IDNO

P.71532.GIJ

Description

Iro Ekpetu (‘Merciless’), the masquerader, wears a fierce-looking black carved mask (darkened, with white? painted eyes, pointed nose, and protruding teeth painted ?white), and a raffia hairpiece, a cloth top and trousers, and a raffia skirt. The masquerader is holding up the left arm and holding a stick in the right hand. Behind the masquerader are two mud huts, a walled area trees and vegetation.

Place

W Africa; Nigeria; South Eastern Nigeria; Ontisha Province; near Awka; Amuda village

Cultural Affliation

Igbo [historically Ibo]; Isuochi

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

Print Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

P.71504.GIJ to P.71662.GIJ were kept in box 4, now numbered C301/.
P.71531.GIJ to P.71546.GIJ were found wrapped in paper, now numbered C301/2/.

Context: Jones describes a masquerade performance in Amobia in which there were many different characters and one of the masqueraders was a black fierce and masculine creature with masks that combined animal and human features (p.59).

Aniakor and Cole discuss the differences between beauty and beast; good and bad etc.

Bibliographical Reference: Jones, G.I., 1984. The Art of Eastern Nigeria (Cambridge University Press); Cole, H. & C. Aniakor, 1984. Igbo Arts: Community and Cosmos (Museum of Cultural History, University of California)

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Alicia Fentiman 17/10/2007]