Mask "okoroshi" ·  Nigeria, Igbo, Mgbala Agwa village, Romanus Nzeke (1970s) · ID: 3052228

Description

wood, pigments,

For a comparable object of this artist see AHDRC 0094989.

During the peak of the rainy season the water spirits descent to earth from their homes in the clouds in order to dwell and cavort among human beings. These legendary spirits materialize in villages as masqueraders. All maskers are called “okoroshi”, best translated as “water spirit”.

The benign and friendly ones are “okoroshi oma” - “beautiful spirits”, white-faced and white-dressed. The Igbo word “oma” means good, pretty, and light. Their aggressive male counterparts in dark blankets are called “okoroshiojo”, “ojo” meaning dark, ugly or heavy (cf. Cole & Aniakor, 1984, p. 186).

Comparing literature

Cole, Herbert M. & Chike C. Aniakor, Igbo Arts, Los Angeles 1984, p. 195, ill. 309