The yoruba traditional religion believes that all human beings pass through what is known as ayanmo which translate to destiny or fate. The country is made up of three major ethnic groups namely. The yoruba constitute about 44 million people in total. Yoruba people history and culture how nigeria news. Oct 03, 2012 iseyin, an ancient city in yorubaland is rich in history, culture and tradition. The yoruba are the second largest ethnic group in nigeria, with a population of about 30 million, and occupy most of what we refer to today as south western nigeria. History of yoruba land download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. The documented history of the yoruba people begins with the oyo empire, which became dominant in the early 17th century. Dec 03, 2015 their traditions have developed and matured for thousands of years, leaving a rich cultural history in its path. Abstract religion is the strongest element in african culture and exerts great. Not only that, a childs name is meant to reflect his family history, their fortunes. The first epoch is a hist ory of cosmogony and cosmology. The succession as above said is by election from amongst the members of the royal family, of the one considered as the most worthy. Art in ancient ife, birthplace of the yoruba suzanne preston blier a rtists the world over shape knowledge and material into works of unique historical importance.
Yoruba culture is famously visible in bahia, brazil, towns and cities with historical affiliation with the yoruba manifesting in everything from its religion to its music. The succession as above said is by election from amongst the members of the royal. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. From the oral culture of its distant past to its vibrant present and buoyed by its scholarly discourses, yoruba philosophy is best understood as a folk philosophy, a set of narratives and cultural practices that attempt to explain the causes and the nature of things affecting the corporeal and the. I would recommend it as mustread text for all yorubas and indeed all interested nigerians, beninois and brazilians. The concepts of ori and human destiny in traditional yoruba. In west african traditions, land belongs to the person who works it. Abstract religion is the strongest element in african culture and exerts great influence upon the conduct of the african people. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. Their traditions have developed and matured for thousands of years, leaving a rich cultural history in its path.
The older traditions of the formerly dominant ileife kingdom are largely oral in nature. Indigenous yoruba populations can also be found in the republic of benin and togo 1. This brief analysis of the traditional account of the history of the yoruba has revealed not only the roots, but also the depth, of their culture. Based to a large extent on the dynastic tradition of the formerly dominant oyo clan, it is presently in the process of reevaluation. Within nigeria, the yoruba dominate the western part of the country.
They are very similar but the political view is much more believable and accepted. This work explores the concept of taboos in yoruba land. Whatever is created belongs to the creatorsnot to the god that created them, and certainly not to the colonist or slavemaster. Nigerian people, history and culture come to nigeria. Samuel johnson 18461901 was an anglican minister and historian renowned for his magisterial history of the yoruba people. Currently, even though edo state has its peculiar dialect and culture, its traditional leadership system is almost exactly the same as that of traditional yorubas. How and where this is done began with the arrival from ileife of prince oranmiyan, the son of oduduwa of uhe, about 1170 years ago according to modem historians. Traditions exploring the revered yoruba greeting culture. Introduction the arts of the yoruba people cannot be detached from their identities due the fact that their art forms is being entrenched in their culture. Yoruba and ancient near eastern history, the present article argues that yoruba traditions of provenance, claiming immigration from the near east, are basically correct. One can find clear elements of yoruba culture today in cuba and brazil. Yoruba culture amazing bible timeline with world history.
The yoruba culture flourished between the 12th and 14th centuries, and it was centered in the city of ileife. The yoruba constitute approximately 21 percent of nigerias total population, and around 40 million individuals throughout the region of west africa. Ngamen kouassi department of sociologyanthropology. The main objective of this paper is to examine african culture and values. It reminds us of the beauty, pain, violence and resounding relevance of yoruba culture easily mirrored in other african ethnicities. This richness is evident partly in the sociocultural relations displayed by the people of the city, and in the tuneful, didactic panegyrics commonly used to describe and hail it. In the past ten years, significant works on the phenomenology and history. Born in freetown in sierra leone and educated by the church missionary society, johnson was sent with his family to idaban in nigeria in 1857. In his book, history of the yoruba 1950, johnson traces the origin of. Yoruba cultur e consists o f cultural philosop hy, religion and folktales. It would seem that the oduduwa factor was not a dominant issue in the history and politics of the yoruba until the late 1940s when it was revived or.
Here are 10 things that might surprise you about yoruba culture. The migration of yoruba people all over the world has led to a spread of the yoruba culture across the globe. Kobla dotse published in 2011 xxxx publications disclaimer the material we present here is provided to you mainly for educational and information purposes only. The yoruba people occupy the states lagos, ondo, oyo, ogun, osun, ekiti, and some parts of kwara and edo states respectively. The beninife connection it is during the preparation for his coronation that the future oba chooses the title or name he is to be known as at his coronation. Gst 201 nigerian peoples and culture course code gst 201 course title nigerian peoples and culture course developer writer dr. The yoruba naming culture among the yoruba, the names that a child is given are carefully considered as it is believed that the name that a person bears dictates his fortunes. This kingdom was founded by the deities oduduwa and obatala, who are believed to have created the world. Indigenous pottery, yoruba potters, traditional pot making, yoruba people and places, culture, apprentices. Influence of yoruba culture in christian religious worship by odejobi cecilia omobola institute of education, faculty of education, obafemi awolowo university, ileife, osun state, nigeria. The african culture in general emphasizes on respect for elders but the hunger for it in a yoruba setting can be described as rather extreme. The ancient mythology of the yoruba people is a major religion in nigeria, claimed by its devotees to be one of the oldest religions in the world and still practiced today. To understand thoroughly sexuality in the context of the yoruba culture is to be objective, sincere and practical. An overview of taboo and superstition among the yoruba of.
The history of the yorubas dates back to an era that existed before the ancient oyo empire of the 17th century. The yoruba numbered more than 20 million at the turn of the 21st century. Although there are many versions of iseyin history, here is one commonly adopted. The yoruba constitute approximately 35 percent of nigerias total population, and around 40 million individuals throughout the region of west africa. The yoruba have been the most dominant group in this. The oduduwa myth and the farce of yoruba unity brunel. Complex and indispensable, ifa divination is an integral component of yoruba culture. The history and traditions of the yoruba people panorama.
The yoruba tribe is one of the three largest and most powerful ethnic groups in nigeria. Yoruba people are a large ethnolinguistic group or ethnic nation in africa, and the majority of them speak the yoruba language. A lot of thought, research, family traditions and history are considered before a name is picked for a new baby in yoruba culture. It is thus not surprising that the history of the yoruba soon became the subject of. Although the years since nigerias return to civilian rule in 1999 have seen an increased interest in its history and politics, nigeria remains one of the most underresearched african countries. The group of people that settled in the region was later called the yoruba. Origin of the yoruba and the lost tribes of israel dierk lange abstract. The study of yoruba religious tradition in historical. According to legend, the civilization currently known as yoruba started in ancient ileife.
Yoruba cultural studies university of african art press. The story of how the chicken spread the sand across the earth is similar how god created the earth in the christian bible. The cradle of yoruba culture download ebook pdf, epub. It is illuminating and engaging and strangely funny in its quaint often sententious tone. They boast a rich culture which has influenced many other. The importance of taboos in yoruba society is also discussed. The yoruba are one of the largest african ethnic groups south of the sahara desert.
Click download or read online button to get the cradle of yoruba culture book now. A people of rich soil and full of mystery, the yoruba people of nigeria dance to the beats of the bata drum under the moonlight, chanting away to the mother goddess, ibase yemoja, olugberere i give praise to you yemoja, the one who brings goodness, offering their gratitude to oduduwa, the godfather of the land this is a tribe with a story. Jun 12, 2018 the naming ceremony in yoruba culture is taken seriously because the yorubas believe that a child eventually lives out the meaning of his or her names. A softdeterministic interpretation oladele abiodun balogun olabisi onabanjo university, nigeria abstract the debate on the philosophical nature of the beliefs in ori and human destiny in traditional yoruba thought has for sometimes now, been controversial. Yoru ba cultural thought is a witness of two epochs. In terms of ethnolinguistics, the yoruba belong to the nigercongo language family, which covers many cultures of that region. On the basis of comparative studies between the dynastic tradition of the. In this article i explore how these arts both inform and are enriched by early ife history and the leaders who shaped it. Director of the yoruba historical research schzme, nigeria. Several controversial articles and books have been written about the origins of this mighty tribe, with several kingdoms even in yoruba land contesting for the rights to be pronounced as the source of the yoruba nation. Not only that, a childs name is meant to reflect his family history, their fortunes and misfortunes.
A short history of yorubaland with pictures culture. In the past ten years, significant works on the phenomenology and history of religions. They are predominantly found in southwestern and northcentral region of nigeria and in some parts of the benin republic and togo. We would attempt to examine the influences on the language, dressing, food and cultural practices and norm of the yoruba people, in an attempt to reach a befitting conclusion as to the history of the yoruba, we would also include some folk lore and stories, to enable you the readers reach a strong conclusion. Because of migration and the slave trade to the americas in the mid18th century, there are yoruba communities throughout the western world, especially in the caribbean, south america and north america. Yoruba people have historically been spread around the globe by the combined forces of the atlantic slave trade and voluntary self migration. In discussing african culture and values, we are not presupposing that all. The vast majority of this population is from nigeria, where the yoruba make up 16% of the countrys population, making them one of the largest ethnic groups in africa. A short history of yorubaland with pictures culture nairaland. Yoruba culture area at the time of his alleged journey in the 5th century bc. Yoruba people, language, religion, tribe, culture, facts.
In discussing african culture and values, we are not presupposing that all african societies have the same. Ife arts and the history of this important southwestern nigerian center, key aspects of this code can now be discerned. The southwest portion of modern nigeria was first settled between the 4th and 7th centuries ad. The yoruba people are an african ethnic group that inhabits western africa, mainly nigeria and benin. Archeological evidence shows us that the yoruba have lived in here since prehistoric times. They have a general language called yoruba yooba which is the form that is taught in schools in the southwestern zone of nigeria. The artists of ancient ife, ancestral home to the yoruba and mythic birthplace of gods and humans, clearly were. It also confirmed whether superstition and taboo means the same thing in yoruba society.
The concepts of ori and human destiny in traditional yoruba thought. Apr 12, 2016 reading of an excerpt from a history of the yoruba people. Influence of yoruba culture in christian religious worship. They are, in fact, not a single group, but rather a collection of diverse people bound together by a common language, history, and culture. The dialect of the edo people also bears a few similarities to yoruba, and in some parts of edo state, indigenes even bear yoruba names. Oduduwa was the first divine king of the yoruba people, and obatala fashioned the first human beings out of clay. The alafin the alafin is the supreme head of all the kings and princes of the yoruba nation, as he is the direct lineal descendant and successor of the reputed founder of the nation. Much smaller, scattered groups live in benin and northern togo. The yoruba constitute approximately 21 percent of nigerias total population, and around 40 million individuals throughout the region of west. This article aims to shed more light on the origin and history of the yoruba people. Yoruba, one of the three largest ethnic groups of nigeria, concentrated in the southwestern part of that country. It demonstrates the strong influence of yoruba religion and culture on world religions among african diaspora. It is a fulcrum that is independent of western or asian philosophy. An introduction to nigerias yoruba people culture trip.
While many yoruba people have moved into urban environments like lagos, a good portion of them still keep their old traditions. The history of colonisation dates back to the 19th. History of the yoruba people the yoruba tribe is one of the greatest tribes in africa, although very sketchy evidence exists as to the true origin of this mighty tribe. Dada adelowo introduction this paper is motiated by the need. Olodumare, the supreme being of the yoruba culture, is equivalent to the christian god. Most yoruba people speak the yoruba language, which is the nigercongo language with the. Brief history of yoruba people, culture, religion and. Many of these important voices are included in this volume.
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