Dance wand "oshe shango"
Nigeria, Yoruba, Ila Orangun
not available anymore
Provenance
Manfred Sackmann, Berlin, GermanyRobert Lewitzki, Celle, Germany
Size
H: 40 cm
H: 15.7 inch
Description
wood, base
With such wands in their hands, the followers of the mighty thunder god “shango” participated in dances, processions, and rites in honor of their deity. When not being used, the staffs are used to decorate shrines dedicated to “shango”.
The double ax is a representation of neolithic stone celts (“edun ara”) that the Yoruba believe to be thunderbolts hurled from the sky through lightning by “shango”. The double axe is therefore a primary symbol for the presence and omnipotence of “shango”.