IDNO

P.74284.GIJ

Description

Ogonya Play. A close up of a headpiece in the Ogonya masquerade consisting of a two upright wooden figures standing back-to-back, and joined together by the figure of a cat standing on their heads, adorned with feathers and porcupine quills. The masquerader is draped in cloths. Behind the first masquerader are two other masqueraders with elaborate headpieces. In the background are spectators and trees.

Place

W Africa; Nigeria; Southeast Nigeria; Ogume Village

Cultural Affliation

Igbo [historically Ibo]

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.72183.GIJ to P.74286.GIJ were kept in box 15, now numbered C296/.
This print and its negative were also in the box formerly numbered 11.5.

Publication: Same image in Jones, 1989, p. 66, Plate 7, with the caption Ogonya masquerade.

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 Ika Igbo (Western Igbo)
2. Feathered Headdress Ogonya Play Ogume Village, South Ika. (10th image)

Context: Jones writes about the Ogonya masquerade from his visit to Ogume in 1937. He notes that, “The Ogonya “masks” were in fact headpieces, either human or animal heads or figures. The actor’s face and body were concealed beneath the drapery that descended from the carving. One was a Janus-faced human head, another was the head of a cow, others were of birds with very long beaks, and others, consisted of two upright figures standing back to back and joined together by the figure of a cat standing on their heads. I saw only one face mask; it was called Mbotu, which was said to be a name for a beautiful woman, though this Mbotu looked more like the face of a goat. I was fortunate enough to see the performance of the Oganya masquerade of one of the Ogume quarters. The band consisted of two small membrane drums (called Obene Ogonya) and two large wooden gongs (Nkpata Ukpa). There were ten characters: two bird heads called Ogene Oku, seven twin figures with various names that I failed to record, and one Janus head called Ejukpe. The performers all had rattles on their ankles, most carried leather fans, and Ejukpe had a Benin-type ceremonial sword. Each sat on a small bench-like seat made by local carpenters and had an unmasked attendant who ministered to him when needed and merged into the crowd when not.

The two Ogene Oku were the first to come out, chasing the crows back and clearing an open space for the players. The other characters appeared and sat on their benches. Then they all formed a line headed by an Ogene Oku and, with Ejukpe bringing up the rear, proceeded around the arena, up to band, and back to their benches. As each went in front of the drums he performed a brief staccato dance, stamping out the message played to him by one of the slit drums. In the interlude that followed, the Ogene Oku chased the boys and young men away from the crowd and up and down the village street. The each character, accompanied this time by his attendant, took a turn to going up to the band, and both danced together to the same staccato rhythm.

After another interlude in which the Ogene Oku again chased the boys and young men, each character danced a final time before the band and withdrew, followed by his attendant carrying his bench. Only Ejukpe was left to perform his valedictory dance and bring the performance to a close by charging the onlookers and driving them from the arena. ” (Jones, 1989, p. 66).

Context: In reference to the style of the sculpture, Jones observed that the example in this photograph is from the Kwale-Isoko border and it consisted of a pair of standing figures carved in a style more akin to the Central Ijo local style (Jones, 1984, p.149).

Bibliographical Reference: Jones, G.I., 1984. The Art of Eastern Nigeria (Cambridge University Press)
Jones, G.I. 1989. “A Visit to Ogume in 1937”. African Arts, Volume XX11:3, pp. 64-67.

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Alicia Fentiman 19/12/2007]