Product Details
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- Yoruba Ogboni Male and Female Seated Figures PAIR, Nigeria #854, 857 PAIR
- Measurements: Height of tallest 11 11/16 inches (29.8 cm).
- Provenance: Property from the Collection of Georgette D'Angelo, Glencoe, Illinois. Acquired in the late 1960s or early 1970s
- Headed by the Oluwo (Chief Priest), the Yoruba Ogboni (meaning 'Cult of Old Age') is a Society of Respected Elderly Men and Women responsible for the management and wellbeing of their Community through the maintenance of Law and Order - often with the power to sentence criminals to death. They are also responsible for the selection and eventual burial of the Oba ('King') of the Village and even have the power to expel the King should the Group deem him unfit to rule.
- The Edan Ogboni (also called Edan Osugbo among the Ijebu and Egba of Yorubaland) is used by Ogboni Cult members as a Symbol of Membership but it is also believed to be the God Edan in physical form. When a new member joins the Cult, he or she is given an Edan to represent the Expectation of Secrecy from all Cult members; the Staff remains in the member's possession till death. When not in use, the staff is stored in the inner corners of the member's home (away from public view) and is always kept highly polished.
- NOTE: Smaller Edan Staffs (2-3 inches) are used as Amulets and can also carried by Ogboni members as a sign of membership to the Cult.
- Distinguishing Features:
Styles vary between Regions of Yorubaland but all Edan Ogboni staffs fall under 3 main forms:
Type 1: Heads mounted on staffs
Type 2: Basic figures with rudimentary genitalia
Type 3: Naturalistic representations of whole figures - Common features among all Edan Ogboni figures:
Figure made of brass over clay core (very early examples made of wood)
Spike under figure made of iron
Usually between 4 - 10 inches long
Figures joined by a chain attached to heads
Short iron rod under each figure (1 male, 1 female)
Human figure often rendered nude
Frontal pose: standing, seated, or kneeling
Male & female genitalia exaggerated
Each male figure carries object identified with Ogboni Rituals
Executioner's club
Staff of office
Ceremonial fan
Dish
Wooden ladle
Tobacco pipe - When not carrying an object, depicted with Ogboni Sacred Symbol of left fist over right, thumbs hidden:
Some figures place hands close to the mouth
Female figure depicted holding a baby or holding onto her breasts
Enlarged head
Bulging forehead
Some feature crescent motif (Osu) on forehead
Some feature spiral or concentric circles on forehead
Eyes can be one of the following:
Split sphere
Almond shaped set on edge and protruding obliquely on face
Two flat centric circles
Protruding, conical and ringed headdress - Bibliography
- 1. Y GB, Y T: NEW PERSPECTIVES ON EDAN GBNI: BABATUNDE LAWAL
- 2. PSYCHOPHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES OF THE OGBONI EDAN: L. E. ROACHE
- 3. THE ICONOLOGY OF THE YORUBA "EDAN OGBONI": DENIS WILLIAMS
