One of the most powerful institutions of the Yoruba tribe is the Ogboni society to which all old men of high social rank belong. This secret society is dedicated to the earth goddess Onile and governs all political issues of the tribe.
If a new member is admitted to the society, he receives such a pair of Edan Staves from the chief. They are a symbol of the secrecy to which the new member is committed from now on. Furthermore they play an important role in the transmittance of secret messages, since they prove the credibility of the emissary.
The quoted measurements refer to the block-pair, meaning both staves. |
month return privilege
