Baule people live in Africa's Ivory Coast.
Whether you are doing a multicultural project, studying African regions or worldwide harvest rituals, creating an African Baule mask opens discussions about many topics. African masks are ceremonial, with styles dependent upon the social and religious traditions of the community and the artistry of the carver. The Baule are farmers who live along the eastern side of the Ivory Coast. Because of their reverence for agriculture, they don wooden masks during ceremonial dances at harvest. The circular pattern represents the life-giving power of the sun. A replica of the Baule mask, also called a Goli mask, is easy to make.
Instructions
Creating an African Baule Mask
1. Mix wallpaper paste with water in the mixing bowl according to package directions (about 2 cups per mask should do).
2. Dip 3-inch newspaper strips into the paste, sliding your fingers along the strips to remove any excess.
3. Lay the strips over the back side of one plate, overlapping and crisscrossing until the plate is covered. Allow to dry.
4. Mix some of the brown and red paint together in the small cup or bowl, producing a russet color.
5. Paint the paper mache and the back side of one plain paper plate, covering both completely. Let both plates dry.
6. Draw and cut a 2- inch-wide "Y" (about half the radius of the plate) from the cardboard.
7. Mix some white paint with a bit of brown paint, creating a bone-colored shade (this replicates what is real bone on actual African masks).
8. Paint the cardboard "Y" with the paint and let it dry.
9. Cut the center from the third paper plate, leaving only the rim.
10. Pink the entire edge of the paper mache-covered plate, either by using pinking shears or cutting small triangles, so that the circumference of the plate has pointed edges (to look like the sun).
11. Draw two upside down tear drops for eyes on the paper mache plate and a rectangular mouth.
12. Cut out the eyes and mouth with a craft knife.
13. Place the cut-out plate on top of the plain, painted paper plate.
14. Trace the same eyes and mouth (but a bit smaller) of the top plate cutouts onto the bottom plate.
15. Cut out the eyes and mouth with the craft knife.
16. Staple the pinked-edged, paper mache plate to the plain, painted paper plate at the top and bottom (both painted sides facing up). This gives a 3-D effect.
17.Create a thick edging around the outer edge of the mouth and eyes with the black marker.
18. Attach the base of the cardboard "Y" shape to the top of the plate with a few staples.
19. Attach the third paper plate( rim) to the top part of the "Y", with the "Y" resting on top.
20. Paint across the top rim section (about 2 inches wide) with bone color.
21. Working from the edge of the painted section, down both sides of the rim, glue feathers downward, ending at the attached "Y". Glue two feathers side by side, overlapping tops and tips as you work your way down.
22. Glue a feather upright in the center of the "V" shape of the "Y".
23. Punch a hole through either side of the "face."
24. Cut and tie long strands of raffia (long enough to go around your head) through the holes for ties.
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