A Yoruba Dance staff, region Abeokuta, Nigeria. Yoruba dance staff sculptures, commonly referred to as oshe Shango, are carved wooden staffs associated with the worship of Shango, the Yoruba orisha (deity) of thunder, lightning, and divine justice. These staffs are most often held or carried by devotees during ritual performances and festivals dedicated to Shango, particularly within the context of religious trance possession and public ceremonial display. As sacred instruments, they function not only as visual markers of devotion but also as symbolic embodiments of Shango's power and presence. The typical form of the oshe Shango features a central female figure, often shown kneeling or standing, supporting a double axe on her head. The double axe symbolizes Shango's thunderbolts and his capacity to strike from above, both literally in nature and metaphorically in the enforcement of justice. The female figure is believed to represent a devotee, priestess, or possibly one of Shango’s wives, acknowledging the significant role of women in Yoruba religious practice and possession cults. The act of bearing the axe visually affirms the bearer’s submission to, and empowerment through, Shango's spiritual force. Carved primarily from hardwood and sometimes adorned with pigment or beadwork, these staffs are the work of professional sculptors (awo) who are trained within the guild system that governs Yoruba art production. While formal variation exists, the aesthetic conventions remain relatively consistent: large, expressive eyes, elaborate hairstyles, and stylized anatomy. These features emphasize inner virtue (iwa) and spiritual presence, key values in Yoruba aesthetics. In some cases, the staff includes additional figures, animals, or symbolic motifs, further enriching the narrative or protective function of the object. Dance staffs are used during possession rituals in which initiated devotees, known as arugba, may become possessed by Shango's spirit and perform stylized dances while holding or wielding the staff. During these moments, the staff becomes a conduit through which the orisha’s energy flows into the human realm. Outside of ritual use, staffs may be stored on altars or shrines, where they continue to serve as points of contact between the devotee and the divine. The historical and cultural continuity of oshe Shango reflects the resilience of Yoruba religious practices, both in West Africa and across the diaspora. In regions such as Brazil, Cuba, and Trinidad, similar staffs are made and used within Afro-Atlantic religions like Candomblé, Santería, and Shango Baptist traditions, often with localized adaptations. This continuity highlights the adaptability of Yoruba visual language and its capacity to encode spiritual meaning across time and space. Important collections of Yoruba dance staffs can be found in institutions such as the National Museum in Lagos, the British Museum, the Fowler Museum at UCLA, and the Musée du quai Branly. Their display, however, often detaches them from their performative and ritual context, posing challenges for interpretation and curation. References: Drewal, Henry John, and Margaret Thompson Drewal. Gelede: Art and Female Power among the Yoruba. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1983. Lawal, Babatunde. The Gelede Spectacle: Art, Gender, and Social Harmony in an African Culture. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1996. Abiodun, Rowland. Yoruba Art and Language: Seeking the African in African Art. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2014. Thompson, Robert Farris. Flash of the Spirit: African and Afro-American Art and Philosophy. New York: Vintage Books, 1984.