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Kalabari Masquerade and the Gaze: Identity and Spectatorship in The KALABARI MASQUERADE AND THE GAZE: IDENTITY AND SPECTATORSHIP IN THE SCULPTURES OF SOKARI DOUGLASS CAMP A THESIS IN Art History Presented to the Faculty of the University of Missouri-Kansas City in partial fulfillment of The requirements for the degree MASTER OF ARTS by Logan Alexandra Griffith B.A., Oklahoma State University, 2010 Kansas City, Missouri 2014 © 2014 LOGAN ALEXANDRA GRIFFITH ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ALABARI MASQUERADE AND THE GAZE: IDENTITY AND SPECTATORSHIP IN THE SCULPTURES OF SOKARI DOUGLASS CAMP Logan Alexandra Griffith, Candidate for the Master of Arts Degree University of Missouri-Kansas City, 2014 ABSTRACT Kalabari masquerade performances are centered around a core male performer, who disguises himself by wearing an intricate costume. The costume propels the dancer into the mystical spiritual realm, where through the effectiveness of his performance he is believed to temporarily be possessed by a higher spirit. The single performer, however, cannot attain this state without the help of audience members. These audience members are composed of mostly female witnesses, who critically examine the dancer and determine his worth in the performance. Multidimensional relationships sustain the masquerade tradition and the role of women is vital to its survival. They are the ultimate beholders of power with their scrutinous gaze. Identity and spectatorship lie at the core of the masquerade, and the two aspects are examined thoroughly throughout this research. By examining one particular artist, Sokari Douglas Camp, the importance of identity and its transformation in the masquerade performance can be more fully expressed. iii APPROVAL PAGE The faculty listed below, appointed by the Dean of the College of Arts and Science, have Dz ǣ dzpresented by candidate for the Master of Arts degree, and certify that in their opinion it is worthy of acceptance. Supervisory Committee Maude Wahlman, Ph.D., Committee Chair Department of Art and Art History Cristina Albu, Ph.D. Department of Art and Art History Burton Dunbar, Ph.D. Department of Art and Art History iv ǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤǤǥǥiii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.ǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤ Chapter ͳǤ ǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤ͵ ǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥ.ǥǥ͸ 2. CULTURAL BACKGROUND AND RELIGIOUS TR ǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥ.ǥǥǤǤͻ ǡ ǡ ǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥͻ ǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥͳʹ ǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤͳ͸ MasquǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤǤͳ͹ ͵Ǥ ǡ ǡ ǥǥǥǥǥǤǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤǤʹͳ ǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤʹͳ ǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥʹͻ ǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥ͵ͳ 4. ǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤǤǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤǤ͵͹ Origins and Early LifǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤ... 37 Forming ǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤǤ. 39 ǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤǤǥͶͲ Interest in Spectatorship anǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤ. 42 5. WORKS ǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǥǤͶͷ Alali Aru ǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥ 46 Big Alagba ǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤǤ 47 ǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥͶͻ v Alagba in Limbo ǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤǥǥǥǥǥ51 The Londoneer ǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥ.53 ͸Ǥ ǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥ.ǥ......54 ILLUSTRATIONSǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥ..58 ǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥ....72 ǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤǥ..77 vi LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Image Page 1. Map of AfricaǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǥ..58 ʹǤǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤǤǤǤǥǤ58 ͵Ǥ ǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤǤǤǤǤ.ǥǤǤ59 4. Dancers at the Funeral CerǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤǤǤǤǥ59 5. Church Edeǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥ..ǥǥǤǤ͸Ͳ 6. Duein FubaraǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤǥǥǤ͸Ͳ 7. Traditional Kalabari masquerade performanceǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥ.......61 8. Kalabari Masqueradeǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥ...ǥ..61 9. Kalabari women watching and cheering for the masqueradeǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǥ.62 10. Kalabari MasqeradeǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤǤǤǤǥ͸ʹ 11. Group of Kalabari WomenǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤǤǤǤǥ..63 12. Group of Kalabari MenǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤǤǤǤǥǥǤ.63 13. Young Kalabari girls in the first stage of IriaǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤǥǤǤ..ǥǤ͸͵ 14 Young women wearing traditional Kalabari wrappersǥǥǥǥǥǥǥ..ǥǥǥǥǥǤǤǤ.ǥǥ͸Ͷ 15. Elder Kalabari womenǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤ..64 16. Shokpona, Suzanne WengerǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǥǤǤ͸ͷ 17. Oduduwa, Lamidi FakeyeǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤǤ..65 18. Toluoruwa, Peggy Harperǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥ͸͸ 19. Church EdeǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤǥǤǤ͸͸ 20. Alali AruǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤǥǥǥ͸͹ 21. Big Alagba and Sekiboǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥ͸͹ vii 22. Naked Big Fishǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥ͸ͺ 23. Bird Masquerade with Long Tail (Piko Piko come and hug me)ǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤǥǤǤ͸ͺ 24. Otobo Masqueradeǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥ.ǥǤǤǥǤ͸ͻ 25. Flying Fish with BubblesǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤǥǥǤǤ͸ͻ 26. Acutal Alagba Masquerade performanceǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǤ͹Ͳ 27. Alagba in Limboǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥ.ǥǥ.70 28. Alagba in Limbo, alternate viewǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǤǥǤǤ͹ͳ 29. Londoneerǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥǥ..71 viii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION The African Kalabari masquerade performance is an old tradition steeped in religious doctrine and spiritual beliefs. Identified by its elaborate costumes, enthusiastic crowds of onlookers, and skilled dancers, the masquerade appears to be a colorful festival centered around the trained performer who stimulates the crowd both physically and emotionally. Members of the Kalabari, or cultural insiders, however, are aware of the underlying dynamic taking place, and the critical effects of the relationship between performer and audience. Audience spectators composed of mostly female Kalabari society members establish the guiding force in the performance, which ǯ. This masquerade custom is said to have originated from a woman who witnessed water spirits dancing next to a river. As she approached the water alone, the spirits revealed themselves to her, intentionally presenting her with their methodical choreography. She went back to her village and told all what she had seen, and the tradition began.1 Ironically, since the beginning, the performers have always been male, trained in private associations composed of several generations of Kalabari men. The male performer transforms himself into various multi-sexed deities by disguising his ǤǤ Dz 1 ǡDzDzdz ǣǡdzAfrica: Journal of the International African Institute 33, no. 2 (1963): 95. 1 Ǥdz2 He is considered a powerful spiritual force, at some times even dangerous. Outwardly, the male performer seems to be the most powerful character in the performance. The women in this tradition, however, hold a subtler but imperative role of power. Women are not allowed to participate, create the intricate masks and costumes, or become a part of these dance societies. While men produce the masquerade performance, women make up the audience that critically examines, judges, and decides the efficacy of skill of the male performer. Though the tradition is only practiced by men, it is the authority of feminine scrutiny which determines the value of their performance. Sokari Douglas Camp is a contemporary African Diasporan artist living in London who is fascinated by the Kalabari masquerade and the female gaze, and uses the subject in her monumental steel sculptures. Born in Buguma, one of three principal cities comprising Kalabari civilization, and raised by a European anthropologist, Camp at once absorbed the cultural practices of her heritage as both member and tangential witness. During her youth she was sent to Europe to pursue her education. Over the years, she paid frequent visits back to her home in Nigeria, where she learned both Western and African art practices. As a result, she developed a double consciousness of the traditions and practices of the Kalabari, and of living in the West. Exploring her heritage from these two subsequent perspectives define her search for identity, articulated in the visual language imparted by her sizeable sculptures. ǡǯ care of the young Sokari. Not long after, ǯ 2 ǡDz ǡdzThe Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute 1, no. 3 (1995): 583. 2 Sokari in the hands of the husband she left behind, the European anthropologist Robin Horton. As she was raised by Horton, Camp learned to view her own culture of the ǯ Ǥ to attend college, she was free to make art and probe the interworkings of Kalabari traditions brought about by an exclusively male secret society, as well as to assess the Ǥǯ of Kalabari culture, gender roles, and the dynamics of insider and outsider status ǯ Ǥ ǡAfrican female spectatorship and power by objectifying the male masquerader and presenting him to a critical Kalabari audience. ǯǡ female spectators, combined with her anthropological upbringing, lead to her own unique interpretation of the performance. Her works reveal the multifaceted dynamics of Kalabari tradition and spectatorship, including the significant relationship between insider and outsider. The male participants and the female audience members take on both roles of insider and outsider. The men are inside the performance and outside the council of public expectation and scrutiny, while the women are outside the masquerade but inside the powerful congregation of spectators. They are separated and united simultaneously, as the push and pull and interaction between masculinity and femininity create
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