The making of the PRIDE mask continued -

On the previous page we explained that the class worked with Tony and Mick to create their own 'Ijele' that reflected aspects of their community that they were proud of. The piece was created in three main sections (the lower and centre sections are explained in page 1 of artwork/screen printing) and so far the mask looked like the image shown here.

Roll your mouse over the mask to see it from another angle.

The upper section of the piece represented people from the children's own families that they were proud of, people living or dead that were special to the family.

Some chose parents, brothers or sisters while others remembered ancestors whom family members often talked about - uncles and aunties who fought in the war or grandfathers that came from other countries to settle in England.

The children drew an exciting range of characters, then showed them to the class and explained why they had been selected. These figures were cut out and printed as 2 colour overprints.

The roof of the mask ...

... was made from fabric that the children had painted with patterns and marks that they had sketched from various objects at the African Worlds exhibition.

Pupils working with Mick in classroom

Four figures representing children from different cultural backgrounds - two boys/two girls - were drawn, printed, cut out and stuffed with wadding to go on the top of the piece. These figures were chosen by the children in the class to reflect the pride that they shared in their differences and were linked together to show the friendship that they all share.

The piece was assembled in the classroom and then finished by Shelagh. Finally it was brought back to the class to be fitted for the performance. A harness was strapped onto the pupil chosen to wear the ijele and a lightweight structure, made from carbon-fibre rods, supported the mask leaving hands free to shake and move it in the rhythm of the large elephant that the pupil was representing in the performance.