Origins and development of the masquerade theatre among the Tiv of Benue State of Nigeria

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Periodical article

Title:	Origins and development of the masquerade theatre among the Tiv of Benue State of Nigeria
Author:	Ahura, Tar
Year:	1988
Periodical:	Nigeria Magazine
Volume:	56
Issue:	3-4
Pages:	41-51
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Nigeria
Subjects:	Tiv masquerades folk drama
Abstract:	Precise dating of oral traditions, especially traditional theatre, poses a serious problem. As far as the history of the theatre of the Tiv of Nigeria is concerned, only tentative dating can be hasarded at best. The history of the four best known masking traditions among the Tiv - Akume, Ajigbe, Ijov-Mbakuv and Mammywata or Moniwata - is closely related in the sense that the four masquerades borrow certain qualities freely from one another and, in one way or the other, give birth to one another. The author describes each masquerade in turn. While the masquerade tradition among the Tiv started as a religious ritual, historical circumstances have worked to make masquerade and masquerade enactment completely secular in intent and purpose. Ref.