OzikoroEmbodied Spirits: Igbo Wood-Masked Dancers and the Cultural Significance of Masquerades in Ugwuoba, 1959
In 1959, anthropologist Simon Ottenberg documented a small group of Igbo wood-masked dancers in Ugwuoba village, Nigeria. These dancers wore elaborate costumes made of raffia and leaves, which are traditional materials commonly used in masquerades across various Igbo communities. Masquerades are integral to Igbo cultural and spiritual life, serving both entertainment and ceremonial purposes. The…