Product Description

This beautifully crafted mask is a celebration mask made by the Igbo Tribe from the West African country of  Nigeria.  This particular Igbo mask is worn for the Iwa-ji ceremony which marks the beginning of the Yam Farming Festival.  The first yams (yams are the Igbo peoples staple diet) of the season are offered to the Gods. After prayer and  ceremonial dances the first yam is eaten and then shared among the community.  This ritual is usually performed by the King or the oldest man of the Tribe.  The festival shows gratitude to the ancestors and the Gods for bountiful harvests and no deaths caused by starvation.  

Small cracks, discoloration, etc are a normal part of the ageing process and add to the character of each item.