I was privileged in my early academic career to learn about African ideals of feminine beauty from the late Sylvia Boone a skilled researcher and historian who taught for many years at Yale University. I learned from her the meaning of yengele that youthful essence that was like the fresh dew drops of the morning on bright green foliage. I understood the delicate and beautiful weaving of hair braids into complex structures and the fact that women in Africa always took care to maintain their hair and smooth skin. I learned of the thick neck rings symbolizing the power of an individual female and her spirit. Only one year after this academic education in beauty I was fortunate to travel to Africa and to see the beauty of Africa and its people. I also somehow came across a salesmen of African masks which appeared to be of the type actually used in true ceremonies. I quickly spotted my "Mende" lady a treasure which seemed to have many of the qualities of beauty that I had learned about from Professor Boone. Here is a link at Yale Press to her book Radiance From the Waters copyright 1990 that describes her studies and teachings http://yalepress.yale.edu/yupbooks/book.asp?isbn=9780300048612.
The photo of my African mask speaks for herself - she is both an iconic symbol of a special culture and a memento of my travels circa 1980 on the African continent.
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