The Ibo-Izzi, a subgroup of the Ibo (or Igbo) in the northeast of the Ibo settlement area, in South East Nigeria, created this type of mask ‘Ogbodo enyi’ (‘spirit elephant’). ‘Ogbodo enyi’ is actually a head crest mask. It is worn horizontally on the head of the masked dancer, with ‘padding’ made from soft fabric. Formally, the ‘Ogbodo enyi’ is a composite mask derived from different animals: the protruding tusks of an elephant are combined with the open mouth of a hippopotamus and parts of a wart hog. The projection on the forehead represents the ‘trunk of the elephant’. ‘Ogbodo enyi’ is considered to be a good-natured, helpful being and a ‘friend of the village’ who protects the people. This ‘Ogbodo Enyi mask’ belongs to a member of a male association in the Ibo-Izzi. This male association is organised into age groups. The older and more important the man in his society, the larger his elephant mask.
The present, large ‘spirit elephant mask’ shows a considerable age. It is carved from heavy, hard wood. The surface is dispersed with relief, alternately coloured with white (by means of kaolin), black (soot) and red (powdered redwood). A special feature of this old ‘Ogbodo Enyi mask’ is the following: whilst these masks usually carry a single human head, carved out from the same piece, on the back, two smaller human heads, on the left and right, protrude from this elephant mask. Overall it is a good, old and interesting example of this type of mask (with two heads on the back). It has some small age-related damage (colour abrasion, especially in the white kaolin area and two cracks on the underside). For this reason it has a convincing shiny patina on the inside, exactly where the plant fibre padding and the head of the masked dancer often rubbed. Height: c. 30 cm; width: c. 25 cm; length: 62 cm (with the two heads). First half of the 20th century. (ME)

Provenance:
German private collection.

Lit.:
'Igbo Arts. Communtity and Customs' by H. M. Cole & Ch. C. Aniakor, ill. p. 127, and ill. 270–275; 'Igbo' by H. M. Cole, ill. 50.