Antique images and videos of Alaigbo/Ala Igbo (Igboland).
24 Feb 1905. Ikot-ekpende. [Aro-Igbo] bride and her mother. [In Ibibio territory where the Aro (originally from Arochukwu from what is now Abia State Nigeria, but settled all over eastern Nigeria) were known as Inokun, now Akwa-Ibom State, Nigeria]— Charles Partridge
A Ngbagba Ikoro masquerade with a close up view of Otiri, the principle masquerade character. The mask of Otiri consists of a circular base with layers of white feathers adorning it; the head is shrouded in a woven cloth. In the background is a thatched building.— G. I. Jones, 1930s.
Obugulu mau masquerade. A close up view of the masquerader wearing a white and black painted face mask adorned with an elaborate superstructure. The top of the mask consists of pieces of cloth, ribbon, felt. tassels, carvings, and mirrors. The costume is harlequin like appliques material.— G. I . Jones. 1930s. Igbo peoples, Nigeria.
ONITSHA. Chief Ogbua’s house. Entrance portice seen from within.— Zbigniew Dmochowski, Introduction to Nigerian Traditional Architecture: South Eastern Nigeria v. 3.
[Ichi] scarification is not a tribal mark, but a sign of status, rank, or nobility. It was taboo for persons thus marked to perform any menial task, such as to carry a load on the head; their persons were privileged and sacrosanct and they were never molested. It was also customary for the local native police, if sent to apprehend such a person, never to handcuff him.
In [ichi] scarification no attempt is made to raise keloid scars. The patient is placed supine on the ground and then, with a sharp-pointed, leaf-blade knife, strips of skin are gouged out, leaving long, raw furrows to heal. The operation is a severe test of courage and endurance and may take as long as an hour and a half to complete; it is sometimes followed by grave sepsis involving loss of sight and even of life. The victim, whether adult or child, must not wince or whimper or utter a sound.
