Spatial continuities: masks and cultural interactions between the Delta and Southeastern Nigeria

African Arts, Spring, 2002 by Eli Bentor

Okonko Masquerades

As we move away from the Cross River and into the interior of Igboland in the Umuahia, Ngwa, Ohuhu, and Nkwerre regions, the Ekpe society, with its strict hierarchies and important religious and judicial roles, disappears. In its place we find a related institution called Okonko. Okonko masks have no uniform formal appearance. Some wear Ekpe-like knitted body suits (Fig. 6). More often, the costumes are a rough, net-like, woven string garment without a wooden mask or a headdress (Fig. 7), though the impression of a tight body suit is maintained. In the Ngwa area, the masquerader often dons an Annang Ibibio-inspired helmet mask (Fig. 8), and in the northern section of Okonko distribution, a raffia "fur" is often woven into the garment (Cover).

Thus, the strong connection of the Okonko society and its masks to the Ekpe secret society of the Cross River is suggested by the shared term Okonko and by its body-suit costume. In addition, oral traditions claim that the Okonko society was established by the Aro people. (2) There are also noticeable differences, however. Unlike Ekpe, Okonko is a masquerade society. Membership is less formal, often including most male members of the community (Green 1958:157), and there are no separate initiation requirements for each grade. Okonko has played some religious and judicial roles, but its main purpose is to provide entertainment at communal festivals--especially the New Yam festival, which is held when the new crop is ready for harvest around July or August. As opposed to the single Ekpe masquerader, Okonko masks often appear in large numbers.

In the borderline area of Uzuakoli and Ovim (between Bende and Okigwe), the side-by-side existence of Ekpe and Okonko is attributed to Aro influence; this region was on one of the major trade routes used by the Aro (Azunna 1972:5-6). The Ibibio masking tradition called Ekpo is also found here. Its origin is ascribed to two local slave dealers who traveled beyond Arochukwu to the Ibibio area (Azunna 1972:46-47; see also Fox 1964:57-60).

Igbo peoples in the Orlu and Isu areas west of Okigwe celebrate Okonko festivals. Unlike the New Yam harvest festivals of southern Igboland, these Okonko celebrations mark the beginning of the farming season around March or April, following the prevailing pattern of northern Igboland.

Just south of Orlu, the Okonko society provides the basis for the Umuowa village group's social organization, and membership is universal among men. A very elaborate affair, Okonko is celebrated there over sixteen days in several stages. On the opening day, an Eke market day of the Igbo four-day week, masks from each of the five villages of Umuowa parade at the communal marketplace. During the next six days, masks perform within these villages. On the eighth day, Okonko members return to dance at the market, but no mask performs. (3) On the night of the last day, an Okonko mask walks all around the edges of the village group, marking the boundaries of the community with the sacred palm frond (omu). (4) The masqueraders wield a large machete and wear either a knitted body suit like that of the Cross River Ekpe or a rough, net-like costume with a profusion of raffia. One mask from Umubu village in Umuowa has a conventional costume--except for the rubber gorilla mask of the type used in the film Planet of the Apes. Brought to Umubu for a funeral ceremony in 1976 by the deceased's son who lived in Manchester, England, it is now an integral part of the village repertoire of masks (Fig. 9).