IDNO

P.71591.GIJ

Description

Anumbii (horned beast) masquerader standing and holding a stick or machete. The mask consists of a white painted face with slit eyes, long pointed nose, mouth, pointed ears and black incised striations along the forehead and black painted facial decorations below the eye. The top of the mask consists of two curved horns in the front and an animal on the back. The costume consists of dark woven cloth adorned with the shells of seeds, strips of cloth around the waist, and ankle rattles. In the background are ‘attendants’ , spectators and trees.

Place

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

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.71587.GIJ to P.71595.GIJ were found wrapped in paper, now numbered C301/6/.

This negative was found in pocket 27 of the negative album now numbered C15/.

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 Nsukka and Nri/Awka Igbo
2. Nri-Awka Igbo
3. Anumbii (Horned Beast) Amuobia village (19th image).

Context: There was a broad division in many Lower Niger masquerades between ‘beautiful’ and ‘ugly’ characters. The former were thought of as beautiful, serene, and usually female beings, the latter as dangerous, aggressive and masculine. The beautiful were usually white-faced with black hair and gaily decorated headdresses rounded, angular. The number and variety of masks and masquerades [in the Nri/Awka Igbo area of Ontisha province] was considerable: they were referred to generically as Mau (Ghost) (Jones, 1984).

Context: The wide variety of masks in the Nri Akwa area is discussed further. Antelopes, goats, and similar animal spirits were given head masks and those with long muzzles were called Oji Onu (long mouth) or Ulaga. Some animals (for example, Tortoise) were carved as a complete figure which was worn on the actor’s head. There was a range of masks in various shapes, sizes, styles and materials representing comic, stupid, and other human and animal types. There was also faceless characters where the actor’s own face was concealed under a cloth or raffia hood. Some of these were said to be very old and senior, other were abstractions like the spirit called Government or three raffia-covered characters who sang together in thirds and were called Onukamma (the tongue is stronger than the sword). Some of the masks used in Nri-Akwa masquerades were borrowed from elsewhere, mainly from the Ibibio. (Jones, 1989, pp.46-47.)

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

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Alicia Fentiman 20/11/2007]