COSTUMES

Click on a name to see a larger image and other views or a catalog of images.

Yoruba
Egungun
Costumes 1

YORUBA
Flat Egungun
Costumes

YORUBA
Egungun
Costumes 2

BAMILEKE
Elephant
Masks

HAUSA
Men's
Robes

YAKA
Masks
Catalog

IGBO Spirit Mask and Costume
part of 1998
African Costumes Exhibition

DOGON / BAMANA
Hunter's
Shirts

MENDE
Helmet Masks 2

Photographs © Tim Hamill

AFRICAN COSTUMES

Every African mask was danced with a costume; sometimes simple raffia or cloth hiding the identity of the dancer, often as with the Yoruba, an elaborate assemblage of textile pieces. African textiles were all articles of clothing; many were costumes denoting rank and status.

The African Costumes Exhibition shows the colorful. textural traditional costumes of the Yoruba, Igbo and Mende peoples, focusing on many varied and elaborate Egungun costumes of the Yoruba people of Nigeria. The Egungun association honored spirits of the ancestors and invoked their protection or aid. They were used at funerals and could transmit messages from ancestors to the living. The dancer could look out through the mesh and use rapid swirling movements to swing the cloth strips out horizontally.

If you are looking for a particular tribe or object please check our alphabetical list of images and catalogs.

GO TO AFRICAN FIGURES PAGE

GO TO MASKS AND HEADS PAGE

GO TO AFRICAN METALWORK PAGE

GO TO NEW ADDITIONS PAGE

GO TO AFRICAN TEXTILES PAGE

HOMEPAGE

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TRIBE

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OBJECT