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Egúngún Masquerade Dance Costume

1900s
cotton, velvet, flannel, dye, faux fur, leather, cowrie shells
Overall: 167.6 x 66 x 40.6 cm (66 x 26 x 16 in.)
Gift of Katherine C. White 1976.187
Location: not on view
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Did You Know?

The striped netting on the "face" of this masquerade costume allows the wearer to see out while keeping their identity concealed.

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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