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Okumkpa masquerade play, Amuro village, Afikpo Village-Group, Nigeria

African Art Museum

Okumkpa masquerade play, Amuro village, Afikpo Village-Group, Nigeria
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
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Object Details

sova.eepa.2000-007_ref541
GUID
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/xo77a2e4d01-8204-42dd-8542-eb33456748d1
Local Numbers
O-33/1951-1953 EEPA 2000-070033
General
Title source: Dr. Simon Ottenberg, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
Photographer
Ottenberg, Simon
Collection Photographer
Ottenberg, Simon
Place
Africa
Nigeria
Topic
Rites and ceremonies -- Africa
Clothing and dress -- Africa
Cultural landscapes
Masquerades
Masks
Photographer
Ottenberg, Simon
Culture
Igbo (African people)
See more items in
Simon Ottenberg photographs
Extent
1 Slide (col.)
Date
1951-1953
Custodial History
Donated by Simon Ottenberg, 2000.
Archival Repository
Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art
Identifier
EEPA.2000-007, Item EEPA 2000-007-0033
Type
Archival materials
Slides
Color slides
Collection Rights
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
Bibliography
Masked Rituals of Afikpo, the Context of an African Art; Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1975. [Published in connection with an exhibition shown at the Henry Art Gallery, University of Washington, May 24-June 21, 1975].
Genre/Form
Color slides
Scope and Contents
This photograph was taken by Dr. Simon Ottenberg at the okumkpa presented on the eke Sunday afternoon of 13 January 1952 in the main common of Amuro village. Dr. Ottenberg was conducting field research at Afikpo village-group, southeastern Nigeria, from December 1951 to March 1953.
Original title reads, "Okumkpa play, Amuro village, Amuro players. Each village has its own players, although players may perform in other villages as well. The name of the mask is also the name for the entire dress. Ibibio mask, female. Generally one can tell the difference between male and female by the hair style." [Ottenberg field research notes, O Series, December 1951-March 1953].
"Okumpka, the most elaborate masquerade found at Afikpo Village-Group, is the most popular and well attended Afikpo masked ritual. It consists of a series of skits, songs, and dances presented by masked players in the main common of a village during of an afternoon or evening. The play is closely associated with the village secret society; all players are society members, and all wear wooden masks and costumes." [Ottenberg, 1975: Masked Rituals of Afikpo, the Context of an African Art; Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1975].
The photograph depicts dancer wearing female ibibio mask and using the dark raffia ori costume. Players in the skits wear this mask to represent an adult woman or at other time a man, and okumkpa musicians sometimes use it as well. The name refers to the fact that Afikpo consider it of Ibibio design and origin. The carving is both purchased by Afikpo in Ibibio and Anang country and regularly produced at home.
Collection Restrictions
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
Other Archival Materials
Simon Ottenberg Papers are located at the National Anthropological Archives, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.
EEPA.2000-007_ref541
Large EAD
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/xo77a2e4d01-8204-42dd-8542-eb33456748d1
EEPA.2000-007
EEPA
Record ID
ebl-1536864686513-1536864686708-0

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