The name of this item is missing in its original language. If you know the name or have any comments, please use the form to get in touch with the institution that provided the data.
Mask (Ijele)

Ijele, a genus of masks from the Igbo areas of Nigeria, are the largest masks in Africa. They can be up to 5 metres high. They appear at important festivals and are a highlight of the festivities. The pictorial programme of Ijele masks represents the diversity of beauty and life. The first Ijele masks were designed in the Igbo communities of Umueri and Aguleri in Anhambra State, Nigeria. The dancers of the masks were probably intended to intimidate missionaries. This Ijele mask was commissioned by the Igbo community Ikuku Cultural Group in Berlin in 2008. It was designed by Anayo Nwobodo.

This content was machine-translated
Data Provider
Ethnologisches Museum
Show only fields containing data

Cataloguing data

Cultural attribution
Igbo
Object type
Mask (Ijele)
Dimensions
Objektmaß: c) (Hose) 110 x 65 x 5 cm
Höhe x Durchmesser: a,b) 370 x 140 cm
Material/Technique
Wood, Plastic, Cotton fabric, Styrofoam
Current location
Ethnologisches Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Inventory number
III C 45569 a-c

Provenance and sources

when
2007
where
Nigeria
who
Anayo Nwobodo - Makers
Igbo

who
John A. Durumba - Former Possessors

Information about the record

Legal status metadata
This content was machine-translated
2.1.1 / 7.1.1