“I Was Born ABIKU “, Yoruba Art Collector, Iyasade Links Art And Spirituality.
Brazilian Tania Salami , a foremost Yoruba Art collector in Brazil , this week , spoke on her commitment to the Yorùbá Art and Spirituality . Tânia exhibited the interior of Mae Africa , the biggest Gallery of Yoruba Arts located in Saopaulo, Brazil
Iyasade , as she is fondly called , expressed the philosophical meaning of Yoruba Abiku and how the spirit disturbed her upbringing, she said her family accepted the guidance of Yoruba spirituality to keep her alive
known and revered in Brazil as Ìyàsadé, Tânia is the owner of the largest Yorùbá bronze art store in the country. A dedicated custodian of cultural memory, Ìyàsadé has built an extraordinary collection of authentic Yorùbá artworks sourced from across the continent, including pieces she personally acquired in Yorùbáland.
Among her most treasured holdings are Gẹ̀lẹ̀dẹ̀ masks, historical ritual objects from Òṣogbo and Ifẹ̀, and rare artworks by celebrated artists of the Òṣogbo and Ifẹ̀ art schools — movements that have shaped contemporary expressions of Yorùbá identity and spirituality.
Married to Bàbá King, the spiritual leader and founder of the largest Òrìṣà temple in Brazil, Ìyàsadé plays a key role in preserving and celebrating the living traditions of Òrìṣà worship. Together, they have cultivated a spiritual and artistic sanctuary for the Brazilian-African diaspora.
“I have the originals,” Ìyàsadé says with pride. “I bought them myself in Yorùbáland. I travel to Abeokuta many times a year to reconnect with the sacred roots of our culture.”
The outspoken Orisa Art collector who claims to be an Abiku defines ABIKU as “ Born to die” in the Yoruba philosophy , she said it is believed that ABIKU would not survive after a while on earth .
In an exclusive interview with Adeyinka Olaiya , Iyasade expressed her love for the Yoruba arts , culture , tradition and religion , she explained the significance of Yoruba arts and spirituality.
Tânia Salami said : “ I love Yoruba arts . This passion began decades back when I traveled to Nígeria for the first time , it was exceptional . I have since established the most complete gallery and centre for Yoruba arts in Saopaulo . Today , I travel often to Nígeria and the West African counties to collect and sell Yoruba carvings , bronzes , beads , designs , clothings and several others “ she revealed
According to Sade Salami, daughter and administrator of the cultural center Mãe África, her mother Ìyàsadé (Tania Salami) is much more than a businesswoman or designer — she is a living embodiment of Yorùbá heritage in Brazil.
“My mother, Ìyàsadé, may be light-skinned, but she is a complete Yorùbá mother at heart,” Sade affirms. “She feels completely at home in Nigeria. She understands the rhythms of the land, the language, the people — and above all, she carries the culture in everything she does.”
Ìyàsadé is not only a cultural guardian but also a creative force behind the scenes of numerous Afro-Brazilian institutions. She designs ceremonial attire and ritual objects for traditional organizations across Brazil. She also leads Mãe África, a prominent division of Odùduwà – Templo dos Orixás, located in Mongaguá, São Paulo.
Mãe África is more than a store — it’s a cultural hub that offers a wide range of wood and bronze sculptures, handmade beads, and clothing crafted from authentic African fabrics. The establishment also specializes in costume design for samba schools, ritual wear for Òrìṣà worship, and garments for traditional festivals and community events throughout Brazil.
“Everything we do at Mãe África is about honoring our roots and keeping the ancestral flame alive,” says Sade. “We’re not just selling items — we are continuing a legacy.”
Ìyàsadé is not only a cultural entrepreneur and Yorùbá art collector, but also a trained architect who plays a central role in the design and artistic direction of Odùduwà – Templo dos Orixás, one of Brazil’s most prominent spiritual and cultural institutions dedicated to Yorùbá tradition.
As lead of the temple’s artistic and architectural team in São Paulo, Tania has brought together a vision that merges sacred aesthetics with functional spiritual space — a design deeply rooted in African cosmology and Brazilian devotion. In reflecting on the journey of constructing and developing the temple, Ìyàsadé cites the remarkable contributions of two key figures: Dr. Anália Amorim and Dr. Luís Otávio de Faria.
“The excellence, sensitivity, and scholarly insight of Dr. Anália Amorim and Dr. Luís Otávio de Faria were crucial to the success of the Odùduwà Templo dos Orixás project,” Tania notes. “Their collaboration brought a rare blend of academic rigor and cultural respect, helping to shape a space that truly honors the spiritual and historical significance of the Òrìṣà tradition in Brazil.”
Under her guidance, the temple stands not only as a center for ritual and worship but also as a monument to Afro-Brazilian resilience, a space where architecture, art, and ancestry converge.
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Yorùbá art is one of the most sophisticated and symbolically rich traditions in Africa. rooted in the spiritual, social, and philosophical worldview of the Yorùbá people of southwestern Nigeria and the diaspora, this artistic tradition encompasses sculpture, metalwork, beadwork, textiles, painting, and architecture.
More than aesthetic objects, Yorùbá artworks serve ritual, ancestral, and cultural purposes. They are visual languages used to honor deities (Òrìṣà), embody ancestral presence, and express ideas about beauty, power, morality, and destiny. Figures carved in wood or cast in bronze often reflect idealized forms of balance, inner wisdom (ìwà), and spiritual force (àṣẹ).
From the legendary bronzes of Ifẹ̀, which reveal naturalistic mastery dating back to the 12th century, to the dynamic symbolism of Gẹ̀lẹ̀dẹ̀ masks and the modern expressions of the Òṣogbo Art Movement, Yorùbá art continues to inspire and evolve — bridging the past and present, the visible and the invisible.
