Originally published on orature.africa
In this piece, Oriiz U. Onuwaje explores how African societies intentionally embedded memory into their material world. What we now call “art” was originally a practical system for preserving history, legitimising authority, and maintaining identity.
Through bronze, ivory, and wood, communities transformed memory into something durable and visible—woven into governance, ritual, and daily life. Carving and casting were not just aesthetic acts but forms of record-keeping, ensuring continuity across generations and making history something that could be seen, touched, and lived.
