Anthropo-zoomorphic water spirit mask · Nigeria, Ijaw · ID: 3052877
Austrian Private Collection, Vienna
Description
wood, pigments, animal hair, eyes with mirrored glass inlay (one missing), dorsal fin separately crafted, rest.
The Ijaw live in the Niger Delta, relying mainly on fishing. Their lives are deeply shaped by water, which is why water spirits, “owu”, play a central role in their religious beliefs.
These spirits are embodied through masks that always combine human features with those of aquatic beings. The outward appearance of the masks varies greatly, as they reflect the visionary or dreamt image of water spirits as conceived by the individual carver.
Headdresses like the present one were used in the mask dances of the “ekine” and “sekiapu” men’s society. The performances of the masks were colorful spectacles with high entertainment value and were intended to encourage the water spirits to assist people in various aspects of life.
The performances were meant to imitate the behavior of the water spirits. Often, the masked dancers even emerged from the water or returned to it.