The day started off in the Internet Suite where Year 5 were introduced to the Inspiration Africa! project by looking at the Website.

There were 12 iMacs with an internet connection which meant that pupils could sit two to a computer and all look at the same time.

They enjoyed reading out aloud the messages of welcome sent by pupils from Project 1 at Kemnal Technology College. They were also able to look at and read about their selected key object - the Mende mask.

The pupils were lucky as a Mende mask was part of the collection and it meant they could look closely at their key object before the visit to the Horniman Museum. The masks represent the Mende people's view of womanly qualities and spiritual and physical beauty. Viv showed lengths of cloth and garments from West Africa and a discussion took place about different cultural perceptions of 'beauty' and 'adornment'.

Some of the fabric was repeat printed with stencils and the patterns made had symbolic meaning, some patterns were created using a paste-resist method and others were woven using a narrow loom and then dyed with indigo.

These were then modelled as they would be worn in different cultures. A particular favourite was the batik head-tie from the Yoruba people of Nigeria which can be tied in many elaborate styles for different occasions.