A Ligbi man from Bongase wearing masquerade regalia is partially hidden from view by men carrying a cloth as they walk between thatch-roofed houses en route to the space where the masqueraders will perform. He wears a carved wooden "Mbong" (baboon in Ligbi) mask. Scholars refer to this masking tradition as "Do," while locally it is termed "Bedu." For additional details, see Bravmann, René A. (1974) "Islam and Tribal Art in West Africa" (Cambridge University Press), pp. 147-177. Bongase, December, 1967.
Two Ligbi men from Bongase appear in masquerade regalia during a visit to Bongase by René A. Bravmann, then a doctoral student at Indiana University studying African art history. They wear carved wooden "Mbong" (baboon in Ligbi) masks decorated with ochre and white paint, representing a male and female animal. Their heads and shoulders are draped in scarves. They stand in front of a house with a thatched roof and a raffia shade. Scholars refer to this masking tradition as "Do," while locally it is termed "Bedu." For additional details, see Bravmann, René A. (1974) "Islam and Tribal Art in West Africa" (Cambridge University Press), pp. 147-177. A performance of Mbong at a Banda Heritage Event in June 2019 can be viewed through a link below. Bongase, December, 1967.