240928 - Old Traditional Authentic African IGBO Mask - Nigeria.
Nigeria : Old Tribal Used African Igbo Mask.
Hand carved from a single piece of wood.
This mask are 32 cm high.
The Igbo region between the towns of Onitsha and Akwa has a rich and diverse tradition of mask and headdress use, often influenced by neighboring groups such as the Idoma and Igala. This mask was used by the secret society of Mmwo men and may represent a beautiful spirit.
Igbo people live in the southeast of Nigeria. Very important part of their daily living is the masquerade or mmanwu. Masquerades are organized as part of various festival, burial services and other similar events. There is the Annual Masquerade Festival held each November in the Enugu State. Masked performances can also be seen between August and September as part of the Yam (Iri Yi) Festival.
The Igbos made their masks out of wood or fabric. Some masks appear only on certain events. But it is much more common to see the same masks on almost all events. There are some minor differences from region to region.