IDNO

LS.52057.GIJ

Description

An Afikpo mask possibly known as Mba or Mkpere. The mask is rather abstract and consists of a rounded incised face painted white on the inside and outlined in black around the shell of the face, with almond shaped eyes and round circle (nose). The top of the mask is a flat board, rectangular in form, extending vertically, compartmentalised into three sections with triangular designs in the centre with a vertical line running down the centre. The Interstitial triangular areas are cut out. The mask is painted white with darker pigments. Around the mask is raffia braid.

Place

W Africa; Nigeria; Eastern Nigeria; Northern Bende division

Cultural Affliation

Igbo [historically Ibo]; Ada

Named Person

Photographer

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

Collector / Expedition

Date

circa 1930 - 1939

Collection Name

Jones Collection

Source

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

Format

Lantern Slide Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

LS.52051.GIJ to LS.52057.GIJ were found with the piece of paper now numbered C247/4/ which was in wooden box formerly numbered 22. It has now been renumbered C247/ by the cataloguer.

The inscription on the box as well as a descriptive list of slides pasted on the inside lid of the box indicates that it originally contained lantern slides from the Fens and belonged to D.G. Reid.

However, the lantern slides are attributed to G.I. Jones because the handwriting on the papers found inside wooden box C246/ is similar to the handwriting on the papers found inside wooden box C247/.

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 various Igbo groups: Ngusu Ada, Isu Ikwu Ato, Alayi, Item
2. Ngusu Ada Igbo
3. Ngusu Ada mask (6th image).

Context: The masks, sculpture, and culture of this area are described in detail by Ottenberg. He writes that, " the Afikpo belong to an Igbo subgroup called Ada or Edda (Forde and Jones 1950, pp.51-56), which includes the Okpoha, Edda, Amaseri, and Unwana village-groups, all of which border on the Afikpo, Nkporo and Akaeze, both short distances away. The Ada have many common features in their history and culture. They have past associations with the famous slave-trading Igbo of Aro Chuku, some forty miles to the south, and their population includes other immigrant groups from various Igbo areas, as well as residue of ancient non-Igbo peoples having Cross-River cultures (the earliest in the Ada area). The Ada are known for the prevalence of double unilineal descent, for well developed age grade organizations, for their military and head-taking activities in the past, and for their characteristic forms of art and rituals. These features differentiate them from other Igbo and from the Cross River groups" (Ottenberg, 1975, p.3) In relation to masquerades, he writes that, "Each village also has a secret society, although it is not really very secret, for it lacks an exclusive character. All males are expected to join it by the time that they are adults, and many become members as children. It thus excludes females and unitiatied boys. The secrecy involves much of the initiation rites, certain titles taken within it, and some other events. The masquerades, which form one of its principal activities, are generally held in public, although there are secrets associated with them.

Context: Afikpo Art and masks are well documented by Ottenberg. He notes that the Afikpo use the same word ihu for mask and for face. Wooden masks are the major sculptural form of the Afikpo. "Putting on a mask turns a person into a sprit or mma. Ottenberg has identified twelve types of wooden mask types at Afikpo. "Each one of the mask has forms of the adult society has its own stylistic features easily recognizable by Afikpo and one or more names by which it is referred to. Many of the masks are associated with particular forms of behavior. A mask is sometimes found with a certain type of costume; sometimes the names of the mask and costume are the same."(Ottenberg, 1975, p.17)

Context: Jones writes about the Ngusu Ada masks and describes their distinctive characteristics. See Jones, 1939, pp. 33-34.

Bibliographical Reference:
Forde and Jones. 1950. "The Ibo and Ibibio Speaking Peoples of South-Eastern Nigeria". International African Institute, Ethnographic Survey of Africa, Western Africa, Part III) (London)
Jones, G.I. 1939. "On the Identity of Two Masks from S.R. Nigeria in the British Museum", Man, Vol. 39, pp. 33-34.
Jones, G.I. 1955 "A Memoir of Early Field Photography", African Arts, XVIII, no. 4, pp. 64-67.
Jones, G.I., 1984. The Art of Eastern Nigeria (Cambridge University Press)
Ottenberg, S. 1975. Masked Rituals of Afikpo. (University of Washington Press)

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Alicia Fentiman 9/4/2008]