Senufo Painting

Grade Levels: 5 - 8

KEY WORDS

Fakaha, Ivory Coast
West Africa
Senufo people
Senufo painting
Masked figures
Stylized animals
Falma dye
Mud dye

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Fakaha is a small village in the country of Ivory Coast, West Africa . The Senufo are a tribe of people who live in Fakaha. Senufo paintings are stylized drawings of masked figures and animals done by the men who live in Fakaha. The paintings are drawn and painted on pieces of white, loosely woven, cotton fabric. First, the Senufo draw the figures freehand with a yellowish-green dye made from the leaves of the falma bush. Then a second coat of black paint is drawn on top of the falma dye. This paint is made from a sludgy mud dug from the roots of trees in swampy areas.

Traditional Senufo paintings were made into dance or hunting clothes. The Senufo believe the drawings have special mystical powers that protect and bring the hunter good luck. Today this cloth is seldom made into hunting clothes. Instead, the paintings are sold to tourists and specialty shops. Many have become ornamental fabrics for wall hangings, pillows, table cloths, or other decorative items.

DESlGN MOTlFS:

Both animal and masked figure drawings are used on Senufo paintings. The animals include birds, snakes, fish, crocodiles, and turtles. The masked dancer figures are often shown from the side or front view. Sometimes they are shown with a front-view body and a side-view head. Geometric designs such as circles, stripes, and zigzags embellish the drawings.

Teacher Preparation

• If you have a budget problem, the paintings can be done on white drawing paper.
• For a more authentic version, substitute burlap for the coarsely woven Senufo fabrics.
• When working with burlap, a considerable amount of preparation time is needed to cut burlap pieces.
• Figure the number of students participating in the project and decide sizes according to what your budget can handle.
• Try to obtain a real Senufo painting to show students. Specialty shops or museum stores often sell them. Perhaps you can find a shop that would be willing to loan one.
• Check the library for reference material on African decorated fabrics.
• Develop a Senufo-style painting of your own to share with students.
• For animal drawings, use National Geographic or Wildlife magazines that have quality photographs for reference material.

Excerpt from Multicultural Art Activities Kit.