GST123

• Culture


  That complex whole encompassing knowledge, beliefs, law, art, custom, moral, and any other capabilities and habit acquired by man as a member of a society
• Arts


  The physical representation of a culture's views, beliefs and practices. It reflects the essence of the people through their drawing, paintings, carvings, body adornment and folklore
• Pre-colonial Nigeria


  The period before the English colonialism, between 16th to 18th centuries
• The story of art is simply the story of civilization and the evolution of man
• Majority of the materials remains and clues explored by ethnographers and anthropologists in trying to reconstruct the story of the early man are largely based on the artistic objects that these early men left behind
• Nigeria is made up of over 250 ethnic groups
• Almost all the ethnic groups that make up Nigeria possess one or more art form
• For the early Nigerian people, art is largely inseparable from their religion
• Art is seen as a medium through which religion is given expression
• The pre-colonial Nigerian people created a huge collection of ancestral images, gods and spirit entities in different wooden craft and metal art forms
• Natural forces and elements such as fire, water and wind were also recognized as possessing supernatural powers requiring special reference
• Artistic objects were made to represent the essence and attributes of these supposed forces
• Early western scholars classified the art works of the African people into two major categories: art and craft
• Art forms and mediums in pre-colonial Nigeria

  • Rock and body art
  • Textile and Non woven textile forms
  • Pottery
  • Wood work
  • Metal work
  • Leather works
  • Bead work

  
• Rock arts


  • The oldest and earliest form of art in Africa and precolonial Nigeria
  • Includes paintings and engravings on rock surfaces
• Body arts


  • Bodily markings or paintings
  • Body painting is a style of painting that is as old as tradition of the culture of the Nigerian people
• Textile and Non Woven Textile Forms

  • Cloth making and use dates as far back as the 9th and 13th century
  • Includes non-woven textile forms, spun fibre, and non-spun fibre

  
• Pottery


  • An age long tradition embraced by several ethnic groups in Nigeria
  • Pots have been found to be one of the earliest cooking and storage utensils used by earliest inhabitants of Nigeria
  • Raw material used is clay
• Wood Work


  • Wood carving is an integral art form for expressing the Nigerian culture and traditions dating back to the 12th century
  • Famous places like Benin, Lagos and Awka are major hubs for wood carving
• The cultural and artistic heritage of pre-colonial Nigeria is a testament to the resilience, creativity, and ingenuity of its people
• By studying and preserving these cultural legacies, we honour the contributions of past generations and celebrate the rich diversity of Nigeria's cultural tapestry
• What we have learnt has inspired us to continue appreciating, preserving, and promoting Nigeria's cultural and artistic heritage for generations to come