03/06/2026
CALABASH carving (Igbafinfin) is a traditional handcraft profession domesticated in Southwestern Nigeria and has become part of the people’s tradition and culture. It is an ancient indigenous handcraft and holds significant aesthetic, cultural, social and economic value in local communities, making it an important part of their heritage and identity. Calabash carving is an inherited profession that has been from one generation to the next
Calabash carving in Yoruba, is a deeply significant art form that transcends mere decoration, embodying key aspects of Yoruba cosmology, social structure, and spiritual belief. The calabash (ìgbá) is a gourd, and when carved, it becomes a versatile vessel for daily, ritual, and symbolic use, often associated with women, fertility, and the containment of power.
Yorùbá view the universe, known as Ayé (earth) and Ọ̀run (heaven), as a spherical calabash, with the top and bottom halves representing the physical and spiritual realms, respectively.
Historically, an empty calabash (or one containing parrot eggs) was sent to a monarch, such as the Alaafin of Oyo, as a sign that the people and gods rejected them, mandating them to commit su***de.
Calabash are often used to store or soak traditional roots and leaves for medicinal purposes. but calabash is losing ties with the community culture and heritage due to modernization and religious beliefs.
