IDNO

P.71620.GIJ

Description

Omuko (very old elder) assisted with an attendant. The masked character is wearing a white cloth covering the entire body and face. Attached to the cloth is a wooden mask and placed on top of the head is a white sun helmet. A dark shawl is draped around the shoulders and omuko is holding a long staff with a u-shaped tip. His attendant is holding him and is wearing a cloth, hat, and carrying something on his back. To the left of the photograph is a rounded tripod stool.

Place

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

Cultural Affliation

Igbo [historically Ibo]; Nri Awka

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.71616.GIJ to P.71630.GIJ were found wrapped in 2 pieces of paper, now numbered C301/10/ and C301/11/.

Context: Jones provides a detailed description of the various characters in this masquerade in Amobia Village which he had observed and photographed in the field, “A performance in the Northern Ibo village of Amobia was opened by a hooded character called “Government”. He had no face and was crowned with a Homburg hat; an elephant tusk horn, symbol of authority, was laid on the ground in front of him and he read in ghostly gibberish from an important-looking document. He and his acolyte withdrew and were succeeded by a parade of ghostly policemen and court messengers wearing imitations of police and messenger uniforms and with cloth masks over their faces and head. They performed a spirited guard drill before being posted by their commander to their stations to control the crowd. Their followed a supercilious white-faced sun-helmeted figure in white drill jacket and trousers called Oyibo (White Man), who inspected the audience and then took his seat amongst the places reserved for the distinguished visitors who had come to watch the play. After him came a succession of characters, some white-faced, representing female spirits, some black or multi-coloured fierce and masculine creatures with masks that combined animal and human features; others again, mainly harmless or comic or benign, representing antelopes, or other animal spirits or characters drawn from village life. Each had his or her special role to play and having acted it withdrew to the secret enclosure or sat on seats at the ringside waiting to repeat his performance. “ Jones also writes that this masquerade was “ a large concerted display which included characters contributed by all the local societies.” (Jones, 1984, pp.59-60.)

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]