NDLI: Yoruban Mask

Yoruban Mask

Content Provider	IGNCA - Man and Mask
Description	Most people of western Nigeria, Benin and Togo call themselves Yoruba. Yorubaland was comprised of many independent kingdoms and the Yoruba language has many dialects, sometimes mutually unintelligible. The Yoruba have a pantheon of over 400 deities (Orisa) under the Supreme Being Oladumare. These deities are the spirits of ancestors and natural phenomena, such as rivers, and hills. Here, as elsewhere in Africa, the fertiity of human beings, animals, and plant life are among the most vital concerns. Local variations can be identified within a recognizable general style of Yoruba art. Gelede masks are used by the Gelede cult in the southwest of Yorubaland to appease the spirits and to invoke their benediction to protect the community from malevolent forces. The masks are worn at the funeral rituals of the members of the cult and also annually for Gelede festival, which honors the great mother, Iya-Nla. At night, an Efe (a special masquerade) performance takes place and main ritual begins the next day. Efe is the senior male dancer whose satirical songs comment on current events; he sometimes predicts future events as well. The masks consist of two parts, the lower part and an often elaborate and whimsical superstructure on top. The Gelede masks themselves represent female powers. The masks are repainted with earth colors every year before performances.
Access Restriction	Open
Subject Keyword	Ancient Human Practice Anthropology Anthropomorphic Art Work Art History Benin Ceremonies and Practices Decorative Mask Disguise Drama Theraphy Ekiti area Epa masks Gelede masks Museum Object Nigeria Ogun Oladumare Ornamentation Performance Performing Art Ritual Mask Sculpture Togo
Content Type	Image Text
Resource Type	Visual Artwork

Sl.	Authority	Responsibilities	Communication Details
1	Ministry of Education (GoI), Department of Higher Education	Sanctioning Authority	https://www.education.gov.in/ict-initiatives
2	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	Host Institute of the Project: The host institute of the project is responsible for providing infrastructure support and hosting the project	https://www.iitkgp.ac.in
3	National Digital Library of India Office, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	The administrative and infrastructural headquarters of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in
4	Project PI / Joint PI	Principal Investigator and Joint Principal Investigators of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti will be added soon
5	Website/Portal (Helpdesk)	Queries regarding NDLI and its services	support@ndl.gov.in
6	Contents and Copyright Issues	Queries related to content curation and copyright issues	content@ndl.gov.in
7	National Digital Library of India Club (NDLI Club)	Queries related to NDLI Club formation, support, user awareness program, seminar/symposium, collaboration, social media, promotion, and outreach	clubsupport@ndl.gov.in
8	Digital Preservation Centre (DPC)	Assistance with digitizing and archiving copyright-free printed books	dpc@ndl.gov.in
9	IDR Setup or Support	Queries related to establishment and support of Institutional Digital Repository (IDR) and IDR workshops	idr@ndl.gov.in