Nigeria

Igbo

Wood, kaolin paste, pigment
Mid 20th century
Length: 20 in, Width: 10 in, Depth: 14 in
Other – Regalia – Headdress

The Igbo people are a meta-ethnicity native to the present-day south-central and southeastern Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea. They form the second largest tribal group, next to Yoruba, in West Africa. They have a rich masking tradition based on their traditional religion, Odinani, and on their  initiation rituals into secret societies. The Agbogho Mmuo, or Maiden Spirit, is a helmet headdress with female facial features and extravagant hairstyles of white-faced maidens, intended to represent the spirit of a beautiful female ancestor. The color white is associated with purity. The headdress is worn by men dressed in colorful appliqued bodysuits (also seen in this collection) and danced during the dry season as part of agricultural rituals, as well as during funerals of prominent members of the masking secret society.