Thirteenth International Conference on The Arts in Society

Abstract

The Igbo culture is autochthonous and rooted on a fundamental belief in the active interaction between the world of the unborn, the living, and the dead. This interaction relies on a harmony between the physical and the spiritual universe of the Igbo. Such harmony is assured through worship of and sacrifices to deities, ancestors, and spirits who ensure that the lives of community members are sustained through favourable weather conditions for planting and harvesting, and protection from malevolent forces of nature. This relationship frames the artistic productions including the performances carried out to sustain and galvanize the relationship. An important form of the performances is the rich masquerade total theatre, encompassing dance, music, and drama, among other art forms. A popular narrative is that the masquerade tradition of the Igbo is restricted to men, reflecting the largely patriarchal nature of the Igbo society. However, the Igbo culture is not static. It is a culture in transition and responds to shifting spaces to accommodate emerging realities. The masking tradition of the Igbo, and by extension, their traditional theatre, has been impacted by modernity and has expanded to accommodate more female participation. The proposed paper will rely primarily on survey research, oral interviews, observation, and documentary analysis, as well as relevant print resources to interrogate the shifting contexts in gender participation in traditional Igbo theatres and demonstrate how art has privileged gender empowerment and social inclusion in the Igbo society.