Among the masking traditions of West Africa, gelede holds a special place. It is found among the western Yoruba, particularly in the Ketu area and among the groups called Nagô, across south-western Nigeria, Benin and Togo. Its declared purpose is to honour and appease "our mothers" (àwọn ìyá wa), an expression referring to elderly women, female ancestors and a powerful, ambivalent feminine force. In 2001 UNESCO proclaimed the oral heritage of gelede a masterpiece of the intangible heritage of humanity.
The mothers and their power
In Yoruba thought, women, especially elderly women, are recognised as having a special power, linked to the capacity to give birth and to knowledge accumulated over time. This power can protect the community and make it prosper, but if offended or neglected it can also withhold fertility, rain and social harmony.
Gelede arose as a rite to maintain a balanced relationship with this force: not to fight it, but to celebrate it, delight it and gain its favour. The term itself is often explained as referring to the act of handling something precious with gentleness.
Men who dance for women
One aspect that strikes observers is that gelede masks are almost always worn by men, often in pairs. The dancers wear costumes evoking female forms, with carved or padded breasts and hips, and metal anklets that mark the rhythm of their steps.
The scholars Henry John Drewal and Margaret Thompson Drewal, in their research on this tradition, highlighted how symbolically "becoming" women is, for the men, a form of homage and recognition of feminine power.
The mask: a sculpture that tells stories
The gelede mask is worn on top of the head, tilted, with the face looking forward. The face is serene, with half-closed eyes and a composed expression. Above it rises a carved superstructure that can depict almost anything:
- animals, such as snakes, birds and monkeys, often in allegorical scenes;
- human figures engaged in trades: drummers, hunters, traders;
- modern objects, such as bicycles, sewing machines, cars and aeroplanes;
- symbols of proverbs, which a knowledgeable viewer can read.
The mask is thus a small carved theatre that comments on social life with irony and wisdom.
The night of Efe
The festival cycle generally includes two main moments:
- Efe, the night ceremony, dominated by a special mask also called Efe. Its wearer sings songs that are often satirical, praising the mothers but also criticising misconduct, abuse of power, gossip and injustice.
- Gelede proper, the daytime dance, in which pairs of masks perform for the public, accompanied by drums.
On the night of Efe speech enjoys a special freedom: what could not be said openly in ordinary life can be sung, as long as it takes poetic form.
A social function
Gelede is also a tool of education and social control. The carved scenes and satirical songs transmit shared values:
| Element | Function |
|---|---|
| Praise of the mothers | Strengthen respect for elderly women |
| Satirical songs | Publicly criticise harmful behaviour |
| Scenes of trades | Value work and social roles |
| Modern images | Reflect on changes in society |
In this sense gelede is a living art that has always welcomed new themes without losing its structure.
A misunderstanding to avoid
In colonial literature the power of the "mothers" was often translated reductively as "witchcraft". Later studies showed that it is a more complex category, combining respect, fear and gratitude towards a feminine force essential to the life of the community. Using European terms loaded with negative meanings risks distorting the sense of the tradition.
Gelede today
The tradition continues in many places, although festivals have become less frequent in some areas. Gelede masks are found in numerous museum collections and are among the most studied works of Yoruba art, but their full meaning can only be grasped in the context of dance, song and the gathered community.
In short
- Gelede honours "our mothers": elderly women, female ancestors and feminine power.
- The masks are worn by men, often in pairs, as a homage to women.
- The carved superstructure depicts animals, trades, proverbs and modern objects.
- The night of Efe combines praise and social satire through song.
- In 2001 UNESCO recognised its value as oral and intangible heritage.
