IDNO

T.170006.GIJ

Description

Scene during a Nkporo Ifogu masquerade, with masquerade characters (impersonating young women) gathering in a group.
In the background the band wear palm frond skirts, raffia headdresses, ‘Ogu’ masks (see Jones, G.I. 1984: 213), and vests or tops. Some wear rattles round their ankles, and others carry wooden slit-gongs.
In the foreground to the left of the image and to the extreme right are two masqueraders standing in profile. They are wearing an Ogu wooden face mask, with a knife-like protrusion from the forehead, three cylindrical protrusions, slits for the eyes and painted in dark and light colours. They are wearing a patterned, knitted hat (with a pompom on the back) with a cloth band into which a feather is stuck, a tight pale jersey, a striped cross over neck and chest ornament, and palm frond skirt.
There are also two male dancers dressed as women wearing small white face masks with diagonal protrusions and woolly hats. The small masks only cover part of the face. Sacking covers rest of the face, and a scarf and knitted hat cover the head. They wear small tight floral pattern tops, white shorts, neck and waist ornaments, and ankle rattles, and each carries a feather whisk and a hand mirror. [PB 31/08/2023]

Place

W Africa; Nigeria; Eastern Nigeria; Cross River; Elugu village

Cultural Affliation

Igbo [historically Ibo]

Named Person

Photographer

Jones, Gwilliam Iwan (known as G.I.)

Collector / Expedition

Date

circa 1930 - 1939; October 1984

Collection Name

Jones Collection

Source

Format

Colour Transparency

Primary Documentation

Other Information

T.169937.GIJ - T.170148.GIJ were located together in a Agfa transparency box, now numbered C756/.