Exceptionally Rare Brazilian Candomble Yoruba Gelede Mask

This remarkable Gelede mask most probably not from the Yoruba of Nigeria but from the Yoruba diaspora centred on Bahia in Brazil, a product of the 18th century Transantlantic slave trade, and a belief system of mostly transplanted Yoruba beliefs influenced by Catholicism (despite the latter’s best efforts) that evolved into the Candomble religion.

The mask is to be worn on top of a head dancer’s head, with a veil pulled down over the dancer’s face, is unlike any other Gelede mask we have seen published or otherwise. Of carved tropical hardwood, it is carved with the most complicated plaited hairstyle ever seen on such a mask. The plaits, which themselves are further arranged in patterns, run down each side of the mask’s face, and down the back of the head. The precision of the carving is almost unparalleled in comparison to Gelede masks of African origin. The arrangement of the hair is a combination of African and colonial Portuguese influence.

The iconography is further complicated by their being a carved woven can basket on top of the head, with a hand grasping the basket’s handle as if it pull it upwards. The form of the basket too suggests colonial European influence but is also suggestive of harvest and bounty.

The basket and other parts of the mask show traces of having been gilded.

The mask is also noticeably old – indeed its age appears significantly more than most Gelede masks with origins in Africa.

The Brazilian provenance is suggested by the possibly Catholic influence shown in the rendering of the mask, the traces of gilding across many parts of the mask (redolent of the treatment of a Catholic image of a saint in a church), the use of tropical hardwood rather than an African softwood, and its provenance – the previous owner sourced the mask from a collection in Portugal (Brazil’s former colonial power – Portugal recognised Brazil’s independence in 1825).

The unusual nature of the mask with its hair plaits suggests that it is based on the deity Dada – an orisha (orixa) or deity called upon to protect children and particularly the newborn. Dada is said to have been born with naturally locked hair and so often is symbolised or represented by a unique and sacred hairstyle known as Dada locks. Accordingly, babies born with hair matted into locks are considered sacred and amutorunwa or ‘brought by heaven’.

Worship of Dada varied regionally among the Yoruba in Nigeria and was exported to diaspora communities but the one consistent aspect is that Dada is the protector of the youngest.

Dada is generally considered to be one of the deity Shango’s brothers, some traditions consider Dada to have both masculine and feminine attributes, frequently connected with Bayanni (Shango’s crown). It is possible that the basket on top of the head of the mask here is a re-interpretation of Shango’s crown.

In Nigeria, the Yoruba adhere to the Gelede cult, within the broader Yoruba belief system, in which a central tenet is the respect for women and particularly older women who are attributed with mystical power (ashe) that can be used for creative or destructive purposes. One of the practical aspects of the cult is the staging of Gelede masked performances to harness the power of older women who are referred to as ‘our mothers’ (awon iya wa) and to honour the primordial mother Iya Nla. By having pleased ‘our mothers’ and the primordial mother with such masked performances, there will be peace in the community and the land will be blessed by rain and fertile soil. The dancers in these spectacles are men and they wear masks atop their heads in the form of the example here.

The Gelede festival is widely celebrated in south-western Nigeria and is thought to have its origins in the late eighteenth century (an important point on the Transantlantic transfer of ceremonies). It usually takes place in the main marketplace, and at the time of vegetative renewal, between March and May, when the rains arrive. The Gelede masked performance involves carefully choreographed dance, with pairs of men wearing similar headdresses and elaborate costumes masquerade as women to honor and entertain ‘our mothers’.

The headdresses, such as the example here, are worn at an angle on top of the head. The Gelede dancers, who are always men, are clad in costumes of  layers of multicoloured cloths. The identity of the dancer is not hidden – his face can be seen through transparent cloth worn over the face. Unlike many other masked performances, the dancers are allowed to unmask in public. The dancer’s name may be given in the song which accompanies his act, which may include praise or criticism for his performance. The harmony and balance shown by good dancers symbolise social perfection. Gelede dancers also perform whenever a member of the society dies. During the performance, each pair of dancers comes forward in turn and moves in intricate dance steps to a drum rhythm. They dance in duet in swift jerky movements that resemble the movements of birds and animals. Drumming and singing are essential features of such performances.

The Yoruba had a long tradition of slavery often enslaving those from rival Yoruba sub-groups, and so when Europeans became involved in the trade in a significant way, the Yoruba were both participants and victims. Large numbers of Yoruba were taken by ships to Brazil, and the tradition of the Gelede mask dance followed them. Slavery was abolished in Brazil in 1888, after the region having been the recipient of enslaved people from Africa since the 16th century. In that time, it is estimated that Brazil had received almost 5 million enslaved people from various parts of Africa.

It is likely that this mask is a product of this period. Indeed, despite enslavement, traditional Yoruba and then Candomble beliefs in Brazil did have space to be practiced and evolve. From the mid-18th century, when Candomble first emerged as a distinctive religion, designated buildings of worship were constructed and enslaved people had the use of land on plantations set aside for their use, known as terreiro, were they could practice their spiritual and social traditions. The terreiro were known by some anthropologists as ‘little Africa’ or reinventions of African villages (Jallo, 2025, p. 51).

The mask is in very fine condition. There are losses to the extremities, but essentially, the mask is in tact and stable. The mask is noticeably heavy – the wood used is dense. There is the possibility that this mask is older than most masks with African origins because of the denser wood that has been used. It comes with a custom-made display stand.