IBEJI PAIR OF WOODEN FIGURES (THE TWIN FOCUS)

The “IBEJI” is a sculpture from the people of Yoruba, a tribe in Nigeria. The people of Yoruba are said to be great bearers of twins and as a result, twins are traditionally very important to them. Ibeji is a term in the Yoruba language which means “twins”. It is also a carved wooden figure made to house the soul of a dead twin. These wooden figures are carved six to ten inches high.

Ere Ibeji as it is commonly called, is a carved figure intended to house the soul of one or two twins in case they die. The Yoruba religion believes that both twins share one soul, therefore if one twin dies at a young age, the balance of the soul is thrown of or disturbed, hence these souls are transferred into the Ibeji which represents the dead twin.

In earlier times, the Yoruba people believed that new-born twins were evil, had monstrous abnormalities and they were mostly killed. However, by the middle of the 18th century such believes were reversed and twins came to be seen as a blessing and were mostly referred to as minor deities. Their arrival was believed to bring good fortune for the family. By the 19^th century, the cult of the “Ere Ibeji” was firmly established and continues till date. The death of one twin is regarded as a great calamity for the family, one which requires immediate appeasement of the soul of the deceased child.

A PAIR OF IBEJI

The cultural grieving process of the twins in the Yoruba religion is observed by the carving of a figure known as the Ere Ibeji; (Ibi means born, Eji means two, and Ere means sacred image) which represents both the lost child and serves as a ritual point of contact with the deceased soul. The carving of the Ere Ibeji is commissioned under the guidance of an “Ifa diviner”, a Babalowo, whom the parents consult in selecting in selecting the particular artist who will do the work.

The sculpture represents a deceased infant but is carved with features and attributes of an adult. The sculptural features of genitalia, pubic hair, wide hips, developed breast, gender specific facial scarification and erotic sexuality.

When the carving is completed, it is brought to the family house and placed on a shrine dedicated to Elagba with the hope that the Orisha or soul, which was split in two parts when the twins were born, will now again reside in the figure (Ibeji). After this process, the figure remains as respected and as powerful as the person it represents. The children’s parents must treat the statue as if it were real; hence it is bathed, fed and clothed just as it would be in life, mostly in the same clothes as the living partner. The figure is particularly special to the mother, who keeps the figure close to her bed. She rubs the figure with red wood powder to maintain the look of sleekness, and she caresses the figure in a loving manner. Rituals and prayers are performed for the child’s birthday and other celebrations.

IBEJI TWIN SCULPTURE

The style in which the “Ibeji” is carved carries a lot of symbolic meaning and can be seen as an object for non-verbal communication. Here, the head of the figure is associated with the child’s destiny, which measures the success or failure of the child. The size of the head is one-third the size of the body because the head is where the spirit is believed to reside. The figure is very detailed, but it is only a symbol of the child and not intended to be a realistic likeness but rather a resemblance of human. The surface of the feature is smooth. However the figure is motionless to represent discipline, serenity, and confidence. It is sometimes made to hold symbolic items. For example, if it holds shells or beads, it may invoke certain gods or indicate wealth. The Ibeji is expected and believed to avert evil from the household, strengthen the manifestations of family love, stare down death, and bring good fortune to all who treat it with respect and offer it tokens of affection. It may also endanger family members and friends with bad fortune and curses if it is ignored. The meanings that the people attach to this figure are as a result of their culture and believe.

                                                          A DISPLAY OF IBEJI  

THE FANTE’S AND ASANTE’S FERTILITY DOLL, “AKUA’BA”

A thorough observation of my last few posts shows that I aimed at educating you on the main carvers of wood sculptures, the types of wood used, as well as the kinds of tools that help in wood carvings. It has been an exciting journey so far. However, it is time to move back to the topic of focus, which is non-verbal communication through sculptures and wood carvings in Africa.

The sculptures and wood carvings that are carved in Africa isn't just for only beautification and decoration but also used to communicate specific and significant meanings. People of various cultures have associated their sculptures with certain meanings and explanations. As a result, without uttering a word, one can tell the use and purpose of sculptures with just a glimpse. The meaning that is associated with a particular sculpture is as a result of the cultural and societal background or values of the people.

Today I will be looking at both the Fante’s and Asante’s fertility dolls, “Akua’ba”. The Fante people are from the south-western coastal region of Ghana, whiles the Asante’s are in the central parts of Ghana. They are known for their famous “fertility dolls” and the impact in the lives of the people, especially the females.

FANTE'S AND ASANTE'S FERTILITY DOLLS

                                                                                                                                  Asante carvers are famed for their female dolls, known as Akua’ba. The legend of the origination of the doll comes from the story of a woman named Akua   who could not get pregnant and went to a local diviner or priest and commissioned the carving of a small wooden doll. She carried and cared for the doll as if it were her own child, feeding it, bathing it and all. Soon the people in the village started calling it “Akua ba”- meaning “Akua’s child”, since “ba” mearnt child. The legend and tradition continued as most carvers carved these “Akua’ba” dolls and people bought it with the believe that it will free them from a barren situation and it worked for them.

          As a result, if an Asante woman had difficulty conceiving, she would be encouraged to visit a local shrine accompanied by a senior woman in her family. At the shrine, she is made to purchase the “Akua’ba”, which would be placed for a period on the altar, later to be reclaimed by the woman along with certain medicines. The sculpture was then carried, fed, bathed and cared for by the woman as if it was a living baby. It was thought that in doing this the woman would have a better chance to have a healthy and beautiful baby. Once the woman conceived and had a successful delivery, she would return the figure to the shrine as a form of offering. But if the child died, the “Akua’ba” might be kept by the woman as a memorial.

The Fante and Bono people who live respectively to the south and the north of the Asante’s also employ “Akua’ba” dolls, but they are carved in a different style. The Fante’s used Akua’ba dolls for the same purpose as those of the Asante’s, however; the types are differentiated based on the style. Whiles the heads of the Fante dolls are rectangular, those of the Asante’s are round, flat and disk like.

The symbolism of these dolls is specific. In the case of the Asanti’s, the flat, disk like head is a strongly exaggerated conception of the Akan ideal of beauty. They consider round or oval shaped heads as ideal and this is accomplished in actual practice by the gently modeling of an infant soft cranial bones. Also, the flatness of the figures is practical when they are carried against the back wrapped in the skirt. Also, standard is the ringed neck, a convention for rolls of fat and hence stands for beauty and prosperity. The small scars seen on the faces of many “Akua,ba” are those made for medicidinal purposes and protection against convulsions. Most Asante “Akua’ba” have abstracted, horizontal arms and a cylindrical torso with breasts and a navel, but ending in a base rather than human legs. The Akua’ba dolls are about 20 and 40 cm in height.

Aaa                                

ASANTE FERTILITY DOLL

                                                                                                                                  In the case of the Fante fertility dolls, it is mostly painted black and seen rarely with hands. They have rectangular head and do the same functions and believe as the Asante fertility dolls.

FANTE FERTILITY DOLL

                                                                                                          The Fante and Asante fertility dolls, ”Akua’ba” represents one way which shows how we use sculptures to communicate non-verbally. The meaning attached to these dolls have sung deep  into the mind of women that live in these communities, hence they tend to turn to  the dolls as their last resort when they find difficulties in bearing.

                                             FANTE AND ASANTE FERTILITY DOLLS ON DISPLAY

  

TOOLS USED FOR WOOD CARVINGS

Lots and lots of tools are responsible for the shapes and sizes of sculptures and carvings available to us today. These tools tend to help the carver get the kind of sculpture he or she wants and in a particular shape and style. There are various hand tools such as chip-carving knife or an x-Acto knife. Also some power carving tools such as a flexible-shaft freedom tool can help speed up the carving process and produce effects that one cannot get with hand tools. Large power tools such as a band saw, belt sander, drill press and chain saw, fill out the wood carver’s shop. However, the kind of tool you see in a carver’s shop depends on the monetary strength of the carver.

Some knives and chisels for wood carving include;

The chipcarving knife; it is the first tool that a wood carver starts with. Its primary use is for whittling and chip carving. The blade is about one and a half inch long and has a handle designed to fit comfortably in the hand.

There are also the U-Gouges which are the work horses of wood carving. They are designated by the width of the cutting edge, sweep or the amount of curvature of the cutting edge, and the shape of the shaft, either straight or bent, spoon or back-bent. There are also the V-Gouges that are designated by the width between the top edge tips and the Vee bottom edge. There is also the bent and spoon Gouges which are special gouges used to get into inaccessible spots of a carving that a straight gouge cannot reach. 

                         mallets,chisels and gouges

The Skewed Chisel is a chisel which is angled back from the leading edge of 45 degree angle. 

The Mallet is another important tool in carving. The traditional mallet for carving is cylindrical shaped and made from heavy dense hardwood. There is also the rubber mallet which is made from rubber.

                                A drill Press

Some other wood carving machines includes;

 The Band Saw; it has a long thin blade, welded into a loop. An electric motor powers the blade around two large wheels. It is the wood carver’s most often used large power tool. It quickly cuts off scrap wood, saving you the work of removing by hand.

The Drill Press is an invaluable shop tool which drills precise holes, but other attachments can be added, such as a Sanding Drum.

The Belt Sander is another tool that comes in handy for doing so many things that come up during a carving project. Once you have one, you can do a lot of carving work.

The Planner and Joiner are used to surface wood, giving boards flat sides. In order to laminate boards into larger blocks for carving, flat surfaces are necessary.

The Chain Saw is a very useful tool that can be use to rough out logs for large carvings.

              The various tools used in wood carving

The above tools and machinery and more, all help in the carving process. With them, the carver can easily create and design any sculpture of choice.

TYPES AND KINDS OF WOODS USED IN CARVING

In carving, there are various types of woods and tools used. The kind of wood and tools used for a particular sculpture depends on how the carver wants the sculpture to look like and the kind of finish work that is expected.

In terms of wood, choosing the appropriate wood for carving can depend on many factors. Some includes; is the wood soft enough to cut easily with a chip-carving knife, or do you need a chisel and mallet? , will it have a natural finish that shows the grain, or it will be painted or polished? These woods after carving can be polished with normal shoe polish which includes brown or black in order to give it its colour. At other times, potassium is used to give it a particular colour.

         A carved bowl made from the Base wood( Os3s3)

When a wood is fresh, it presents problems since it is filled with a great deal of moisture. Also, if the log dries too quickly it may crack badly. It is therefore best to let the log air dry for a long period until it reaches an acceptable level of moisture content to prevent unwanted cracking. In the case of carving small, hand-held craft objects such as decorative designs on flat surfaces like the sides of jewelry boxes, base wood is an excellent choice. It is soft and easy to carve, and it is stable when dry. However, base wood’s softness makes it difficult to apply a stain evenly on carved surfaces or attain a glossy finish. Hence most base wood carvings are painted.

For sculptures with a natural wood finish, walnut, cherry, butternut and mahogany, provide rich colour with an attractive grain pattern. Butternut is very soft and the easiest to carve with hand tools. Walnut, mahogany and cherry are rich in colour and are somehow difficult to carve because of the dense grain. Therefore gouges and a mallet will be needed for these woods.

                              Pieces of Ebony wood

Some possible woods that can be used in wood carvings and their characteristics includes;

BASE WOOD is cream coloured, easy to carve and excellent for whittling and painted sculpture. There is also the BUTTERNUT which is light brown in colour, has a distinct grain pattern, good for natural-finish sculpture, very easy to carve but it quickly dulls tools. The CHERRY on the other hand is reddish brown, has a wavy grain and can be difficult to carve. It is however excellent for natural finish-sculptures. MAHOGANY is a dark reddish brown wood and an excellent choice for natural-finish sculptures. There is also MAPLE which is creamy, very hard and is difficult to carve, though it finishes well. OAK or WHITE OAK as it’s commonly called is light yellowish brown and very hard when kiln dried. It is difficult to carve but finishes well. There is also the PINE WOOD which is aromatic cream coloured, soft and is good for whittling; the prominent growth rings may however be difficult to cut through. There is also the EBONY WOOD that is black and cream in colour. It is good for all types of sculptures and carvings. Lastly, there is the WALNUT (BLACK WALNUT WOOD), which is dark brown and excellent for natural-finish sculptures. It finishes well too.

These wood types vary in different places or environments. The carver also makes it a point to choose the one he or she deems may give a good finished work.

HOW CARVERS COME ABOUT CARVING

A woodcarver is someone who is involved in the art of cutting designs into wood or carve objects out of wood. There are lot of wood carvers in Ghana and Africa as a whole who engages in the art of creating wonderful sculptures and figures that tend to carry specific meanings and also just for decoration purposes.

In order for something to be carved by a wood carver, there must be a sketch or design available into which that thing will be carved. Some wood carvers are lucky with the gift of drawing or sketching items for carvings. Whilst others depend on drawings before they carve an item. Most often, some individuals take their sketches to the carver to be carved for them. An example of items that can be given to a carver to be carved is a “portrait picture” of oneself.

Carvers at most time uses their creative sense to carve sculptures that look attractive to buyers or people at a first glimpse. However, some people prefer an item to be carved according to their specific needs so they team up with the carver to produce those items.

The question I ask myself is; “how do these carvers come to know how to create such wonderful sculptures and figures?”In my quest to understand this, I spoke to Papa Muku Sakyi who has been into wood carving for 43 years  He is from the Volta region of Ghana; however he did not learn how to carve from there. He got his training from a man in Accra, specifically Adabraka Official Town.

According to him, one can learn how to carve locally from a family member who is in the field already or from whomever one chooses is appropriate to learn from. He says, formal education is not a requirement inorder to learn how to carve. One can learn even without formal education. You can start carving if you think you have the talent or someone can give you an idea and if you are interested, you can start learning how to carve, maybe by apprenticeship. According to Papa Sakyi, one just has to be creative, because that will help you to come up with wonderful arts and designs. He started by learning how to carve elephants because his master was specialized in carving elephants. However, due to his interest in carving and his creativity, he started trying to carve sculptures of other animals and even of human beings.

        Papa Muku and one of his elephant sculptures

Papa Sakyi is now a great carver who has taught a lot of youth including his own son who works with him at his shop in the “ARTS CENTER”. Some of his students had the idea to carve and came to him, whilst others saw his work and got interested in carvings.

In view of this, it can be agreed that in order for one to carve, you just need to be completely interested in it, have the creativity and the passion to learn how to create diverse form of carvings.

                       A typical wood carving work shop.

A background study into African sculptures and wood carvings.

                                                  A number of beautiful African masks and sculptures made of wood

                                                    An elephant and a duck sculpture beautifully designed on a table.

                                                         A sculpture of a lion head.

Sculpture is the branch of the visual Arts that can be molded from stone, metals, ceramic and wood. However the focus of this blog is on wood sculptures. According to Wikipedia, ‘wood carving’ is a form of working wood by means of a cutting tool (knife) in one hand or a chisel by two hands resulting in a wooden figure.  “Africansculpture” is new and unfamiliar to most non- Africans, however it is the product of ancient civilizations and many centuries of artistic tradition. Initially, the’ masks’ and figures may seem strange, but when viewed in terms of their own cultures, they can be seen to be sophisticated, powerful, and ‘dynamic. Unlike the art of Western societies, traditional African art was a functional and necessary part of everyday life and it would be impossible to understand African cultures without an understanding of their arts. These sculptures were deeply woven into the social life of the people and played a central role in binding together all members of the community.

Africa portrayed a visual culture by engaging into ‘carving’ of sculptures. Most of ‘African sculptures’ was historically in wood. Wood carving remains today the primary sculptural art form of the sub Saharan continent. African art history shows that the earliest wooden sculptures from the 17^th century are attributed to the kuba, Central Zaire but the earliest surviving sub-Saharan sculpture is a Zoomorphic head found in 1928 in central ‘Angola’. ‘Masks’ are important elements in the arts of many African countries, along with human figures often in a particular style. Each style or design is unique and portray a particular meaning. These masks and other visual arts carved by African artists portrayed a great sense of realism of the African culture. Traditionalists like “Lamidi Fakeye” a Nigerian, produces sculptures and wood carvings based on classical African design. From these images, one can learn how ancient tribes and cultures viewed the universe around them. Observing these sculptures and carvings may give a great insight into their thoughts as well as their spiritual and physical worlds

Sculptures were important in the religious rituals which were a central force in African life, giving social cohesion through common belief and participation in ceremonial events. The masks and figures used in such rites were not worshiped; however it was believed that the world was inhibited by many unseen spirits, each with its own powers and personality. These spirits involved themselves in the lives of human beings for both good and evil. The sculptures and masks were the vehicles through which these spirits made themselves seen and their presence known in the world of the people. The objects themselves did not contain the spirit and hence, though they were respected and honoured, they were not worshiped.

Masks representing spirit forces were particularly important at ceremonies marking major changes in the lives of individuals or community events such as “Initiations into adulthood” or funeral ceremonies. It also served as a symbol of authority and played important roles in maintaining social order. They also served as teaching aids used to explain about African culture. African art is principally symbolic rather than representational. It is more concerned with visualizing concepts rather than with accurately representing nature.

In all, aside the ceremonial usage of the masks and sculptures, contemporary African societies use them for beautification purposes. African artists now carve sculptures in a very attractive way with colourful paintings and designs for beautification and decoration. Now people purchase the sculptures not for only spiritual purposes but just to decorate their rooms, living rooms, restaurants, offices, among others. Also these masks and sculptures are so beautiful that most non-Africans, who come to Africa as tourists, love to take pictures and even buy them.