HELP EXPLAIN PLEASE! FOUND PAINTING w/KKK(?) WEARING MASKS DOING AFRICAN TRIBAL DANCE?!

I found this at a local thrift store today - it is one if the most...intriguing(?) paintings I've found in awhile.
Are these African dancers wearing masks that just happen to look like KKK masks, or is this a painting of KKK members imitating a African tribe dance?
Or am I completely off base?
Thanks

 

"just happen to look like" (and not even all that much like.) The klan never had pompoms on their hoods or fringed edges on their sleeves.

 

Makes sense - so what are they?

 

I think "Carnival" dancers.

 

Carnivale/Mardi Gras somewhere? A Krew? [just scooped by Bakers] There's an emblem recurring throughout of a white circle quartered by black lines with one quarter filled in with red.

 

I know: Ku Klux Krew.

 

For someone who knows drums, that may be the easiest bit to id.

edit: That is, if it's not a complete fantasy piece.

 

Journeymagazine, I am just curious as to what "element" of the painting first caught your attention.

I got "stuck" on the lower left-side of the painting with what "almost" looks like a small "jester" face/mask, replete with a green cap/hat with a green "dangle" and green "collar-ish" piece "floating" in space.

Then "floating" above the jester-figure is a two-horned bell on a black stick with several colors of "fringe" and then what I think is a tambourine with red "somethings" on it.

 

After some sleep, I know what that little repeating symbol reminds me of -- medicine wheel.

The more I think about this piece, the more I think it's a bit of a bad dream the artist had. It's cheery, yet creepy. A mess of symbols and made up stuff (I don't think that drum exists anywhere, but I am not a drum person).

There may be some real word ceremony this piece depicts, but I don't think so.

And while it's not something I would hang, there's some definite skill there.

 

The - What I thought was - kkk masks & robes dancing around a african drum is what caught my eye!

 

The drum is a conga drum. First made in Cuba in the 1930’s, but now a widely used hand drum for all Latin American music. Sometimes Used for carnival music so Carnival parade makes sense. This painting is from 1997 I think so could be from anywhere as these drums are really common now, but maybe Cuba.

 

Well, see there. I would have never considered that a conga drum.

 

south american procession of "semana santa" ?

 

Anyone heard of the artist?

 

I think that's more about a whole lot of somber repentance...