Epa Mask (Yoruba)
Epa
Attribution rests on documented field collection or recorded observation of the object in use. No collection history is established for this object. Nothing here should be read as evidence of lawful acquisition or export.
About Epa
The Epa masquerade of the northeastern Yoruba communities is connected to healing and protection, and to the commemoration of founding heroes. An Epa mask carries an elaborate superstructure: a heroic figure surrounded by mounted warriors, community leaders and devotees, all rising above a simple helmet face.
Epa masks are carved from a single block of wood and they are heavy. The strength it takes to carry one through a performance is part of the message. The protective power of the mask is not stored in the wood alone; it is expressed through the performance itself.
From my book
I photographed this mask during my field work and it appears in my book Within Carved Lines: The Secret Meanings of African Masks. You can read five chapters of the book free here, or get the full book in paperback or hardcover on Amazon.
Record
| People / culture | Yoruba |
|---|---|
| Country | Nigeria |
| Region | Northeastern Yorubaland, Nigeria |
| Common name | Epa |
| Form category | Vertical helmet |
| Subject depicted | Ancestor or named individual |
Ceremony and context
Epa festival commemorating founding heroes
Provenance
| Collection | Field photograph by Michael Ukwuma |
|---|
Source
This record is a catalogue entry, not an appraisal, valuation or legal determination. Nothing here should be read as evidence that an object was lawfully acquired or exported.