Diviner's Staff

Accession Number
2005/1.238

Title
Diviner's Staff

Artist(s)
Yoruba

Artist Nationality
Yoruba (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
20th century

Medium & Support
iron

Dimensions
49 in x 5 15/16 in x 2 in (124.5 cm x 15 cm x 5 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Candis and Helmut Stern

Subject matter
Wrought-iron staffs such as this one, called opa osun, would have been an important possession of a Yoruba diviner (called babalawo) for Ifa, the process of divination. The staff acted as both an altar to Orunmila, the god of divination, as well as a symbol of office for the diviner during public events. The three clusters along the length of the staff are bells that would have rattled when used as a walking stick. The birds may represent pigeons, considered agile and dignified by Yoruba peoples. Birds were also found on the regalia of Yoruba monarchs, often seen as a symbol of the power of women in Yoruba society. That the staff remain upright was necessary to receive blessings from Orunmila; it could also be seen that the diviner must be an upright person, as he or she would be responsible for the social and spiritual welfare of the community. 

References Cited:
Lawal, Babatunde. 2012. Visions of Africa: Yoruba. Milan: 5 Contintents Editions.
Drewal, Henry John, John Pemberton, and Rowland O. Abiodun. 1989.Yoruba: Nine Centuries of African Art and Thought. New York: Center for African Art. 

Physical Description
Iron staff with 3 sets of 4 bells along the length, with two leaf-like protrusions near the middle. At the top are 7 birds in a circle surmounted by one large bird.

Primary Object Classification
Metalwork

Primary Object Type
staff

Collection Area
African

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form. Keywords
communication (function)
divination
divination objects
knowledge
power
symbols of office or status

& Author Notes

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