Helmet mask "epa" or "elofon", mother and child ·  Nigeria, Yoruba, Abeokuta/ Ekiti · ID: 3044950

Description

wood, polychrome painted, breakages, paint chipped off/ repainted, rep.

Epa helmet masks are used to promote health and wellbeing within a community.

Epa masqueraders perform slow, steady and controlled movements due to the huge and heavy masks they carry on their heads during performances. The masqueraders dance around the village and must jump on a raised mound to demonstrate their ability to maintain balance. It is believed to be a bad omen for the town (sometimes leading to misfortune) if the mask should fall of the performer’s head during the jump.

When not in use, the masks are kept in shrines where villagers can pray to and provide offerings to ancestors.