Bag (Apo Ileke)

<p>Eye-catching beaded regalia are worn by people of political and spiritual importance in a Yoruba community. The motifs and writing on this bag tell us that it was owned by a high-ranking member of the Ogboni society, a group of male and female elders that serve as a balance to the power of the king. <em>Olowo</em> is a senior title in the society and <em>Popoola Oriri</em> is probably the title-holder’s name. The bag’s three stylized faces evoke Ogboni symbolism. Within Ogboni, the number three is said to represent the spiritual qualities of the earth and the earth’s importance in human affairs.<br>This bag is semicircled in shape, with an attached strap. In addition to the depiction of the three faces, the red, orange, white, and yellow beading creates a pattern depicting two flower shapes and a complex knot form on the front of the bag. Beads and the act of beading hold spiritual associations for the Yoruba. The intensity of the color, the beads’ light-reflective qualities, and the intricate designs have contributed to the high repute of Yoruba beaded work across the world.</em></p>