Water spirit headdress · Nigeria, Ijaw · ID: 3047366
Helmut Zake, Heidelberg, Germany (1978)
Ketterer, Munich, 30 April 1988, Lot 404
Description
wood, white pigment,
This mask is the embodiment of a water spirit “owu”, as it is worn in mask dances of the male societies “ekine” and “sekiapu”.
The headdresses always combine human features with those of aquatic creatures, often with the long snout of a crocodile.
“Ekine” performances constitute a highly appreciated form of entertainment and invoke local water spirits for assistance and guidance in various matters.
The object Water spirit headdress with the object ID 3047366 was last part of the auction 96th Auction at April 24, 2021 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 223 achieved a sales price of EUR 2,000.
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Comparing literature
Cole, Herbert M., Invention and Tradition, Munich, London, New York 2012, p. 71 f.