The Yoruba Gelede mask is one of West Africa’s most celebrated ceremonial objects. Discover its origins, symbolism, and the UNESCO-recognised festivals it anchors.
Scarification traditions vary enormously across Africa. This regional breakdown shows how different communities approach body marking and what it signifies.
Lip plates are one of the most recognised — and misunderstood — forms of African body modification. Here is the full cultural story.
New: the 2nd edition of Within Carved Lines: The Secret Meanings of African Masks is out now. Get the book → A number of masking traditions documented in this book use color to mark rank, age, or spiritual category. The Lumbo of southern and southwestern Gabon went further, building an entire moral division into a…
Tooth filing has been practised across Africa and Southeast Asia as a rite of passage and beauty tradition. This guide explores the cultures behind it.
New: the 2nd edition of Within Carved Lines: The Secret Meanings of African Masks is out now. Get the book → Most art traditions documented in this book are made for a community, a chief, or a spirit, and once made, they tend to stay put. Lega art belongs to no one until that person…