Yoruba Beaded Hat Nigeria Sidley Collection

Yoruba Beaded Hat Nigeria Sidley Collection

The Yoruba people of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo have a rich cultural heritage spanning centuries. Despite enduring exploitation during the Slave Trade, they maintained a robust set of beliefs and rituals, often expressed through art forms such as sculpture, mask-making, textiles, beadwork, and pottery. Yoruba art is esteemed for its beauty, craftsmanship, and cultural significance, often depicting figures from Yoruba mythology and religion. Beadwork holds particular importance in Yoruba religious practices, especially in divination ceremonies conducted by trained intermediaries known as diviners. Beadwork panels are intricately designed with symbolic meanings, serving as spiritual tools and symbols of the diviner's connection to the divine realm. While beadwork and divination are prominent aspects of Yoruba culture, variations exist among different lineages and communities.

Provenance: Niña Sidley Collection

After a long career in publishing, Niña Sidley returned to her first love: collecting the art, artifacts, and textiles of the world’s indigenous peoples. Part of her mission has been to educate others and to honor the extraordinary creativity, ingenuity, and heartfelt messages these handmade works send from their makers. Niña believes this deep respect for tradition and beauty inspires and ties all of us together as one world.

Dimensions: 8 x 8 x 6 inches

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