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Yoruba Maternity African Figure/Statue with Many Children 24″ – Nigeria

$337.50

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SKU: 1002950 Categories: ,
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Type of Object

Figure, statue

Country of Origin

Nigeria

Ethnicity

Yoruba

Approximate Age

Unknown

Height

24"

Width

17"

Depth

11"

Weight

10lbs

Overall Condition

Large cracks throughout. See photos.

Tribe Information

About the Yoruba People

The Yoruba are the largest cultural group on the African continent, with nearly 40 million people. The word ‘Yoruba’ describes both the language and a tribe living across Nigeria and the Popular Republic of Benin, in an area of forest and savannah.

Geography
The Yoruba people’s primary living space is South-West Nigeria with substantial Yoruba communities in Benin, Togo and Sierra Leone but they are not bound by state or country borders. This area is often referred to as “Yorubaland”. Most of the terrain is either forest, woodland savannah, rich farmland or coastal swamps and lagoons.

History
The origin of the Yoruba people in Nigeria is heavily debated. Some believe they came from the east in Mecca, some say from the north in Egypt. Evidence shows that ethnically, Yoruba’s have been in the area known as Yorubaland since the 7th century BC. Scholars believe the area was probably inhabited earlier by peoples of the Nok culture. Yorubaland covers the modern-day countries of Nigeria, Togo and Benin. The term Yoruba to describe ethnicity, did not come about until the 16th century and wasn’t widely used until the 19th century. Before then, the Yoruba people were known by many names depending on who was acknowledging them. For instance, the Europeans referred to them as Akú, whereas in Cuba, they were referred to as O luku mi.

Read more about the Yoruba here.

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Additional Information

About the Maternity Figure

It is thought that, in Yoruba art, a figure depicting a mother nursing or carrying children represents the long weaning period. Women will typically go through two years of sexual abstinence and suppressed menstruation. This time frame is seen as a state of purity or ritual cleanliness. Figures of this kind shown kneeling or sitting are also a sign of respect and devotion. Motherhood is one of the most important tasks in African culture and therefore is represented in their art forms.