Photographs of Yoruba women with ibejis, 1970 WAS IT MADE FOR USE IN A TRADITIONAL AFRICAN CULTURE? These photographs illustrate another example of an African tradition that has changed to fit a modern lifestyle. All three women in these photographs carry ibeji figures. We discussed the function and the appearance of the ibeji figures earlier. Traditionally, the mother whose twin child has passed on will commission a carver to make a wooden ibeji. We can see this kind of traditional ibeji in the two images on the left. However, today some Yoruba women purchase plastic dolls in modern stores which they then use as an ibeji. This type of ibeji is seen in the image on the right. By purchasing a plastic doll, modern Yoruba women are still expressing their traditional beliefs, although they are using modern rather than traditional objects to keep this tradition alive. The traditional art displayed at the de Young Museum can provide a basis for learning about the diversity and richness of African cultures. Whether those cultures are modern or traditional, the values and heritage embodied in these objects offer a starting point for cross-cultural understanding and respect. PART 4-PAGE 6 OF 7
SLIDE 23
IS THIS OBJECT TRADITIONAL OR MODERN?
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