Sex and the empire that is no more: gender and the politics of metaphor in Oyo Yoruba religion

Matory, James Lorand

Book

Sex and the empire that is no more: gender and the politics of metaphor in Oyo Yoruba religion

University of Minnesota Press • Minneapolis • Published In 1994 • Pages:

By: Matory, James Lorand.

Abstract
This book provides a historical analysis of how women continue to redefine power and religion in Yoruba soceity. Based on historical and cultural information relating to the state and religion in pre-colonial Oyo empire (a subsection of the Yoruba kingdom), the book discusses the many ways by which women excercised effective political power as priestesses in a female dominated spirit-possesion royal cults called Sango and Yemoja. It further shows how women managed to transform this power into an important voice in contemporary Nigeria and among people of Yoruba origin in the diaspora where these cults are increasingly reviving. The experiences of these empowered women call for a new conceptualization of gender not as asimple cultural elaboration on a 'naturally' given dichotomy between biological men and women, but as a central organizing principle which could also allow for the construction of both 'male wives' and 'female husbands.'

Gender status

General character of religion

Priesthood

Revelation and divination

Congregations

Organized ceremonial

Form and rules of government