Royal Arts of Africa

Royal Arts of Africa
Author: Suzanne Preston Blier
Publisher: Laurence King
Total Pages: 282
Release: 1998
Genre: Art
ISBN:

"First published in Great Britain 1998 by Calmann and King Ltd."-- T.p.

Art of the Cameroon Grasslands

Art of the Cameroon Grasslands
Author: Bettina von Lintig
Publisher: 5 Continents Editions
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2024
Genre: Art
ISBN:

Art of the Cameroon Grasslands unveils the artistic creativity of a region of West Africa through the Weis Collection. With texts by Peter Weis and Bettina von Lintig, and a contribution by Michael Oehrl, the book is a comprehensive overview of Grasslands Art. In contrast to many other African regions, the works of the artists of the ethnic groups that live in the Grasslands are characterized by enormous diversity, dynamism, movement, asymmetry, power, and even unbridled wildness. Other works radiate tranquillity, offering the viewer uncommon visual pleasure and delight. For centuries, kingdoms and rulers in this region competed with each other to create new works of art or perfect inherited styles. These works served cultural, profane, and representational purposes, and they reflected the social and ruling structures of the Grasslands--aspects that the book's essays and descriptions go into in detail. A broad spectrum of objects and their uses are reflected in the Weis Collection. It includes everyday objects, works of folk art, ritual, and cult objects such as magic or commemorative figures, masks, posts, palace doors, representational objects, musical instruments, tobacco pipes, and drinking horns. The introduction presents important aspects of the cultural and artistic development of each object's region of origin, also in the context of European colonization. All are illustrated with numerous field photographs. This is followed by an essay on beaded artworks from the Grasslands, a subject that has been little researched to date. As the Grasslands are embedded in a larger cultural area, objects in the collection from neighboring ethnic groups are also presented, in many cases shedding light on centuries-old connections and artistic exchanges.

Culture and Customs of Cameroon

Culture and Customs of Cameroon
Author: John Mukum Mbaku Esq.
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Total Pages: 285
Release: 2005-06-30
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0313027366

Cameroon, in Central Africa, has been called Africa in miniature. It is characterized by exceptional social and ethnic diversity, with more than 250 ethnicities now forming five major regional-culture groupings. This volume is the first to encapsulate Cameroon's rich indigenous and modern customs and traditions in depth. The narrative emphasizes those aspects that define its modern nation, its peoples, the unique societies, their institutions, and various lifestyles. The origins of Cameroon's diverse culture are traced back to the various ethnic groups and languages as well as the influence of European colonialism, Christianity, Islam, and other external factors, including globalization. In each topical chapter, examples from ethnic groups are presented to give some sense of the variety of experiences. Cameroon has had a turbulent and eventful modern history with German, English, and French incursions, and students and general readers will be able to understand the current struggle for democracy post independence. The history colors the substantial coverage of the many topics examined, from education, to marriage and women's roles, sports, and holidays, daily life, the arts, and much more. This volume will stand as the definitive, accessible introduction to Cameroon and will be essential for building a well-rounded Africa collection.

Afo-A-Kom

Afo-A-Kom
Author: Fred Ferretti
Publisher: Okpaku Communications Corporation
Total Pages: 168
Release: 1975
Genre: Art
ISBN:

"In 1966 the century-old statue, Afo-A-Kom, mysteriously disappeared from its sanctuary in the remote Cameroon Kingdom of Kom, triggering a world-wide search that ended in a New York art gallery in the Fall of 1973. The story of Afo-A-Kom, how its absence threatened the very existence of the Kom people, and its eventual return to its home, are ... told by the journalist whose stories of Afo-A-Kom aroused immense international interest when they appeared on the front pages of The New York Times"--Dustjacket.

Bamum

Bamum
Author: Christraud Geary
Publisher: 5Continents
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2011-09-01
Genre: Art
ISBN: 9788874395736

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, artists working for the royal court of Bamum, in Cameroon, created elaborate bead-covered thrones and stools, wooden sculptures, masks in human and animal form, architectural carvings, and fine objects in bronze, ivory, and clay. This book focuses on the history, iconography, and meaning of these royal arts and looks at Western collectors who were fascinated by King Ibrahim Njoya (ruled 1886/7 to 1931) and the splendor of the royal court. Visual and written sources--including testimony by King Njoya and his courtiers, and extensive archival records--cast light on the strategies of a monarch who allowed visitors to acquire these arts to enhance the kingdom's reputation in distant Europe. The history of Bamum arts thus offers unique perspectives on African creativity and ingenuity, and European ways of collecting.