Africa contains many diverse civilizations that have been isolated from Europe and have kept their traditions for a long time, but nonetheless they have created many things like art, major cities, smelting iron, Arabic, etc. Despite the fact that Western art historians consider African art primitive because it is made by Africans, Pacific Islanders and Native Americans, it is not true that their art is primitive. This is just a nasty, rude and racist way of labeling people that have their own beliefs and traditions, and even though they are different to the European culture, they should not be considered as inferior, but equal. However, African art is not even considered as art by its creators because it has more of a utilitarian and magical use. Some objects are worn, used for dancing or some ritual is performed to activate the object and make magic happen. Thus, Africans draw no difference between craft like making a bowl and art like painting, they use it as an object that just needs to work to the advantage of that person. Through the discussion of these works, Hip Mask Representing …show more content…
This is why Ere Ibeji (Twin Figures) were created because twins are magical and powerful enough that they believed that through them they are able to communicate with spirits. When a twin dies, the parents consult with a diviner where he will carve out in wood the adult form the twins would take. Then, the parents have to take care of them as if they were alive and feed it, oil it, give it gifts, and pray to it, so that the twin figures can bring their parents good luck from the spirit world and protect them from the forces of evil. Thus, the Yoruba civilization connects with the spirits because through these twin figures, or symbols of magic, the parents can enter the spirit world and be protected from evil