passeport

 

AFRICAN PASSEPORT

The true story of the African "Passport"

The passport masks were used by the Central African population (Cameroon, Gabon, Congo) before the Europeans arrived in Africa.

 

There were many different forms of masks because:

• They were used as identity cards and passports for internal travel
• They indicated the social position of each member of the village or tribe
• They were used to distinguish the different guilds

The colors of the masks were considered as a kind of writing, such as calligraphy, hieroglyphics and the alphabet.
The same color position could be found in certain masks.
However these colors did not have the same meaning if their forms were different .
Also the colors had different meanings in different tribes.
 
It was necessary to know that when there were many colors on the mask you were considered as a young apprentice and the more skills you acquired in your profession or your future social status, the less colors you had.
 
The people who had uniform colored mask were considered as advisors or masters.
Examples of Passports  : warrior, hunter, stonemason, fisherman, blacksmith, farmer, pastor, notary storyteller, griot, musician, wrestler, dancer, sculptor, painter, potter, weaver,  visionary, goddess of beauty, wise man etc.

 

Les passeports en terre cuîte

 

En couleurs: 12 €

La conteuse	La danseuse	Le conseillé
Le conteur	Le potier	Le grio
Le visionnaire	Le sage	Le chasseur
Le peintre	La guérisseuse	Le musicien
Monochromes: 20 €
Le notable	La princesse	La sage
Le sculpteur	Le cultivateur	Le grio
Le chasseur	Le pêcheur	Le prince
Le sage	Le visionnaire	La tisserante

 

 

Possibilité de commander en gros.

 

Dimensions : 11 cm

De 10 à 30 : Couleurs = 6 € , monochromes = 8 €

Plus de 30  : Couleurs = 4 € , monochromes = 5 €

 

Don’t be passif, consume actively.