INTRODUCTION TO NIGERIAN CRAFT
Craft is defined as a skill by use of our hands. The skill of craft is acquired by practice over a period of time and if acquired fully it becomes part of your skills.
In Nigeria, virtually all communities practice diverse forms of craft works and its products depends solely on the availability of the needed raw materials in the localities.
Such crafts include Calabash Decoration, Pottery, Textile Design, Leather works, Basketry, Mat weaving, Metal works, Bronze casting etc.
1. Calabash Decoration
This is the designing and decoration of gourds which could be on different sizes. The gourd has a hard outer shell used as container for liquids or grains and for home decorations.
The gourds are cut horizontally to form portable containers and allowed to dry and the outer shell or part becomes hardened and brownish, in colour. This outer layer is where the calabash decoration takes place.
This outer hard brown layer is skillfully designed with the use of sharp curve knives and grooves and etching show on this hard surfaces which are finally coloured to produce beautiful calabash.
Location: South west, South east and Northern Nigeria.
2. Pottery (Pot Making)
The art of producing various shapes and sizes of pots and hollow waves from earthly plastic material called clay through modelling and firing. It is purely a traditional ancient work in most African countries.
a. Raw materials –Clay, firewood, concoction, ashes.
b. Equipment/Modelling tools: Kiln (local or electric), beater, round bat, turning tools.
c. Products: Terracotta Potts, containers like bowls, jugs, trays etc
d. Functions: Pots generally are used for decoration, cooking, carrying and storage purpose.
e. Location of Production: Abuja (Suleja), Ilorin, Kaduna, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Ekiti.
3. Weaving
This simply means interlacing of flexible materials. It means turning various flexible materials into useful objects. Most items produced through weaving technology or techniques are mainly for household utility purpose as well as beautification –Mat weaving, bag weaving, Basketry, Rug weaving, Cane chair weaving etc. In most cases, the techniques of weaving these various items are quite similar with just a little difference in patterns, techniques and materials.
a. Raw Materials –Raffia, Dum palm fronds, cane, local colours, coconut fiber, ropes, rubber and raft
b. Equipment –Sharp knife, Scissors, blade, rags, nails, hammer, needles, etc.
c. Centers of production –Calabar, Port-harcourt, Benin, Osun, Oyo, Ekiti, Badagry, Delta and most Northern states.
d. Functions –Utility and Aesthetic purposes.
4. Fabric Decoration
These include; Batik, Tye-dye, Weaving, Embroidery.
i. Embroidery –The art of decorating cloth with sewn designs in sequence, forming a pattern, can be referred to as embroidery.
ii. Batik –This is the process in which melted candle wax is painted on a fabric to resist the dye solution. It is another resist method of dyeing.
iii. Tye-Dye –Tie-Dye is a method of fixing ink dye firmly and permanently on fabrics through tying, stitching, pruning and damping in order to prevent the absorption of dye solution when immersed in the dye bath.
iv. Weaving –This is hand or machine interlacing of fibres to make cloth (raw cotton)
a. Raw Materials –Cotton, Local and imported dye, Raffia, Cane, Threads, Dye chemicals, candle wax.
b. Equipment –loom, Bath tubs, iron rods, spindle, squeegee, scissors, batten, foam etc.
c. Location –Northern Nigeria (Kano), Delta, Oyo, Kogi, Benue, Imo, Osun, Kwara.
d. Products –Aso-Oke, Okwa-Ocha, Okene, Alaari, Etu, Akwete.
e. Functions.
For important ceremonies as clothes and Decoration.
5. Leather Works
The training procedure of using hides and skins to produce valuable household items and decorate items. Hides are got from bigger animals like Camel, Cows, and Elephants while skin, from smaller animals like sheep, goat, and reptiles.
a. Raw Materials –Hides and skin (coloured and cleared leather) thread and fast dyes and stains (indigo)
b. Equipments –knives, needles, scissors, sewing machine, tanning machine, hammer, mallet, awl-switch, and measuring device.
c. Location –Most Northern states in Nigeria
d. Products –Shoes, bags, hats, Drums, leather cushions, praying mat, sandals, wallet etc.
e. Function –Decoration, storage, enhancement of culture, and social functions.
6. Brass and Bronze Work Design
Brass is a bright yellow metal made by mixing copper and zinc while bronze is an alloy (mixture) of copper tin made available through heating.
a. Raw Materials –Copper, Zinc and Tin
b. Equipment –Moulds, forge, and modelling tools.
c. Centers of Production: Bida (Kano) and Borno, Brass -Benin, Edo State –Bronze.
d. Products –Trays, bowls, bracelets (Jewelry), statues.
e. Functions –for decoration, to immortalize the dead, for storage, for beauty.
Factors That Influence Craft in Nigeria.
1. Availability of Raw Materials.
The raw materials used in many countries for producing most craft works are usually obtained locally in many communities. This eases the rigor of transportation and purchase at high cost elsewhere. This accessibility and ready availability of raw materials gives way for mass production and these skills and knowledge are passed from generation to generation
2. Religious Dictates and Social Influence
Religious traits have its own role in the choice of crafts that are in practice in any community.
E.g.: The muslims that have dominated the Northern part of Nigeria are against representation of objects (natural) objects in carved forms (3 dimension) as it is against the Islamic faith.
Whereas, the Christians which dominate the Southern part of Nigeria practices more of 3-dimensional works.
3. Personal or Group Interest.
Personal or group interest plays a vital role in the choice and the practice of any craft in any community. Naturally gifted craftsmen could take interest in any material at anyplace and anycost to improve and discover new skills to satisfy their curiosity and make money.
PRE-HISTORIC ART
This is also refered to as cave Art. The word “Pre” on its own means before or earlier while the adjective “Historic” is derived from the noun “History” which refers to past events. The early men whose main implement was stone which is called “Litho” in Greek language while “Lithic” refers to a complete particular stage of human development that is characterized by the use of stone as implement and domestic uses. This type of stone is called soap stone. It is not too hard and as such, it becomes relatively easy to carve.
Pre-historic age refers to the period when the means of recording events were not yet properly fashioned. Tis period is spread over five phases (ages)
1. Paleolithic age (Old stone age) –(35000BC – 25000BC)
2. Mesolithic age (Middle stone age) –(25000BC – 12000BC)
3. Neolithic age (New stone age) –(12000BC – 4000BC)
4. Bronze age -4000BC-2000BC
5. Iron age -2000BC
1. Paleolithic Age art (35000BC – 25000BC)
Pre-early men had been in existence even before cave discoveries which is the official foot note of the beginning of Arts. There were no records of how and where the early men lived before the cave discoveries.
Pre-historic art was the art of the primitive people (Hunters) living on an unproductive parasitic economic level i.e., they gathered or captured their food but never planted or produced. They were not religious but were just wanderers at the onset. They later lived in caves where their attempts at artistic creations were found. They carved stones to form hunting weapons e.g. axes, knifes, etc. they also painted on walls with the use of animal blood, decayed wood and fruits, charcoal, leaves etc. to express their feelings especially the painting of Bisons, Cattle, horses that they will want to hunt as well as figures of humans and weapons surrounding the animal.
Such cave arts were found in South of Oran in the Sahara Desert of North Africa; Jassil Adjer; Fezzan; South Africa; The Mediterranean, Altamira in Spain; Neaux (pyreness) Southern France and Lascaux (Dordogne) in France which happens to have the finest cave paintings.
2. Mesolithic Age art (25000BC – 12000BC)
This age is usually referred to as late or upper Paleolithic age because it is transitional. This means, man life became improved to making spears with bones for hunting. Drawings later improved to elephants, Hippo’s, and the local pigment were then mixed with animal fat. At this age, engravings also was practiced.
3. Neolithic Age art (12000BC – 4000BC)
This age became more civilized and creative towards life. They became farmers and domesticated animals and changed hunting weapons for plows. Primitive tools became improved and polished for more effective use. Simple pottery for utility, use of clothes and migration started. Owning permanent shelters and use of wheels was introduced. Writing techniques were introduced.
4. Bronze Age art -4000BC – 2000BC
This period witnessed improved hand crafts and erection of huge architectural monuments. In this age; art was mainly for magic and not aesthetic.
Nearly as old as Chauvet cave paintings is a little female statue that often serves as an emblem of art history’s beginning. It is made of stone formed about 25000 years and was found near a town in present day Austria. Most often called Venus of Willendorf.
EGYPTIAN ART
Egypt occupies a great expanse of land located close to the Nile which empties into the Mediterranean sea.
Egypt is known as the cradle of human civilization. This is owed to the simple fact that they are richly blessed in terms of geographical location and security from external forces and this affected their arts tremendously.
The beginning of Egyptian Art is very hidden; art might have started at around 4000BC and remained for more than three thousand years without any revolution.
The Egyptians are polytheistic in nature. Most of their art works are depictions from their gods. Egyptians are renowned astronomers and warriors. They invented a style of pictorial communicative writing called Hieroglyphics. They make paper from rushes. Their kings titled Pharaoh were held with the highest esteem.
STAGES OF ART DEVELOPMENT IN EGYPT
The Egyptians arts can be grouped into three periods.
1. The Old Kingdom Period (2680 – 2258BC)
2. The Middle Kingdom Period (20000 -1786)
3. The New Kingdom (1570 -1342)
Egyptian Religious Beliefs and Practices
Funeral Pre-Occupation
The cults of the dead. They believe in life after death. The nobles did this at the expense of slaves and the common people.
When the king died, he was buried with slaves and all of his other royal belongings with the belief that he would use them in his “new” home.
1. The Old Kingdom
The Nile that divides Egypt into two halves of upper and lower resulted in some political rivalry that created friction between them. This happened until King Menes conquered the lower Egypt and merged it into one with the upper Egypt. Then, he commissioned the first and most significant sculpture of the old kingdom “Pallet of Narmer”. The pallet was made for cosmetic application on the king
.
Some free standing statues were made; example is that of king Chiefren and Mykerinus in Gizeh.
The representation of the body is stylized according to specific canon proportions.
The building of pyramids also commenced in this period as a burial site for their Pharaohs. The biggest as at that time was that of king Djozer.
2. The Middle Kingdom
This period witnessed a classical change mostly in the political hierarchy of Egypt. This affected art as development of Art was halted. This period later witnessed improvement on the Old Kingdom techniques of portraits and sculptural portraits were now being sensitively presented as being more lively, free and natural. The fresco approach to paintings were introduced and perfected. Pharaohs were buried in hidden tombs.
3. The New Kingdom
The new kingdom artistic approach was more or less a combination of the old and middle kingdom periods. This ushered in a great change which affected the artists into practicing their art without traditional rigidity and forms whereby sculptural pieces had a few stylistic changes. All these happened during the reign of king Amenhotep IV who later changed his name to Akhenaten in honor of the Sun god Aton. During his reign, the most beautiful and famous work of art was the burst of his wife Queen Nefertiti, sculpted in limestone and very naturalistic.
The Pharaohs were buried in the valley of kings.
EGYPTIAN PAINTING
Egyptian painting reveals the same clear visual design and illustrative skill as works in stone. Egyptian artists worked in durable materials, climate is hot and dry and their population was stable, above all, they buried their finest art with their dead. Their paintings were in profile.
TYPES OF ART IN EGYPT
There are three principal types of art in Egypt. Over the three periods, those types of arts were practiced but with different approaches.
1. Domestic Art
2. Art for adoration of the dead
3. Religious art
1. Domestic Art: These are the art practice that relates to the production; drawing and painting of household utensils, home decorations, clothing, murals on private and public buildings, musical instruments and jewelry. This started in Egypt for about 40 years before spreading to other African countries.
2. Adoration of the dead: This area of art was deeply rooted in their belief in “Life after death” and supremacy of their kings and nobles. Under this type of art features the following; Tomb building, Tomb decorations, Statue erections of the deceased, death mask making, mummy cases and wrappings, models of all apparels used during the lifetime of the deceased.
3. Religious Art: This art was greatly motivated by the Egyptians deep religious beliefs. They worshipped many gods and erected buildings for them. This type of art is in four categories.
1. Sculpting gigantic statue for deities (gods)
2. Building of temples to immortalize the nobles dead and deities.