IDNO

P.73724.GIJ

Description

An Ijo wooden masquerade headdress. The multi-headed water spirit headdress consists of a rounded base with holes (for attaching cloth) and is two-tiered. The first tier has four small carved heads with high foreheads, half moon eyes, small nose and rectangular mouth with teeth; the second tier has larger heads with similar facial features and the characteristic rectangular mouth. On top of the headdress is a rounded top. It is of dark wood and painted with white pigment.

Place

W Africa; Nigeria; southern Nigeria; near Onitsha; Niger River; ?Asaba

Cultural Affliation

Ijo [historically Ijaw]

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.73718.GIJ to P.73813.GIJ were kept in box 16, now numbered C334/.
P.73722.GIJ to P.73754.GIJ were found wrapped in paper, now numbered C334/1/.

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 Ibibio, Ijo and Ogoni
2. Ijaw
3. Central Ijaw Headpiece (3rd image)

Context: Andreson writes about the significance of owu and the water spirits found in the Niger Delta. . “The term owu (or ou, depending on the dialect), means mask, masquerader, and masquerade dance. All owu represent aquatic beings, although masks never conform to the stereotype of the beautiful, light-skinned mermaid nor capitalize on important symbolism, suggesting they may represent an older conception, as well as a distinct category, of water spirits. Most maskers wear wooden headpieces (ou tibi) that depict water spirits in one of several ways: (1)as composite creatures that mix skeletal human features with aquatic motifs like crocodilian snouts and sharklike fins, (2) as bush cows, goats and other land animals, as well as reptiles and acquatic animals, and (3) as human figues and heads.” (Anderson, 2002, p.148)

Bibliographical Reference:
Anderson, M. 2002. “From River Horses to Dancing Sharks: Canoes and Fish in Ijo Art and Ritual” in Ways of the River, eds. M. Anderson and P. Peek. (UCLA)

Horton, R. 1965 Kalabari Sculpture

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Alicia Fentiman 26/3/2008]