Ibibio Idiok Mask: Johnston/Young Collection

This item is part of the Johnston/Young Collection. It is featured in the book "Afrika Traditional and Modern African Art."

The Ibibio of Nigeria live in a large densely forested area between the Niger Delta and the Cross River in small village groupings. Social control is exercised through the use of masks and figures representing good and evil spirits. Dark or black Ibibio masks are referred to as "idiok" masks. They represent the ugly, diseased evil souls of amoral, evil people who are doomed to wander and serve a ghost like eternal existence. The Idiok masked spirit dancers appear only at night. Covered in clumps of blackened unruly raffia they put on a nightmarish horror show. They dance with wild, erratic movements that are conspired to incite fear and terror within on lookers.

In general, Idiok black masks have distorted exagerated facial features; some coupled with movable jaws such as the one offered. Our well aged selection is over 60 years old, has a beautiful dark crusty patina and is in grade A condition, moveable jaw and all!

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Dimensions: 13 inches tall x 7 1/2 inches wide x 5 inches deep.

Wt: 15 lbs.