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Living on the left bank of the Benue River, the 400,000 Mumuye people intensively farm an area of plains. Socially, they are divided into small family groups called Dola, which are headed by a council of elders with an elected leader. The Vabong secret society, of which there are seven grades, regulates Mumuye religious life. Entry into the society is achieved through initiation ceremonies which include flagellation and an explanation of the meaning of masks and other magical objects. Mumye artists are famous for their wooden status known as Iagalagana. These figures have divination, apotropiac, rainmaking functions and serve as prestige objects. |
External links
http://www.galerieflak.com/expo/mumuye/index.html
http://www.hamillgallery.com/MUMUYE/MumuyeArt.html
http://www.africadirect.com/other/peoples/peoples.php?people=Mumuye