yoruba / fon

ARTHIST 383-01/AAAS 329-01/ICS 226-01/THE BLACK ATLANTIC

YORUBA / FONThursday, September 9

Above: Sosa Adede (Fon artist) (Republic of Benin), Royal doors, 1850s. Wood, pigment. Right: Yoruba culture, Nigeria, detail of an Ibeji (twin) figure, showing abaja markings, 20th century. Painted wood.

Left: Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther (1809-1891); Above: Map of Yorubaland.

Clockwise from lower left: Yoruba woman wearing abaja(ethnic scarifications) on forehead and cheeks, 1990s. Ife Kingdom (Nigeria), Head of an Oni, 14th-16th century. Copper. Yoruba man talking on cellphone, Lagos, Nigeria, 2004. Photograph.

Ewà ode: outer beauty

Ewà inú: inner beauty

Iwà: character

Left: Yoruba culture, Ijebu group (Nigeria), Head, 16th

century. Brass. Above: Yoruba peoples (Nigeria), Ceremonial vessel for Shango altar (ikoko shango), late 19th century. Terracotta.

orí: head

ojú: eyes.

Map of the Black Americas (including those locations where Yoruba and Fon religions and cultures persist)

Upper left: Yoruba peoples (Nigeria), Deji of Akure wearing beaded crown, robe & sandals, circa 1960s. Lower left: Orangun-Ila (Yoruba Chief) (Nigeria), 1970s. Above: Beads for sale in a Botanica, Miami, Florida, 21st century.

ohun èsó: ornamentation

Above: Yoruba woman sporting a “basket” hairstyle, 1980s. Right: Yoruba peoples (Nigeria), Woman holding a bowl in the shape of a chicken, late 19th century. Wood.

Ewà: Well made, or well done.

ifarahon: clarity of mass

fifín: clarity of line

didon: luminosity, delicacy

Left: Yoruba peoples (Nigeria), Crown/shrine for the head (ile ori), 20th century. Cowrie shells, leather, cloth. Center: Yoruba priestess for the goddess Odua, Ilaro, Nigeria, 1970s. Right: Yoruba peoples (Nigeria), Ogbonishrine statue, 20th century. Wood, pigment.

gígún: relative straightness

Left: Yoruba peoples (Nigeria), Eshu Dance wand, 19th century. Wood, cowrie shells, beads, metal, cloth, leather. Center: Right: Areogun (Yoruba artist) (Nigeria), detail of Palace door, Osi-Ilorin, early 20th century. Wood. Upper right: Eshu/Elegba figure, 20th century, Miami. Concrete, cowrie shells. Lower right: Beads for Eshu/Elegba, 21st

century, New York, NY. Plastic beads, thread.

Eshu-Elegba (Nigeria/Benin), Exu (Brazil), Echu, Elegua (Cuba)Evocations of Commitment, Contingency

Above: Fon peoples (Republic of Benin), Ifa Divination Tray, late 16th century. Wood. Right: Owo civilization (Nigeria), Ifa Divination tapper, 18th century. Ivory.

Yoruba peoples (Nigeria), 2 views of a medicine staff for Osanyin (Osun), 20th century. Iron.

Osanyin (Nigeria/Benin/Brazil) & Osain (Cuba) Evocation of healing

Left: Akati (Fon sculptor) (Republic of Benin), Gubasa (Asen Guma/Asen of the Rage of Gu), late 19th century. Iron, wood. Above: Yoruba peoples (Nigeria), Ceremonial Ax for Ogun (aringo jagun), early 20th century. Wood, metal.

Ogun (Nigeria/Benin/Cuba)& Ogum (Brazil)

Evocations of war, iron

Clockwise from lower left: Album cover for Desi Arnaz/Babalu, 1940s. Devotee of Nana Bukuuholding her dance wand (ileesin), Republic of Benin, 1960s. Straw, beads, leather, chicken feet. Phyllis Galembo, Devotee of Omolu, wearing a straw cloak (palha da costa), Bahia, Brazil, 1980s. Pierre Verger, Devotee of Nana Buruku, Bahia, Brazil, 1950s. Participant in the Procession of Saint Lazarus (Babalu), December 16, El Rincon, Cuba, 2000s.

Obaluaiye (Nigeria/Benin), Omo-Olu (Brazil & Cuba) & Babalu Aye (Cuba)

Evocations of epidemic, smallpoxNana Bukuu (Nigeria/Benin), Nana

(Brazil) & Nana Buruku (Cuba)Evocation of the mother of smallpox

Left: A woman wearing a patua (protective charm), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1970s. Right: Sand Altars to Yemanja, New Year’s Eve, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1985.

Yemoja (Nigeria/Benin), Yemanja (Brazil) & Yemaya (Cuba)Evocation of the ocean

Oshun (Nigeria/Benin), Oxum (Brazil) & Ochun (Cuba)Evocations of sweet water, love

Oya (Nigeria/Benin) & Oya Yansa/n (Brazil & Cuba)Evocation of whirlwind

Clockwise from left: Yoruba peoples (Nigeria), Oya Shrine Sculpture, early 20th

century. Wood, pigment. Yoruba peoples (Nigeria), Fan for Yemoja, 20th

century. Brass. Pierre Verger, Devotee with Yemanja’s circular fan, Bahia, Brazil, 1950s.

Two altars to Oxum (Oshun), (left) Bahia, Brazil, and (above) Recife, Brazil, 1980s.

Left: Yoruba (Nigeria), Shango shrine sculpture, 20th century. Wood, pigment. Above: Yoruba peoples, Nigeria, Staff for Shango (Oshe Shango), 20th century. Wood; Upper right: Oshe Shango, Bahia, Brazil, 1950s. Wood, beads.Lower right: Phyllis Galembo, Devotee of Shango, Recife, Brazil, 1980s. Photograph.

Shango (Nigeria/Benin) Xango (Brazil),

& Chango (Cuba) Evocations of

thunder, lightning

Map of the Republic of Benin.

Above: Illustration after Barbot, Guinea Coast “fetishes,” 1746. Engraving. Right: Fon peoples (Republic of Benin), Bocio, Male Figure, 19th-20th century. Wood, cowrie shells, beads, cords, feathers, etc.

Left: Plan of the English Fort, Ouidah, Dahomey(Republic of Benin), 17th century. Above: Jacques Etienne Victor Arago, Illustration of a shackled & muzzled slave, 1839. Lithograph.

Above: Fon peoples (Cyprien Tokundagba), Republic of Benin, Bas-relief from the adjalala building, King Guezo’s palace, Abomey, 20th century. Polychrome adobe.

Left: Akati (Fonsculptor) (Republic of Benin), Gubasa(Asen Guma/Asen of the Rage of Gu), late 19th century. Iron, wood. Above right: Anonymous, St. Jacques, 20th

century. Chromolith. Below right: Hector Hyppolite, Ogou on his charger, c. 1948. Oil on board.

Left: Fon peoples (Ganhu Huntondji) (Republic of Benin), Warrior Figure, ca. 1858-89. Wood & iron. Right: Fon peoples (Akati Akpele Kendo) (Republic of Benin), Warrior Figure, ca. 1858-89. Iron.

Left: Fon peoples (Sosa Adede) (Republic of Benin), Royal door from King Glele’s tomb, 1860. Painted wood. Above: Fon peoples (Yemadjeworkshop) (Republic of Benin), King Glele vanquishing Yoruba warriors, 19th century. Applique cotton.

Left: Fon peoples (Sosa Adede) (Republic of Benin), Man-shark dedicated to King Gbehanzin, 1889-94. Polychrome wood. Right: Fon peoples (Sosa Adede) (Republic of Benin), King Glele in the guise of a Lion, ca. 1858-89. Polychrome wood.

Clockwise from lower left: Fon peoples (Republic of Benin), Snake altars (gbo), 20th century. Iron. Anonymous, St. Patrick, 20th century. Chromolith. Anonymous (Haitian artist), Flag with the national emblem wrapped by Damballah and encircled by veves, 20th century. Silk, cotton, sequins, beads. Hector Hyppolite, Damballah la Flambeau, 1947. Oil on board.

Left: Reconstructed Rada altar for Vodou, 20th century. Right: Reconstructed Petro altar for Vodou, 20th century.

Clockwise from lower left: Francois AimeLouis Dumoulin, Calinda: Dance of the Blacks in the Americas, 1783. Watercolor. Photograph of Haitian dancers, Port-au-Prince, 1940s. Paket kongo, 20th century. Mixed media. Paketkongo, 21st century. Mixed media.

From left to right: Anonymous, Vodou flag for St. James (including veves for Ogou Badagri and Ogou Feray), 20th

century. Silk, cotton, sequins, beads. Anonymous, Bottle for vodou altar, 20th century. Cotton, sequins. Major joncswearing sequined vests, Jacmel, Haiti, 20th century.

Left: Castera Bazile, Petro Ceremony, 1950. Oil on Masonite. Above: Anonymous, Vodou priest drawing a veve for a simbi spirit, Carrefour, Haiti, 1968. Photograph.