Chiefs chair

Description:	In ancient and current Yoruba culture, people of importance are symbolically and physicallly separated from the rest of society. At specific times, the feet of alaase (rulers, priests and initiates) must not be in physical contact with the earth. To convey their super-human status they must wear beaded boots, or sandals, place their feet on beaded cushions, or sit or stand on specially prepared mats or ground coverings. A ruler, probably a chief, would have used this chair as well as beaded cushions on which to rest his feet. The faces woven into the beaded pattern have different meanings. The head is spiritually a very important part of the body. It is believed that everyone has an inner spiritual head. Also, rulers are believed to be all seeing and knowing. The faces may refer to the rulers all-knowing presence. Some say that they represent royal ancestors who are ever-present and watchful to give direction to, guide and protect the living representative of the royal line. The interlaced design on the back and seat of the chair may connote the idea of the unending cycle of birth-life-departure-and-possible return. The animals (lions, lizards, elephants and birds) woven into the design are those typically asociated with people of importance due to their size, strength, spiritual connections and special abilities. This chair is an interesting combination of different cultural influences as it consists of a European-style chair that has been transformed into a seat of power through the addition. Beads are very important in Yoruba culture. Generally, people of prestige and importance, such as rulers, priests, diviners, elders and maskers, wear beads to signify their success in life and their relationship to the spiritual world. It is believed that these individuals bridge the two realms that define the Yoruba universe--the human world (aye) and the otherworld (orun) where the gods and ancestors reside. Different colors convey different meanings. The Yoruba believe in three color groupings called funfun, pupa and dudu. Each represents a different temperature and temperament. Funfun includes white, silver, pale gray and chrome and evokes cold and coolness. These colors are associated with age and wisdom. Pupa includes red, pink, orange, and deep yellow and evokes warmth and heat. These colors relate to Ogun, the hot god of iron and war who is associated with blood, hot iron, and the heat of battle. Dudu falls in between funfun and pupa and represents temperatures and temperaments somewhere in between. It includes dark and generally cool colors such as black, blue, indigo, purple, green, dark browns, red-browns and dark grays. Also, different combinations of colors hold a variety of meanings.
Source:	http://www.digitalindy.org/cdm/ref/collection/tcm/id/1589
Collection:	The Children's Museum of Indianapolis
Rights:	https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/;
Copyright:	Creative Commons (CC By-SA 3.0);
Subjects:	Yoruba (African people) Yoruba (African people) -- Social life and customs Chairs

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