How were mbari shrines made in southern Nigeria?

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raffia-fiber cloth — African art Raffia-fiber cloth, made by the Kuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, mid-20th century; in the Honolulu Academy of Arts.

The mbari houses of the Owerri Igbo people in southern Nigeria are large, open-sided shelters built with a square floor plan. These structures are created to house numerous life-size, painted figures sculpted from mud, which are intended to placate Ala, the earth goddess, alongside deities of thunder and water.1

The construction process is considered a sacred act. Historically, these houses took years to complete and were intentionally left to decay, as the cycle of building new structures rather than maintaining old ones was central to their purpose. The sculptures within these shrines often feature a variety of subjects, including craftsmen, officials, Europeans, animals, and imaginary beasts.1

In contemporary times, the materials and significance of these shrines have shifted. Modern mbari structures are typically constructed using cement, and the traditional symbolism associated with the cycle of decay and renewal has been lost.1