Mask

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Culture Igbo

Culture Afikpo (Subgroup of the Igbo)

Title Mask (Mma Ji)

Date 19th–20th century

Medium Wood, pigment, and and fiber

Dimensions Object: 14 15/16 × 5 1/4 × 6 in. (37.9 × 13.3 × 15.2 cm)
Overall: 14 15/16 × 5 1/4 × 6 in. (37.9 × 13.3 × 15.2 cm)

Credit Line Gift of Roy and Sophia Sieber, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University

Accession Number 85.73

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About this Work

Mma ji, “knife-yam,” is the best-known mask form of the Afikpo, an eastern Igbo subgroup. Its name refers to the top part of the mask, which resembles a knife or machete. It appears at performances known as okumkpa, which may involve up to one hundred masqueraders who participate in skits, songs, and dances that offer sometimes satirical and critical commentary on community members and events. Mma ji performers also appear at an elaborate parade known as nenji, an event that begins the dry season festival.

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Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.

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"Mask | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=85.73