Mask | Mfon

This rare three-faced mask has been fitted with a movable lower jaw. It is assigned to the Ekpe secret (male) society, which is widespread in southeast Nigeria. This secret society regulated social, political and economic affairs in pre-colonial times. The masks of the society were regarded as embodiments of ancestral spirits, the Ekpe. They appeared at ceremonies, which were concerned with the social control of village members. Their purpose was to protect the community from crime and enemies. There are two types of masks: idiok, an unprepossessing dark-coloured mask, which imposed punishments for violations of norms and rules, as well as crime. As a counterpart, the mfon shown here, a beautiful white mask, was intended to reinforce and maintain the existing order without punishing people. Since Christianisation, the masks of Ibibio are mostly used for entertainment at dance festivals.