Yoruba kings who can claim direct descent from the god Oduduwa (perhaps
over
700 today!) are addressed as Oba. They alone are permitted to wear the
Yoruba
sacred regalia, the conical bead crown and beaded slippers, and to carry
a beaded
fly whisk. Beadwork is a royal prerogative, associated as closely with
kingship as
special woven textile patterns (Kente) are for the Asante kings of
central Ghana.
The wealthiest Yoruba kings retain families of bead specialists to
embroider their
royal garments. By extension, elements of this royal form of dress are
used by
priests and devotees of the thunder god, Sango, and the
agricultural
god, Oko, both of whom are linked to kingship by Yoruba
origin
myths.
Typical beadwork motifs include the interlace and the zig-zag patterns,
a frontal
face with ethnic marks under the eyes, and a tiny bird. The interlace
pattern is a
symbol of leadership, of eternal or unending royal authority. It is
sometimes
represented as two snakes biting or eating each other, signifying that
one persons
demise is anothers beginning. The zig-zag pattern of triangles
provides visual
tension and movement reinforced by alternating colors and, on some
objects, a
delightful asymmetrical placement. The shapes are similar to those on
the back
of the Gabon viper, a beautiful but very poisonous African snake that
the god of
iron, Ogun, may "carry without fear." The abstracted face
which is freely
embroidered into many royal garments may refer to Oduduwa, ancestor of
all
Yoruba kings, to Eshu, messenger of the gods, or to the inventor of
beads
himself. This particular bird motif represents okin, a tiny whitish
bird with a
long white tail that distinguishes it as the king of birds. Birds, such as the
one found atop the Opa orere staff, are
also associated
with divination, medicine, and witchcraft.
The herbalist
and diviner,
like the king, must be able to incorporate the apparently contradictory
powers of
destruction, healing, and harmony in order to control and manipulate
them.
Last updated 29 March 1995.