Mmanwu
4593370
214037846
2008-05-21T21:23:16Z
VoABot II
1879647
BOT - Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/72.174.98.236|72.174.98.236]] {[[User:VoABot_II/Help#Revert_reasons|possible vandalism]]} ([[User:VoABot_II/Mistakes|mistake?]]) to last version by "Ka Faraq Gatri".
'''Mmanwu''', is a traditional [[masquerade]] of the [[Igbo]] people of southeastern [[Nigeria]]. Their culture revolves around work and entertainment, and to the Igbo people, masquerade is a major form of entertainment. The masquerade revolves around their community and masquerades can differ from village to village. Masquerades generally last for a few weeks, however some may span over a few months. These events are frequently performed during the end of the harvesting season and the start of the new planting season. There are some Igbo that perform masquerades throughout the entire year. Masquerades are used to honor the dead and pray to the gods for a successful planting season. Since the Igbo only know their history through oral interpretation, the origins of the masquerade have been lost.
The Igbo masquerades, mmanwu, are traditional performances acted out by exclusive secret societies within a community. These exclusive societies consist of adult male members. Each member must be initiated into the society. Their identity is known only to the other members. The main function of these societies is to celebrate the harvest and to entertain the village people. Some other functions include enforcing village curfews, protection, and as village security guards. The members, also known as masqueraders, wear masks to hide their identity from the rest of the village. The mask is also worn to resemble the spirit of a dead community member. By wearing the mask, a masquerader is thought to have spiritual powers that are conducted through the mask.
The living-dead are what these masquerade/spirits embody. Igbo people believe that the dead never actually die; rather they remain in a "personal immortal state". They reside somewhere between the earthly world and the spiritual world. These living-dead are believed to be closely related to those of the village. Since men are masqueraders, they are buried within their homes so their spirits may be close to their families (Chiene 10). The living-dead then return to the earthly world from time to time to offer spiritual advice. It is the living-dead, who the masquerade portrays.
== Types of mmanwu ==
There are two basic types of masquerades, visible and invisible. The visible masquerades are meant for the public. They often are more entertaining. Masks used offer a visually appeal for their shapes and forms. In these visual masquerades, performances of harassment, music, dance, and parodies are acted out (Oyeneke 25).
The invisible masquerades take place at night. Sound is the main tool for them. The masquerader uses his voice to scream so it may be heard throughout the village. The masks used are usually fierce looking and their interpretation is only fully understood by the society’s members. These invisible masquerades call upon a silent village to strike fear in the hearts of those not initiated into their society.
The invisible masquerades can be broken down into three groups, achikwu ocha/ojii, agu mmuo, and ogbagu. The achikwu ocha (white) masquerade acts as village surveillance. The "entertainment" activities include "singing, joking, and dancing" (Oyeneke 22). Achikwu ojii (black) is the other side of the achikwu ocha masquerade. This is performed not only to protect the village, but also when there is going to be a punishment or execution of a criminal. The second group of invisible masquerades is agu mmuno (tiger spirit). In these masquerades, horrible screaming sounds are produced to create fear. The third group is ogbagu. It is "strictly used for dance entertainment" (Oyeneke 22).
== Igbo Masks ==
Masks fall into certain categories for which they are worn. There are two main types that all masks fall into. One is a white mask, mmwo, which resembles a woman and symbolizes her beauty. This mask is worn during the daytime masquerades; it functions as a visual tool to appeal to the village audience. There are two types of white masks, a face mask and a half helmet mask. The second mask, mgbedike, resembles a man. This mask is usually darker and used to strike fear in the village audience. It is worn during nighttime masquerades.
All masks are created specifically for the masquerade and take two weeks to up to a month to complete. Mask carving is a seasonal occupation, because the Igbo spend most of their time with agriculture. Masks are generally made "from hardwood of the Iroko tree; however they are also made cloth, feathers, and raffia" (Obuh 103). While being carved, it is believed that the carver communicates with a spirit so that it may embody the mask. These spirits are the inspirations for the masks. After carving, masks are painted with red, black, and white colored oil paints. Traditionally, vegetable dyes are used to decorate a mask; however, oil paints provide a modern visual appearance and protection from termites and weather (Obuh 105). Once a mask is complete, a spiritual performance is conducted, by the patron and artist, to please both the gods and the spirit. "The artist engages art because of his special talent and his obligation to his community" (Obuh 107). The mask carving artist creates not for money, but for community.
==References==
* Chiene, Gabriel. Mmanwu Festival: Masquerade as an Entertainer. Anambra State: Ministry of Information, 1990.
*Obuh, Sulvanus Onwukaike Stanley. The Theatrical Use of Masks in Igbo Areas of Nigeria. Ann Arbor: University Microfilms International, 1984.
* Onyeneke, Augustine. The Dead Among The Living: Masquerades in Igbo Society. Province of Nigeria: Holy Ghost Congregation, 1987.
* Perani, Judith and Fred T. Smith. The Visual Arts of Africa. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 1998.
[[Category:Nigerian culture]]