Architecture of Kingdoms and Local Communities

The organization of space into a conscious spatial frame that ultimately directs both daily activities and cultural identity is a concept of continued salience within African architecture. In this context, we will explore the traditional architecture of the Yoruba people, drawing comparisons between the domestic spaces of commoners and the royal spaces of the ruling class. The spatial organization of a home or palace in Yoruba architecture parallels the general structure of a city, in that both are a model of social hierarchy. 

Typically, the king’s palace is at the epicenter of the city, with radiating concentric circles denoting importance organizing the remaining populace – in other words, those who are most significant (i.e., chiefs) are located near the king and those who are less significant (i.e., commoners) are located in the outskirts near the marginal farmland. Spatially, palaces and vernacular architecture is organized quite similarly with various sub-units organized in a quad-shape around a central, open-air courtyard. These sub-units, or “oju’le”, guaranteed appropriate spatial relations and interactions. Palaces, however, differ in both their magnitude and location when compared to the humbler domestic abodes. 

Communal Multi-Courtyards Complex - Ogbomoso Old Palace 

Palaces were typically placed on elevated land; this was a strategic choice for various reasons. Firstly, elevated land was used as a military device, as it gave the palace a vantage point with which to look out over the rest of the city. Moreover, elevated land was more easily defensible from outside forces while simultaneously giving the added benefit to its inhabitants of increased privacy (an advantage much needed to carry out royal endeavors). Lastly, elevated ground also had numerous health implications, as low grounds and valleys are typically plagued with flooding, river pollution, and disease. 

 

Typical Impluvium Style Courtyard House-form

Yoruba palaces were also much larger and complex than their domestic counterparts, namely because the palaces were public edifices that were built and maintained by the entire kingdom. As such, palaces were not just the homes of the presiding king, but rather served a multi-purpose functionality including socio-cultural activities such as festivals and royal markets. Lastly, Yoruba palaces differed from the vernacular architecture as they included the addition of a royal park, which provided a place for royal recreation, a zoo (dedicated to the conservation of rare animals for medicinal purposes), a botanical garden (dedicated to cultivated medicinal plants), and mausoleum. The inclusion of a mausoleum in the royal park is similar to the vernacular tradition of burying the dead somewhere in or around the house in a symbolic acknowledgement of the presence of the dead among the living. 

 

Annotated Bibliography:

·      Campbell, Bolaji Victor. 2001. “Yoruba Shrine Painting Traditions: Color, Cosmos, Process and Aesthetics”. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.

o   Will use this source to ascertain Yoruba religious practices as they relate to the creation and maintenance of sacred shrines 

o   To be used in a comparative analysis against shrines found in Cuba

·      Degiglio-Bellemare, Mario. 2005. “Cuba: Santeria, Scarcity and Survival.” Catholic New Times 29 (3): 7.

o   Will use this source to understand the salience of Santeria in determining Cuban identity 

o   Possibly use this source to argue that shrines were integral to the continued existence of Santeria in Cuba

·      Falola, Toyin, and Ann Genova. 2005. Orisa : Yoruba Gods and Spiritual Identity in Africa and the Diaspora. Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press.

o   Interested particularly in: 

§  K. Noel Amherd -- The Ipanodu ceremony and the history of Orisa worship in Nigeria and Cuba

§  Faola Ifagboyede -- From shrines to glass cases 

§  Anna Catalani -- Ritualizing social identity and globalizing themes in Cuban Santeria 

o   Will use this source to gather more information about both Yoruba and Cuban shrines in order to draw comparisons between the two 

·      Romberg, Raquel. 2018. “Ritual Life of an Altar-Home: A Photographic Essay on Transformational Places and Technologies.” Magic, Ritual, and Witchcraft 13 (2): 250–66. https://doi.org/10.1353/mrw.2018.0020.

o   Particularly interested in this source because of the photographic evidence

o   Hoping to draw conclusions from these photos and include them in my analysis of Cuban Santeria 

·      Nweke, Kizito Chinedu. 2019. “The Renaissance of African Spiritualities Vis-à-Vis Christianity: Adopting the Model of Mutual Enrichment.” Studies in Religion 48 (2): 237–57. https://doi.org/10.1177/0008429819830360.

o   Source will hopefully provide a more modern perspective of existing African spiritualism