IDNO

P.171743.GIJ

Description

A clay sculpture of Okpanku, the ape spirit, in a side gallery of an Mbari house. The figure is painted in dark paint, and has eyes and jagged mouth highlighted in white paint. Braided hair is attached to his head. He has his right arm raised, about to throw a ball held in his right hand. Other balls adorn his arms and body, and he has another ball in his left hand with his left arm outstretched. The figure has an oversized phallus with rows of spikes along its shaft. [Description from record P.170791.GIJ, PB 14/11/2024]

Place

W Africa; Nigeria; Southeast Nigeria; Imo State; Oratta; Umowa

Cultural Affliation

Igbo [historically Ibo]; Oratta Ibo

Named Person

Photographer

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

Collector / Expedition

Date

1936

Collection Name

Jones Collection

Source

Format

Print Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

P.171730.GIJ - P.171808.GIJ were located together in an 'University of Camridge' envelope, now numbered C841/.

Publication: Image published in Jones, G.I., 1984. The Art of Eastern Nigeria, (Cambridge: CUP), fig. 20. p. 87, and captioned "Okpanku: Mbari house, Umowa village. Oratta Ibo." [PB 15/03/2024]

Bibliographical Reference: G.I. Jones describes Mbari sculptures on pp. 82-92 and Mbari house architecture on p. 104 in Jones, G.I., 1984. The Art of Eastern Nigeria, (Cambridge: CUP).

Bibliographical Reference: H.M. Cole describes Mbari houses and sculptures in Cole H.M., 1982. Mbari: Art and Life among the Owerri Igbo, (Bloomington: Indiana University Press).