More available / No more available! Yoruba Gelede helmet mask. NIGERIA FB015

NIGERIA

Beautiful Gelede YORUBA helm mask

The Gelede is both a society, a ceremony, the costume and the mask used during these rites
It comes out on many occasions, end of harvest, births, burials, epidemics

PROVENANCE : French private collection of Mr FB, plastic artist, collector and expert in primitive arts for several auction rooms
(More details on request)

Features:

This mask and the ceremonies of the same name are

the Yoruba's response to the threats of witchcraft inherent in society.
It thus protects itself from calamities such as epidemics or drought.

The woman is the key that opens the door to understanding the symbolic and ritual context of Gèlèdè. In fact, in Yoruba society, women are supposed to possess a vital force which has two facets: one positive, as creator and protector of life, endowed with knowledge of the curative powers of plants, a regulatory force that guarantees social and moral order; the other negative, destructive, responsible for sterility, drought, epidemics and death. The Gèlèdè would be the tribute to be paid to the mystical powers of women, which must be protected and appeased in order to transform them into a beneficial power for society. To appease the “mothers” as it is customary to call them, the men wear masks on their heads. With a light scarf and a dress with long sleeves, they conceal their physiognomy; they attach bells to their ankles and dance.

At the origin of the Gèlèdè society is a myth, which associates mask dancing and renewed fertility. This myth reports that a long time ago, the witch Yewajobi, mother of all the Orisha could no longer have children, no doubt because she had made a mistake. Unable to console herself for this state, she went to find the Great Oracle of Ifé. First, he ordered a sacrifice. What she did. Then Yewajobi, always following the Oracle's advice, had to obtain wooden images and style them; adorn his arms with metal rings and dance. Shortly after, a baby boy was born. It was called Èfè, synonymous with joy and jokes. Then followed a little girl. When she grew up, she was named Gèlèdè because she was very fat and danced as well as her mother Yewajobi.

But when Èfè and Gèlèdè also wanted children, it turned out that it was impossible for them. Gèlèdè also went to see the Great Oracle of Ifé who gave him the same advice that he had already given to his mother Yewajobi. Yewajobi then gave his daughter her metal rings and her masks.

Adorned with all the required attributes, Gèlèdè danced.

How many children Gèlèdè and Èfè had together, the story does not say, but it says that since then, Gèlèdè wears a cloth headband called gèlè .

NIGERIA

Features:

TYPE OF OBJECT: Helmet Mask

ETHNIC GROUP: Yoruba

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Nigeria

MATERIAL: Wood.

DIMENSIONS: 16 1/2 Inches high

Diameter: 12 1/2 inches

CONDITION: Bad

(Please have a look on pictures).