Traditional Representation of the Yoruba Culture, Through Costuming Using Biyi Bandele’s Elesin Oba and Kunle Afolayan Anikulapo

Costume design, is an intricate part storytelling in fims; in areas such as character interpretation and representation, portrayal and aesthetics. Various studies have shown this and many more. It is also a form of visual art, one that appeals to the eyes and minds of the audience, as it simultaenously, aids the process of storytelling, even without dialogue. The aestheic prowes of costumes in film making cannot be overflogged, whereas, novel studies keep evolving. This research, delves into traditional representation of the yoruba culture using costuming in two indigenous yoruba movies as focal points; Kunle Afolayan’s Anikulapo and Biyi Bandele’s Elesin Oba. This study further creates an exposition into how the yoruba culture is represented and portrayed using their costumes not just aesthetically, but rather symbolically and narratively. Thereby bringing to relevance the culture, and propelling the ideas of costume in movies as beyond functional. Deploying the use of qualitative methodology in research, indepth analysis of the costume used in the selected films was carried out, interviews and review of relevant literatures that are in tandem with the study, aslo served as secondary source. Finally this study reflects the potential of costuming as being capable of not only beautifying, but also project cultural authenticity, narrative functionality and cultural impact, when it is properly carried out.