Obele
Obele, or ceremonial paddles such as those grouped here, are often attributed to the Benin Kingdom and Edo culture in museum collections. However, paddles are not typically found in Edo material culture and are more commonly associated with coastal communities and kingdoms such as the Urhobo, Ijo, and Itsekiri. Some of these were most likely made by Itsekiri carvers as souvenirs for colonial officials and traders who visited the region during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.Anderson 2002, p. 134 It is possible that these were acquired by members of the British Colonial Military Campaign on Benin in February 1897, when they travelled inland from the coast to Benin City before and after the campaign.
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