Pupils from the Senior Department at Rectory Paddock School visited the Horniman Museum to see the African Worlds exhibition on the morning of 23rd May, 2000. They were situated in front of their selected key object, the Gelede Mask.

First of all Viv, from the Education Department, gave some background information on the Gelede mask and then pupils were allowed to look closely and try on the masks available from the handling collection.

Masks like this (shown left) are worn by men in elaborate masquerade performances known as Gelede. Gelede is only performed in the south western area of Yorubaland (which is comprised of south western Nigera and the south east of the neighbouring Benin Republic).

After this, pupils were given worksheets where appropriate and they began looking around the exhibition. They were asked to find two shapes or patterns and discuss what they represented and also find a mask and draw it, with help from the project artists if necessary.

At the end of the session, pupils, teachers and the project team returned to Rectory Paddock school to start their HARMONY project.