On Sept. 29 in the Dudley Building University Galleries, there was an opening presentation for the Interactive Yemoja, it is part of the Picturing Humanity series. The project by Benita Perry, a lecturer in the department of journalism and mass communications, explores the ancient culture and beliefs (Ifa) of the Yoruba.

The Yoruba are the largest ethnic group in Nigeria. In the group’s mythology, the Yemoja is a mother goddess. She is a patron saint of women, particularly pregnant women, according to Wikipedia.

Yemoja symbolizes a matriarchal society, the ancient system of social organization in which descent and inheritance are traced through the female line. She governs all aspects of women’s issues, womanhood, and the celebration of the women’s rites of passage.

Not only is Yemoja the great patron mother and goddess of the ancient Yoruba, but she is referred to by many names throughout the world, Perry said.

Contemporary Yorubas, the site says, are Christians and Muslims. However, the majority of them follow the tradition called Ifa.

Her names include Afrekefe in Dahomey, Yemaya and Our Lady Regal in Cuba, the Black Madonna worldwide, Our Lady Czestochowa and Our Lady of Jasna Gora in Poland, Our Lady Montserrat in the Caribbean, and shrines such as St. Mary Star of the Sea in Key West, Fla.

The piece was put together by Perry, whose family lineage can be traced to the Yoruba culture. She went through and is continuing to go through some of the rights of passage ceremonies.

“It’s dynamic, something that was my birth right,” Perry said.

During the opening, a libation of water was poured and an ancient prayer in the native tongue of the Yoruba was given by Iyalode (Chief) Okunwale Ogunwale.

Afterwards, Iya (mother) Omitonade Ademuyiwa, a priestess of Yemoja, talked about the goddess, followed by a short lecture from Perry on the importance of learning one’s true history and studying one’s own genius.

Local Ifa worshipers and visitors from Puerto Rico (Shango) attended the opening and added items to the interactive altar.

The installation is interactive in many ways. People who are Yoruba or within the African Diaspora of Yoruba influences (Haiti, Santeria, Lukumi, Condomble, Palo and the Akan), will interact with the installation via their respected traditions.

It allows new viewers to participate as well. When one comes to the altar, they must first remove their shoes and then kneel on the pillow. Finally, they can leave money (seven coins or paper), eat or place fruit on the altar or leave a candle or something blue or white, which represents the color of Yemoja.

With the help of a light sensor, when you approach the altar a DVD of Perry’s documentary work on Yemoja will play.

Perry hopes that faculty and students will not only view this as just an interactive piece, but will also learn from it.

“Usually when someone goes to a museum they are looking at pieces they cannot touch,” Perry said.

She also said that she wanted to make pieces that people could touch and learn from.

Through the use of technology, the installation is a multicultural educational tool to assist in the process of learning about ancient people.

Perry began working on this piece while doing her thesis at the Savannah College of Art and Design. She said that the purpose of this piece is to “give a voice to indigenous cultures that have been misunderstood and omitted from our history books.”

Her hope is to continue to do more interactive art installations and 2-D computer images to address the dynamics of not only Yoruba culture, but other ancient cultures as well.

In September 2005, excerpts of her documentary works also were used in Manchester, England, for multicultural educational workshops. Yoruba priest of Oyotunji African Village and priests in the United Kingdom conducted one-week workshops to an audience of about 700 people.

Perry is a graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design with a Master of Fine Arts degree in motion graphics/video.

The interactive installation will be on display through Jan. 10, 2006. The University Galleries is located in the Dudley Building. Business hours are Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays, 1 to 5 p.m. For information, call 334-3209.

• Dondrill McFarland