China Science

The article discusses masquerade politics in Southeastern Nigeria in the 21st century. The article mentions the Igbo tribe and its revival of masquerade festivals and burial ceremonies following the Nigerian Civil War. The article discusses the concept of modern Nigerian identity, ethnic elements of Nigeria, and a localized sense of identity. The article mentions an increase of money coming into Nigera in the late 20th century as a result of oil revenues, and the parallel increase in Nigerian masquerades, rural festivals, and burial ceremonies. The article mentions the presence of Christian and evangelical churches in Nigeria, and it theorizes an increase in hostility towards traditional culture as a result.

Bentor, Eli1Email: bentore@appstate.edu
[1]Appalachian State University, United States

The article discusses the Yoruba ancestor cult, which is located primarily in southern Benin, specifically in the region of Abomey. The article analyzes the Yoruba as a means of understanding how society interacts with the past. The article mentions “Yoruba authenticity,” nostalgia, and the ways in which social actors relate, in a non-monolithic way, to the past. The article gives a history of the region of Benin, which is located in western Africa. The article mentions “egun” or “egungun” cults, masquerades, shrines, identity, and authenticity. The article also references the Guèdègbe lineage and the artist Bernard Maupoil.

Noret, Jo#235?l1,2Email: jnoret@ulb.ac.be
[1]Research Associate, Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique (FNRS, Belgium);[2]Member, Laboratoire d’Anthropologie des Mondes Contemporains (LAMC), Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)

The article discusses masquerade and masking traditions in Africa as being a primary topic of African art studies in the 20th century. The article mentions precolonial pasts, traditions of visual practice, and the interest of European modernist artists in African art. The article mentions the modernist painting “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon,” by Pablo Picasso, and the mask-like visuals featured in the work. Artists mentioned include Ben Enonowu, Uche Okeke, Keith Piper, Eddie Chambers, and Ras Ishi Butcher. The article also mentions the term “Ethnographic,” as well as the circumstances of production, distribution, and consumption of African art traditions.

Gore, CharlesEmail: cg2@soas.ac.uk