Digesting Visual Cultures of "Others".

This week in class we discussed two different articles. We read Imaging Otherness in Ivory by Suzanne Blier and the second article was Mami Wata Shrines by Henry Drewal. Both articles discussed how foreigners or “others” have an influence on different peoples. In Blier’s essay it discusses the Portuguese and how they had an influence on three different peoples, the Beni, Kongo, and the Sapi. The article discusses how the people digested the visual culture of “others”.  In the essay Blier says: “people intentionally or unintentionally use the objects of others to define themselves”.

The way that the Beni digested/incorporated visual aspects from the Portuguese into their life was through art. In their work they often depicted the figures to have long facial hair and oval eyes. They also would often times incorporate the mudfish into their work. The mudfish was compared to Olokun, the water God. The mudfish is also important because it’s mobility and functioning lung. The mudfish is able to live out of water for some time.

The Portuguese also had an influence on the Kongo peoples. In artwork from the Kongo, they often times will incorporate spiral forms. These forms symbolize the path to the other world or the transition of life and death.  We also talked about the textiles and how they would bury the dead in them. Also how they integrated Christianity symbols into their own culture. For example the use of the cross and how the cross represents the crossroads.

A good example of how the Portuguese influenced the Sapi people would be the Ivory Saltcellar. In the piece it has an egg shape (egg also shows fertility/life cycle) with a figure seated at the top. The seated figure is integrated from the Portuguese because traditionally the Portuguese would bury their dead in a seated position. The saltcellar also has crocodiles on it. The crocodile symbols also come from the Portuguese and they represent wealth and power. Another important figure that appears on work would be the serpents. The serpents are identified with a water spirit called Ninkinanka which is both beautiful and powerful. Ninkinaka is also said to have come from an egg which would represent fertility.  

In class we discussed not only how the Portuguese had an influence on different peoples but, we also discussed how “others” influence our daily lives. I have always thought that every person we meet changes us in some way whether we realize it or not, and I think that this week would be a good example of that. When you come in contact with “others” who may be different from you, you are going to somehow take in/digest what you learned from them and make it your own.