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Nigerian Diviner's Staff

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https://digital.library.illinois.edu/items/9ab2dbe0-0d92-0135-23f6-0050569601ca-9
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Descriptive Information

Title
Nigerian Diviner's Staff
Description
The long staff is roughly wrought (hand-made) out of iron. There are two clusters of long, narrow cones attached along the shaft and another inverted cluster at the top, supporting a disk and a simple, abstracted bird form.
Interpretation
A diviner is one who practices divination, the art or practice of foreseeing future events or obtaining secret knowledge through divine sources, omens or oracles. In southern Nigeria, distinctive wrought iron staffs used by healers and Ifa divination priests feature motifs that suggest a gathering of birds, which celebrate Osanyin, the god of herbal medicines. Osanyin guides the diviners' use of leaves in preparing medicine for clients. Diviners may carry their staffs in public processions to signal the fact that they are preparing to make a divination, or to mark a significant occasion such as the initiation of a new priest. The staff is one of a diviner's most valued possessions. He places it in front of his house as both an emblem of his vocation and as a protected safeguard. Representations of birds in Yoruban ritual art evoke the mystical power commanded by female elders, "the mothers". This procreative power can be beneficial or destructive. A bird depicted at the top of an Ifa staff is referred to as the "bird of Ifa". They are believed to invoke the power of the hawk.
Lesson Plans / Themes
  • African Folk Tales  
  • African Novel Study  
Learning Standards
  • 16 History  
  • 18 Social Systems  
  • 25-27 Fine Arts  
Author or Creator
Yoruba (African people) Social life and customs  
Source
Donated to the Lakeview Museum by Richard K. Meyer.  
Subject / Keywords
  • Nigeria  
  • Africa  
  • Ritual objects  
  • Sculptures  
  • Staff  
  • Diviner  
Spatial Coverage
Nigeria  
Temporal Coverage
1850/1900
Collection Publisher
Lakeview Museum of Arts and Sciences
Rights
Copyright Not Evaluated
Resource Identifier
LVM1973.007.003
Date Created
7-8-02
Collection Title
Teaching with Digital Content (Cultural Heritage Community)
Collection
Teaching with Digital Content (Cultural Heritage Community)
TitleNigerian Diviner's Staff
DescriptionThe long staff is roughly wrought (hand-made) out of iron. There are two clusters of long, narrow cones attached along the shaft and another inverted cluster at the top, supporting a disk and a simple, abstracted bird form.
InterpretationA diviner is one who practices divination, the art or practice of foreseeing future events or obtaining secret knowledge through divine sources, omens or oracles. In southern Nigeria, distinctive wrought iron staffs used by healers and Ifa divination priests feature motifs that suggest a gathering of birds, which celebrate Osanyin, the god of herbal medicines. Osanyin guides the diviners' use of leaves in preparing medicine for clients. Diviners may carry their staffs in public processions to signal the fact that they are preparing to make a divination, or to mark a significant occasion such as the initiation of a new priest. The staff is one of a diviner's most valued possessions. He places it in front of his house as both an emblem of his vocation and as a protected safeguard. Representations of birds in Yoruban ritual art evoke the mystical power commanded by female elders, "the mothers". This procreative power can be beneficial or destructive. A bird depicted at the top of an Ifa staff is referred to as the "bird of Ifa". They are believed to invoke the power of the hawk.
Lesson Plans / Themes
  • African Folk Tales  
  • African Novel Study  
Learning Standards
  • 16 History  
  • 18 Social Systems  
  • 25-27 Fine Arts  
Author or CreatorYoruba (African people) Social life and customs  
SourceDonated to the Lakeview Museum by Richard K. Meyer.  
Subject / Keywords
  • Nigeria  
  • Africa  
  • Ritual objects  
  • Sculptures  
  • Staff  
  • Diviner  
Spatial CoverageNigeria  
Temporal Coverage1850/1900
Collection PublisherLakeview Museum of Arts and Sciences
RightsCopyright Not Evaluated
Resource IdentifierLVM1973.007.003
Date Created7-8-02
Collection TitleTeaching with Digital Content (Cultural Heritage Community)
CollectionTeaching with Digital Content (Cultural Heritage Community)

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