IDNO

P.71744.GIJ

Description

A wooden face mask oval in shape and consisting of large circular eyes, with nose closely placed between the eyes, and a pouting mouth. The mask is damaged along the right side of the forehead. The mask appears to be two toned and on the left side is white gypsum and some striated markings under the eye. A piece of twine is attached to the back of the mask. The mask is placed on a woven matt.

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/.

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, se 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 unitiatied 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

Context: Jones writes about different types of Ibo masks and says that this kind of horned mask is called Akpagachi and is worn in a play called Lugulu. He notes that all the masks from this area are polychrome, painted in black, white, yellow, and red. The black comes from a leaf-dye, the white from gypsum (native chalk), the yellow from a certain wood, and the red from camwood. The plays connected with these masks are only played on the native orie day (once every four or eight days) and only during the months of the dry season, November to March. They can only be worn by men who have completed their initiation ceremonies and have attained the mbe grade. All the masks illustrated (in this article, except one) are from Ngusu Ada, and were made by Ugwu Ocho of Elugu Ngusa, a man of middle age. He goes on to note, that, “ In the Onitsha Awka sub-tribe human faces with horns are one of the most common forms of masks” (Jones, 1939, pp.33-34).

Context: Ottenberg compares this mask collected and photographed by Jones with other horned masks. In the section on Mkpe (horned) masks among the Afikpo. He describes the mask, “It is a dark form with large oval eyes encircled by white, white cheek marks, a very pouted mouth, and a dark forehead. It has thick, heavy horns, tapering towards the tips. It is a heavier, less delicate mask than the Afikpo forms, with larger horns and a face style. I have never seen this Ngusu Edda type at Afikpo (Ottenberg, 1975, p.34).

Bibliographical Reference:
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., 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 4/12/2007]