Symbolic of the hopes, expectations and prayers of the parents for the new baby, honey, kola, bitter kola, atare (alligator pepper), water, palm oil, sugar, sugar cane, salt, and liquor each have a place and a special meaning in the world-view of the Yoruba. Babajuma, Malomo. This refers to the hoe that is used to dig the grave. The important thing is a good life and a good name. [8] Such names reflect the frustration of the poor parents: The Yoruba also have pet names or oriki. 1. Some Yoruba groups practice ifalomo(6th) holding the naming rites on the sixth day. This is to prevent any mishap. Later, several rituals are performed to ensure that the deceased is reborn. Akeredolu says the Yoruba people would not allow “impostors” to lead any agitation on their behalf. Another notable culture among the Yorubas is the burial as a rite of passage. He cultivated the big ideas that led to the building of the first modern stadium in Africa and the first Cocoa House in the world. But he is more of a psychologist than a philosopher. A New Political Philosophy for Nigeria and Other African Countries, 1967. He also figures in the religion of the Edo people of southeastern Nigeria, who refer to him as Esango, and in the religion of the Fon people of Benin, who call him Sogbo or Ebioso. In traditional society, the child is placed with a master of whatever craft the gods specify for him or her(although, this rarely happens nowadays). Even though a good number of Yoruba people practice Christianity, up to 20% of the Yoruba population still practice traditional forms of religion. The 4 largest of these groups are the Hausa, the Fulani, the Igbo and the Yoruba. They know that one may die at a young age. Awosika, V. O. When this occurs, the family devises various methods to forestall a recurrence, including giving special names at a new birth. The vast majority of this population is from Nigeria, where the Yoruba make up 13.9% of the country's population, making them one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa. Other natural names include Abiodun (one born on a festival day or period),"Abiona"(one born on a journey) Abidemi or Bidemi (one born without the presence of its father) i.e the child's father didn't witness his baby's naming ceremony but not dead, maybe he just traveled, Enitan (one of a story) this child might have had any of its parent dead before its birth, Bosede (one born on a holy day); Babatunde/Babatunji (meaning father has come back) is the son born to a family where a father has recently passed. Native Yoruba soups include ewedu, gbegiri (which is made from beans), and efo riro (a type of vegetable soup). The Yoruba people (Yoruba: Ìran Yorùbá) are an ethnic group that inhabits western Africa, mainly the countries of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo.The Yoruba constitute around 30 million people Africawide. The Arewa Youth Assembly, AYA, has given Yoruba residents in the North 72 hours to leave the region. This is to identify the first twin as the one sent by the other one to first go and taste the world. Jollof rice, fried rice and Ofada rice very common in Nigeria (especially in the southwest region, which includes Lagos). This derives from the phenomenon of the tragic incidents of high rate of infant mortality sometimes afflicting the same family for a long time. Yoruba … 2. The Yoruba people believe that people live out the meanings of their names. (if we die young, and a horse is killed in celebration of one's life; it is better than dying old without people killing even a chicken in celebration.). Such soups as Okra soup (locally known as ila alasepo) and egusi (melon soup) have become very popular in Western Nigeria in recent times and, in addition to Amala (yam flour), a traditional Yoruba fufu made of yam flour, these can be eaten with numerous Nigerian fufu meals, including pounded yam (locally referred to as iyan); lafun, a Nigeria fufu made from cassava; semolina; and garri (eba). Divinity-philosopher Orunmila's idealism ushered in modern idealism that inspired pragmatic Dr. Ajayi Crowther in the 19th century, and late Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the 20th century who succeeded in creating a moral atmosphere for the Yoruba land to thrive, impacting a moral majority to which idealism belongs and from which realism emerges. "ajewole" (wealth as being the family). The culture and people were very interesting: Asa ati awon eyan yi daa gan ni: It is believed that the love that exists between a parent and a child here on earth should continue even after death. Secondary school (high school) education also became common. The museum once housed over a thousand tombstone figures or images representing human beings. The first university in Nigeria was located in a Yoruba city. Personhood is an achieved state judged by the standard of goodness to self, to the community and to the ancestors. Olorun is the creator and the high god. All rights reserved. After a specified number of days have elapsed, a naming ceremony is held where close relatives are invited. In addition, there are three gods available to all. Ige is a child born with the legs coming out first instead of the head; and Ojo (male) or Aina (female) is the one born with the umbilical cord around his or her neck. Yoruba culture consists of the folk/cultural philosophy, the autochthonous religion and folktales. According to the Yoruba Mythology, it is believed that they descended from an area called Odua. [1], The Yoruba are said to be prolific sculptors, famous for their terra cotta works throughout the 12th and 14th century; artists also earnests their capacity in making artwork out of bronze.[2]. This page contains a course in Yoruba phrases and daily expressions as well as a list of other lessons in grammar topics and common words in Yoruba. The Yoruba people of Western Nigeria are a nationality of approximately 35 million people occupying the south-western parts of Nigeria. In their communities, the Yoruba ceremony described above is commonly seen as more of an engagement party than a proper wedding rite. Yes, cynics, skeptics, doubters, and cowards will begin to emerge with their fear. These are praise names, and they are used to suggest what the child's family background is or to express one's hope for the child: Akanbi- (one who is deliberately born); Ayinde (one who is praised on arrival); Akande (one who comes or arrives in full determination); Atanda (one who is deliberately created after thorough search). This commenced in the 19th century when the land became a literate land through the diligence and pragmatism of Dr. Bishop Ajayi Crowther, the first African Anglican Bishop. When a child is conceived with no prior menstruation, he or she is named Ilori. Baba Ifa Karade, The Handbook of Yoruba Religious Concepts, Yorùbá People And Culture: Yorùbá Language, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Yoruba_culture&oldid=1000614257, Pages with non-English text lacking appropriate markup and no ISO hint, Pages with non-English text lacking appropriate markup from April 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. As it were in the ancient times, Yoruba people always attach philosophical and religious connotations to whatever they produced or created. Although religion is often first in Yoruba culture, nonetheless, it is the thought of man that actually leads spiritual consciousness (ori) to the creation and the practice of religion. The Yoruba are said to be religious people, but they are also pragmatic and tolerant about their religious differences. The Yoruba believe that some children are born to die. x … These are names that are not natural with the child at birth but are given on either the seventh day of birth (for females) and ninth day of birth (for males). Historically, their culture centered on densely populated city-states each controlled by an oba, or king. In addition, allegiance to these systems is paid uniformly to a large urban area, as opposed to a centralised authority. Title associations play an important role when it comes to balancing and assigning power to different cities. Anifowose, Remi. Based on the definition of the Yoruba Idealism, which is the search for the meaning of life and the yearning for the best in life, Yoruba Idealism is a kind of Enlightenment Movement in its own right, as every scion in the land endeavors to reach the height or the acme of his idealistic ambition. Yoruba cultural thought is a witness of two epochs. The first epoch is an epoch-making history in mythology and cosmology. Examples of names given with reference to the family tradition include Ogundiran (Ogun has become a living tradition in the family); Ayanlowo (Ayan drumming tradition is honorable); Oyetoso (Chieftaincy is ornament); Olanrewaju (Honor is advancing forward); Olusegun (God has conquered the enemy). Thus thought/philosophy is antecedent to religion. Adire is one of the popular textiles in Yoruba land. This chief will be subject to town chiefs, and these chiefs are usually themselves subject to their Oba, who may or may not be subject to another Oba himself.[18]. The wedding ceremony is the climax of a process that starts with courtship. This testifies to the belief in reincarnation. Meanwhile, a family that venerates Ifá may name their child Falola (Ifa has honor). Contrary to what many people believe, the Yoruba are, in fact, not a single ethnic group. Universal primary education has become the norm in southern Nigeria, where the Yoruba live. In Nigeria, the northern part of the country calls it Jigida while the Yorubas (the people of Southwestern Nigeria) call it Bebedi. The child that is named will grow to adulthood. 3. This complexity has led westerners to compare their religion to that of ancient Greek. The Yoruba people believe that they are descendants of Oduduwa. Just as their men, the Yoruba women are expected to be respectful of their elders, and when the time for marriage comes, the women just as the men are expected to marry. In Yoruba belief, death is not the end of life; rather, it is a transition from one form of existence to another. Yoruba women are generally beautiful and hardworking. Ajike, Yoruba law is the legal system of Yorubaland. The Yoruba people of Western Nigeria are a nationality of approximately 35 million people occupying the south-western parts of Nigeria. Pulse Nigeria Workplace suitability used to be a determining factor for parents when choosing Yoruba … 1 post & 78 views. He is the cultivator of ambitions and desires, and the interpreter of ori (head) and its destiny. The art of sculpture is not a new concept among the Yoruba people. This suggests a somewhat cynical attitude in the parent(s). It is reputed to have the largest collection of soapstone images in the world. This is ancestor veneration, which some have wrongly labelled ancestor worship. Marriage is not considered to be only a union of the husband and wife, it is also seen among the Yoruba as the union of the families on both sides. (I have become an aged ose tree; I will no longer die; I have become two hundred hills rolled into one; I am immovable.) The waist bead is also identified as Giri-Giri, Yomba, Jel … Yoruba cuisine is quite vast and often includes plantains which can be boiled, fried and roasted.[4]. [21], Yoruba people traditionally speak the Yorùbá language, a member of the Niger–Congo language family. Idealism in Yoruba-land and for the Yoruba people is equated with the ideal purpose of life, the search for the meaning of life and the yearning for the best in life. Yoruba nation has entered a moment of crossfire. Without their various contributions, Yoruba land could have been lost in a hay of confusion. For instance, honey represents sweetness, and the prayer of the parents is that their baby's life will be as sweet as honey. Since attaining independence (1960), Nigeria has set a high priority on education. Despite the fact that the Yoruba cannot detail all their long pedigrees, such as divinity-philosopher Oduduwa, divinity-philosopher Obatala, divinity-philosopher Orunmila, divinity-philosopher Sango, divinity-philosopher Ogun, divinity-philosopher Osun (one of the three wives of Sango), divinity-philosopher Olokun, divinity-philosopher Oya(one of the three wives of Sango), divinity-philosopher Esu, divinity-philosopher Ososi, divinity-philosopher Yemoja, divinity-philosopher Sopona, etc., nonetheless it is a fact of truth that they had all impacted the Yoruba people and contributed to the wellness and well-being of the Yoruba society. Hence it is insisted that one has a good capacity for moral uprightness and personhood. And since the parent has only ascended to another plane of existence, it should be possible for the link to remain strong. Divinity-philosopher Orunmila epitomizes wisdom and idealism. ... Nigeria. Twin-births when they are male and female are usually named on the eighth day but on the seventh or ninth day if they are same-sex twins. The non-literate world, compelled by the need to survive, impelled by the need to unravel the mysteries of the days and nights made divinity-philosopher Orunmila to cultivate the idea of Divination. [1], Since it is generally believed that names are like spirits which would like to live out their meanings, parents do a thorough search before giving names to their babies. [5], After the ritual, the child is named and members of the extended family have the honour of also giving a name to the child. The wedding day is a day of celebration, eating, drinking and dancing for parents, relations, the new husband and wife and their friends and, often, even foes. It is believed that she is washing every bad-luck that she might have brought into her husband's house away. The parents have the responsibility for his/her socialization into the norms of the larger society, in addition to giving him a means of livelihood. 3:33pm On Apr 07 (Hellraiser77) American From 4chan With Some Questions by Ulmius. 5. meaning 'The cry of the new bride', this is to show that she is sad leaving her parents' home and signify her presence in the new home. Their philosophy of naming is conveyed in a common adage, ile ni a n wo, ki a to so omo l'oruko ("one pays attention to the family before naming a child"): one must consider the tradition and history of a child's relatives when choosing a name. They are given in accordance with significant events at time of birth or with reference to the family tradition as has been mentioned above. On the wedding night she and her husband have their first meeting and he is ordinarily expected to find her to be a virgin. Most of what survived of this legal code has been assimilated into the customary laws of the sovereign nations that the Yoruba inhabit. Apart from referring to the aggregate of dialects and their speakers, the term Yoruba is used for the standard, written form of the language.[22]. Each town has a leader called Oba, who achieves this position by being selected by an Oba who is in power, by inheritance or by participating title associations. If he/she stays there, it follows that it is not bad, and that would send a signal to the other one to start coming.