Category Archives: museum

Final Day in Dakar

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November 8, 2007, Institut Fondamental de l’Afrique Noire (IFAN) Museum, Dakar, Senegal

Due to an unfortunate incident with a young man who was trying to steal money from me, I spent my last evening in Dakar cooped up inside the hotel. Part of the evening was entirely dark due to a blackout. The hotel chef was kind enough to prepare a vegetarian meal for me and I met an interesting Algerian business guy for a chat at the hotel bar.

My final day in Dakar, I went to the Institut Fondamental de l’Afrique Noire (IFAN) Museum.

The museum had interesting exhibits of the various peoples of West Africa and their masks and other ritual objects. I took a lot of notes.

Afterwards, I tried to mail some heavy documents at the post office. I had to take a taxi to a special post office for mailing packages and they told me it would cost almost US$100 to mail 7 kilos of printed materials. I decided to wait for Mali to see if it would be cheaper. The taxi rides around town and to the airport provide an excellent opportunity to get an idea of the terrain in Dakar.

Notes from IFAN Museum in Dakar:

Women’s initiation, Mande, Sierra Leone, masks showing stages of initiation

Nigerian sanctuary statues from near Port Harcourt, River State

Ekoi, Nigeria, Janus helmet, River State

Initiation of boys, Bassari, Senegal, circumcision at age 13, to become a man and learn mystical, technical, and artistic knowledge, large round masks around face with frame structured

Initiation of boys, Boukout or Bukut, Diola, Senegal, every 20-25 years in different villages, announced 3-4 years in advance, ceremonies, festivals, dances, sacrifices, Kuisen ceremony — maskes with horns called ejumba, in Balingore region other masks called samaï and niagarass

Diola, Senegal, couple statuettes, Bignona

Diola, Senegal, giant carved wood pitchers with handle (shape like beer stein) for palm wine, Ziguinchor regionally

Baga people in Guinée, banda or kumbaduda is long horizontal mask combining royal crocodile, chameleon, antelope, and human imagery with colorful geometrical representations, man metamorphosing into a genie

Baga, tam-tam drum on wood stand

Bidjogo, Guinée, archipel de Bissagos, Ile de Ponta, hippo mask

Ghana, Ashanti, Asipim, ceremonial chair, wood, leather, and copper(?) tacks

Ghana, Ashanti, large ceremonial tambour drums, pegs mid-level stretch animal skin attached by cords over the top, intricate geometrical and symbolic designs on base

Ivory Coast, Sénoufo, maternity statue — baby at breast, statue of woman

Mali, Segon (or Ségou), Bamabara, “Chi-Wara” or “Tyiwara”, worn on top of woven cap with cowries, i.e. top of head, one of six “confrèries” in which Bamabara is initiated, mythical hero related to cultivation of the earth, also stylized antelope carvings

Nimba and D’mba, of the Baga and others, ideal image of feminine in society, also have fecundity figure, both with pendulous breasts

Boke, Guinée, Baga, Yombofissa, ritual animist object for female initiation preparation

Kout’ala (or Koutiala), Mali, Manianka wood statuette of mother carrying child on back

Cameroon, Bamiléké mast for curing sterile women, has lengthy phallus

Benin, Porto Novo, Tôhôlu statue representing water spirit with HUGE hanging phallus

Ghana, Kumassi (Kumasi), fecundity puppet, Akwaba statuette, shaped almost like ankh symbol (see drawing in journal)

Ghana, Cape Coast, Fanti puppet for fecundity

Ghana, Kumashi (Kumasi), Ashanti double fecundity puppet

Mali, Sikasso, Manianka statuette, hands on belly holding face

Ivory Coast, Senoufo, creator of world god named Koulotiolo, mother of the village god Katiéléo

Pono (or Poro?) initiation rituals in sacred forests, three cycles of seven years is 21 years, receive ritual names at each level, proofs of endurance, secret language

  • Poworo, children 7-12 years old, farming and intro to initiation
  • Kwonro, adolescents, liturgical rites, ceremonial dances, and warrior training
  • Tyologo, 12 levels depending on knowledge with top level called Kafa around 30 years old

Ivory Coast, Karogo, Senoufo, Masque-Cimier, Nayogo, beautiful cowrie-studded mask with beak and long tail

Senoufo info: present-day Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Mali, Ghana–

Poniugo = zoomorph masks

A. Helmet masks:
1. Poniubolo
2. Gpeligeniugu
3. Waniugo

B. Frontal masks:
1. Navigue
2. Nasolo (or Nagolo)

Kpelihe anthromorphic masks

1. Kpelihe korrigo
2. Kpelihe kodalu

Masques-Cimiers

1. Noukorgo
2. Niara
3. Najago
4. Goro

Statuary

1. Grand Calao: Setien
2. Maternity: Nong
3. Guardian: Nanferre
4. Pilon: Deble
5. Mythical Ancestor: Pombibele
6. Statuette: Madebele
7. Magical: Kafi Gueledo
8. Canes: Daleu

Masques Cagoules: Kodalu

1. Niongbelleque
2. Kouto
3. Kama
4. Kpakpayira
5. Yaladiogo (or Yaladogo)
6. Kakpolefala
7. Niarou
8. Yebligue

Mali, Dogon, days of mourning in which women wear cowrie masks covering their faces, other masks too, Mopti, Sikasso regions

Mali, Dogon, Mopti region, Bandiagara circle, pillar “d’abri des hommes”?

Several “magic” figures from Ivory Coast (masks for singers):

Yacouba
We
Man
Glé

Nigeria, Yoruba, Oya, Ibadan region, polychromatic mask, also statue of woman holding “une coupe”, Gélédé society for prosperity of women

Benin, Fon, Abomey province, divining cup, carved wooden bowl on stand in shape of bird, Pierre Verger received it from son of the last great Bokono king, also textiles with allegorical stories, colorful appliqué technique, also iron and copper “autel” for royal ancestors, Asen

Mali, Bambara, special clothing for hunter, triangular geometric design, also Ségou region — cane of culture with carved head on top, also marionette, also long mask of Komo society

Ile de Goree

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November 4, 2007, Île de Gorée, Dakar, Senegal

When the ferry was ready for us, everyone in the waiting room squeezed through two small exits onto the dock. Then, we crossed over to the ferry with two guys grabbing each passenger to help them across the one foot wide step to get on board. Once on board, the two Germans and I sat on the upper deck. I chose a spot in the shade. In port next to us was a giant container and cargo ship, twelve stories tall. The ferry boat is new, launched in 2006 under the name of Beer. The Germans and I joked quite a bit about that… like, how come no free beer on board? 😉

From the ferry, we had excellent views back to the Dakar harbor and Cape Vert (I think it’s called).

Soon, we reached the open sea with magnificent views of Île de Gorée.

We sailed around the tip of the island where the fortress, now a museum, is located to get a great view of the harbor, beach, and seaside.

The island boasts some wonderful old houses.

Once on land, we paid a tourist tax and walked toward the Maison des Esclaves (Slave House), which was closed for siesta time. On the way to the Maison, we saw this monument to the end of slavery with a man and some children having their photo taken alongside the monument.

We also saw a breadfruit tree with breadfruit hanging from its branches.

We entered a cathedral with some black statues, as well as white ones.

On our way up to a peak where the old cannons are gradually rusting away, we saw many arts and crafts stands and paintings painted by local artists.

On the way down from the peak, we saw a local soccer game with some guys in real good shape.

We walked over to the port for lunch. A man tried to get us to eat at his restaurant, but I really wanted to eat at the place recommended by the Lonely Planet guidebook. Eventually we escaped his clutches and made our way over to the Ana Saban restaurant.

After lunch, we went to the Musée Historique de l’IFAN on the island.

I somehow lost the Germans at the museum, so I walked alone back over past the beach to the Maison des Esclaves, now finished with their siesta break. I started by taking pictures of the “Door of No Return,” which was apparently the last place where slaves bound for the Great Passage across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas set foot on the African continent.

Here’s what it was like to stand just in front of the door out to where the slave ships used to load their human cargo and the sign currently posted by the Door of No Return.

Inside the Maison des Esclaves, an exhibit explained about the history of the slave trade and showed some of the actual fetters used to bind slaves.

In a small museum office with lots of signs and sayings posted on the walls, there is an elder who must have helped to establish the museum. I went in to thank him for what he has done and he replied that to the contrary he must thank me for coming.

After the disturbing and moving museum, it was a real treat to be able to relax on the beach with locals and people visiting from all over the world. I met a sweet Italian fellow (married) who is working in nutrition in Africa. It was so much fun that the Germans and I had to run for the Beer ferry when it was time to go.

To round out the evening, we dashed to Point des Almadies to see the sunset and eat dinner on the seashore.

Ethiopia Reprise: Axum Museum, Trilingual Tablet, and Adwa

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Following on my March 6 visit to the Axum obelisks, I entered the Axum Museum and made an excursion to the trilingual tablet stored in a shack nearby.

In the museum, they have interesting old crosses, the second of which was found near the Church of St. Mary Zion. There were also some interesting drain gargoyles, probably of a similar period.

There are stone inscriptions in a pre-Axumite language called Sabean from the middle of the first millenium BCE.

Interesting human figures, three-legged pots, coins, and miscellaneous other items at the museum.

This woman was weaving and selling baskets outside the Axum Museum.

And here is the Trilingual Tablet, in Ge’ez, Greek, and Sabean I think.

Here’s the “taxe” that brought me there (poor horsie!).

We drove by Queen Sheeba’s bathing pool. And we saw a sign about a military leader apparently killed by the Eritreans.

And there is a great sycamore fig tree in town.

Many Ethiopians and others visiting Axum stop by also at Adwa. In fact, the country celebrated a holiday related to Adwa on March 1 while I was traveling there. Ethiopia is the only African country to remain free of colonial rule. The Italians tried in the late 19th century and the Ethiopians defeated them at Adwa on March 1, 1896. The Italians did later occupy Ethiopia during World War II for some years, but basically Ethiopia is the only African nation that has been consistently free of colonial occupation.

I also thought about visiting the rock-hewn churches at Lallibela before heading on to Gonder on March 7, but decided that I had to move forward. Many people rank the Lallibela churches as a must-see and I’m sorry I had to miss them this time around.

Ethiopia Reprise: Melka Kunture

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This is the map for the trip to Melka Kunture and surrounds.

March 1 was my big day for visiting the human origins discovery site at Melka Kunture, south of Addis Ababa. Village Ethiopia sold me a little tour that featured Melka Kunture along with a visit to the stelae at Tiya and to the Adadi Mariam church.

The 4WD vehicle driver picked me up at 8:00am and we set off on the trip. I was struck again by the Ethiopian construction crews’ use of wooden scaffolding even for very tall buildings. A herd of goats brought traffic to a halt. The countryside was beautiful.

In fact, all varieties of animals block the road, including these donkeys. I’d describe the terrain as semi-desert because the trees and plants still look green and obviously get some regular water, although in some places the terrain is quite dry.

Farmers living in the tukuls in the countryside tuck their teff mounds nearby. Teff is the staple grain of most of Ethiopia and they use it to make the tasty injeera bread consumed all over the country.

The Melka Kunture human discovery site had a fancy gate, and after checking our papers, the guard let us in. The exhibits at the site are in several tukuls. They describe all the well-known human discovery sites, but Herto is not highlighted, probably because Herto happened after the scientists had set up the Melka Kunture exhibits.

Because the Melka Kunture exhibits display replicas of fossil Homo sapiens skulls along with those of precursor and related species, the site provides an excellent illustration of the human evolutionary process. I focus mainly on the Homo sapiens remains in the photos I present here, including information on the Omo, Melka Kunture, and Herto discovery sites. The fossil skull replicas shown below are: Homo sapiens skull fragements, 300,000 – 200,000 years ago, from Garba III site at Melka Kunture, Ethiopia; Homo sapiens, 90,000 years ago, from Qafzeh, Israel; Homo neanderthalenthis, 45,000 years ago, from Amud, Israel; and Homo sapiens sapiens, 15,000 – 9,000 years ago, from Border Cave, South Africa.

The exhibits display the tools found with each evolutionary ancestor or relative and the presentations on tool-making are the best I have seen, especially as far as illustrating the steps of the Levallois method. Human use of the Levallois toolmaking method represents a major step forward in human thought by being able to conceive of how a tool should appear within the materials at hand, then constructing the tool to the mind’s notion of how it should appear. I present here also the full array of Garba III tools since they represent early Homo sapiens tools.

After finishing with the tukul exhibits, the staff bring the visitor out to view a couple of the actual excavation sites. Archaeologists are not currently excavating these sites, but may return next season for further investigations.

More National Museum in Addis Ababa

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Continuing on from the previous blog entry, the National Museum in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, has some other impressive modern pieces, such as this statue called “Hair Style”, the painting “Genital Mutilation” by Abebe Zelelew (2003), and “Fetel” by Marta Mengistu (2004).

“Bedebo Fetel” is by an unknown artist.

On the ground floor of the museum is also a section on other historical periods of Ethiopia (and now Eritrea). Many items I am not able to identify because they were not labeled well, such as these pictures of Ethiopian tribal people.

Some are musical instruments like the secular krar and its liturgical counterpart.

How about an Ethiopian game?

I loved these brilliantly carved artifacts, the latter one being a limestone seat niche decorated with a relief of persons and an ibex from the 5th to 4th century BCE in Haoulti, Tigrai, Ethiopia.

Then, from the second half of the first millenium BCE in Hawlti, Tigrai, Ethiopia, we have two red earthenware female figurines and a group of buff earthenware human figurines.

From the second century BCE to the second century CE in Kuhi, Tigrai, comes a buff earthenware tripod pod with “human legs”.

From the fifth to fourth century BCE in Goboshela or Gobochela, Tigrai, comes a limestone and alabaster altar with an inscription in “South Arabic” about a family’s dedication to their god “for the protection of their life” and a stone incense burner from the sixth to fifth century BCE in the same region with the inscription “Ylbb the stone worker has dedicated to Almaqah”.

From the end of the first millenium BCE in Addi-Galamo, Tigrai, a small alabaster altar and, from the sixth to fifth century BCE in the same region, a limestone statue of a female with the inscription in “South Arabian” (looks like a different language to me) of “For god grants a child to Yamanat.”

Then, we see an bronze oil lamp depicting a dog hunting an ibex from before the first century BCE in Matara, now part of Eritrea.

The collection also holds some exquisite female figurines from Matara that look similar to the really ancient Anatolian mother goddess figures, two in terra cotta and one in white stone, date information unfortunately not listed.

Here’s an exquisite amphora used to import wine and olive oil from the Mediterranean to Axum, Tigrai, in the fourth to seventh century CE.

Photo of unidentified anthropomorphic stela from Southern Ethiopia.

Finally, when I left the museum, I wandered around the grounds and came across this cafe in a traditional building called a tukul.

  

Ethiopia Reprise: Addis Ababa

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After that Sunday (February 25) touring Addis Ababa with Paulos, I had an appointment scheduled with Dr. Berhane Asfaw at the Paleo Lab of the National Museum. Dr. Asfaw is one of my heroes because he was on the team that made the discoveries of three human remains at Herto in the Afar area of the Awash region of the Great Rift Valley in Ethiopia. In fact, he discovered the skull of a child in hundreds of pieces which he painstakingly cleaned and puzzled back together — a remarkable accomplishment which brought us much light on our early origins as the species Homo sapiens. The interview went very well.

After the interview, I visited the National Museum and saw many interesting exhibits, including an excellent replica of Lucy, who was not Homo sapiens, but still an interesting gal who is back there somewhere in the early story of human origins.

The theory of how human ancestors began walking on two feet (bipedalism) instead of four feet seemed simple, but further discoveries have complicated matters.

For my current research, I’m focusing mainly on Homo sapiens, the species of humans alive today. The earliest Homo sapiens on record so far appear around 200,000 to 160,000 years ago. One example is this skull (replica shown below) found in Lower Omo region of the Great Rift Valley in Ethiopia. I tried to go to the excavation site but the location was too remote and the bridge I would have needed to cross to get there has collapsed.

My favorite Homo sapiens remains are those discovered by Dr. Asfaw, Tim White of University of California at Berkeley, and others at Herto in the Afar area of the Awash region of the Great Rift Valley in Ethiopia. They believe the remains are different enough from modern Homo sapiens sapiens to merit a separate sub-species which they dubbed Homo sapiens idaltu (replica shown below). Idaltu means “elder” in the language of the local Afar tribe in Herto village where the archaeologists discovered the remains.

The National Museum in Addis also exhibits old Ethiopian Orthodox illustrated manuscripts and modern Ethiopian art like “African Heritage” by Afewerk Tekle (1967), a painting about the Derg period in Ethiopian history, and “Three Faces of Africa” by Daniel Tohafe (1980).

Other notable examples include “How Long?” by TBD and “Ethiopian Symphony No. 5” by Girmay Hiwet (2001)

Museum Day and Dulce de Leche

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Saturday morning Edgardo and I headed over from his place to the hotel to meet Jim e and wander around the city some more.

We shopped at bookstalls, then walked over to the MALBA Museum and cafe. I really loved both, including the submarino (hot milk and a bar of chocolate you break up and stir into the milk) I drank there.

The art in the museum was fantastic, definitely on a par with the best museums in the U.S. or Europe. Both Jim e and I particularly liked a painter named Xul Solar.

After MALBA, we walked over to the La Flor statue, which is a giant mechanical flower that opens and closes according to the time of day.

Then, we walked by the Law University where we saw the names of those law students disappeared by a former Argentinian government.

We went to the Museo de las Bellas Artes, which was also really great.

Here are some paintings by Xul Solar who painted rainbow flags before they were “invented”:

In the Recoleta neighborhood, we walked past a gigantic baobab tree the size of a city block which was planted around 1800.

We stopped at La Biella Cafe and then for Dulce de Leche ice cream at Freddo’s, an experience not to be missed or forgotten. Finally, we ate a reasonably good restaurant near the giant Abasto shopping mall.

We dropped Jim e off in a taxi on the way to Edgardo’s place. (I probably should have moved out of the hotel by this point, but I wanted the connection with Jim e and I had prepaid the hotel stay.)