Africa

1. Africa Andralee Cain Lloyd George Mansour

2. Yoruba’s Creation Myth http://www.mythicjourneys.org/bigmyth/myths/english/2_yoruba_full.htm

3. Another Creation Myth • Obatala was sent down to create dry land, but got drunk before the task was completed. • Oduduwa was sent down to take over Obatala’s task • Oduduwa became the first king of Ife. Upon his death his children dispersed and started the Yoruba kingdoms of Owu, Ketu, Benin, Ila, Sabe, Popo, and Oyo.

4. Countries of West Africa • Liberia • Mali • Mauritania • Niger • Nigeria* • Senegal • Sierra Leone • Togo* • Benin* • Burkina Faso • Côte d'Ivoire • Cape Verde Islands • The Gambia • Ghana* • Guinea • Guinea-Bissau * Denotes countries in which the Yoruba tribe resides

5. West Africa • Occupies 6,140,000 km squared or a fifth of Africa • The vast majority of this land is plains lying less than 300 meters above sea level • The northern section of West Africa is composed of semi-arid terrain known as Sahel • It has desert landscapes and also the tropical rain forests of the more humid south • Consists of 16 countries

6. Earth • Second largest and second most-populous continent in the world just after Asia with 11,668,545 square miles • Africa is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, as well as the Atlantic Ocean • Located just under Europe and connected to Asia on its northeast extremity by the Isthmus of Suez

7. HistoryIfe • 500 BC - there is evidence found to support the start of the city of Ife • 700-900 AD – Ife began to develop major artistic center • 1200-1400AD- During this time they are known for their ancient and naturalistic bronze, stone and terracotta sculptures • 1400 AD- Started to decline due to the Oyo and Benin Empires that were begining to form during this time.

8. HistoryBenin Empire • 1440-1897- Benin Empire (Edo Empire) – Was an African state located in modern day Nigeria • 1485- First European travelers, the Portuguese, reached Benin. Trade begin to develop with the exchange of tropical products and slaves for European goods and guns. • 1553- trade between Benin and England grew. They traded ivory, palm-oil and pepper. • 1897- British forces conquered and burned the city

9. History Oyo Empire • 1400 - 1835 - Oyo Empire created by immigrants from Ife • Becomes the most populous kingdom in Yoruba history • Participate in the Trans-Saharan and Trans- Atlantic trade where they exchanged salt, leather, horses, kola nuts, ivory, cloth and slaves • At the ports Porto Novo and Whydah the Oyo Empire's took captives and criminals and sold them to Dutch and Portuguese buyers. • 1836- empire is captured by Fulani Muslims

10. History • 1901-Yorubaland was officially colonized by the British • 1923 – Nigeria's first political party is formed, the Nigerian National Democratic Party. It is a single group which combined various Yoruba interest groups. • October of 1960- Nigeria was granted full independence from the British

11. CultureReligion • Islam is the predominant religion of the West African interior and the far west coast of the continent • Christianity is the predominant religion in coastal regions of Nigeria, Ghana, and Cote d'Ivoire • There are some Jewish populations in Ghana, Nigeria and Mali • Throughout West Africa there are numerous indigenous religions practiced such as the Yoruba religion

12. Yoruba Religion • Is possibly the largest African born religion in the world. • Has given birth to several Afro-American religions such as Santería in Cuba and Candomblé in Brazil • There are many variations of the religion • They have between 400-700 gods • Many of the Yoruba people today have converted to Christianity or Islam • Yoruba religious beliefs are part of itan (A complex mix of songs, histories, stories which make up the Yoruba religion and society)

13. CultureLanguage • There are an estimated 2000 languages spoken in Africa • All African languages are considered official languages of the African Union (AU) • Most west African languages belong to the Afro-Asiatic, Nilo-Saharan, and Niger-Congo families • Most predominant languages in western Africa are English, Arabic, Portuguese, and French • The Yoruba people have their own language called the Yoruba language which is comprised of over 22 million speakers

14. CultureAfrican Art • Dance - important mode of communication • Yoruba have many dance they do during ceremonies such as the dance for the god Shango • Music – focus on the creation of complex and subtle rhythmic patterns. • The Yoruba are known to give birth to music variety such as highlife, Juju, Fuji, and Afro-beat • Art & Craft – themes such as a couple, a woman and child, a male with a weapon or animal, or an outsider or stranger are reoccurring in African art • The Yoruba depict twins a lot in their art and are revered because of their sign of fidelity. When twins die a carving of them are formed called ere ibeji.

15. CultureTraditional Garments • Boubou- a flowing wide sleeved robe. Its origin lies with the clothing worn by the Islamized peoples of the historic Ghana and Mali Empire who had in turn adopted the clothing of the nobility of the early Islamic Empire • Dashiki- colorful men's garment that covers the top half of the body • Kaftan – a woman's garment that is a loose-fitting pullover with an ornate V-shaped collar and tailored and embroidered neck and sleeve lines.

16. Values Rites of Passage • Most African societies have some sort of rite of passage that they value. Some of these include: • Birth • Names • Puberty • Marriage • Death • For the Yoruba people the naming ceremony is an important part of their society. This is because they believe that a name is so powerful it can influence the rest of the child’s life.

17. Values Marriage • Seen as a union of families and sometimes tribes • Many of the marriages are arranged marriages • Polygyny is often very common • Often a pride-price is made before marriage (often involving livestock)

18. ValuesFamily • Africans value strong family ties and traditions • Elders are considered the guardians of the family and are valued and respected due to their wisdom and knowledge. • Family members are addressed according to social status out of respect • A household consists of extended family (i.e.- aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents)

19. ValuesAfrican American • Rite of Passage and the importance of names • African American names hold strong African ties • Moesha- meaning drawn out of the water • Niesha- meaning pure • Tamika- meaning people • Marriage- Usually mutual consent • Families- Still have strong family ties to all family members including extended family

20. FormScarification • Involves scratching, etching, or cutting in order to leave permanent designs, pictures, or words into the skin. • Ink rubbing – the process of rubbing ink into a fresh cut • Skin removal/skinning - outlines are made and then the skin in between is removed creating a inconsistent texture. • Packing - A cut is made diagonally and an inert material is packed into the wound causing massive keloids to form during the healing process

21. Form • Performed by tribal members who specifically perform scarification • Both healers as well as artists • Watch the wounds as they heal to prevent infection • Certain instruments are used in order to create various patterns and designs • knife, glass, stone, or coconut shell are some examples of the instruments used

22. Function • Tattoos are harder to see on darker colored skin than scars. • Used to decorate and beautify the body • Used as group/ tribe identity • Used a lot during slave trade so that they could identify someone from their tribe even if they come across them in another region. • Social Status • Protection from death • Mark a persons stage of life • Coming of age • Fertility • Marriage

23. Facilitation • The idea of body modification and scarification intrigues people of all races and cultures around the world. • Unlike tattoos scarification is a product of ones own body and the final product varies from person to person. • Is used for aesthetic and spiritual reasons.

24. Triangulation • Variety- • More complex patterns due to precise instruments • A wide range of colors that can be applied • Less painful- no more painful then tattooing with better anesthetics • Less likely to endure an infection due to better antibiotics

25. Target • Target market- • African Americans, both men and women, aged 18-30 with a strong connection to Africa. • Americas youth, both men and women, aged 18-25 with a desire to find a way of expressing themselves that is new and different from the tattooing world.

26. The Marketing Mix • Product –Permanent and temporary scarification • Place –Los Angeles, California and our website www.skinned.com • Price – approx $80 an hour with a minimum price of $100. • Promotion – • African Americans- art shows and sites with a profit going to fight Aids in Africa • Youth- Scar Wars, online at body modification sites, and body modification magazines such as Pain.

27. Taste • Brand Name – Skinned • Product – Permanent and temporary scarification • Packaging for temporary scarification- Red box with name and logo on the lid. • Slogan – “If you decorate me, then I will be beautiful.” An African Probverb, “Ukinipambanitapendeza.” • Logo – West African symbol “GyeNyame.” This symbol represents the supremacy of God and his omnipotence and immortality. Skinned

28. Sources • http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Africa/Benin/photo455708.htm • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa • http://www.factmonster.com/ce6/world/A0856492.html • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Africa • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoruba_people • http://www.mythicjourneys.org/bigmyth/myths/english/2_yoruba_full.htm • http://www.mythome.org/creatafr.html • http://www.uga.edu/aflang/YORUBA/ODUDUWA.htm • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ife • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benin_Empire • http://www.nmafa.si.edu/exhibits/benin.htm • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oranmiyan • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oyo_empire • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoruba_religion • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Africa • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shango • http://www.africaguide.com/culture/artcraft.htm • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarification • http://www.ezakwantu.com/Gallery%20Scarifacatoin.htm • http://www.prm.ox.ac.uk/pdf/scarification_web.pdf

29. Sources • http://www.randafricanart.com/Scarification_and_Cicatrisation_among_African_cultures.html • http://www.med.uottawa.ca/medweb/hetenyi/ayeni.htm • http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/31975/tattoo_statistics.html • http://www.vanishingtattoo.com/tattoo_facts.htm • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Africa • http://www.view-of-africa.net/VOA02.htm • http://www.infoplease.com/spot/bhmcensus1.html • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoruba_twins • http://www.grainsofafrica.com/catalog/article.php?id=9 • http://www.skidmore.edu/academics/arthistory/AfricanBodyArts/webpages/Yoruba.htm • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boubou_(clothing) • http://www.yorubanation.org/yoruba/Culture.htm • http://family.jrank.org/pages/1774/Yoruba-Families-Steps-That-Lead-Marriage.html • http://kamalkapoor.com/name-meanings/African-American-baby-girl-names.asp • http://www.cultural-expressions.com/ifa/ifahistory.htm