The Power of Women in West Africa
For West Africa, one aspect remains consistent: the African people have a very different approach to power among women than the traditional western conception implies. When people in the West consider the concept of equality between the sexes, they think of men and women sharing equal roles in society. However, in traditional West African culture, power actually lies in the dynamic differences between the roles of men and women. It is within these unique characteristics that are distinctively male or female that the power emerges.
This analysis of the power of women concentrates primarily on the cultures
of Benin and the widespread Yoruba people. The power of women is evident in
much of the art of the Benin and Yoruba people. Royal, spiritual, and
feminine aspects are all described here in the short analysis of
Benin
Queen Mothers, the Yoruba Gelede spectacle, and the roles of women in
relation to men in Yoruba society. Queen Mothers are the epitome of power.
They are women who have reached one of the highest positions of power. The
Gelede ritual celebrates the power of women and offers some remarkable
insight into the lives and natures of powerful women. The nature of women
is also investigated in the art depicting women in gender roles. All of
these provide a mere glimpse into the concept of the power of women in West
Africa and the art that depicts it.
Benin is located between Nigeria and Togo in West Africa. The Yoruba are found primarily in Nigeria, and scattered in places throughout the regions of Benin and Togo.
