The Yoruba conceive of the mythic past as accessible and essential as a model for the present. Yoruba believe that persons live, depart, and are reborn and that every individual comes from either the gods or one's ancestors. Henry Drewal

Yoruba refers to the Yoruba speaking people living in southern Nigeria and Benin. The population today is over 10 million people. The Yoruba people represent one of the longest functioning societies in Africa. Archeological evidence suggests their urbanized civilizations date back to 800-1000 A.D. (Yoruba Nine 13) The slave trade in the eighteenth and nineteenth century ravaged the Yoruba people. But even with the disastrous effects of slavery and the colonialism that followed, they have made a remarkable contribution to world art and civilization. The beauty and complexity of their sculpture, carvings, and architecture are world renowned and have influenced many European artists.