IDNO

P.71537.GIJ

Description

Obugulu Mau (Ghost) masquerade.

The masqueraders, Oji (Eju) Onu (Long Mouth) and Iro Ekpetu (merciless) performing in a masquerade, crowd seated and standing by a building at right. Oji Enu (Long Mouth) dancing in centre of image, wearing a carved and painted wooden head mask attached to a woven cloth top, cloth tights and a raffia skirt, holding a stick. The mask is carved with two horns, eyes, nose, ears, and a muzzle with teeth. It is painted with dark pigment, on to which pale spots and lines have been added. In background is Iro Ekpetu (‘Merciless’), a character wearing a fierce black carved face mask with white paint? accentuating the eyes and protruding teeth, cloth top and tights, a raffia skirt, and holding a stick. In the background are buildings 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 the head mask for the character called Ulaga or Oji Onu (Long Mouth) among the Northern Ibo. It belonged to the benign or comic animal category. The frontal part of his head mask projected forward as a muzzle or pair of jaws, the middle section carried a high human forehead and a high-carinated nose, occasionally flanked by bulbous eyes; the rear part was finished off with horns or animal ears or more abstract projections. Whatever its origin, whether in the Lower Niger or Delta area, this type of mask seems to have ranged from the Central Delta to the confluence of the Niger and the Benue River and as far up the latter as the Jukun and Chamba territory (Jones, 1984, p.140).

Bibliographical Reference: Jones, G.I., 1984. The Art of Eastern Nigeria (Cambridge University Press); Meek, C. 1931. A Sudanese Kingdom, (London)

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