Aboriginals Tribal Art

African Tribal Art Gallery
239-482-7025

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African tribal art appears in several ways.

Masks are used in tribal dances:

to placate the spirit world,

to propitiate good health,

to promote ample harvest,

to protect deceased loved
ones as they journey to the 'other' world,

to discipline and to educate.

 

Carvings are made to protect a village from bush spirits or to please a spouse in the other world.

Textiles are created to clothe, decorate and demonstrate domestic skills.

Jewelry is crafted to adorn the body.

Pottery, musical instruments, and implements are made to reinforce cultural values and bring beauty to every day life.

From the time we entered the African Tribal Art field, 40-some years ago, we've seen changes. Among them have been the splintering of the "market" into three parts.

At the top, are ancient pieces that have resided in ethnographic museums. They are priced beyond the means of most people who would be interested in purchasing them.

The bottom tier is cheap mass-produced tribal-like wall art. They are brought to America by container ships.

Old hands refer to this segment as "airport art". Some of it pretends to be African in origin but much is actually from Asia.

In the middle is where we serve. Everything from Africa that we offer, we acquired personally, either in Africa or from trusted dealers in African tribal art. It is all quality art, if not at the top of the category. None of it is "airport art".

We include Certificates of Authenticity, explaining the history of the item and how it came into our possession. (Some of it has been exhibited in museums, and is so noted.)

Below is a link to a list of tips for how to evaluate
and select African Tribal
Art that appeals to you.

Link to African tribal art buying tips

Baga Masks
African Baga tribe 'nimba' mask
A257 - Nimba
US$770.00

African tribal art Baga 'elek' shrine figure
X276 - Elek
US$660.00

Baule Masks
and objects

African Baule mask
H056 - Baule
US$625.00


X747 - Baule
US$950.00


African Baule tribal janus-lidded medicine bowl
A253 - Baule
US$550.00

African Baule tribal janus heddle pulley
A357 - Baule
US$195.00

African tribal Baule serpent and lizard mask
DF35 - Baule
US$750.00

Zoomorphic mask with bite stick
F067 - Baule
US$350.00


Benin - objects

Quen bust from Benin
E784 - Benin
US$600.00


A015 - Benin
US$5,000.00



V362 Benin
US$5,000.00

Dan masks

Dan Guerre mask of many eyes
DE79 - Dan
US$1,900.00

Dan mask with fabric ear drops
C419 - DanUS$275.00


Dan hornbill mask
W548 - Dan
US$350.00

African Dan tribal art mask
H106 Dan
US$4,000.00

Dan hornbill mask with monkey fur
F072 - Dan


V224 - Dan

Dogon Masks
and objects

F180 Dogon



V247 Dogon


CT14 - Dogon


C420 - Dogon


Ibo - Igbo Masks and Objects




V356 - Ibo

Ibo tribal mask with movable jaw
H553 - Ibo

Ibo African tribal dance wand with movable jaw
V217- Ibo

Ibo African bowl, with lids, for storing and serving kola nuts
X099 - Ibo

Kuba Masks
and Objects

Carved wood Kuba drum with symbolic hand hold
A064 - Kuba

Kuba African Ngaady dance mask
D305 - Kuba

Kuba African dance mask with raffia trim
F414 - Kuba

Kuba Shoowa raffia panelT065 - Kuba

Kuba Shoowa raffia panelT066 - Kuba

African Kuba dance mask wuth carved scarification
V115 - Kuba

African tribal container by Kuba carver
W947 - Kuba


Senoufo

Senoufo African tribal helmet mask
X252 - Senoufo

African Senoufo stool and divination figure
E839 - Senoufo

Senoufo tribe African stool and divination object
E838 - Senoufo



helmet mask from Senoufo with birds that can removed and added, representing achievement in harvest activities
V234 - Senoufo

Yoruba Masks
and artifacts

Yoruba beaded bird crown
E481 - Yoruba


F553 - Yoruba



A107 - Yoruba


E722 - Yoruba


F415 -Yoruba

Yoruba Oshe Shango wands

What are Oshe Shango Wands?
Shango is a religion of the Yoruba people of Nigeria. It takes its name from the principal god of believers, known for power and justice. He is celebrated with cermonial dances. Adherents of the cult dance with oshe Shang wands refleting their supplication to Shango. Carvers use many different elements to pay tribute, depending on their individual beliefs.

Many of these wands display partial nudity, a reflection of traditional attire for Yoruba natives. If this offends you, please skip this portion the website.
For more information about Shango, click here.


A086 Yoruba Shango


D085 Yoruba Shango Wand


D087 Yoruba Shango Shrine Figure


E911 Yoruba Shango Shrine Figure

Yoruba shango wand, front, right
V197 Yoruba Shango

African Yoruba oshe Shango dance wand
V198 Yoruba Shango

Yoruba blurred male shango
V199 Yoruba Shango


V232 Yoruba Shango


V474 Yoruba Shango

Yoruba Oshe Shango dance wand
V495 Yoruba Shango


X237 Yoruba Shango


X238 Yoruba Shango


X239 Yoruba Shango


Other Tribes
and Areas



V271 - Attie

Granary door lock from Bambara tribe
F176 - Bambara


African Bambara Ntomo mask
E713 - Bambara

African Bassa Bundu mask
X121 - Bassa

Africa Bobo animated leopard mask
DE31 - Bobo

E852 - Mambila
Cameroun

African Cameroon water buffalo mask
W097 - Cameroun


DB29 Tikar Cameroun

African Cameroon basket rattle with male figure
DB53 - Cameroun


E487 Fang

African Gurunsi Fanana mask
D481 - Fanana

F416 - Fon



X770 - Guro



Bakongo African nail fetish
DA78 - BaKongo



Lobi African tribal dance wand
E506 Lobi



F550 - Lobi


Mande musical string instrument
V163 - Mangbetu


E915 - Ogoni


H583 - Fang


F008 - Hembe


V109 - Mumuye



W976 - Pende


W463 - Pende

Pende Tribe Fetish House extendable mask
F089 Pende

W476 - Songye

Tchokwe chair with carved scenes from life
W246 - Tchokwe
Teke tribe mask with raffia beard
H574 - Teke


H289 - Wolo

BaYaka tribal ancestor figure
W474 - BaYaka

 

 

Now any item with a purchase price of more than $200 may be purchased on extended payments through our Tribalworks Collector's Club

(c) 2002 - 2021 Aboriginals: Art of the First Person