African Fine Arts - AFRICAN-ART

Idoma Mask - Nigeria
The Idoma people number approximately 500 000 and live at the confluence of the Benue and Niger Rivers. They are predominantly farmers and traders. Small white-faced masks where sometimes imported from the Ibo people of Nigeria and were used for popular entertainment. This particular mask, may well be from the Ibo (also known as Igbo) who live in the northern part of the Niger River Delta in an area of forests and swamps. They number about eight million and lively mainly from farming. Village councils composed of the eldest people from each family govern the tribe.