IDNO

P.73813.GIJ

Description

An Owu water spirit to be worn in an Owu masquerade. The wooden headmask is a dark wooden head with two pairs of horns projecting from the top and the bottom, The face of the mask is of dark polished wood and consists of a high slightly bulging forehead, large round eyes, nose and square lips which protrude with incised markings for teeth.

Place

W Africa; Nigeria; Southeast Nigeria; Brass district

Cultural Affliation

Nembe

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.73812.GIJ to P.73813.GIJ were found wrapped in paper, now numbered C334/2/.

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. Owu (Water Spirit) Mask Nembi, Brass District - collected by E. R. Chadwick (8th image).

Context: Jones discusses the Delta major style and notes that, “The Delta style was much more restricted in sculptural forms and in the conventions which governed their representations. The stylisation was much greater and attempts at realism in the treatment, for example, of the human face were much more rarer. We can distinguish two very distinct local styles, Central Ijo and Eastern or Kalabari Ijo...The Central Ijo style was produced by communities, mainly Ijo, to the west and north-west of the Nun River; the Kalabari style by the four tribal states of Nembe (Brass), Kalabari (New Calabar), Bonny and Okrika and by other Ijo communities living east of the Nun River.

The Delta style lacked any face masks: the carvings in the masquerades were worn on the heads of the characters and were of three types: (1) head masks carried horizontally on the actor’s head and facing upwards; (2) heads which were vertical constructions with one, two or more faces resting on a single neck which, if it was large enough, was hollowed slightly at the base to fit on to the actor’s head or if too small for this was attached to a basketwork frame for the same purpose; (3) complete figures usually of fishes or animals carried horizontally on the actor’s head and either resting directly on it or being attached to a platform or basketwork frame. The head masks and heads were highly stylised, the fish carvings were treated more naturalistically.

The characteristics of the Delta style are most clearly shown in the treatment given to the human face. This was broken down into its salient features, forehead, eyes, nose, mouth and teeth, and these were isolated into separate geometric forms rising up of an expressionless voice. Ears were ignored and omitted, or if shown were placed laterally and not indicated on the front of the face. In some cases they were wooden or leather discs pegged or nailed on to the side of the carving. The face was broken down into two planes, a high one representing the line of the brows which were arched in the central Ijo head masks, straing in the case of the Kalabari ones. From this lower plane two oval or circular cylinders projected upward to represent the eyes and between them the nose, which was attached to the higher plane of the forehead. Below the nose was a square rectangular box with a serrated top repenting the mouth and teeth as shown in this photograph. (Jones, 1§984, pp.159-161)

Context: Jones describes the Nembe style. “The Nembe state, the traditional enemy of the Kalabari and known to the early traders as the Brass Ijo, had the same secret society and the same style of head masks and heads associate with it. There were minor differences in style which appear ins some of their carvings, for example, in the treatment of the eyes or mouth and the presence of some forms not found amongst the Kalabari. The Nembe people also had carved memorial statues for some of their kings and leaders. (Jones, 1984, pp.168-169).

Bibliographical Reference:
Jones, G.I., 1984. The Art of Eastern Nigeria (Cambridge University Press)
Horton, R. 1965 Kalabari Sculpture (Dept of Antiquities Lagos)

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Alicia Fentiman 26/2/2008]