Researching Different Tribes- Colours and Materials

It is estimated that there are over 3000 tribes in Africa alone, all of which have a unique cultures, beliefs, fashions, art and rituals.  The groups vary from being very closed off from the world, using nature as its only source of food, clothing and medicine to more modernised tribes that wear western clothes. Different tribes use different colours and materials as decorative pieces. For example, the Dogon tribe wear bright turquoise and purple colours along with cowell/ cowrie shells, while the Dinka tribe decorate their bodies with scarring and red, yellow and blue beads and the Maasai tribe cover their hair and faces with red clay. The Mursi tribe stretch their lips and use metal and animal bones as decoration.

The Dogon Tribe

The Maasai Tribe

The Dinka Tribe

The Mursi Tribe

Colours- Purple, turquoise, brown, red, blue, chalky white, beige, orange- hot colours with flashes of cool.
Materials/ Textures- Beads, feathers, wire/metal, bones, wood, shells, hessian- rough earthy textures.

After researching different tribes, hat they represent and the colours and materials they use to communicate messages, social status and fashions, I will now look further into a specific tribe and influences on high fashion to create a character, incorporating a mask/headdress, makeup, hair and costume...

References

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Image 3- Voices.nationalgeographic.com, (2015). [online] Available at: http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/files/2013/10/9Maasai1-596x440.jpg [Accessed 18 Apr 2015].
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Image 6- I.dailymail.co.uk, (2015). [online] Available at: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/02/18/article-2561949-1B9A4E3400000578-545_470x663.jpg [Accessed 18 Apr 2015].
Image 7- Statics.photodom.com, (2015). [online] Available at: http://statics.photodom.com/photos/2012/03/27/2388479.jpg [Accessed 18 Apr 2015].
Image 8- Afritorial.com, (2015). [online] Available at: http://afritorial.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/mursi-tribe-ethiopia-4.jpeg [Accessed 18 Apr 2015].