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Egúngún Masquerade Dance Costume

1900s
cotton, velvet, flannel, leather, dye, probably wood, cowrie shells, metal
Overall: 152.4 x 58.4 x 40.6 cm (60 x 23 x 16 in.)
Gift of Katherine C. White 1976.188
Location: not on view
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Did You Know?

This masquerade costume is made from both imported and locally made fabrics.

Description

Swirling into motion, egúngún masquerade costumes appear during annual festivities to bless the community. Manifesting ancestral spirits, they serve as a bridge between the living and the otherworld. The fabric panels create a dwelling place for ancestral spirits. Arranged and selected according to Yorùbá design sense (ojú-ọnà), this mask incorporates hundreds of African, Asian, and European fabrics. These include imported damasks, velvets, faux furs, and embroideries, as well as local indigo-dyed cottons.
Egúngún Masquerade Dance Costume

Egúngún Masquerade Dance Costume

1900s

Africa, West Africa, Nigeria, Yorùbá-style maker

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