Wedding badges (1) - Wood - Nigeria - 1st half 20th century

Pair of YORUBA wedding badges During the marriage rituals of notables, each of the spouses presented themselves with their own insignia, witness and pledge of their commitment. The spouses exchanged these insignia to consecrate their union and kept them preciously throughout their lives. Regularly used in particular : - For each birth. The child was washed in the river, rubbed by these badges to receive the strength of his parents. Hence the blue color on the forehead and hair of the figurines, representing the founding water. - In case of problems of the couple, sacrifices were made, hence the crusty patina. The long hair of the figurines is indicative of their life force and their connections with the spirits of the ancestors. Their pointed base allowed them to be fixed in the ground. Carved in a vigorous style from dense and heavy wood. Provenance : Private Belgian collection Certification on request Shipping : Insured, tracked and traced Pick up possible at our gallery in Brussels (Sablon)