January 28-30: General Discussion of Concepts, Method, and Theory
Blier, S. "Words about Words about Icons: Iconology and the Study of African Arts," Art Journal 47:2 (1988), pp. 75-87.
"Introduction," Art and Religion in Africa
Turner, V. "Symbols in African Ritual," Science 179 (1973): 1100-05.
Pemberton, J. "Traditional African Iconography," Encyclopedia of Religion Vol. 70 (1986), 8-13.
Video: "Mammy Water"
February 4-6: The Dogon: The Arts and Rituals for Ancestors
Ezra, K. Art of the Dogon (1988)
Dieterlen, G. "Masks and Mythology among the Dogon," African Arts 22:3: 34-43, 87-88.
"Creation, Creativity, and Agency," Art and Religion in Africa
Video: "Art of the Dogon"
February 11-13: The Asante: Myth, Rituals, and Art for Kings
Cole, H. "The Art of Festival in Ghana," African Arts 8:3: 12-23, 60-62, 90.
McLeod, M. C., Chapter 6, The Asante, London: British Museum Publications, 1981, pp. 87-111.
"Envisioning and (Re)presenting the Spirit World," Art and Religion in Africa
Video: "A Great Tree Has Fallen"
February 18-20: Benin Kingship Art and Rituals
Ben-Amos, P. "Artistic Creativity in Benin Kingdom," African Arts 19:3 (1986) 60-67.
"Ethos, Cosmos, and Hierarchy," Art and Religion in Africa
Video: "Benin Kingship Rituals
February 25-27: The Yoruba of West Africa
Drewal, H. J., Pemberton III, J. and Abiodun, R. Chapter 1 ("The Yoruba World") & Chapter 6 ("The Oyo Empire") in Yoruba: Nine Centuries of African Art and Thought, New York: Museum for African Art, 1989.
Abiodun, R. "Verbal and visual metaphores: mythical allusions in Yoruba ritualistic art of Ori," World & Image, 3:3 (1987): 252-270.
Video: "The World Began at Ile-Ife"
March 3-5: Yoruba Orisa Worship
Pemberton, J. "A Cluster of Sacred Symbols: Orisa Worship among the Igbomina Yoruba of Ila-Orangun," History of Religions 17:1 (1977): 1-28.
Barber, K. "How Man Makes God in West Africa," Africa 51:3 (1981): 724-745.
Hackett, R. "Shrines as Ritual and Aesthetic Space" Art and Religion in Africa.
Abiodun, R. "Understanding Yoruba Art and Aesthetics: The Cept of Ase," African Arts 27:3 (1994): 68-78, 102-103.
March 10-12: Women in Yoruba Art and Religion
Murphy, J. and Sanford, M. Osun Across the Waters
Video: "Osun"
March 14: Mid-semester Paper Due -- NO EXTENSIONS!
March 16-23: Spring Break
March 24-26: Divination and Sacrifice
Abiodun, R. "Ifa Art Objects: An Interpretation Based on Oral Traditions," Yoruba Oral Tradition, Ile-Ife, Nigeria: University of Ile-Ife, 1975, pp. 421-469.
Abimbola, W. "Ajala and the Choice of Ori," Sixteen Great Poems of Ifa, Paris: UNESCO, 1975, pp. 178-207.
Hackett, R. "The Aesthetic as Antidote and Transformer," Art and Religion in Africa.
March 31-April 2: The Igbo of Southeastern Nigeria
Cole, H. and Aniakor, C., Igbo Arts: Community and Cosmos (Reserve)
Video "Owu: Chidi Joins the Okorochi Secret Society"
April 7-9: Two Igbo Writers: Achebe and Nwapa
Achebe, C. Things Fall Apart
Nwapa, F. Efuru
April 14-16: Rituals and Symbols of Death (i)
Abiodun, R. "A Reconsideration of the Function of Ako, Second Burial Effigy in Owo," Africa 46:1 (1976) 4-20.
"Allusion and Illusion: The Rituals and Symbols of Death and Beyond," Art and Religion in Africa.
April 21-23: Rituals and Symbols of Death (ii)
Soyinka, W. Death and the King's Horseman
Recordings: "Wole Soyinka Reads Yoruba Poetry"
April 28-30: Short oral presentations of research projects
May 7, 12:00 noon: Submission of Research Project Essays -- NO EXTENSIONS!