Osogbo and the Art of Heritage: monuments, deities, and money by Peter Probst

Peter Probst's book, Osogbo and the Art of Heritage: monuments, deities, and money, examines the transformation of the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove into a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The study reveals how colonial-era interventions, particularly those led by Suzanne Wenger, reshaped the grove's ritual landscape with modernist art, blending tradition and modernity. Probst argues that this 'experiment' was part of a long-standing local strategy to maintain control over media and cultural representation, rather than merely a response to colonial nostalgia. The research combines anthropological analysis with historical context, exploring how traditional rulers redefined the grove's significance amid religious shifts and debates over authenticity. The book highlights the contested nature of heritage processes, from its designation as a national monument in 1965 to its UNESCO recognition in 2005.

De Jong, F. (2013). Osogbo and the Art of Heritage: monuments, deities, and money by Peter Probst. Africa: The Journal of the International African Institute, 83(3), 527–529. https://doi.org/10.1353/afr.2013.0039