IDNO

N.13024.GIJ

Description

A close up view of the masquerade character called Otili (dancer) performing in the Okwanku masquerade. The masquerader is wearing a wooden round face mask with large round eyes, nose and slit mouth and long raffia hair to the waist. He is holding a two white feathers or fly whisks in his hand. In the background are spectators.

Place

W Africa; Nigeria; Eastern Nigeria; Cross River; near Afikpo; Akanu

Cultural Affliation

Igbo [historically Ibo]; Ohaffia

Named Person

Photographer

Jones, Gwilliam Iwan (known as G.I.)

Collector / Expedition

Date

1932 - 1939

Collection Name

Jones Collection

Source

Jones, Gwilliam Iwan (known as G.I.)

Format

Film Negative Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

This negative was kept in a film storage album labled “Misc” by G. I. Jones, and numbered “C10/” by the cataloguer.

Publication: Same image published on John McCall’s G.I. Jones website with the following information: [Source: www.siu.edu/~anthro/mccall/jones/, AF ]
1. Index to Ohafia/Abam Igbo
2. Okwanko masquerade, Akanu Ohafia
3. Ote Iri mask (2nd image).

Context: In describing the Cross River style of masquerades, Jones writes that the carvers made both skin-covered and plain wooden heads and masks and looked particularly to the Ibibio for their ideas. Some of the Ohaffia towns had masquerades and masks peculiar to them. In the Akanu town Okwanku masquerade the characters acted together in a comic drama in whihc the character called Dibia (Doctor) poisoned the one called Rain Driver and then brought him back to life again.” (Jones, 1989, p. 61). Interestinly, Jones notes that in this part of Nigeria they do not have rain-makers but specialists who can drive rain away (Jones, 1984, p.209).

Bibliographical Reference: Jones, G.I., 1984. The Art of Eastern Nigeria (Cambridge University Press)
Jones, G.I. 1989. Ibo Art. (Shire)

Publication: Postcard of this picture printed by MAA.

Publication: The photograph has been digitised for the European Collected Library of Artistic Performance (ECLAP) and is accessible on the portal http://www.eclap.eu/drupal/. [SG 30/10/2012]

Publication: Image published in Thomas, Nicholas, 2014. 'Body Art' (Thames and Hudson). [JD 02/04/2025]

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Alicia Fentiman 6/2/2008]