Upon seeing this costume in Yoruba movies, several thoughts come to mind.
Upon seeing this costume in Yoruba movies, several thoughts come to mind. Firstly, the origins of this type of costume can be traced back to Dupo Ladipo and the early Yoruba theatrical performers, who utilized it in the context of warriors going to war or hunters, not Babalawo. Thus, using this type of vest to represent Babalawo would be inappropriate and unconvincing to the viewer. Although these days, some uninformed producers produce whatever they like. Historically, in the precolonial era, this type of vest served a different purpose, primarily for hunting expeditions or wars. Typically, the vest was made from padded cotton, with a surface of leather or cotton canvas, and adorned with cowrie shells and charms. While the term charm has Latin roots, meaning "song, verse," for the lack of better word, the Yoruba pronunciation for charm is "Oogun," which is a generic term for spiritual and physical protection or medicine. Therefore, the charms incorporated into th