Mgbedike Mask (Igbo)
Mgbedike · Mgbedike
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 Mgbedike
The Mgbedike mask type, meaning time of the brave, belongs to the warrior and enforcement tradition of Igbo masquerade. Its visual vocabulary is unambiguous: bulging, projecting eyes for spiritual vigilance at its highest; an open mouth baring many teeth for readiness to confront; prominent horns for authority and the capacity to harm as well as protect; and a rough, textured surface that connects it to the raw power of nature.
Mgbedike appears when the community needs enforcement: when debts must be collected, boundaries asserted, or antisocial behaviour corrected. A masquerade wearing it moves through a gathering the way the presence of a uniformed officer changes a room.
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 | Igbo |
|---|---|
| Country | Nigeria |
| Region | Southeastern Nigeria |
| Indigenous name | Mgbedike |
| Common name | Mgbedike |
| Subject depicted | Warrior, aggressor, or forest power |
Ceremony and context
Warrior and enforcement masquerades
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.