Minneapolis Institute of Art
Shango Priest's Costume
Yoruba artistLinkedCulture matchlcp-ddd60c9b2fa5
- Date
- 20th century
- Medium
- Cotton, cowry shells, bells, coins, wood, leather, and other materials
- Culture
- Yoruba
- Department
- Arts of Global Africa
- Institution
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
- Object ID
- 27559
From the Minneapolis Institute of Art record
The Yoruba have numerous deities, called orisa. One of them is Sango, the god of thunder and lightning, also associated with social justice and spiritual well-being. Yet Sango has two sides, positive and negative: the rainfall that nourishes the earth is frequently accompanied by destructive storms. The Yoruba concept of life is indeed one of a dynamic balance between opposite forces. Most orisa have specific followers, led by a priest. Sango priests go into a trance when possessed by the thunder god, resulting in energetic dancing to the beat of drums. The countless shells and bells on this purple dyed costume would have added to the sensorial intensity of the performance. Nigeria, Africa
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Provenance & credit
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- Credit line
- Gift of Richard and Roberta Simmons
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