Ngbula

Ngbula is the diviner-healer among the Kalabari water-people, danced in the Ekine cycle as the native doctor of the owu. In his play he moves about with grim, grinding concentration, hunting out evil spirits and harmful medicines. Beyond entertainment his masquerade has a protective office: his costume is brought out to drive evil spirits and sickness from the town during a disease epidemic, so that among the water-spirit plays his is one turned to the community's defence against affliction.

Parentage

• parent: TamunoRobin Horton, 'The Kalabari World-View,' Africa 32:3 (1962), pp. 197-220. (secondary)

Domains

• water and rivers
• healing and medicine

Powers

• hunts out evil spirits and bad medicine
• drives sickness from the town

Relations

• parent: TamunoRobin Horton, 'The Kalabari World-View,' Africa 32:3 (1962), pp. 197-220. (secondary)
• companion: AdumuRobin Horton, 'The Kalabari Ekine Society,' Africa 33:2 (1963), pp. 94-114. (secondary)
• companion: IgboRobin Horton, 'The Kalabari Ekine Society,' Africa 33:2 (1963), pp. 94-114. (secondary)

Sources

• Ngbula is a Kalabari water-spirit of the Ekine cycle cast as the native doctor of the water-people, whose masquerade drives out evil spirits and sickness.: Robin Horton, 'The Kalabari Ekine Society,' Africa 33:2 (1963), pp. 94-114. (secondary); 'Spirits in Steel: The Art of the Kalabari Masquerade' (exhibition documentation, American Museum of Natural History). (secondary)