Observations placeholder
Omofolabo Soyinka Ajayi - The Sango mounts his horse
Identifier
002415
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
Omofolabo Soyinka Ajayi – The Dynamics of African Religious dances
From African Dance – edited by Kariamu Weish Asante
When the ‘elegun’ starts missing his or her steps during ‘tanku’ dance, it is known that Sango has ‘mounted his horse’, this may also be accompanied by bulging eyes. As soon as the officiating priests or priestesses notice the changes, the elegun is led away to be costumed in the special possession attire and given the ose sango (the double axed wand) and/or sere (rattle wand) …. Now with exceedingly bulging eyes in a rigidly transfixed face, the medium is brought back to the space of worship to begin the dance of possession. The music changes to the appropriate beat