Object Name: Headdress (ere egungun olode)
Cultural Group: Yoruba peoples
Place of Origin: Nigeria
Date: 19th-early 20th century
Materials Used: Wood, cotton, cloth, paint
Dimensions: H: 31.0 cm, W: 47.0 cm, D: 37.0 cm (H: 12.2 in, W: 18.5 in, D: 14.5 in)
Credit line and Accession Number: Folwer Museum at UCLA. Gift of the Wellcome Trust. X65.9148

Hunting is a revered profession among Yoruba men, as reflected in these two ere egungun olode headdresses depicting a hunter with a distinctive braided hairstyle. Egungun headdresses may manifest recently deceased spirits who have returned to the world of the living to see their families before journeying into the spirit world. Representations of thunder axes, a pressure drum, monkey heads, and vials for storing powerful substances adorn the head of the larger headdress, alluding to the abilities of ancestors to protect the families of hunters and particularly their children. The body of the performer wearing such a headdress would be covered in spectacular layers of colorful cloth that would whirl as he moved.

Source: Exhibition Wall Text: Intersections: World Arts, Local Lives, 2006