Very beautiful wooden Gelede helmet from the Yoruba (Yorouba) ethnic group of Nigeria

Height: 29 cm

The Yoruba people

The Yoruba are one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa, mainly present in Nigeria, with also a large diaspora in America due to the consequences of the slave trade.

The Yoruba king retains significant religious power, but his political power is considerably reduced by the councils formed by courtiers, women and even craft corporations. In addition, secret societies, Gélédé (Guélédé), Epa, Esu, Ogboni, select the elites and also exercise judicial power over them.

The Gelede Cult (Guelede)

Among the many masks used by the Yoruba, the most important are those managed by the Gelede society; this society, strictly feminine, is devoted to the "Grandmother", Iyanlashe, the ancestor of all women, who protects the community and symbolizes fertility and fecundity (which is linked since fecundity and fertility are the guarantors of the survival of said community). The Gelede society intervenes during conflicts, particularly to the detriment of a woman, and to help a sterile woman.

The purpose of this society is to make the negative forces of women that the Yoruba consider to be witches favorable to the community. To appease the wrath of the witches, the men organize masked ceremonies in which they don women's costumes and wear Gelede masks on their heads in order to entertain them.

The Gélédé Mask

The mask presented here meets the stylistic standards of the Gélédé society: Elongated face with facial and frontal scarifications (usually three, which is the case here); the eyes have a globular shape with a pierced pupil that is not used for seeing since the dancer wears the mask on top of his head. The superstructure may evoke an animal myth or a historical, religious or political event, which is probably the case here.