Object Details
- Local Numbers
- 352/1959-1960 EEPA 2000-070565
- 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
- 1959-1960
- Custodial History
- Donated by Simon Ottenberg, 2000.
- Archival Repository
- Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art
- Identifier
- EEPA.2000-007, Item EEPA 2000-007-0565
- 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. Plate X; opp. p.105, top right. [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 while conducting field research at Afikpo village-group, southeastern Nigeria, from September 1959 to December 1960.
- Original caption reads, "Okumkpa performance at Mgbom Village square. The masker with a red plume on top is the 'Queen' masquerader, as the Afikpo call it in English, and wears the upa nwa (carry-child) mask. When he comes out to dance the performance is over." [Ottenberg field research notes, September 1959-December 1960, Part I].
- Publication caption reads, "Skit of the girl who refuses to marry in the 1952 Amuro okumkpa play. The player is wearing the opa nwa mask. His 'mother' is just in back of him, the two play leaders are to his right. The father of the man playing the girl is approaching him from his left to give him a 'dash'."
- "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 akparakpa dancers preceded by opa nwa mask player. The akparakpa dancers sing as part of the chorus, and at set intervals in the play they come out and dance counterclockwise in a circle around the remainder of the chorus. The akparakpa are dressed to represent young, unmarried females. One of the player wears the opa nwa mask, the largest Afikpo mask. The mask is said to be worn by only one person in the okumkpa play, an older boy or young man who dresses up like a girl and, at the next to the last event of the play, comes forward to dance in imitation of a girl's style.
- Collection Restrictions
- Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
- Record ID
- ebl-1536864686513-1536864686806-0
