Yoruba religion

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Yoruba religion, comprising the traditional religious concepts and practices of the Yoruba people, is found
primarily in southwestern Nigeria and the adjoining parts of Benin, commonly known as Yorubaland. Yoruba
religion is ancestral to the American religions Santera, Umbanda, and Candombl.[1] Yoruba religious beliefs
are part of itan, the complex cultural concepts which make up the Yoruba society.[1][2][3]

Contents
1 Beliefs
1.1 Olodumare
1.2 Creation
1.3 Orisha
1.4 Irunmole
2 Reincarnation
3 Yoruba religion around the world
3.1 Relationship with Voodoo
4 See also
5 References
6 Further reading
7 External links

Beliefs
According to Kola Abimbola, the Yoruba have evolved a robust cosmology.[1] In brief, it holds that all human
beings possess what is known as "Ayanmo"[4] (destiny, fate) and are expected to eventually become one in spirit
with Olodumare (Olorun, the divine creator and source of all energy). Furthermore, the thoughts and actions of
each person in Ay (the physical realm/Life) interact with all other living things, including the Earth itself.[2]
Each person attempts to achieve transcendence and find their destiny in Orun-Rere (the spiritual realm of those
who do good and beneficial things). One's ori-inu (spiritual consciousness in the physical realm) must grow in
order to consummate union with one's "Iponri" (Ori Orun, spiritual self).[4]

Those who stop growing spiritually, in any of their given lives, are destined for "Orun-Apadi" (the invisible
realm of potsherds). Life and death are said to be cycles of existence in a series of physical bodies while one's
spirit evolves toward transcendence. This evolution is said to be most evident amongst the Orishas, the divine
viziers of Olorun.
Iwapl (or well-balanced) meditative recitation and sincere veneration is sufficient to strengthen the ori-inu of
most people.[2][4] Well-balanced people, it is believed, are able to make positive use of the simplest form of
connection between their Oris and the omnipotent Olu-Orun: an adura (petition or prayer) for divine support.
Prayer to one's Ori Orun produces an immediate sensation of joy.
Elegbara (Eshu, not the divine messenger but accuser of the righteous)
initiates contact with spiritual realm on behalf of the petitioner, and
transmits the prayer to Ay; the deliverer of ase or the spark of life. He
transmits this prayer without distorting it in any way. Thereafter, the
petitioner may be satisfied with a personal answer. In the event that he or
she is not, the If oracle of the Orisha Orunmila may also be consulted.
All communication with Orun, whether simplistic in the form of a
personal prayer or complicated in the form of that done by an initiated
Babalawo (priest of divination), however, is energized by invoking ase.
In the Yoruba belief system, Olodumare has ase over all that is, and
hence is considered supreme.[2]

Olodumare
Olodumare is the most important "state of existence".[5] Regarded as
being all-encompassing, no gender can therefore be assigned. Hence, it
is common to hear references to "it" or "they" (although this is meant to
address a somewhat singularity) in usual speech. "They" are the owner
of all heads, for during human creation, Olodumare gave "emi" (the
breath of life) to humankind. In this, Olodumare is Supreme.[5]

Voodoo guardians of the peace under

Yoruba religious belief. Zangbeto
traditionally served as an informal
police service to enforce the peace in
rural Benin.

Perhaps one of the most important human endeavors extolled within the
Yoruba literary corpus is the quest to better one's "Iwa" (character,
behaviour). In this way the teachings transcends religious doctrine, advising as it does that a person must also
better his civic, social and intellectual spheres of being; every stanza of the sacred If oracular poetry (Odu Ifa)
has a portion covering the importance of "Iwa". Central to this is the theme of righteousness, both individual
and collective.[6]

Creation
The Yoruba regard Olodumare as the principal agent of creation.
According to a Yoruba account of creation, during a certain stage in this process, the "truth" was sent to confirm
the habitability of the newly formed planets. The earth being one of these was visited but deemed too wet for
conventional life.

After a successful period of time, a number of divinities led by Obatala were sent to accomplish the task of
helping earth develop its crust. On one of their visits to the realm, the arch-divinity Obatala took to the stage
equipped with a mollusk that concealed some form of soil; winged beasts and some cloth like material. The
contents was emptied onto what soon became a large mound on the surface of the water and soon after, the
winged-beasts began to scatter this around until the point where it gradually made into a large patch of dry land;
the various indentations they created eventually becoming hills and valleys.[5]
Obatala leaped onto a high-ground and named the place Ife. The land became fertile and plant life began to
flourish. From handfuls of earth he began to mold figurines. Meanwhile, as this was happening on earth,
Olodumare gathered the gasses from the far reaches of space and sparked an explosion that shaped into a
fireball. He subsequently sent it to Ife, where it dried much of the land and simultaneously began to bake the
motionless figurines. It was at this point that Olodumare released the "breath of life" to blow across the land,
and the figurines slowly came into "being" as the first people of Ife.[5]
For this reason, Ife is locally referred to as "Ife Oodaye" - "cradle of
existence".[5][7]

Orisha
An Orisha (spelled ra) is an entity that possesses the capability of
reflecting some of the manifestations of Olodumare. Yoruba Orishas
(commonly translated "unique/special/selected heads") are often
described as intermediaries between humankind and the supernatural.
The term is also translated as "Deities" or "Divinities" or "Gods".[8]
Orisha(s) are revered for having control over specific elements by
nature, thus being better referred to as the divinities or Imole. Even so,
there are those of their number that are more akin to ancient heroes
and/or sages.[3] These are best addressed as Dema Deities. Even though
the term Orisha is often used to describe both classes of divine entities, it
is properly reserved for the former one.[3]
Orishas

Attributes

The Yoruba Grand Priest and custodian of the Ifa Oracle,

Orunmila source of knowledge who is believed to oversee the
/
knowledge of the Human Form, Purity, the Cures of

rnml illnesses and deformities. His suburdinate priests or

followers are the Babalawos.
Often ill-translated as "The Devil" or "The Evil Being",
Eshu is in truth neither of these. Best referred to as "The
Trickster", he deals a hand of misfortune to those that do
not offer tribute or are deemed to be spiritual novices. Also
regarded as the "divine messenger", a prime negotiator
between negative and positive forces in the body and an
enforcer of the "law of being". He is said to assist in
enhancing the power derived from herbal medicines and

Yoruba artist, Stool for Eu Priest or

Priestess, late 19th-early 20th century,
in the Princeton University Art
Museum

Eshu /

other forms of esoteric technology.

Eshu is the Orisha of chance, accident and unpredictability.
Because he is Olorun's linguist and the master of
languages, Eshu is responsible for carrying messages and
sacrifices from humans to the Sky God. Also known for his
phallic powers and exploits. Eshu is said to lurk at
gateways, on the highways and at the crossroads, where he
introduces chance and accident into the lives of humans.
Known by a variety of names, including Elegbara.[9]

Ogoun /
gn

Orisha of iron and metallurgy.

Mother of Waters, Nurturer of Water Resources. According

Yemoja / to Olorishas, she is the amniotic fluid in the womb of the
Yemja
pregnant woman, as well as the breasts which nurture. She
is considered the protective energy of the feminine force.

Oshun /
un

A second wife of the former Oba of Oyo called Shango

(another Yoruba Orisha, see below), she is said to have
entered into a river at Osogbo. The Yoruba clerics ascribed
to her Sensuality, Beauty and Gracefulness, symbolizing
both their people's search for clarity and a flowing motion.
She is associated with several powers, including abilities to
heal with cool water, induction of fertility and the control
of the feminine essence. Women appeal to her for childbearing and for the alleviation of female disorders. The
Yoruba traditions describe her as being fond of babies and
her intervention is sought if a baby becomes ill. Oshun is
also known for her love of honey.

Associated with Virility, Masculinity, Fire, Lightning,

Stones, Oyo Warriors and Magnetism. He is said to have
the abilities to transform base substances into those that are
pure and valuable. He was the Oba of Oyo at some point in
Shango /
its history. He derived his nickname Oba Koso from the
ng
tales of his immortality. Shango is the Orisha of the
thunderbolt, said to have ruled in ancient times over the
kingdom of Oyo. Also known as Jakuta (Stone Thrower)
and as Oba Koso (The King Does Not Hang).
The third wife of the former Oba of Oyo called Shango
(another Yoruba Orisha, see above), she is said to have
entered into the River Niger. She is often described as the
Oya / ya Tempest, Guardian of the Cemetery, Winds of Change,
Storms and Progression. Due to her personal power, she is
usually depicted as being in the company of her husband
Shango. Orisha of rebirth.

Irunmole

Irunmole are entities sent by Olorun to complete given tasks, often acting as liaisons between Orun (the
invisible realm) and Aiye (the physical realm).[3] Irunmole(s) can best be described as ranking divinities;
whereby such divinities are regarded as the principal Orishas. Irunmole, from "Erinrun" - 400, "Imole" Divinites or Divine Spirits

Reincarnation
The Yoruba believe in Atunwa, reincarnation within the family. The
names Babatunde (father returns), Yetunde (Mother returns), Babatunji
(Father wakes once again) and Sotunde (The wise man returns) all offer
vivid evidence of the Ifa concept of familial or lineal rebirth. There is no
simple guarantee that your grandfather or great uncle will "come back"
in the birth of your child, however.
Whenever the time arrives for a spirit to return to Earth (otherwise
known as The Marketplace) through the conception of a new life in the
direct bloodline of the family, one of the component entities of a
person's being returns, while the other remains in Heaven (Ikole Orun).
The spirit that returns does so in the form of a Guardian Ori. One's
Guardian Ori, which is represented and contained in the crown of the
head, represents not only the spirit and energy of one's previous blood
relative, but the accumulated wisdom he or she has acquired through a
myriad of lifetimes. This is not to be confused with ones spiritual Ori,
which contains personal destiny, but instead refers to the coming back to
The Marketplace of one's personal blood Ori through one's new life and
experiences.[10] The Primary Ancestor (which should be identified in
your Itefa) becomes if you are aware and work with that specific
energy a guide for the individual throughout their lifetime. At the
end of that life they return to their identical spirit self and merge into
one, taking the additional knowledge gained from their experience with
the individual as a form of payment.

An Egungun masquerade dance

garment in the permanent collection
of The Childrens Museum of
Indianapolis

Yoruba religion around the world

According to Professor S. A. Akintoye, the Yoruba were exquisite statesmen who spread across the globe in an
unprecedented fashion;[11] the reach of their culture is largely due to migrationthe most recent
migration/forced relocation occurred with the Atlantic slave trade. During this period, many Yoruba were
captured and sold into the slave trade and transported to Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Colombia, Dominican
Republic, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela, and other parts of the Americas. With them,
they carried their religious beliefs. The school-of-thought integrated into what now constitutes the core of the
"New World lineages":[11][12][13][14]
Candombl (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay)
Santera (Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic)
Trinidad Orisha (Trinidad and Tobago)
Umbanda (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay)

Relationship with Voodoo

The Vodun faith, which originated amongst a different ethnic group (the Gbe speaking peoples of present-day
Benin, Togo, and Ghana), shares some similarities with the Yoruba faith, and may even be taken to be
theologically related on some levels.[15]

See also
Iya Nla

References
1. Abimbola (2005). Yoruba Culture: A Philosophical Accountfirst=Kola (Paperback ed.). Iroko Academics Publishers.
ISBN 1-905388-00-4.
2. labimtan, Aflabi (1991). Yoruba Religion and Medicine in Ibadan. Translated by George E. Simpson. Ibadan
University Press. ISBN 978-121-068-0. OCLC 33249752.
3. J. Olumide Lucas, The Religion of the Yorubas, Athelia Henrietta PR, 1996. ISBN 0-9638787-8-6
4. labimtan, Aflabi (1973). ynm. Lagos, Nigeria: Macmillan. OCLC 33249752.
5. Bolaji Idowu (1982). Oldmar: God in Yoruba Belief. Ikeja, Nigeria: Longman. ISBN 0-582-60803-1.
6. Ifaloju (February 2011). "Od-If Iwr Mj; If speaks on Righteousness". Ifa Speaks... S.S. Popoola, Ifa Dida, Library,
INC. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
7. Leeming & Leeming 2009 entry "Yoruba". Retrieved 2010-04-30.
8. [Link] Concept of God: The People of Yoruba
([Link] for the acceptability of the translation
9. Courlander, Harold (March 1973). Tales of Yoruba Gods and Heroes. Crown Pub. ISBN 978-0517500637.
10. Neimark, Philip John (28 May 1993). The Way of the Orisa (1st ed.). HarperOne. ISBN 978-0-06-250557-6. Retrieved
2012-04-08.
11. Akintoye, Prof S. A. (2010). A history of the Yoruba people. Amalion Publishing. ISBN 2-35926-005-7.
ASIN 2359260057.
12. Brown (Ph.D.), David H. (2003). Santera Enthroned: Innovation in an Afro-Cuban Religion. University of Chicago
Press. ISBN 0-226-07610-5.
13. Oditous (2010). "Anthropology: [Yoruba]". Anthrocivitas Online. Retrieved 2011-03-27.
14. Karade, Baba Ifa (1994). The Handbook of Yoruba Religious Concepts. York Beach, New York: Weiser Books. ISBN 087728-789-9.
15. Fandrich, Ina J. (2007). "Yorb Influences on Haitian Vodou and New Orleans Voodoo". Journal of Black Studies 37 (5
(May)): 775791. doi:10.1177/0021934705280410. JSTOR 40034365.

Further reading
Fayemi fatunde Fakayode, "Iwure, Efficacious Prayer to Olodumare, the Supreme Force" ISBN 978-978915-402-9
Chief S. Solagbade Popoola & Fakunle Oyesanya, Ikunle Abiyamo: The ASE of Motherhood
([Link]
kunle_Abiyamo_-_It_is_on_Bent_Knees_that_I_Gave_Birth%2C_.html) 2007. ISBN 978-0-9810013-0-2
Chief S. Solagbade Popoola Library, INC Ifa Dida Volume One (EjiOgbe - Orangun Meji)
([Link]
_Didaa_-_Ifa_Consultation_for_the_Beginner_%26_Professional_.html) ISBN 978-0-9810013-1-9
Chief S. Solagbade Popoola Library, INC Ifa Dida Volume Two (OgbeYeku - OgbeFun)
([Link]

_Ogb%C3%A8Y%C3%A8k%C3%BA_to_Ogb%C3%A8F%C3%[Link]) ISBN 978-1-926538-12-9

Chief S. Solagbade Popoola Library, INC Ifa Dida Volume Three (OyekuOgbe - OyekuFun)
([Link]
_Didaa_-_Ifa_Consultation_for_the_Beginner_%26_Professional_.html) ISBN 978-1-926538-24-2
The Way of the Orisha ([Link] by Philip John
Neimark: Publisher HarperOne; 1st edition (May 28, 1993) ISBN 978-0-06-250557-6
Oldmar : God in Yoruba Belief by Bolaji Idowu, Ikeja : Longman Nigeria (1982) ISBN 0-582-608031
Dr. Jonathan Olumide Lucas, "The Religion of the Yorubas", Lagos 1948, C. M. S. Bookshop.
Leeming, David Adams; Leeming, Margaret Adams (2009). A Dictionary of Creation Myths (Oxford
Reference Online ed.). Oxford University Press.
Morales, Ed (2003). The Latin Beat. Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-306-81018-2., pg. 177
Miguel A. De La Torre, Santera: The Beliefs and Rituals of a Growing Religion in America, 2004, ISBN
0-8028-4973-3.
Miguel R. Bances Baba Eshu Onare, Tratado Enciclopedico de Ifa ([Link]
Los 16 Meyis y sus Omoluos u Odus o Signos de Ifa.
Olgundd, Day ; foreword by Akinla Akiww (2008). The cradle of Yoruba culture (Rev. ed.).
Institute of Yoruba Culture ; Center for Spoken Words. ISBN 978-0-615-22063-5.

External links
Yoruban cosmology and mythology
Wikimedia Commons has
([Link]
media related to Yoruba
Ibeji ([Link]
religion.
Ifa Books/The 16 Mayis and Omoluos
([Link]
Traditional Yorb site dedicated to teaching ([Link]
Ifa Studies Podcast hosted by Awoyinfa Ifaloju on iTunes
([Link]
West African Orisa Tradition of Nigeria ([Link]
Yoruba Movies & Films ([Link] Yoruba Theatre is the
origin of Nigeria's Nollywood,the equivalent of America's Hollywood.
Retrieved from "[Link]
Categories: African traditional religions Religion in Africa Yoruba culture Yoruba religion
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