Oshe Shango dance baton - Yoruba - Nigeria

- Private collection inherited from a Frenchman who traveled to Central Africa in the 1960s–70s. Having participated in public health missions in remote villages, André was thus sensitized to primitive arts, in their forms and uses. As was often customary, the services rendered were repaid with gifts at departure, among which masks, statues and other objects charged with meaning. The set of several dozen pieces was also completed by purchases made on site, particularly in Bujumbura, as well as in France afterwards.

Oshe Shango (or Ose Shango) is a central ritual staff in the Shango cult, the Yoruba god of thunder, lightning, and justice (Nigeria, Benin, diaspora). This staff, often carved from wood, is distinguished by its handle surmounted by a double axe (shango) or a bull’s head, symbols of the god’s destructive and regenerative power.

Unlike a mask worn on the face, the Oshe is handled by priests (babalawos or babaloshas) during sacrificial dances to invoke the divine presence and channel the energy of thunder. The sculpture, sometimes adorned with beads and shells, embodies the royal authority and the merciless justice of Shango. Its stylized form, with exaggerated facial features or a dynamic stance, conveys the god’s electric tension and vitality.

In the diaspora (Haitian Voodoo, Cuban Santería), this object retains its function as sacred mediation, though its forms have evolved according to local contexts. It remains a major symbol of Yoruba identity and spiritual resistance.

Presentation of our house of expertise

Based in Belgium, our house of expertise and sale specializes in African and ethnographic art. A reference seller on Catawiki for over 8 years, we benefit from a solid reputation and a history of several hundred sales with an almost 100% satisfaction rate.

We regularly assist with liquidations, successions and dispersals of collections, in collaboration with individuals and families in Belgium and neighboring countries. Our approach is rigorous, transparent and accessible, with many sales offered without a reserve price.

Some pieces that have passed through our hands have joined international private collections and, for some, museum institutions.

Shipping ensured within 24 hours, with careful packaging, insurance and tracking.
Contact 7 days a week: we remain available for any questions or requests for additional information.