Yoruba Art
...wood-carving process and they must all gently flow one into the other to be successful. (YAIWM 7) • Step 1 (lile): the artist quickly roughs out the major volumes with the adze. In 1/5 the time of the entire carving process, an experienced carver will remove about half the weight of the original block. • Step 2 (aletunle): this takes a little longer then step one, only about 10% of the weight is removed. By the end of step two, the final shape of the carving is formed. • Step 3 (didon): didon takes about as long as aletunle; about 3% of the original block weight is removed. • Step 4 (fifin): this step can only begin after the decoration of the carving has been determined; this is also the most tedious stage. However, only 1% of the original block weight is removed. • The process of smoothing down the wood-carving may be surrendered to the experienced wood-carvers’ apprentice. (YAIWM 7) Through ceremonies and symbols, some carvings may help establish the presence of divine and human spirits. An example of this is given through a Yoruba belief system that has to do with the Ire Ibeji figures. The Yoruba believe you are given a soul once you are born. If the egg splits into twins, triplets, etc. a single soul is shared amongst the children. If one of the children dies, the other child or children is in danger of dying because the part of the soul that died wants to reunite with the rest of the soul and will do so through seduction. If that succeeds, the other children will also die. The Ire Ibeji figures serve as a place of dwelling for the partial souls. The dwelling of the partial soul in the figure protects the remaining living children from death. (YIF 1) Body Art Body art has a long history among the Yoruba people. Early records show the use of elaborate headdress, armlets, anklets, necklaces and bracelets. Body jewelry was primarily made of stone or glass beads. Beadwork may have been around as early as 1000 A.D. Jewelry was used for personal ornamentation, royal and priestly insignia and as a symbol of the gods. (Yoruba 8) Other body art used among the Yoruba also include scarring, tattooing and body painting. These forms are found to be amongst ancient Yoruba practices. Painting, scarring and tattooing patterns may be used to indicate status, social role, lineage or sub-ethnic identity or simply t...