Ogoni Mask

Belonging to the land.

This unusual Ogoni mask, which appears to blend human and animal features, may in fact be a statement about the rootedness of Ogoni peoples to the land itself. Ogoni peoples are perhaps the oldest settlers of the Eastern Niger Delta. Forms of Ogoni face masks range from human with a movable jaw to a horned antelope to this, the rarest kind of all—a blend of human and horned creature. Historically, masks were worn in ritual performances for funerals and when yams were planted and harvested. More recently, they appear at Christmas and New Year celebrations and to welcome important visitors.