Description
Book SynopsisThroughout southwestern Nigeria, Yoruba men and women create objects called aale to protect their properties-farms, gardens, market goods, piles of collected firewood-from the ravages of thieves and Vigilant Things argues that aale are keys to understanding how images function in Yoruba social and cultural life.
Trade ReviewIn this engaging, frank, and insightful documentation of how insignificant things are transformed into art pieces in Yoruba cultural milieu, the author negates some Western myths about the Yoruba—specifically, that they are primitive and therefore lack development.
-- Anthonia Makwemoisa Yakuba * Journal of Folklore Research *
An excitingly novel and broad discussion that explores creativity, social organization, symbolism, language, the nature of thievery, religion, and a host of other topics, all in ample cultural context.
* Choice *
Table of ContentsMap 1. Yorubaland
Map 2. Detal of Map 1
Acknowledgements
A Note on Orthography
A Note on Language and Translation
A Note on Photography
Introduction
Part 1 - Creating Aale
Presence, Power, and the Past
Palm Fronds (Mariwo)
Part 2 - Call-and-Response
What We Look at and Remember
Color (Awo)
Part 3 - Portraits and Punishments
An Ontology of the Broken
Corncobs (Suku Agbado)
Snail Shells (Ikarawun Igbin)
Brooms (Igbale)
Coda
... This Semblance of Persistence
Appendix 1 A history of aale, by babalawo Kolawole Oshitola
Appendix 2 The origin of aale in the divination orature of Ifa, by babalawo Ifarinwale Ogundiran
Appendix 3 A biography of Chief Apena Ajawesola Awala Omo Iyamokun, by himself
Glossary
Works Consulted
Index
