Minneapolis Institute of Art

Bag

Yoruba artist

Date

20th century

Medium

Beads, leather, cloth

Culture

Yoruba

Department

Arts of Global Africa

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Diviners carry the tools they need for an ifa divination ceremony in a beaded bag. The three faces on this bag refer to Eshu, the messenger divinity associated with the divination process. The face of Eshu is also carved at the top of the tray seen nearby. The beaded flywhisk symbolizes the status of diviners; its many shapes, colors, and designs signal their ability to see what is not usually visible. While ifa originated in West Africa, it is also practiced under different names in Brazil, Cuba, and the United States. In 2005, the ifa divination system was added by UNESCO to the list of “Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.” Yoruba, Nigeria

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