The Role of Women in Yoruba Traditional Theatre: Inclusion, Exclusion, and Changing Norms

This study investigates the role of women in Yoruba traditional theatre, examining historical patterns of inclusion and exclusion and the changing social norms that have reshaped female participation in these performance traditions. Yoruba traditional theatre encompasses diverse forms including Alarinjo travelling theatre, Agemo festival performances, and Gelede masquerade, each with distinct conventions governing gender roles and participation. The research analyses how women's involvement in these traditions has evolved in response to contemporary feminist consciousness and shifting cultural values. Data were collected through interviews with female theatre practitioners, cultural elders, and scholars of Yoruba performance, supplemented by review of existing ethnographic literature and performance documentation from communities in Oyo, Osun, and Ogun states. The study finds that while some Yoruba performance traditions have historically excluded women from core ritual roles, contemporary practice shows increasing female participation in supporting and leadership capacities. The emergence of all-female Gelede performance groups in some communities reflects a broader renegotiation of gender norms in performance. The research concludes that women's participation in Yoruba traditional theatre is expanding, though not without tension. It recommends further ethnographic research and documentation of women-centred performance traditions. Keywords: Yoruba theatre, women in performance, gender norms, traditional arts, South West Nigeria.