatunji. >> Alaafia. Alaafia. >> You know, we have such a vast collection of beautiful things here today. I don't know where to start. Where do you think we should start? >> Well, uh the logical thing to do is to start from my country, Nigeria. >> Oh, well let's go here to the map. Yeah. >> Nigeria starting from the west coast here going up north passing the Timbuktu river coming down here back to the coast. And you see two beautiful wonderful great rivers. River Niger starting all the way from here through the north and coming down joining together with river Benue and forming >> Right. >> delta here. We're going to talk about the art from this area and we go way up to the northwestern part in the area of Gambia. >> Right. >> And then we come around the west coast, the coastal west plains of Mali, Sierra Leone, Liberia. All over we come over here to the Cameroons. Then the Congo. >> Mhm. >> Then we come to Central Africa which includes a vast area also. Uganda, Rhodesia, Congo Leopoldville, Congo Brazzaville, South Africa. >> Right. >> We're talking we're going to talk about all of these places. >> All right. Now, you've covered really a vast area. All of this here. Now, what why don't we go back to Nigeria and start from there since that's your homeland? >> Oh, that's wonderful. >> Okay. Now, what kind of art would say uh that you could identify with as you know, with your people? >> Well, being that I'm a Yoruba from the Western Nigeria where you have tremendous forest, tremendous carving, wood carving really exists. >> Oh, this is beautiful. >> This is a traditional uh kind of art here. This is a door post, the chief's door post. And these carvings represent the spirit of the ancestors. Right here. Or maybe heroes or people who have done made some tremendous contribution to the culture. They are remembered with through these carvings. >> So, that that looking really at this piece is like looking at a historical document. >> Definitely. So definitely. >> Right. It's beautiful. >> this is wood carving. But look over here, darling. >> Now, this is a piece of ivory, right? >> Piece of ivory. >> It's an ivory tusk? >> And if you look around here, you see a lot of festival, a lot of activities that existed in in in the community, in the village, in the city are recorded right here. >> Mhm. >> You see elephant, you see all of the things that are common in everyday life to people. >> Right. >> You see festival, people dancing, you see people going to the market, you see elephants, you see hunters carrying a gun. Uh all of these things are recorded on on this little piece of ivory. >> So, this is really like a a story book. >> Oh, this is a story book. >> Right. >> And uh uh you have to realize that they carve all of these things, you know, as you said in your open statement, no written language in ancient Africa, but here the story is recorded for posterity. >> Right. Now, uh we've seen uh say wood, we've seen ivory here. What about some of that like I've heard an awful lot about metal work say West Africa. >> here it is. Here it is. Here it is. Look at this tremendous metal of way of carving. You know, but this is true what they call the lost lost wax method. >> Now, the lost wax method, now what is that? >> Well, these are very very smart people. You see, the model of this rooster here was first of all made in clay. >> Right. >> And the iron all over it, and then it was burnt. And when it was finished, it came just like the rooster. And that's what's called the lost wax method. >> So, now you had the metal. Now, what happened to the clay? >> Well, the clay is broken off. >> Then the clay then falls away. >> Falls away. >> And leaves this beautiful. It's really beautiful. You know, but these people have so much to do I'm sure to get through their everyday lives. Now, why would they say uh do this kind of art with say a rooster? >> Well, even though this comes from Nigeria, but the rooster is not is common to all of Africa. The rooster symbolizes, you know, light. Being a domestic animal animals are very important in life of the people as you're going to see in many of the carvings. It symbolizes the dawn of the day. You see, because it reminds me of a very wonderful story that when I was growing up, you know, that day if you're going to steal or you're going to do anything bad, don't do it in during the daybreak, you see, because when the crows it's it's the dawn of the day at that time. It reminds me of that song. Kekereke la ku kon ko ile molu ro si gba gba. >> You're going to steal. You better not be caught during the daylight because the will have crowed that time, you know, and you've got it. >> That's a pretty smart song. >> Yes. >> You know, but uh in in reading the African history, I find that animals are so very important to their lives. >> Yes, definitely. >> Uh why do animals play such an important part? >> Animals are parts of nature. They represent the things that our people see all around them every day. They have tremendous respect for animals and their domains. They believe that there is a life force in all of these animals. You see? So, our people must show this kind of respect, this kind of recognition of the the power that is given to all of the animals, which brings me, you know, to the point over here. As you can see here, in this wonderful carving from the Bambara of Mali, the antelope with double-headed antelope with this gorgeous headdress. >> Right now, what area of Africa >> This area is from, you know, it's from Bambara, from the north, you know, western part of Africa, as we showed on the map over there. See, this symbolizes agriculture. You see, the antelope feeds on grass, and our people say, "Wherever you have grass, there must be lots of antelopes." >> Right. So, that the antelope becomes a symbol really of fertility then. We've seen how the Africans use the language of art to record history and make their traditions meaningful from one generation to the next. But it's difficult for us to understand how much art and life were intertwined for the ancient Africans. Everything they made, no matter how ordinary or functional, was an opportunity for them to express their feelings about life and the things around them. Their art was everywhere. So today we find that some of the most beautiful African artifacts are the tools and utensils that they used every day. What are you doing, brother Alatunji? >> Well, Dolly, I'm trying to pound the yam. >> Oh, so you mean uh what we call here sweet potatoes. >> Well, sweet potatoes right, too, you know. So this is a very functional uh thing here. >> And this would be used for, say, pounding uh the sweet potatoes in maybe a huge bowl or something. >> bowl is right. See there's tremendous carving on it, too. So it can be, you know, recognized as a work of art, but at the same time as a functional art. >> Right, so that it's also very useful. Uh now we have an opening here and there's a piece of wood that moves up and down when, you know, when you uh work with >> makes sounds, you know. >> sound, yeah. >> Well, you add rhythm to it when you are when you're doing this kind of work. You say, you know, and got a song that goes with it. E bi n pa mi o lo she n ki li ba ti n we o che wo de e bi n pa mi o lo she n ki ba ti n we o che wo de >> Say, what does what does that mean? >> When I'm hungry, don't try to sell me soap. Because if I don't finish washing inside, you know, you know, I don't have strength enough to wash outside. >> That's a very good idea. >> Yeah, Dolly. You know, being that is a wood carving, he has it another tremendous functional work of art. >> Now, this looks like a huge spoon, right? >> Cooking for a lot of people, you need it. >> You can feed the whole tribe with that, huh? >> That's right. That's right. >> Now, uh so, it's very useful, but it's also very decorative because you see all these carvings. You know, it's all carved here. Very beautifully done. And what kind of wood would that be? >> Well, I don't know what you call it here, but we call it a fufu. >> A fufu? >> You can put fruits in here when you put it on in your in the living room, you know. Now, we talk about two wooden carvings, you know, that are functional. >> Right. Now, this looks like ivory. >> Yeah, this is ivory and uh is alligator carved, you know, in ivory. >> Mhm. Now, what is that used for? >> Well, here is, you know, tremendous thing that uh probably most people don't recognize. It is toothpick in ivory. >> You mean you have ivory toothpicks? >> Definitely. >> That's really class. >> That's right. Yes. Gets you right. >> Now, what else have we here? >> Well, when it's dinner time, >> So, you have a dinner bell. >> Oh, yes. Here we come again with the work of bronze in a metal. >> And this is also all beautifully carved. >> Also beautifully carved. >> Right. >> Very beautiful. >> Now, here's another piece here that's also metal. >> Oh, really? >> Uh >> Well, you remember >> What would this be used for? >> Well, this is the ladies jewel box. >> Beautiful. >> Yes. You know, this is a jewel >> have any jewel Oh, we have jewels inside. >> Of course. >> What good is a jewel box with no jewels, right? >> Those are beautiful seeds. >> Oh, there's a very handsome piece. That's really pretty. >> Beautiful colors. >> In fact, it matches what I'm wearing today. >> Well, you can do it on if you want. >> That is really pretty. >> Yeah. >> Now, here's a very different-looking >> Oh, yeah. Those are very traditional beads. you're right. Yeah. >> They are very beautiful. >> Beautiful. >> Uh there is another piece there that I've been looking at all morning. Uh it's it's very different looking. It kind of reminds me of say an African carousel. What would that be used for? >> Dolly, this is this stool is a personal stool. According to tradition stools are important in the lives of people. >> Right. >> they are personal, you have all of the things that are dear to you. As we have been explaining before, as you see all the different carvings, even inside here there you see a man on a horse. You see the figure of the woman which may represent the spirit of the ancestor. Just like in your house you have a special corner and in that special corner you have your favorite chair. >> You know, we don't think about that but we do. We each have our own kind of favorite chair that we go to right away. >> Well, consciously or unconsciously people do that. And then this is where you have, you know, it becomes a very personal thing to the point whereby even when a man die, these stools that are so personal to him are put into the stool house for the family. And you can see over there that the the carving over there on that particular stool is quite different from the one we have just shown here. >> Right, completely different style and different wood. >> very different style. That's from the Congo. This is from Nigeria. Over here, Dolly, this is the stool for three people. >> Now three people would use this. Now what is the significance here? You have two circles and a triangle. >> That's right, Dolly. You remember we talked about this the snake representing eternity, how it forms a circle that shows beginning no end by trying to put its tail in its mouth. These circles represent eternity. And in the African conception of you know the ultimate, the apex of the triangle is the ultimate, the base. And then the sides are like where we human beings actually start trying to get to the ultimate. We're striving for perfection. >> Africans used art to express their feelings about every aspect of life and its power and mystery. From carved figures of men and animals, they felt they could reach out and grasp something of the eternal power of the universe. As we've seen, most of the things they made included figures of their ancestors or the gods. Brother Alatunji, why is it that the things we see here look so different than I think we would probably suppose they should look? >> Dolly, what is so characteristic about the African artist is that he endeavors and he tries all the time to actually express all of the things that he believes is important to him. >> Right. Now this piece is a doll, right? >> What is important to this particular artist who carved this doll is the head because in our culture the head is the most important part of the body. You cut the head off, the rest of the body is no good. >> So then you have a very exaggerated >> It's very exaggerated head. You see, but this is a toy doll. It is so it becomes functional. >> Right, right. What about now these other pieces here? They also have very exaggerated heads. >> Well, they do. This uh this is from wood and this is from clay, burnt clay through the lost wax method. We have these terracotta as they call them, you know, made. And you see the head is also is most important part in this thing here. >> Now these are more decorative pieces. >> Yes. >> Right. >> more decorative pieces, but this also, you know, is the doll, you know, is functional as a toy for children and also as fertility, you a doll that women carry on their back, you know, hoping that they will have children. >> Right now, this this piece here is uh so much more realistic than the other pieces. And what's the reason for that? >> The reason for this is that over a thousand years to go, the king of Benin wear this regalia. >> Right. >> And the regalia of the king, as we see it today, represent, you know, a tremendous amount of work of art. And so it was at that time, and as well as it is today. Very majestic robe, regal robe of the of the of the king. >> Right. So, you know, when you when you talk about the robes and the clothes and the the costumes of the king, you know, the the thing I think that we think most of when we think of African costumes and perhaps the elaborate headdresses, also the masks. And we have a lot of the masks here. Why don't we look at some of them cuz I think our audience would be very interested in seeing seeing them. Now, this one looks like in comparison, say, to these, it's still very very simple. >> This is a very early piece. >> You see that the the style here is very simple. It's not elaborate as we have, you know, in that uh regalia of the king. This wonderful one here from the area of Mali or Ivory Coast, is tremendous carving, you know, from uh from wood. And then you have uh um uh right here, while you're looking at that, it's a piece that I think uh you would interest, you know, you and >> This is a very a very sophisticated piece. Um you know, when we look at this, we we think uh perhaps of the very modern art we see today. Perhaps we see uh something like this when we look at the Picasso paintings. >> Well, this is the kind of the influence that African art had on people like Picasso and the very wonderful European artists. See, but here you come here, darling, with a mask that is very dear to me, too. >> Coming from my area. >> Coming from my area. You see, this is used in ceremonies, ceremonial dances, you know, to the god of the ancestors, the Gelede dance. >> Right. So, you have the very bright colors. I see a snake here, a bird. >> Well, from one wood, you can see how this the use of space, you know, is really achieved here. >> Would you put that on for us so that we can see how that looks? >> Well, he's putting on his mask. >> Well, that's all the time we have today. We'll be back again next week. Brother Alatinji will join me. We'll be right here. So, won't you come see us then and tell it like it was. Bye for now.