Accession Number
TC2008.2

Title
Gelede Mask

Artist(s)
Yoruba

Artist Nationality
Yoruba (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
late 20th century

Medium & Support
wood, pigment and sand

Dimensions
8 in x 7 in x 12 in (20.32 cm x 17.78 cm x 30.48 cm)

Credit Line
Bequest of the Estate of Pamela Anne Seevers

Subject matter
This mask or headdress, called igi Gelede in the Yoruba language, would have been a part of Gelede, a festival in western Yoruba communities that celebrated the power of women. The performances of Gelede masquerades not only entertained, but also honored the spiritual power of women in the community, known as awon iwa ya or "our mothers". Gelede masks feature many different images or scenes, as all of society falls under the influence of women; "our mothers" were also "the owners of the world". Yet this mask or headdress is simple; the head or ori is the focal point, as the inner head (ori inu) houses a person's ase or life force. As Gelede masks or headdresses sometimes depicted a specific individual, the facial marks may indicate the region that person came from. 

References Cited: 
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
Carved wood mask in the form of a human head. The head is bald, there are three black horizontal marks on each cheek, and three black vertical marks on the forehead. The pupils are pierced and the bottom of the mask has a raised lip. The inside top of the mask is filled with sand. 

Primary Object Classification
Sculpture

Primary Object Type
mask

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
celebrating
ceremonial costume
communication (function)
entertaining
masquerades
power
women (female humans)