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From: Askia 'Med Hassan <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [afest] For your information
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1999 10:42:12 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <[log in to unmask]>
AFRICAN FEST 99: MASKING IN THE IMAGE OF THE SPIRIT
By Abu-Hassan Koroma
The Gorboi Masquerade was an important highlight to
African Fest 99. The introduction of the mask at
this year’s festival transcends symbolism. This
revered mask, is the spirit of the Mende people of
Sierra Leone, West Africa. The masked spirit plays a
very important role in the social and communual life
of the Mende people.
The Gorboi is imbued with a natural value that is
refined through a careful and graceful portrayal of
an imposing presence and sociable nature. To bring
out this personality, a good quantity of raffia is
woven into layers of skirts worn by the spirit. Tiny
replicas of wooden slates are inscribed with Quranic
verses by the hand of a marabout. Marabouts are
Quranic scholars believed to be endowed with mystical
powers through divine intervention.
These inscribed slates are placed in a descending
order, layer upon layer, on the back of the Gorboi
spirit. This formation gives the spirit a higher
form that is simply kingly. The kingly standing is
emphasized by the careful headwear that is decorated
with a bright red cloth, mirrors and cowry shells.
These are both symbols of authority and grandeur.
This is meant to incite both awe and respect, thus
the imposing presence created out of tons of layers
of raffia.
Beyond its natural value, lies a ceremonial role in
dance drama that the community demands and deserves.
In a sense, it belongs to the realm of the spirits.
Yet, it is the people’s spirit and therefore, dances
with them to the tune of their rhythm. That is why
they solemnly protect the spirit through three
staff-bearers scantily dressed in raffia skirts and
triangular designed dresses that are tied from the
neck and over the belly. The back is exposed, except
for the string holding the dress. In their hands,
they carry a brand of cloth customarily worn as
headwear by the women. These serve two purposes.
First, it identifies the three staff bearers as the
king’s protectors and foot soldiers. Second, it is
used as a fan to cool off the spirit during the hot
dry season. The warrior spirit is evident in this
formation.
The Mende of Sierra Leone are the descendants of the
Mande people. They inhabit the southern and eastern
regions of the country. The Mande invaded the Guinea
coast at the fall of the great Songhai Empire. These
were a warlike people, led by a woman General,
Masarioko.
In their path, they conquered, intermarried and
assimilated the vanquished nations. They built a
formidable empire and established their will on the
people through a complex social system that required
initiation into secret societies for both male and
female. For the female, the Sande Society was a
school for training and maintaining the social
sequence. It was the same for the men. The Poro
Society provided a training ground for strong,
confident and militarily competent youth.
Two spirits are associated with the Poro Society: The
first is the Gbani, a nocturnal spirit visible only
to members. The second is the Gorboi, the community
spirit. It requires an effective musical ensemble of
women with the dynamic drumming of Poro men to ignite
the flame in the spirit of the Gorboi. This is
necessary because the Gorboi, unlike the Gbani, comes
out more than once in the dry season. Every
important occasion, such as the crowning of a chief,
the celebration of a bountiful harvest, or, a funeral
of an important personality is reason enough to
celebrate with the Gorboi spirit.
Endowed with a social ceremonial status, the Gorboi
is also a political symbol whose role can be as
satirical as it could be somber. The Gorboi is like
an established newspaper with the community as its
journalists. Through the ears and eyes of the
people, society’s ills are brought to light and
responsible individuals and community leaders are
chastised and reprimanded through songs and mimes.
The Gorboi is the license to social criticism.
Beyond that, any act of political and social
commentary will be a cause for reprimand and,
sometimes, with criminal implications.
The Procession of the Gorboi spirit from the Frank
Lyold-Wright Monona Terrace to the State Capitol and
back represents the highlight of African Fest 99. It
also highlights the African Community’s appreciation
of Madison’s cultural diversity.
The spirit of the Gorboi is sometimes furious, at
other times mellow, depending on the circumstance and
nature of the song. A strong caustic satire,
resonate with high-energy performance by the
drummers, captures the seriousness of the moment and
of the alleged accusation. This high rhythm
possesses the spirit, as well as its followers. Such
moments make the headlines and are the endless
stories of the occasion, months after the celebration
is over.
===
Abu-Hassan Koroma
21st Century African Youth Movement
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"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not
everything that counts can be counted." -- Einstein
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