Various Roles of Men and Women in the African Societies

Various Roles of Men and Women in the African Societies

For centuries art has been used to indicate civil status in Africa. Different art forms exhibit the various roles of men and women in the African societies. There are numerous examples of African artworks that reflect the strong cultural and traditional values of African civilizations. Art is everywhere in the African life, from the pots and baskets used for cooking and the storing of food to all the hand woven clothes and jewelry worn by the tribe in traditional cities. African homes are usually decorated with their various art forms. Africans use their sculptures and masks in their religious ceremonies as well. In African societies masquerades often work as an element of social control.
On the wedding day in Southeast Africa the brides wear aprons. Although it could simply be clothing, the apron in fact represents a lot more. In addition to being the mother in law’s artwork, it represents the cattle that the bridegroom’s family paid for the bride. This is determined by the fringe on the apron. Southeast Africa is not the only part of Africa that carries the tradition of women wearing their artwork and their artwork speaking volumes of their social status. The woman in Maasai wear necklaces, bracelets, earrings and sometimes even hats made from strands of glass and plastic beads. “Beaded necklaces can exist extremely heavy, but large strands are a token of a woman’s high status. (Bingham, 33) This is also real for Fulani women in northwest Africa. Fulani women wear large circular earrings made from beaten gold. Sometimes these earrings are so heavy she has to wear a string over her head to support the weight of the earrings. The women wear these earrings to show how wealthy her husband is. As the husband’s affluence increases, the larger the earrings become. When a woman wears silver it is also a status symbol that displays wealth.
In addition to the woman wearing their artwork, men also use their bodies as an artwork canvas. In many African...

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