Yoruba Gelede Headdress from Nigeria

Tribe: Yoruba                    Country: Nigeria                    Object: Gelede Mask                    Height: 18″

The origins of Gelede come from the story of Yemoja, “The mother of all the orisa and all living things”. As the story goes, Yemoja could not bear children so she consulted an oracle who advised her to wear a wooden image on her head while dancing about with metal anklets on her feet. The ritual worked and she was able to give birth to two children who would later use this same method.

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