African body decorative art

Today, many African people wear modern clothing, but some still wear traditional clothing for special occasions. Just by walking through a public area, one is able to spot different cultures and although it's not seen everywhere in South Africa, some vacation spots are truly worthy of seeing and there you will always find Africans dressed in their traditional clothing.

Source
We can learn a lot from looking at the clothes they wear and the way they decorate themselves. It's all about a person's age, ethnic and social group.

People of Africa have been decorating themselves with paint for thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians wore eye paint, or kohl, above and below their eyes. Lately, it's not only them who wear it anymore, but it has become a fashion trend all over the world, myself included. It's not only a way to make yourself more beautiful, but to them, it is also to protect their eyes from the sun.

Source
Zulu kings wear necklaces of leopard claws. The Samburu women in Kenya wear necklaces and earrings that are colourful and beautiful but also tell us about the women. It's actually remarkable. We once had a flight layover in Nairobi and as our flight was delayed, we were able to witness this ourselves from the women who work in the shops.

Samburu women

These earrings and necklaces tell us whether the women are married or single, or whether they are mothers or not. Turkana men in Kenya put red clay in their hair to celebrate a successful hunt. Some East African people remove some of their teeth and file them into sharp points. Others pierce holes in their lips or earlobes and then gradually stretch them larger and larger with plugs or plates.

Source

For thousands of years, sculptors of Africa have carved wooden masks and statues. These statues represented the spirits of their ancestors. They also made masks out of leather, fabric and metal. These masks were very special objects used during religious ceremonies. They are also art works, and forms of body decoration.

Source
Some people in West Africa use scarification on different parts of their bodies. They cut designs into the skin. When the wounds heal, they leave scars.

Source

This man...

Source
...a Maori from New Zealand, has a facial tattoo called a moko. These marks are very important to Maori people. The patterns of each person's moko are different, so it is like a signature.

Follow this link to view many more interesting African body decorations.

Students and teachers can have loads of fun with this theme. It doesn't have to be African cultures, but there are many more cultures, each with their own, unique body art.

Resources:

Beauty and cosmetics in ancient Egypt
African jewelry
Samburu
Stretching earlobes
African masks
Moko