Object Details
- Local Numbers
- 185/1959-1960 EEPA 2000-070407
- 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 2000-007-0407
- 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. Fig.47, p.150. [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, "Njenje masked parade, Ndibe Village, but with players from Mgbom. Praise singers near the front of the parade, in okwa ebo dress. Net masks and goblin-like dress, they praise people who are expected to give them a dash (present). Once they praise me but I kept my hands in my pockets. Finally they sang 'who is this white man who has no hands?' I dashed them some coins. Then they praised me again. At extreme right is the carver Chukwu Okoro, reaching in his pocket for a dash." [Ottenberg field research notes, September 1959-December 1960, Part I].
- Publication caption reads, "Praise singers in costume at an njenji parade. One singer is about to receive presents of money from two viewers."
- "The most elaborate masquerade, njenji, presented as part of the four-day Dry Season Festival, Iko Okoci, is a parade of the young adult members through many of the communities of afikpo. The masked paraders walk in a line, arranged in an order of descending age. Many players are dressed in costumes that make them appear as females. Some walk side by side as couples, dressed as man and wife, frequently in European-style dress. Other paraders are costumed as scholars, priests, or as Muslims. The players are arranged by the type of wooden mask they wear. Accompanying the masked line are small groups of net-masked dancers in various raffia and costumes who dance and prance about." [ Ottenberg, 1975: Masked rituals of Afikpo, the context of an African art; Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1975].
- Collection Restrictions
- Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
- Record ID
- ebl-1536864686513-1536864686775-1
