African children develop aesthetic sensibilities at an early age,
roughly from four to fourteen years. By the time they become
full-fledged adolescents they may have had up to ten years
experience with various art forms--masking, music, costuming,
dancing, and performance. Aesthetic learning is vital to their
maturation. The contributors to this volume argue that the idea
that learning the aesthetics of a culture only occurs after
maturity is false, as is the idea that children wearing masks is
only play, and is not to be taken seriously. "Playful Performers"
is a study of children's masquerades in Africa. The contributors
describe specific cases of young children's masking in the areas of
west, central, and southern Africa, which also happen to be the
major areas of adult masquerading. The volume reveals the
considerable creativity and ingenuity that children exhibit in
preparing costumes, masks and musical instruments, and in playing
music, dancing, singing, and acting. The book includes over 50
pages of black and white photographs, which illustrate and
elaborate upon the authors' main points. The editors describe
general categories of children's masquerades. In each of the three
masking categories children's relationships to their parents and
other adults differ, from a close relationship to some independence
to almost complete independence. No other major work has covered
this aspect of African children at this age level. The book offers
a challenging perspective on young children, seeing them as active
agents in their own culture rather than passive recipients of
culture as taught by parents and other elders. It will be
interesting reading for anthropologists, art historians, educators,
and African studies specialists alike. Simon Ottenberg is emeritus
professor, Department of Anthropology, University of Washington.
David A. Binkley is Senior Curator for Research and Interpretation,
National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution,
Washington, DC.
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