Ekoi mask

Many ethnic groups in this area wear leather-lined wooden masks. At its origin it was human skin, especially defeated enemies, or men captured by headhunters, being subsequently antelope skin. They also have the “ekpo” society, a secret leopard society, which exercises judicial functions. His masks are manifested in the rites of initiation of the new members and in those of ascent to higher degrees of society. They also appear at funerals and some important festivities. The female masks are more delicate and feature artistic ponytail hairstyles while the male masks express aggressiveness. The hairstyle of women, as in many other ethnic groups, indicates the social position of women and whether they are celibate or already married. They usually dance in pairs. Skin masks are carefully guarded as they are considered of great value. The members of society wear large masks, sometimes two-sided Jano masks, covered with antelope skin and cimere masks. Jano masks dominate the past and the future as they can see in both directions.

This camera mask represents a male face with an open mouth showing the two rows of teeth and eyes wide open. JA vertical scarification, with multiple reliefs, runs through the forehead from the hair to the eyebrow. The hair, black, is formed by a triangular hairstyle whose sides present semicircular drawings while the central part has an elevated central part with multiple stretch marks and reliefs. The neck of the figure, mann hank in its lower part is attached, through holes, to a structure that seems to be covered with vegetable fiber. The color of the face and neck is copper.