Hannah Reed

4/25/17

Period 7

Portrait Mask (Mblo) of Moya Yanso and Ikenga

The Baule recognize two types of entertainment masks, Goli and Mblo. To perform

a Mblo mask, a masker in a cloth costume conceals his face with a small, wooden mask and

dances for an audience accompanied by drummers, singers, dancers, and orators in a series of

skits. In the village of Kami, the Mblo parodies and dances are referred to as Gbagba. When not

in use, the Gbagba masks were kept out of sight. The half slit eyes and high forehead suggest

modesty and wisdom respectively. The nasolabial fold depicted as a line between the sides of the

nose to the outsides of the mouth and the beard-like projecting triangular patterns that extends

from the bottom of the ears to the chin, suggest age. The triangular brass additions heighten the

lustrous patina when danced in the sunlight, a suggestion of health.

Ikenga (Igbo literal meaning "place of strength") is a horned Alusi (deity) found among

the Igbo people in southeastern Nigeria. It is one of the most powerful symbols of the Igbo

people, and the most common cultural artifact. Ikenga is a ritual object (commonly found

in Igbo family shrines), which on an individual basis represents masculine strength and the

ability to achieve ones goals through ones efforts. The Igbo peoples are known for their

dedication to individual accomplishment and a system of titles based on earned status: ikenga are

the sculptural concentration of this focus on achievement made into a figural shrine. Offerings

to ikenga, altars to success, are meant to ensure accomplishment in many ventures: spiritual,

economic, political, and military. The Ikenga art images are adorned with an array of symbols
reflecting the representation of what the individual, community or agegrade owner (s) aspire, and

these symbols appear in animal forms like deer, leopard, lion, snake and motifs; horned symbols,

human heads and figures. The Igbo no doubt believe in supernatural forces, their belief in

ancestral worship led to the establishment of personal shrine images like the Ikenga, through

which they have spiritual contacts with their ancestors. Ikenga is known as one of the symbols of

power and authority in Igbo culture; it is believed to serve as a link between the dead and the

living- a cult of the right hand which is linked to ones chi, (guardian spirit)