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How did Igbo masquerades use satire during the Iko okochi harvest festival?
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African art
Raffia-fiber cloth, made by the Kuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, mid-20th century; in the Honolulu Academy of Arts.
During the Eastern Igbo Iko okochi harvest festival, masquerades utilize satire through performances where the specific content of the play varies annually, even though the mask forms remain rooted in tradition.1
These masquerades employ stock characters to satirize various figures and behaviors. Notable examples include:
- Mbeke: A character representing a European.1
- Mkpi: A character representing a he-goat.1
- Mba: These characters appear in pairs to perform a specific satirical routine. One performer, a boy dressed as a girl, mimics female behavior, while the other performer represents the actual girl being satirized.1
By using these stock characters, the masquerades provide a form of social commentary and humor that is central to the festival's dramatic expression.1