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Mask (Elu)

Mask (Elu)

Place Made DisplayNigeria
MediumWood, polychrome, and reeds
Dimensions8 1/4 x 8 x 4 1/2 inches (21 x 20.3 x 11.4 cm)
CultureOgoni (Nigeria)
ClassificationsCostume
Credit LineGift of Dorothy Brill Robbins, Class of 1933
Terms
  • Costume
  • Ogoni
  • wood and pigment
  • Rams
  • Crowns
  • Masks
Object number92.075.003
Label CopyBRIEF DESCRIPTION Like other Elu masks of the Ogoni, this mask depicts a benevolent spirit, in this case, a ram. WHERE WAS IT MADE? This mask was made by the Ogoni, who have traditionally lived on the fertile plain to the northeast of the Niger Delta in Nigeria. This area holds valuable oil deposits; consequently, the Ogoni have been forced from their homelands in recent years. HOW WAS IT MADE? This mask was carved from wood using hand tools such as an adze and either knives or chisels. It was painted with natural pigments. HOW WAS IT USED? This mask was probably used in karikpo, a masquerade performed in Ogoni communities. Karikpo included acrobatic dances and masked performances sometimes related to fertility. WHY DOES IT LOOK LIKE THIS? Elu masks have small, youthful faces that depict benevolent spirits. Fashionable hairstyles, wide foreheads, and small noses and eyes typify the form. Elu masks do not entirely cover the performer’s face. Masks are secured in front of the face and surrounded by brightly colored cloth or grasses. If you look at the sides of the mask you can see the holes into which such additions to the mask would have been attached, including a strap to secure it to the performer’s head. Elu often incorporate a hinged jaw. This feature allows the wearer to manipulate the lower portion, allowing the mask to “speak” and smile, displaying its reed “teeth.” Look closely at this mask, and you will see that it does not have a moveable jaw. This could mean that the mask was made for a junior-grade society. There are two other masks in the Johnson Museum’s collection with hinged jaws, and one with reed teeth. To see these masks, search for object numbers 90.057.007 and 92.005.042 in the keyword search box. Notice the design of a crown on the ram’s forehead. This design refers to a specific society in the Ogoni community. Although the crown may suggest British colonial significance, it does not imply a colonial power relationship. The crown emblem was adapted to a new purpose. Martha O’Connell ’09 contributed to this entry.
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