IDNO

LS.82704.GIJ

Description

The Ohafia war dance iri agha. A man carrying a headhunters trophy (oyaya) on his head. The trophy is decorated with feathers attached to two animal skulls, two small woven baskets/bowls and metalwork, animal fur at either end. He is wearing a plaid cloth around his waist and holding a whisk in one hand. A Crowd of adults and children are standing behind him. Building with corrugated iron roof at right.

Place

W Africa; Nigeria; Southeastern 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

Lantern Slide Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

LS.82686.GIJ to LS.82705.GIJ were found inside box formerly numbered 45, now re-numbered C412/.These slides may have been produced from the prints in the collection. The list describing the lantern slides found inside box C412/ has been archived with the rest of the Jones collection, which is stored in Bay N/ Shelf 3/ Box 1. On paper found inside box C412/ the description relating to slide 18 mentions:
"War dance + skull reps" [manuscript in ink]

Publication: Same image published on John McCall’s G.I. Jones website with the following information:
1. Index to Ohafia/Abam Igbo
2. The Ohafia War Dance (iri agha)
3. Ohafia war dancer with headboard (oyaya) (1st image).
[Source: www.siu.edu/~anthro/mccall/jones/, AF 1/10/2007]

Context: Jones writes about the war dance emblems. He notes that, "One of the many kinds of Ibo dances consisted of men or women dancing in a ring around an emblem or trophy which was displayed either standing on its own or borne aloft on a bearer’s head. For example, in Cross River war dances the emblem was a horizontal rectangular frame covered in leopard skin to which human skulls or wooden imitations of them were attached, together with ram’s skulls and other ornaments" (Jones, 1989, p.39.)

Bibliographical Reference:
Jones, G.I. 1989 Ibo Art (Shire).

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Alicia Fentiman 12/2/2008]