Ekoi-ejagham Mask - Nigeria

The Ekoi, also known as Ejagham, are an ethnic group from the far south-east of Nigeria also present in northern Cameroon. The Ekoi culture is known for mastering the art of carving. There are two main types of masks: helmet masks that completely cover the wearer's head and crest masks, often called headdresses, which are attached to wicker hats worn over the head. Most characteristic of these elaborate carvings is the realistic female headdress topped with coiled "horns" representing elegant hairstyles. They would have been fixed on the wearer's head by a rope under the chin, the body was entirely covered with a long robe. These could have been worn by a woman in the context of an Ejagham women's society called Ekpa, which was responsible for educating girls for marriage.