The Dance of Opongi
Explore the Opongi Masquerade, a Kalabari festival where water spirits dance, ancestral traditions thrive, and sacred masks come to life.
The Opongi festival 11 (1980-01-01) by Nigeria Magazine (Federal Ministry of Information)Archivi.ng
The Opongi Masquerade Festival
The Opongi Masquerade Festival is rooted in a Kalabari water spirit tradition. Dating back to 985 AD, the festival showcases five sacred masks and dramatic performances inspired by ancient hunting practices.
1. The Rise of Opongi
Opongi, a head-hunter water spirit, is among the most fascinating Kalabari masquerades. Archaeological evidence by Alagoa shows terra cotta pieces at Ke, resembling Opongi masks dating to 985 AD, 1185 AD, and 1600 AD. Nigeria Magazine wrote about the festival in 1980.
2. The Discovery
The story of the Opongi masquerade starts with a woman named Igebe who witnessed the Opongi water spirit and his son Emene dancing in mangroves while she was netting shrimps. For three days, she secretly watched and learned their movements.
3. Igebe’s One-Woman Stand
On the third day, the spirits left their headpieces behind. Igebe took them, and when the Ekine society demanded them from her because she had no male offspring in her family to use the headpieces in masquerade plays, she refused them on two occasions.
4. The First Human Performance of Opongi
In defiance, she built a shrine, made offerings, and declared she'd perform herself. After teaching the drum master the Opongi music, Igebe became the first human to dance Opongi, entering the arena with the headpiece and repeating the moves she witnessed in the magrove swamp.
5. The Five Sacred Masks
Five masks feature in the Opongi play. The lead mask is Opongi—a sculpted headpiece on circular fronds with buttons, cowries, black/white feathers, and ajibulu ram's hide. Seki (Crocodile) is Opongi's companion, a major masquerade in Ifoko but subsidiary in Buguma and Abonnema.
6. Ritual Preparation
Both spirits are head-hunters with dramatic episodes. Emene, Opongi's son, has the richest decoration with plumes, leopard teeth, and glittering objects. Other masks are Owu-asawo, which is sparsely decorated, and Sekiye-diamond, which is richly decorated.
7. What Comes Next
Masks are arranged on tables in the Obiali shrine. The priest, Ekine Alabo, enters with House members to make offerings: gin, cock, yams, plantains, and dried fish. After libation for peace and prosperity, a cock is slaughtered. The priest collects money, blessing each donour.
8. Night and Day
At 11 pm, the wake begins. Ekine members walk through town singing, then gather in the shrine for communion meals until dawn. On performance day, helpers dress as maskers. Orchestra and members walk, dance and feast on chicken, yams, and rice. The evening brings larger crowds.
The Opongi festival 7 (1980-01-01) by Nigeria Magazine (Federal Ministry of Information)Archivi.ng
9. Grand Finale
On day two, the final afternoon session attracts the largest audience, including the king, Amanyanabo, and chiefs. Four minor masquerades emerge first, followed by processions: Young men chanting praise; women with rattles singing; adult women in ceremonial dress.
When the Community Forgets
The Opongi festival traditionally ended with the egberi, where Seki (Crocodile) was hunted and shared. This symbolised communal hunting. In 1979, the *egberi* was abandoned because leaders had forgotten the procedure.
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