Priestess of Cult Gelede
Yoruba · Nigeria
Reference: MYA-30
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- Material
- Wood and pigments.
The Gelede cult, practiced mainly by the Yoruba Westerners, it is a cult in honor of living or deceased elderly women. These women possess a power…
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Full original description
The Gelede cult, practiced mainly by the Yoruba Westerners, it is a cult in honor of living or deceased elderly women. These women possess a power and spiritual strength that can be positive or negative according to the purposes for which they are requested and activated. Those who use this force negatively orare considered witches orand can cause disease and even infertility, so feared by African women, and infant mortality. On the contrary, those who use theirThey are considered to be protectors and benefactors of society. The Gelede cult tries to direct women to use the positive Ase for the benefit of society, since they can practice sorcerers and with night dances their vital force is channeled so that they do not disturb the order of society.
The priestess appears kneeling in prayer. He has a curious headdress on which four small anthropomortous figures stand, one of them headless. Costrosa patina due to libations and sacrifices.
Further technical information
- Attributed period
- Mid-century XX or earlier.
Details transcribed from the original catalogue; they are not a recent physical inspection.
Country on the map
Nigeria. The country associated with the catalog is shown, not the current location of the piece.
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