IDNO

P.71585.GIJ

Description

A frontal view of Oji Onu (long mouth) masquerade character. The wooden mask consists of a long pointed projection, high carinated nose, incised striation markings painted black, white circular ears, and two pointed horns painted white. The masquerader is wearing woven light cloth trousers, tie-dyed or batik top and scarf with a raffia skirt around the waist. He is holding a circular wooden fan? or paddle? in one hand. In the background are spectators and trees.

Place

W Africa; Nigeria; South Eastern Nigeria; Onitsha province; Nri Awka

Cultural Affliation

Igbo [historically Ibo]; Nri Akwa

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.71573.GIJ to P.71585.GIJ were found wrapped in paper, now numbered C301/5/.

Publication: Similar photograph of Oji Onu (Long Mouth) is found in Jones, 1984, p.142, Plate 48; and in Jones, 1989, p.33, Plate 25. The caption reads, “ Mau masquerade, Nri-Awka Ibo. Mask for character called Oji Onu (long mouth) or Ulaga, repesenting a foolish antelope spirit.

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 front 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.

Context: Jones discusses this type of mask as a “true mask” defined as “Representations of a human or animal face, worn either vertically over the actor’s face, when it can be called a face mask, or, if representing a water spirit, antelope or goat, horizonatally on top of the actor’s head, when it can be called a head mask (Jones, 1989, p. 31).

Bibliographical Reference: Jones, G.I., 1984. The Art of Eastern Nigeria (Cambridge University Press); Meek, C. 1931. A Sudanese Kingdom, (London); Jones, G.I. 1989. Ibo Art (Shire)
This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Alicia Fentiman 27/11/2007]