Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Jefferson Center's masks of culture
Roanoke public school students created a collection of African masks after a program that taught them about cultural diversity and differences.
Stephanie Klein-Davis | The Roanoke Times
This photograph is a composite of African masks on display at Jefferson Center that were created by students of Roanoke schools and sponsored by Kimoyo, an organization that supports projects in Ghana and cultural diversity at home.
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Some were made of cardboard, some of paper and some of clay.
Some were decorated with paint, some with beads and some with corn kernels.
The smallest one was barely 1 inch in diameter. The largest was nearly 3 feet long.
All of the African masks created on display at Jefferson Center were different. But then, that's the point of Kimoyo, a nonprofit organization based in Roanoke that supports development projects in Ghana as well as cultural diversity education programs back home.
The 88 masks, each one made by a student or group of students from one of six Roanoke schools, are on display through the end of February as part of a monthlong celebration of diversity and culture by Kimoyo.
"This is just another way to reach out to children and bring them in," said Jan Garrett, the volunteer vice president of Kimoyo's board. "Start helping them think about different traditions, different cultures, let them see that different isn't bad, different is just different and we're all part of the same human family."
Each year since the start of the mask project five years ago, Kimoyo volunteers have worked with Roanoke art teachers to help them learn about African art before passing the lessons onto their students.
"We just try to open up our resources to them as much as possible, educate them as much as they would like about the different styles of masks, the meanings of the masks," said Kimoyo Executive Director Ellen Stewart, one of two full-time employees of the organization in Roanoke.
The art teachers from four elementary city schools -- Wasena, Hurt Park, Virginia Heights and Preston Park -- plus William Ruffner Middle School and Patrick Henry High School returned to their students with newfound knowledge to share.
"We watched two videos, and my teacher, Ms. [Jennifer] Fowler, she went over techniques that they used to make their masks," said Patrick Henry 12th-grader Larry Gunter, who created a clay interpretation of a warrior mask.
Fowler, who teaches a ceramics class, said she explained to her students that in Africa, the masks aren't viewed as art -- they're utilitarian.
She said they also discussed symbolism, symmetry and some of the typical aspects of masks.
Wanda Schumaker, the art teacher at Hurt Park , teaches some of the same elements on a more basic level.
Both teachers emphasized the good of getting students' work seen by the public as well as the cultural benefits -- something the students understand as well.
Gunter said he most enjoyed "the whole concept of exploring a different culture."
"So many times we're just concentrated on Western civilization," he said. "When we get to do things like explore China or Africa, it just opens us up to a whole different perspective."
