18th Annual Student Research Conference
Interdisciplinary
Music and the Masking Ritual in Traditional Igbo Society
Amenyedu D. Adovor
Prof. Shirley McKamie, Faculty Mentor
The Igbo of southeastern Nigeria are a widely studied group due to the complex social, cultural, political and religious institutions that have held the society together for many years. Traditional Igbo societies have a rich Masking tradition that dates back to the eighteenth century. The full Masking ritual involves an elaborate costume, music, songs, talk, drama and dance. Masking rituals are different from non-masked rituals, such as burial and naming ceremonies. The Igbo believe that wearing a mask transforms a person into a spirit. In this research paper, I examined how colonization, Christianity, Islam and urbanization have altered the Masking ritual itself and the frequency with which it is performed.
Keywords: Igbo, Nigeria , Masking, songs, dance
Topic(s):Interdisciplinary
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 51-1
Location: OP 2111
Time: 3:45