Gelede
Sign in to savethumb|Gelede mask from the Yoruba people of Nigeria. Held at the Birmingham Museum of Art thumbnail|Gelede Body Mask thumb|Gelede mask, Afro-Brazilian Museum, São Paulo The Gẹlẹdẹ spectacle of the Yoruba is a public display by colorful masks which combines art and ritual dance to amuse, educate and inspire worship. Gelede celebrates “Mothers” (awon iya wa), a group that includes female ancestors and deities as well as the elderly women of the community, and the power and spiritual capacity these women have in society. Focusing not only on fertility and motherhood but also on correct social beh
Article
6 sectionsContents
- Gelede in the context of Yoruba belief
- The origins of Gelede
- The Gelede Society
- Gelede spectacle
- Gelede costume and headdress
- References
thumb|Gelede mask from the Yoruba people of Nigeria. Held at the Birmingham Museum of Art thumbnail|Gelede Body Mask thumb|Gelede mask, Afro-Brazilian Museum, São Paulo The Gẹlẹdẹ spectacle of the Yoruba is a public display by colorful masks which combines art and ritual dance to amuse, educate and inspire worship. Gelede celebrates “Mothers” (awon iya wa), a group that includes female ancestors and deities as well as the elderly women of the community, and the power and spiritual capacity these women have in society. Focusing not only on fertility and motherhood but also on correct social behavior within the Yoruba society.
==Gelede in the context of Yoruba belief== The Gelede social agenda rests on the Yoruba maxim ''Eso l'aye'' (The world is fragile). In other words, life is delicate and should be lived with caution and with an emphasis on diplomacy, consideration, respect and harmony.