c\Yo Yoruba 48
lage's purification rituals related to a
The Yoruba, a people ofaround 25 million
Face Mask
death, for prudence sake the women are
individuals, live mainly in the southwest of
Yaure, Cote d'Ivoire
gotten out of the way. In addition to this
Nigeria and the south of Benin. Moreover,
Wood; H. 29 cm.
purifying function, the masks are also
Yoruba traditions live on asfar ?field as
used to guide the deceased's soul to the
Brazil, Cuba, Haiti and the Americas in the
If indeed Yaure, then this mask, some-
world of the dead,and to assure him the
descendants of Yoruba slaves. The term
what troubling in its style (notably in the
status as an ancestor protective of his
"Yoruba" is said to derivefrom "Yarbanci,"
angular treatment of the face and scari-
descendants. This is of the utmost
a nickname given by the Hausa or the
fications), must belong to the category
importance, for there is nothing as dan-
Fulani to the inhabitants of the Oyo
of the lo masks which appear during
gerous or disquieting as an errant soul
Kingdom. This name was in turn intro-
funeral ceremonies. Among the Yaure,
loose in the village.
duced by missionariesfrom the middle ofthe A.M.B.
the masks are representations of the yu
nineteenth century, who were the first to
spirits, intermediators between Bali, the
study the Yoruba language. Prior to that,
supreme creator, and humankind.
the Yoruba-speaking peoples referred to itseff
Although there are some rare, more sec-
by the names oftheir different sub-groups.
ular examples (but sacred, nonetheless),
Earlier, the Yoruba organized themselves
the majority of Yaure masks play a fun-
into a large number ofcity-states, tradition-
damental role in restoring order to a
ally administered by kings (oba), who held
society deeply distressed by a bereave-
political as well as religious power Among
ment. Indeed, a death throws the village
the various autonomous city-stater, the
out of balance and, moveover, is an
leading place was primarily occupied by Ile-
indelible stain that only the intervention
ffe and Old Oyo. The city of ffe, probably
of the yu—by way of their lo masks—can
founded around 800, expanded between the
counter. In order for theyu to be able to
eleventh andfifteenth century into a blos-
liberate their purifying powers, it is nec-
soming metropolis and is described as the
essary for man to court their favor. The
cradle of the Yoruba culture. According to
yu are ambiguous and versatile spirits.
oral tradition, the city is the center of the
They belong to two worlds: that of
world, the place where the deity Odudua
humans and that of the bush—a duality
descended to earth from the supernatural
evoked in the masks by the addition of
world, to impart civilization. The creation
zoomorphic elements to a human face.
myth tells that Odudua was thefirst sacred
Their powers may be benevolent or,
king (oba) offfe, and that his descendants
conversely, extremely dangerous; thus, it
established the different dynasties of the
is necessary to appease them via sacri-
other Yoruba kingdoms. Although the spiri-
fices offered to their masks. Women
tual power position of ffe was maintained,
may not participate in funeral cere-
the city's political power began to wanefiom
monies, neither may they look at the
the start ofthefifteenth century, under pres-
masks, for fear that this encounter with
sure from the northwards lying Oyo
death might jeopardize their fecundity.
Kingdom, the mightiest kingdom in Yoruba
This means that before starting the vil-
history.
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