The Yoruba

West African Watershed

Background

Nigeria has about 90 million people.

The Hausa, Yoruba, and Ibo make up more that half of that population. The Yoruba live in Nigeria and were an “impressive civilization.”

Worldview

Worldview

The main deity is Orisha-nla who is the creator and on important issue “a diviner (awora) communicates with Orumnmila, the deity of Iife. (t)he Yoruba think that other deities, ancestors, and spirits play active roles in the universe and in human lives.”

The Organization of Religion

The Organization of Religion

The main component of the Yoruba religion is the household which is headed by the male who functions as a priest. The chief (oba) is responsible for the rites in the community.

More on Religion

The Yoruba believed that Olorun "gave them their fates at creation." Humans have forgotten their fates and need to be reminded of it; it is through divination that a person can determine his or her fate.

There is an alter ego for Olorun call Esu who is both a “trickster and a mediator for humans.”

The Place of Ancestors

Ancestors are active in the lives of the Yoruba. Through mediation one can blessings from the ancestors. There is a prescribed ritual for the meditation.

Community and Individual Responsibilities

Community and Individual Responsibilities During festivals the

whole community is involved with meditating with deities and ancestors. “The Gelede festival celebrates the arrival of spring rains and cools the power of female witches. It honors mother (awon iya wa), a collective form of divine energy (ase).”

The Earth

The earth is Aiye, the home of humans, animals and omoraiye, "the children of the world," who are responsible for sorcery and witchcraft. Orishas, spirits called Obalata communicate with between heaven and earth.

Special People

For the Yoruba people who are physically atypical are considered blessed.

Specialists & Divine Energy

There are specialists who deal with spirits, orishas, deities and ancestors. A divine energy is present everywhere in the universe and religion is a way of “channeling the energy for beneficial rather than dreadful results.”

Sources

http://www.lib.ohio-state.edu/latweb/Ted%20Art%20Brazil.htm

http://www.smafathers.org/society/art/beads.jpg Malehttp://www.puppet.org/ibomale.htmhttp://

www.puppet.org/ibomale.htm http://go.hrw.com/atlas/norm_htm/nigeria.htm http://www.yoruba.org/new_page_4.htm http://www.webzinemaker.net/africans-art/photo/photo_

176_1.jpg http://sorrel.humboldt.edu/~rwj1/YOR/38.jpg http://www.virginia.edu/artmuseum/VirtualExhibitions/

african/images/gelede_dancer2.jpg http://www.dikenga.com/films/firecracker/newsletter/ses

sion7/images/gods.jpg