Module 6 Africa

 

Edo People, Iyoba Pendant Mask,
16th c., ivory, iron, copper 

    Although it may be a mask, the Iyoba Pendant Mask it is not actually meant to be worn as a one, but instead as an adornment. This would be done by attaching the mask to the person’s hip. The mask was made to specifically recognize the Queen Mother of Benin, Idia, for her contribution to the kingdom.

    Idia wanted to secure the future of the kingdom. After the King of Benin died, there were two possible successors from different mothers, rival sons. Idia, mother of Oba Esigie, strategically succeeded in securing her son to be the next king. The mask represents her as a strong, ruthless, and intelligent person, which is supported by how successful she was in making Esigie the next king. Her determination shows in how much she fought for her son to continue the lineage. The mask tells the story of how hereditary positions of power play in royalty. Even though Esigie was a successor, it shows that sometimes the position is not automatically given to a son by factors such as age. Idia had to fight for her son to have the position as king. While the other son could have inherited the position, his mother did not win against Idia.

    Carved in ivory, on the coast of what is now Nigeria, the mask seems to glow because of the material. The luminating feature of Ivory makes it seem as though it is alive which then renders the power the person once held. The two lines above the eyes are speculated to have once had either coral or gold. At the top of her head, her hair is woven in knots. At the end of each knot, there are Portuguese merchant figures. The people of Edo had created a strategic alliance with the Portuguese. This alliance included trading between the two. The people of Edo received brass from the Portuguese when trading their cloth. This trading allowed the people of Edo to create a new tradition of brass work. The brass work, Benin bronzes, gave the people the opportunity to tell stories of the kingdom. Stories included the times they faced their rivals and the strengthening of the kingdom.
    
    Every little piece of the mask symbolizes something from either Idia or the kingdom. Idia contributed to the kingdom and prepared her son to be a king. She was strong-willed and succeeded in what she wanted to achieve. Therefore, as the mask is used, so much history of the kingdom can be carried by its user.

HENI Talks, "Benin ivory mask (Edo peoples)," in Smarthistory, June 17, 2018, accessed March 1, 2021, https://smarthistory.org/ivory-mask-benin/.

Comments

  1. Caira LessickMarch 10, 2021 at 4:41 PM

    Diana, I think your description of the Benin Ivory mask is informative. African artwork is very symbolic and your interpretation of it is easy to understand. I like how you included the illuminating feature of ivory that makes the masks seem as they are alive. That is a super cool.

    ReplyDelete
  2. sofia marquinaMarch 10, 2021 at 7:34 PM

    I really enjoyed reading your post- I think your interpretation is really well worded and I liked your description of the mask itself where you describe the individual elements used to make it. Overall it's very informative!

    ReplyDelete

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