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"African deities"
Followers of traditional African religions pray to various secondary deities as well as to their ancestors. These secondary gods serve as intermediaries between humans and the creator God. Most indigenous African societies believe in a single creator God.
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"African
dinosaurs"
Compared
to Eurasia and North or South America, Africa isn’t particularly well known
for its dinosaurs, even though Africa
has a rich fossil record. A flock of blue dinosaur birds from imaginative painter J Amedokpo reminds us of the rich heritage of the African
continent.
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“Worship at the Shrine”
A shrine is a sacred place of veneration or worship dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, demon, or singular figure of awe and respect. Shrines often contain idols relics, or other objects associated with the figure being venerated. While Islam and Christianity remain the two prevalent religions of the continent, many Africans still maintain at the same time some aspects of their original traditional beliefs and religions.
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"African Kingdoms"
There have been a number of pre-colonial African kingdoms from North to South and from West to East, varying size and influence. The Kingdom of Ghana (750–1078) centered in what is today Senegal and Mauritania, the Songhai empire (1350-1600 CE) encompassing part of the empire of Mali as well as the land beyond to the East and North, the Benin Empire (1440-1897), a large pre-colonial African state of modern Nigeria or the Fon kingdom of Dahomey (17-18th century) located in the state now known as the Republic of Benin are just very few examples of the rich history of migrations and domination in Africa.
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“Baobab”
The baobab is a magnificent giant tree with heights of 16 to 96 ft and trunk diameters of 23 to 36 ft. It is considered a symbol of wisdom, longevity, and power in Africa. In Benin, it is adorned by some animists. Baobab trees are common in many other countries too.
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“Bitter Search for Water”
Women walk long distances, sometimes under a burning sun, in order to find the precious water.
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"Black Beauties"
Your curves, nappy hair, darker skin define you.
You are warm and loving,
Majestic and mysterious,
Beautiful and dangerous,
Charming and seductive,
Like our mother Africa.
K.YE |
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"Alessandro Del Piero"
Alessandro Del Piero is an Italian World Cup-winning footballer who currently plays for Serie A club Juventus de Turin. In the year 2000, Del Piero was the world's best-paid football player from salary, bonuses and advertising revenue. Del Piero holds the all-time goal scoring record at Juventus with more than 300 goals. On 6 April 2008, Alessandro Del Piero became the all-time highest-capped Juventus player.
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"Egungun cult"
Egungun is a yoruba tribe (Nigeria) which recognizes and celebrate the importance of the elders in their society.
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“Fetish Dancer”
The town of Ouidah in the Republic of Benin, on the Atlantic coast, is the spiritual center of the Beninese Voodoo. Voodoo originated from this area of West Africa to celebrate deaths, births, weddings, and initiatic rituals where people would dance and play drums for several days.
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| "Floating canoe" |
| "Fetish dancer"
The term fetishism was first used by Portuguese sailors who landed off the coast of West Africa in the 16th and 17th centuries to describe this so-called primitive culture's religion as the worship of inanimate things and of animals. Today fetishism is defined as the worship of material objects supposed to have inherent power. |
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“Ganvie, Benin”
Ganvie is a lake village in the Republic of Benin. 20 000 people live on these houses built on the water. The lake village was established by the Tofinu people. The local religion and beliefs forbade the Fon warriors (a slave trading tribe) from entering the water, making the lagoon a safe territory for other tribes. Ganvie is often refered to the Venice of Africa.
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"Gelede"
Gelede is an annual festival honoring female elders. The festival takes place when the dry season ends (March–May) among the Yoruba people of south-west Nigeria and neighboring southeast Benin. The celebration is recognizing the power and spiritual capacity women have in society. The Gelede ceremony involves carefully choreographed dance, singing and music, and especially drumming. The performances are given by men, wearing masks with sculpted images on them. The masks are part of a pair and worn together by men to entertain and celebrate women and mothers.
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“Ogun God of Iron”
In the Dahomey mythology, Ogun or Gu is the god of war and patron deity of the smiths and craftsmen.In the Yoruba and Haitian traditional belief system, Ogun presides over iron, hunting, politics and war. He is the patron of the blacksmiths and is represented by various objects like a machete, rum and tobacco. It is Ogun who is said to have led, given power, and planted the idea in the heads of the slaves during the Haitian Revolution of 1804. He is nowadays often called to help the people in Haiti.
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"God of thunder"
is also known as Xevioso among the people of Dahomey (Republic of Benin), as Azaka- tonnerre with Haitian people and Shango in the Yoruba culture.
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“Ibini Ritual Heads”
In Nigeria’s Ibini society and Sub-Saharan and West African societies, ritual and ceremonial masks are an essential feature of the traditional culture and art. Masks usually have a spiritual or religious meaning and are used in ritual dances, social and religious events. Masks are one of the elements of African art that have most evidently influenced European and Western art in general; in the 20th century, artistic movements such asCubism, Fauvism, and expressionism have often taken inspiration from the vast and diverse heritage of African masks. Influences of this heritage can also be found in other traditions such asSouth and Central American masks' Carnival parades.
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"Hawker girl"
The hawker girl is a mobile or stationary outdoor street vendor. Carrying her cargo on her head, the hawker girl will for instance sell some delicious grilled fish with plantains or goods like imported designer purses or original work of art.
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“Mamy Water”
Mami Wata, the Goddess of the Sea is venerated in many parts of Africa and in some parts of North and South America. Gorgeous women are nicknamed after her because of their inhuman beauty. She is adored for her power of healing, fertility, and good fortune; she is feared when disappointed.
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“Market Woman”
Carrying objects on the head take some skills and the trip to the market is never a short one. The Dantokpa market in Cotonou (Republic of Benin) is one of many and the largest in the West Africa area, covering over 20 hectares; it is also economically very important for the country.
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"Masquerade"
A masquerade ceremony (or masked rite, festival, procession or dance) is a cultural or religious event involving the wearing of masks.
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"Maternal love"
Rare black and white painting from J. Amedokpo. The painting underlines the universal theme of the importance and role of the woman and the mother in the African society.
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"Ogboni cult"
Ogboni cult a fraternal institution in the Nigerian yoruba culture but also in Benin, and Togo. They perform a range of religious and political functions.
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| "Owegbe secret cult" |
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"Palm wine tapper"
The alcoholic beverage created from the sap of the palm tree is called sodabe in Benin and Togo; this drink is common in various parts of Africa and Asia..
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“Reincarnation”
Dead are sent to their ancestors and reincarnated in newborns inside the same family.
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"Shango"
In the Yoruba culture, Shango is the god of fire, lightning and thunder. He is venerated in Haitian culture as the god of thunder and weather; in Brazilian's Candomble Ketu as the powerful Nago Shango, in Trinidad's as Shango Lord of Thunder, drumming and dance, and in Cuba, Puerto Rico and Venezuela's Santeria belief system as Shango patron saint of artillerymen.
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“Town Crier”
At a time when the radio and TV were not available, the town crier would go to the center place of the village and get people attention by hitting the little drum under his arm. He would then convey the message of the king to the population. The true ancestor of Facebook.
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| "Untitled" |
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"Web of Spider"
Not all web spiders are made to catch preys. However this particular one will catch your eye and capture your imagination.
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"Woman in trouble"
Young African girls learn at an early age how to help their mothers by carrying bins on their heads. This is a careful game of balance and the painting precisely depict what happen when you start losing your footing
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“World Cup in the rainbow nation”
It was a great pride for all Africans to host in 2010 the first World Cup on African soil in South Africa. Socer of course is the most popular sport in Africa. The rainbow colors represent the flag colours of South Africa.
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“Worship at the Shrine”
A shrine is a sacred place place of veneration or worship dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, demon, or singular figure of awe and respect. Shrines often contain idols relics, or other objects associated with the figure being venerated. While Islam and Christianity remain the two prevalent religions of the continent, many Africans still maintain at the same time some aspects of their original traditional beliefs and religions.
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“Blekete Drummer”
Music performed during ritual ceremonies, social or religious events.
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