The Metaphysical Interpretations Of Yoruba
This paper focuses on the metaphysical interpretation of kindred notions of Yoruba tribal arts. The region of West Africa that today includes the countries of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo is the land of the Yoruba people, whose art is an essential and integral element in their way of life (see image 1 for the Map of Yorubaland, showing major towns). The Yoruba are among the oldest and most influential of all African cultures and today make up one of Africa’s largest ethnic groups. More than 25 million Yoruba live in Africa, and large vibrant communities of Yoruba immigrants live in the United States and the United Kingdom. They created a strong economy through farming, trading, and art production. Their outstanding and unique artistic traditions
include woodcarving, sculpture, metal work, textiles, and beadwork. Furthermore, for centuries countless people of Yoruba descent have been living in the Americas. The broad influence of Yoruba culture today ranges from religious blends of Santeria to the complex rhythmic beats of Afro-Latin and Caribbean music and even to some areas of contemporary Western art.
In general, the interconnectedness of art and life in Nigeria is evident in many Nigerian cosmologies that not only trace the origin of art to a High God or Supreme Divinity or supernatural beings but also identify the human body as a piece of sculpture animated by a vital force or soul. In other words, an individual is alive as long as the soul dwells in his or her body, and death results when the soul leaves that body. However, in many Nigerian cultures, death is not the end of life but rather a transition from physical to metaphysical existence, where, according to popular belief, a dematerialized soul lives on and may reincarnate as a newborn baby. In effect, the body mediates and recycles life on earth; hence it is frequently stylized in Nigerian tribal art to signify different phases of the existential process, to make the intangible tangible, and to engender cherished social, spiritual, and aesthetic values. Yoruba art gives visual form to the divine and, in turn, inspires religious devotion accordingly.
include woodcarving, sculpture, metal work, textiles, and beadwork. Furthermore, for centuries countless people of Yoruba descent have been living in the Americas. The broad influence of Yoruba culture today ranges from religious blends of Santeria to the complex rhythmic beats of Afro-Latin and Caribbean music and even to some areas of contemporary Western art.
In general, the interconnectedness of art and life in Nigeria is evident in many Nigerian cosmologies that not only trace the origin of art to a High God or Supreme Divinity or supernatural beings but also identify the human body as a piece of sculpture animated by a vital force or soul. In other words, an individual is alive as long as the soul dwells in his or her body, and death results when the soul leaves that body. However, in many Nigerian cultures, death is not the end of life but rather a transition from physical to metaphysical existence, where, according to popular belief, a dematerialized soul lives on and may reincarnate as a newborn baby. In effect, the body mediates and recycles life on earth; hence it is frequently stylized in Nigerian tribal art to signify different phases of the existential process, to make the intangible tangible, and to engender cherished social, spiritual, and aesthetic values. Yoruba art gives visual form to the divine and, in turn, inspires religious devotion accordingly.