Existing comment:
Indigeneity.
Belonging to the land.
This unusual Ogoni mask, which appears to blend human and animal features, may in fact be a statement about the rootedness of Ogoni peoples to the land itself. Ogoni peoples are perhaps the oldest settlers of the Eastern Niger Delta, living south of Igbo settlements, west of Ibibio communities, and just inland from Obolo and Ijaw villages near the Atlantic coast. Forms of Ogoni face masks range from human with a movable jaw to a horned antelope to this, the rarest kind of all -- a blend of human and horned creature. Men and boys dance in these masks and add vigorous acrobatic movements. Historically, masks were worn in ritual performances for funerals and when yams were planted and harvested. More recently they appear at Christmas and New Year celebrations and to welcome important visitors. |