Final answer:
The Yoruba from Nigeria use elaborate masks and headdresses for 'masquerades', combining artistic and spiritual purposes in ceremonies like 'Gelede'. Masks are symbols of ancestor connectivity and spiritual mediation, often with transformational roles in trance dancing and cultural expression.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Yoruba from Nigeria create elaborate masks and headdresses for ceremonial performances known as masquerades, which combine music, dance, and fanciful costumes. These performances serve both religious and artistic purposes, reflecting a deep integration of spirituality, communal expression, and artistic creativity. The tradition of Gelede is a notable example, honoring the spiritual powers of women elders, known as awon iya wa, or "our mothers." In these events, masks embody various entities, from ancestral spirits to mythic figures, reinforcing the cultural values and spiritual beliefs of the community. Masks in Africa, as well as in other cultures such as Indonesia's Bali-Hindu traditions, not only serve as sacred objects for ritual dances but also as representations that play a significant role in maintaining the bond between the community, the ancestral world, and nature.
In some cultures, masks are involved in trance dancing, often accompanied by elaborate drumming and embodying a transformational element for the participants. The use of masks during these performances, whether they are representing higher beings for a shaman or mythic characters for a dancer, is part of a larger outpouring of cultural expression that is deeply embedded in the tradition and identity of a people.