Yams cult mask "mma ji"
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Lot: 178
95th Tribal Art AuctionYams cult mask "mma ji"
Nigeria, Igbo-Afikpo
| Provenance | Size | Starting price / estimated price |
|---|---|---|
| Heinrich Siemers, Bayreuth, Germany (coll.1969/70 in Cameroon) | H: 14.4 inch |
2000 EUR
plus 23 % commission, VAT, transport and insurance |
wood, pigments, plant fibre, cord, base The upright projection on this mask represents a yam-cutting knife "mma ji", which gave the mask its name. Accordingly, the masks appear, among others, at dances of the "ikwum" society, performed to thank ancestors for the strength given to men to cultivate fields.
