Masquerades are very important to the Igbo.

In the past, masquerades were used to maintain peace and order within the community. People from the village would watch people dance and do various activities, and then the masquerades would would go up to specific people and yell about the crimes they committed and their bad behavior to expose people for who they were.

Now, masquerades have colorful robes they wear and masks made out of fabric and wood. They represent ancestors and spiritual elements. They attract tourists and are used for entertainment such as dances.

Masquerades/festivals