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Facekuerade

The transformational duality in Ebira-Ekuechi festival performance

Bibliographic Data

ID2164046
AuthorsSunday Ododo, Sunday Enessi Ododo (0009-0004-2902-8434, corresponding author)
Year2008
Volume22
Issue2
Pages284-308
Publication date2008-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueCultural Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0950-2386 • E-ISSN: 1466-4348
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09502380701789208
OpenAlexW2319729742
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited16

This essay theorizes the Ebira mask practices using the Ekuechi festival of Ebira Tao of central Nigeria. The study is essentially a field work engagement involving participatory observation in the Ekuechi festival performances, recording of these events and oral interviews. The core of this theorization is located around the dual transformation and doubling essence of maskless characters conceived and perceived as masquerades. It is from this phenomenon that we evolved the Facekuerade notion which is meant to capture the non-masked masquerade types, which abound in Ebira masquerade repertory and some other Nigerian and African cultures. From nomenclature to paradigm, the facekuerade notion is derived from the Ebira concept of Eku (the domain of the dead and masquerade), the Ekuechi event and the general understanding of the masquerade motif. Through this understanding, the paper identifies the generic and conceptual distinction between masked and unmasked characters otherwise bound together as masquerades. Consequently, facequerade is, in this paper, recognized as a motif for the purpose of classifying unmasked masquerade characters. The essay concludes by anticipating the Facekuerade concept as theatre because of its performative essence with vibrant ritual process

Aesthetics · Art · Citizen journalism · Epistemology · Motif (music · Performative utterance · Phenomenon · Political science · Sociology · Visual arts · History · Law · Philosophy · Theater, Performance, and Music History · Theatre and Performance Studies

  • In flight and victory

    Open Access•Olanireti O Falade•African Identities•2026

  • From masquerade to facekurade

    Albert Dennis•African Identities•2026

  • Myth, literature and the African world

    Wole Soyinka•Myth, literature and the African…•1978

  • African Traditional Religion

    K Maddock•World's Religions•2004

  • What's in a mask

    John Picton•African Languages and Cultures•1990

  • Some Ebira reflexions on the energies of women

    John Picton•African Languages and Cultures•1988

  • On placing Masquerades in Ebira

    John Picton•African Languages and Cultures•1989

  • Indigenous Nigerian Oral Drama as an Instrument of Social Regulation

    Idris O O Amali•Ufahamu A Journal of African…•1992

  • On Artifact and Identity at the Niger-Benue Confluence

    John Picton•African Arts•1991

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    John Picton•African Arts•1974

  • Primitive Art and Society

    Harold Osborne•The British Journal of Aesthetics•1974

  • African Sculpture Speaks

    Jean M Borgatti, Ladislas Segy•The International Journal of…•1977

  • Dan and Mende masks

    Open Access•M C Jedrej•Africa•1986

  • Medicine, fetish and secret society in a West African culture

    Open Access•M C Jedrej•Africa•1976

  • Some Aspects of Ọyọ Yoruba Masquerades

    Open Access•Chief Oludare Ọlajubu, J R O Ojo•Africa•1977

  • Masking in Mende Sande Society Initiation Rituals

    Open Access•Ruth B Phillips•Africa•1978

  • The Kalabari Ekine Society

    Open Access•Robin Horton•Africa•1963

Unique citing works2
Citations per year2
Citation span2026 - 2026 (1)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 2

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