Mask - Idoma - Nigeria (No Reserve Price)

African face masks of the Akweya group, from Akpa district also called Okua, are mainly used during funerals of notable individuals. The southern Idoma, like the northern Igbo, use masks of this type, many of which have features borrowed by the Bokyi. Our specimen, whitened with kaolin, is believed to belong to the ikpobi category, intended for young men, and was once associated with warrior ceremonies.
Sanded matte finish, cracking.
The Idoma, who are probably descendants of the Akopo, live at the confluence of the Bénué and the Niger. Numbering 500,000, they are farmers and traders.
Their art and customs show influences from the Igbo, the Cross River, and Igala, and it is often difficult to distinguish them from their neighbors. Members of the royal lineage of their society, Oglinye, which glorifies courage, use masks and crests during funerals and festivals. They also produce fertility statues with whitened faces and displayed incised teeth. The janiform crests are generally exhibited at the funerals of notable individuals.