Òkòrèsé’s Artistry in Bí ò tì ẹ̀ fín’gbá mọ́ Proverbial Context and Its Post-Proverbiality

Abstract

The allusive phraseology Bí ò tì ẹ̀ fín ‘gbá mọ́ (If you ceased gourd carving), metaphorically construed as a proverbial expression in Yoruba context is characterized by allusion to Òkòrèsé’s artistry in gourd carving and the paean of Òkò’s superior skill and prowess in gourd aesthetics Ǹjẹ́ Òkò, à bíí k’ ayé ọmọ, Bí ò tì ẹ̀ fín ‘gbá mọ́, èyí tí o fín kò le parun (So Òkò, the one with numerous disciples on earth, even if you ceased gourd carving, your products can never be effaced from track records). The lore in the artistry of this phrasal quotation, set of facts and circumstances that prompts the expression, philosophical knowledge that surrounds this verbiage as a phrasal idiom of commendation on exceptional skills and mastery of practices, and its postproverbially parodic elements in contemporary discourse demands scholastic examination. The paper, therefore, explored cultural ingenuity of this expression in Yorùbá verbal refulgence of wisdom and analyzed visual artistic expression of patterns, motifs, and symbols represented on different carved gourds for the exploration of contextual definitions and interpretations of their significations. Collection of Yorùbá quotidian facts on this context through interview and historical review were utilized from quotable panegyrics, traditional corpus, and cultural practices that referenced Òkò’s artistry; pictures of carved gourds were taken for thematic discussions with the analysis of their motifs on value-system. Findings revealed transgressive cultural activities through contemporary trends in practices that influenced the signification of the indigenous proverbs and reassigned the concept and usage of the proverbial lyrics in the context of modern functions and oralities.