"Ori mi ja fun mi. (Creator and head, fight for me.)" (King Sunny Ade, 1983)
Before coming to earth, each person visits Ajala, the maker of heads (ori) in heaven. Ajala can produce ori that are defective, causing a difficult destiny. To alleviate concerns about such fate, one can seek the support and advice of a personal ori-inu (inner head). An object to symbolize ori is placed in a house or shrine like this one and is consulted before any new undertakings. The owner honors his inner head regularly to cultivate a strong character and to leap from relying on shallow impressions.
Cloth, cowrie shells
23 1/2 x 9 1/2 x 8 in. (59.69 x 24.13 x 20.32 cm)
Gift of Mark Groudine and Cynthia Putnam
93.157
Now on view at the
Seattle Art Museum
Resources
Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, The Untold Story, November 14, 2003 - November 14, 2004
Seattle Art Museum respectfully acknowledges that we are on Indigenous land, the traditional territories of the Coast Salish people. We honor our ongoing connection to these communities past, present, and future.
