Bronze Tiv Ceremonial Staff Head

The Tiv (also known as the Mitshi, Munchi, or Munshi) number about one million people and live as agriculturists throughout Nigeria and Cameroon. They believe themselves to be descended from an eponymous ancestor who had two sons named Chongo and Ipusu; modern Tiv define themselves on the basis of descent from one of these two sons. The Tiv live in segmentary lineages: the smallest units of social organisation – ipaven – live in close proximity, and are themselves divided into kin-based “tars”. Their governance is based upon gerontocracy, plutocracy and social influence – they have no chiefs or ruling bodies in the traditional sense, which led to administrative chaos when they were technically subjugated under British rule. Possibly as a result of this, their arts and culture were barely influenced by colonialism, and stands amongst the finest in Nigeria.