The Ibibio tribe has never founded large states. The government tasks were taken on by the secret society of the mighty Ekpo. He ruled every village with a firm hand and the big Juju- ghost apparently even sacrificed children.
The masks and figures that are used by the society to banish fear and horror are therefore of grim realism. Distorted facial features or corroded grimaces create sinister pictures.
This example is characterized through wide and torn open eyes. They bestow her with a nearly frenzied expression, which probably is the reason for her rare appearance in the western world. |
