IDNO

P.71730.GIJ

Description

A mask from Ngusu Ada. The mask is a tall thin mask; the face of the mask consists of a round circular marking on the forehead, two slits for eyes, placed directly against the long rectangular nose, the chin is oval and juts out slightly. The top of the mask is slightly thinner and rectangular; there is a hole at the top and it is possible that somethng was attached. The mask is painted in a dark and light colour; the juxtaposition is that the top is white and black ? and the botton half is rerversed black and white. Raffia webbing is visible around the side of the mask.

Place

W Africa; Nigeria; South Eastern Nigeria; Cross River; ?Northern Bende division; Ngusu Ada

Cultural Affliation

Igbo [historically ibo]; Ada

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.71728.GIJ to P.71831.GIJ were kept in box 14, now numbered C300/.
P.71728.GIJ to P.71748.GIJ were found wrapped in paper, now numbered C300/1/.

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 various Igbo groups: Ngusu Ada, Isu Ikwu Ato, Alayi, Item
2. Ngusu Ada Igbo
3. Ngusu Ada mask (7th image).

Context: The masks, sculpture, and culture of this area are described in detail by Ottenberg. He writes that, “ the Afikpo belong to an Igbo subgroup called Ada or Edda (Forde and Jones 1950, pp.51-56), which includes the Okpoha, Edda, Amaseri, and Unwana village-groups, all of which border on the Afikpo, Nkporo and Akaeze, both short distances away. The Ada have many common features in their history and culture. They have past associations with the famous slave-trading Igbo of Aro Chuku, some forty miles to the south, and their population includes other immigrant groups from various Igbo areas, as well as residue of ancient non-Igbo peoples having Cross-River cultures (the earliest in the Ada area). The Ada are known for the prevalence of double unilineal descent, for well developed age grade organizations, for their military and head-taking activities in the past, and for their characteristic forms of art and rituals. These features differentiate them from other Igbo and from the Cross River groups” (Ottenberg, 1975, p.3) In relation to masquerades, he writes that, “Each village also has a secret society, although it is not really very secret, for it lacks an exclusive character. All males are expected to join it by the time that they are adults, and many become members as children. It thus excludes females and uninitiated boys. The secrecy involves much of the initiation rites, certain titles taken within it, and some other events. The masquerades, which form one of its principal activities, are generally held in public, although there are secrets associated with them.

Context: Afikpo Art and masks are well documented by Ottenberg. He notes that the Afikpo use the same word ihu for mask and for face. Wooden masks are the major sculptural form of the Afikpo. “Putting on a mask turns a person into a sprit or mma. Ottenberg has identified twelve types of wooden mask types at Afikpo. “Each one of the mask has forms of the adult society has its own stylistic features easily recognizable by Afikpo and one or more names by which it is referred to. Many of the masks are associated with particular forms of behavior. A mask is sometimes found with a certain type of costume; sometimes the names of the mask and costume are the same.”(Ottenberg, 1975, p.17)

Context: This type of mask is probably igri which is the secret society name. Ottenberg describes the general features . “The igri is a tall, thin mask varying in length from about 15 to 20 inches, and in width from around 4 to 5 inches. It has a lower flattish section - the face- which is sometimes slightly concave from side to side, and which generally curls outward a bit at the chin. The upper part of the mask has a flat forehead, raised out beyond the facial plane as much as an inch or more by a sharp, horizontal brow line; this upper section is rectangular, sometimes narrowing a bit toward the top: (Ottenberg, 1975, p.26).

Context: Possibly igiri as define by Ottenberg; it appears the raffia topping is missing.

Bibliographical Reference: Forde and Jones. 1950. “The Ibo and Ibibio Speaking Peoples of South-Eastern Nigeria”. International African Institute, Ethnographic Survey of Africa, Western Africa, Part III) (London)
Jones, G.I. 1939. “On the Identity of Two Masks from S.R. Nigeria in the British Museum”, Man, Vol. 39, pp. 33-34.
Jones, G.I. 1955 “A Memoir of Early Field Photography”, African Arts, XVIII, no. 4, pp. 64-67.
Jones, G.I., 1984. The Art of Eastern Nigeria (Cambridge University Press)
Ottenberg, S. 1975. Masked Rituals of Afikpo. (University of Washington Press)
This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Alicia Fentiman 3/12/2007]