IDNO

P.71746.GIJ

Description

Two wooden masks. The mask on the left is known as mmaji (knife-yam) The general features of the mask consist of a face that is a convex, rounded oval. Projecting horizontally outward from its centre line are three cylindrical pegs, with flat ends, that lie in the same vertical plane and in line with the “knife”. The “knife” curves back and tapers to a point somewhere above the raffia backing region. The mask is abstract and has no mouth, ears, forehead or head. The eyes are oval and rimmed in white, and meet at the third peg from the bottom. The mask is painted different colours and the central line of the mask is painted with white dots and on top of the curvature is a cross-design. The mask on the right, is similar to the mkpe (horned, usually a goat) consists of a squarish face with two animal horns that rise out of the top and gently curve backward. The facial characteristics consist of two holes for eyes, elongated nose, and a pouting circular mouth. The mask is painted; there are diagonal lines from the forehead to the cheek and dots painted on the nose and on one of the horns. The masks are placed on the ground within a confined area.

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. Two Ngusu Ada masks (5th image).

Context: Ottenberg provides a detailed description about the Afikpo mask known as MMa Ji . It is the best known and most characteristic Ibo form. Mmaji, meaning “knife-yam”, refers to the top of the piece, which has the appearance of a knife or machete. Afikpo also call it mma ubi, ‘knife-farm’. The general features of the mask is that the face is a convex, rounded oval. Projecting horizontally outward from its centre line are three or four cylindrical pegs, with flat ends, that lie in the same vertical plane and in line with the “knife”. The “knife” curves back and tapers to a point somewhere above the raffia backing region. The mask has no mouth, ears, forehead or head. The eyes are oval, often rimmed in black, and usually meet at the third peg from the bottom a four-pegged mask and at the middle one on a three pegged form. The mask is multicoloured, as a rule, rather than black and white. The face covering is abstract, not only in form but in design. Neighbouring pegs are often different colors - red, orange, and white, although not usually black- and may have dots. The mask is a common form at Afikpo. It is worn at the okumpa play by older boys who wear the mba costume, or those taking part in skits. At the nnjeni parade it is worn by a range of ages, from small boys to adult men, who are costumed as schoolboys, school teachers, missionaries, Muslims, and westernized Africans. The mask is worn by the main dancing group at the Okonkwo play, where a costume similar to the mba is seen. It is also employed in the Ikwum form of secret society initiation. (Ottenberg, 1975, pp. 35-36.)

Context: Jones describes this type of mask as mba or ikwum. The most common abstract masks was a white, red, and black arrangement of an oval face with the features reduced to a vertical row of three projecting cylinders surmounted by a knifelike crest and suggestive prow of a Venetian gondola (Jones, 1984, p. 211). In his article Ifogu Nkporo he describes how this type of mask and the character who played it. “Then came the two main dancers, a pair of strange creatures with scarlet jerseys, black velvet hats with a white ribbon round them, and terrifying masks with human eyes, a sword coming out of the forehead and three conical projections beneath it, the whole suggesting vaguely the prow of a Melanesian war canoe. Each carried an egg in one hand and a cross between a vanity bag and a rattle in the other.“ (Jones, 1939, pp.119-121.)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

(2nd mask) 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]