Malaika Mutere
MALAIKA MUTERE
Motif: Masquerade
Masquerade – survival-techniques of creating outward forms (masks) – through sound, symbol, dress, movement etc. – that appeased adversarial forces while maintaining the deeper integrity of the BaNtu universe and its oral-aesthetic mission. The masquerade motif also recalls the Minstrelsy era – in which the Entertainment Industry was built around whites in blackface lampooning African cultural expression – an era which ended with the cultural assertiveness of the Jazz Age, as evident in Black Popular Music…
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2 Comments on “Motif: Masquerade”
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Malaika Mutere 
I find it fascinating how masquerade traditions serve both protective and expressive purposes.
Yes, it’s brilliant… Apart from its cultural imperative to protect the long-term mission and communal integrity of African oral traditions, this highly effective cultural motif/strategy may also be compared to “rope-a-dope” in the jargon of the sport of boxing. Thanx for your kind comment🙏🏾M