IDNO

P.73835.GIJ

Description

An Ibudu arunsi in Ohaffia. The shrine consists of a raised mound of rocks, pots, and broken pieces. In the background is a man in a plaid waist cloth and white shirt, a mud building and another man.

Place

W Africa; Nigeria; Southeast Nigeria

Cultural Affliation

Igbo [historically Ibo]; Ohaffia

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.73815.GIJ to P.73888.GIJ were kept in box 9, now numbered C337/.

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 Ohafia/Abam Igbo
2. Shrines (arunsi)
3. Ibudu arunsi in Ohafia (2nd image).

Context: Mud sculptures were found in many Igbo communities where they served diverse ritual purposes, from the level of lineage to broad community cults. There is a photograph taken by K.C. Murray of back to back figures called Igbudu Agwu in the 1940s. ( Cole, H. & C. Amiakor, 1984, pp.101-104)

Jones notes the importance of anthropomorphic shrines as , “The conical constructions of mud (called in Ibo Ibudu) are variously aid to mark the shrine (ihu) of a spirit or to be a magical object with protective or fertility powers, were quie frequently modelled it to representations of a human form ( Jones,1984).

Bibliographical References:
Jones, G.I. , 1984, The Art of Eastern Nigeria (Cambridge University Press)
Cole, H. & C. Aniakor, 1984. Igbo Arts: Community and Cosmos (Museum of Cultural History, University of California)

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