Gelede: Art and Female Power Among the Yoruba

Gelede masquerades, practiced by the Yoruba in homage to the extraordinary power of female forces in the cosmos, are lavish artistic performances involving carved wooden headdresses, cloth costumes, dances, songs, and drumming. The authors of this richly conceived study analyse song texts, music, and dance as well as oral traditions and personal histories to interpret Gelede as a symbolic representation of the Yoruba world view. Abundantly illustrated with black-and-white and color illustrations, mostly field photographs, Gelede offers an integrated perspective on the social and cultural functions of art.