Featured Yoruba Object?

Hi All, hoping someone can help me identify this. It was described in a general sale as a African headdress.

The blue pigment and elongated heads seem to be in the style of the Yoruba people?

I'm not sure that it is a headdress though, it weighs a ton and is 2ft in diameter. I was thinking a lid to some sort of container.

Some sort of cloth has been nailed around it which i guess does indicate a headdress?

Thanks a lot!

Calum

 

Hi Calum.I really have no idea.But according to what you say,something like this:
https://sm76626.wordpress.com/category/african-tribes-objects/yoruba/

 

Anyway very interesting. The very knowledgeable members will have answers for you

 

Thanks a lot Boland! Thats really helpful

 

Hmmmm, the snakes are a bit spooky....to ME....but then I don't know the history on these items! It's also kind of looking "coffee table" size....again....to ME....am I correct in my guessing???? Which sure would make it heavy, I think! It's Interesting, with a lot of work in it!!! I hope you don't mind....I isolated it....just makes it a bit easier to see, amongst the 'busy' background.....

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Yes, Yoruba, and @Boland has put you on the right track.


https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/21022/lot/169/?category=list

 

Nice work @Aquitaine ! I found that little trick you did made it very helpful to pick out details!

 

Does anyone know why the swipes of blue paint over the eyes? I'm imagining it's supposed to represent a supernatural or spiritual light or force...?

 

The Yoruba use a lot of blue, as do many cultures in Western Africa (Tuareg!).

It is my understanding that for the Yoruba, the symbolism of blue is different in different religious contexts. So you would have to know the context of this object to know the significance of blue in this case.
In general it is seen as a cooling colour, used to balance hot colours or symbolic circumstances.

 

Here is a description of the meaning of colors in Yoruba tradition, from an article in the Journal of Basic and Applied Scientific Research. (The English is a little idiosyncratic.)

"Traditional categorisation of colours - The Yoruba chromatic system is traditionally grouped into three chromatic categories. The first group is known as "fun fun." "Fun fun" can also be translated as "white." "Fun fun" represents the categories of colours which include white which connotes peaceful feeling, these category include turquoise, blue, silver, chrome, and other icy colours. The primary influence and purpose of white is seen as a replica of purity. White attires are won by people who are not expected to participate or do evil. Categorization of these groups of colours involves an emotional or psychological dimension. For the Yoruba people, "fun fun" also in psychological terms translates to a kind, cool and homely personality. The gods and goddesses that are described and represented with "fun fun" colours are practically accepted as the ‘good ones’. These also include people that can analyse situations and foretell events.

The next group of colour is referred to as "pupa," which can be translated as "red." “Pupa" also encompasses any colour that relates to hot, fiery characteristics, such as orange, dark yellow, gold. The colour of fire is regarded as red which connotes danger and fearful individuals or creatures. "Pupa" has the psychological dimension of a dangerous personality who possesses a trait of wickedness and lacks mercy, someone who is very passionate about evil, which might get angry very easily, does and sees evil as a second nature. It marks some unstable characters. The "pupa" personality is very dangerous and wicked. The associated deities are deities that are involved in carrying out evil with passion. Buildings that are not for the general public are painted with red colour especially shrines. Entrances of such buildings are demarcated to pronounce its reservation. Abiding example of such buildings in Yoruba land are: Orisapopo in Ogbomoso, Obatala in Ila, Oya in Jebba and Irele in Ikirun [10].

"Du du" is the last group of colours, and can be translated as "black." "Du du" also includes any colour that is dark with a resemblance of the earth. Brown, and leafy dark greens and moss greens are also considered "du du." The psychological type is a down-to-earth, practical, earthy sort of personality. They are symbols of the secret world and occult. Deities and gods under this category are usually worshipped in the night and behind closed doors. The people used various materials to generate colours in the past some of these are: animal fat like lard, leaves, ashes, blood, charcoal, clay and soil materials for pigment [11]. Animal dung was also used as pigment in rendering their houses. This was done on regular basis in order to change the outlook regularly. Different types of colours were employed in folklore stories to younger generation [12]. However, the advent of modern materials such as paint promoted an existing culture of colour. The use of paint predates the colonial era. The palace of the Oba (king) of Lagos was built with mud and timber as major components around 1630 with classical ornamentation and wall rendering (painting) before the addition of the Portuguese in 1670."
https://www.textroad.com/pdf/JBASR/J. Basic. Appl. Sci. Res., 3(5)78-82, 2013.pdf

 

Great info! Thanks again all for your help. I was curious about the blue as well