Dance Staff (Oshe Sango)
Yoruba
1900–1940
- Medium
- Wood and pigment
- Dimensions
- 38.8 × 20.4 × 10.2 cm (15 1/4 × 8 × 4 in.)
- Genre
- sculpture
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago
Styles
Tags
ritualcompassionyorubashrinespainting (coating)priestessesspiritperformancealtar objectsculpturewood (plant material)violenceafrican Artarts of AfricaCoastal West Africacarvingritual objectspigmentsacrificeprotector
About
This dance staff has been carved in the form of a kneeling priestess holding a sacrificial chicken and ram. She wears a crown in the shape of Shango’s distinctive double axe, which symbolizes his dual character: violent and compassionate. These blades also evoke the Neolithic stone tools that are said to be hurled to earth by Shango during thunderstorms. Only senior priestesses or priests devoted to Shango can dance with such a staff in ritual performances and other events.
