The yoruba religion system comprises of traditional practices and spiritual concepts which has evolved into a robust religious system. The concepts of ori and human destiny in traditional. The soul, to the yoruba, is the inner person, the real essence of being the personality. Among the yoruba of nigeria, of all the parts of the human body, ori english. Ifa orunmila is the spokesman of all the divinities, through him the desires of the orishas are known and as the first. Why is it important to know yoruba language in the religion. Our mission is to facilitate the revitalization of afrikan culture through the restoration and preservation of afrikan values and cultural practices necessary to uplift, heal and nurture the spirits of. They think that ori provides them with ashe authority to reach the achievements and overcome the difficulties, as can be seen in the following poem. The place of destiny ori in yoruba traditional religion.
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. Yoruba people culture music art language mythology people main article. Here is an everchanging assortment of reading material that will introduce you to the psychology of meaningful change. The concept of iwa is a standard or aspiration inbuilt into the framework of societal institutions. Influence of yoruba culture in christian religious worship. This book provides detailed instruction of practical usage of ifa by practitioners and nonpractitioners and answers many questions with respect to how to pray the ifa way. The religion flourishes in the caribbean, and south america where it has been transplanted along with the peoples who followed this religious path, from africa. A naturalistic interpretation of the yoruba concepts of ori. The yoruba traditional religion believes that all human beings pass through what is known as ayanmo which translate to destiny or fate.
Throughout yorubaland, a person venerates his or her ori inu inner head, a personal spirit that guides an individuals destiny. Ori is an orisa, and a very powerful and important one. The word ori, in contrast to its english meaning as the physical head, or its biological description as the seat of the major sensory organs, to the yoruba connotes the total nature of its bearer. Download complete yoruba hymn book iwe orin mimo in pdf.
The yoruba numbered more than 20 million at the turn of the 21st century. The yoruba religion has become widespread throughout the western hemisphere as well as its native africa. This film was shot in the houston, tx area and explores the manifestation in the americas of a. Practitioner of this tradition believes in one god, the creator of all things. Third, each individual is unaware of the content or quality of the chosen ori, that is, the person making the choice does not know if the destiny embedded in an ori is good or bad ekanola, 2006. Aesthetics was never a subject or a separate philosophy in the traditional philosophies of black africa. The debate on the philosophical nature of the beliefs in ori and human destiny in traditional yoruba thought has for sometimes now, been controversial. Bi aji ni kutukutuka di eleda mu when one wakes up early in the morning, one should hold on to his eleda. Yoruba traditional religion is no different, as its practitioners often consult with. History of the yoruba people edit general history the african peoples who lived in the lower western niger area, at least by the 4th century bc, were not initially known as the yoruba, although they shared a common ethnicity and language group. Secondly, the ori selected determines, finally and irreversible, the life course and personality of its possessor on earth. The focus of the yoruba religion has never been salvation of any sort, but focuses more on living a great life right now. The yoruba religion includes the concept of ashe, a powerful life force possessed by humans and divine beings alike.
It reveals the nature which identifies the supreme being, olodumare, as the head of a of deities called orisa, who act as the agents of its enabling power ase. In a similar vein, yoruba philosophy can be considered antecedent to yoruba religion, in the same manner that every idea comes from the head before going into action. It is the reflective spark of human consciousness embedded into the human essence, and therefore is often personified as an orisha in. Ori known as ori in latin america is a yoruba metaphysical concept. This is because whatever one becomes or whatever happens in ones life is as destined by ori. Bi aji ni kutukutuka di eleda mu when one wakes up early in. Ori, literally meaning head, refers to ones spiritual.
Her research interests include yoruba language, culture and history, yoruba women and creole studies. Dec 16, 2009 the yoruba metaphysical concept of ori by awo dino in. Awo fategbe fatunmbi in yoruba theology, perhaps nothing is more complex than the metaphysical concept of ori, variously associated with the physical head the cranium, personal orisa, consciousness, destiny. The concepts of ori and human destiny across different strata of human existence. Prayers to the orishas introduction who owns your head. Indeed, aesthetics is a day to day affair among africans. Yoruba religion simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The yoruba metaphysical concept of ori free download as pdf file. Dada adelowo introduction this paper is motiated by the need. The yoruba cosmos reflects the idea of constant change and through this belief. The concept of ori in the traditional yoruba visual representation.
The concepts of ori and human destiny it is the ancestral guardian soul, having its physical symbolization as the physical head. This is however not a justification to conclude that it is nonexistent. A naturalistic interpretation of the yoruba concepts of ori adebola babatunde ekanola department of philosophy university of ibadan, nigeria introduction ori is a central concept in yoruba language conception of human personality. It means head, or the apex or highest pinnacle of achievement. No orisa helps an individual without the consent of his or her ori. The pragmatic import of ori in yoruba conversational discourse adeleke a. The handbook of yoruba religious concepts by baba ifa karade, olodumare. Yoruba religion is a traditional west african religion. On the basis of comparative studies between the dynastic tradition of the. Ori, literally meaning head, refers to ones spiritual intuition and destiny. Babalawo priest of ifayoruba traditional religions within each of the 256.
Contrary to these philosophical accounts, the paper establishes that the concepts of ori and human destiny in traditional yoruba thought fit very well into the frame work of softdeterminism. For the yoruba, ori is not only the bearer of destiny but also the essence of human. Pertinent among such beliefs, are the beliefs in ori1 and human destiny. Ori known as ori in latin america is a yoruba metaphysical concept ori, literally meaning head, refers to ones spiritual intuition and destiny.
Mosadomi is a poet, who has authored several articles in books and journals on creole studies, african language and gender, african linguistics and pedagogy. This links the small individual rooms for the orisha in the diasporahouseholds to the idea of a sacred open space in nature, used by the community of a town a collective memory. The study of yoruba religious tradition in historical perspective this essay presents an overview of past and recent scholarship in yoruba religion. It can be considered as the yoruba theory of consciousness, or as the yoruba theory of destiny, or both. Much smaller, scattered groups live in benin and northern togo. Ori is a central concept in yorubalanguage conception of human personality. This tradition originates among the yoruba people of west africa, in the area of presentday. Ile ori ifa temple is a yoruba community founded on the sacred principles of ifa. The ori holds the bodys knowledge and is its destiny. Psychiatry in nigeria in the era of colonization and. There is a welldeveloped body of literature in yoruba philosophical studies. The initiates in the cult of ifa use ori to overcome the obstacles and difficulties that are presented in the daily life.
Fundamentals of the yoruba religion orisa worship chief fama on. Our individual ori is the one, who creates the conditions for all other divinities, regardless of religion we belong to, to exist in our life. Its homeland is in presentday southwestern nigeria and the adjoining parts of benin and togo, commonly known as yorubaland. Ori is something of a significant importance and something we all possess, therefore in the philosophy of orisha ori is the first divinity the first energy, which needs to be worshiped. Though this is a show on the west african yoruba people, there are common threads that are woven throughout much of africa in terms of ceremonial art forms. The emphasis on the head ori in yoruba goes beyond its biological importance as the seat of the brain that controls the body. The earliest studies of yoruba religious traditions were carried out by mlssionarles, travellers and. The importance of prayer and ori farinade olokun cowrie. Ifa yoruba fundamentals of the yoruba religion orisa worship chief fama. The yoruba metaphysical concept of ori soul consciousness.
Abstract religion is the strongest element in african culture and exerts great influence upon the conduct of the african people. Whether being presented by the basketful to a potential brides family, shared as a snack amongst friends, or offered to the spirits, obias it is called in yoruba languageserves at once as food, medicine, and. The book, the bible of the traditional yoruba religion, is 6 x 9, has 271 pp with photographs. The yoruba are said to believe that the personality of each individual is predetertnined ori. The yoruba religion comprises the traditional religious and spiritual concepts and practice of the yoruba people. When we speak of the ancestral waters of life, we speak of waters that has a form of natural consciousness that flows and nourishes, that incubates and feeds and the essence of maternal caring that relates to the protection of children. Yoruba religion is the basis for a number of religions in the new world, notably santeria, umbanda, trinidad orisha, haitian vodou, and candomble.
Ifa initiation, ifa religion, intuition, olodumare, ori, orisa, orunmila, power of prayer, prayer, religion, spiritual guidance, west african spiritual tradition, worship, yoruba spiritual tradition. Orishas have existed in the spiritual world or astral plane orun or lived as human beings in the planetary world or physical plane aye. Understanding the yoruba religious beliefs and concepts. The earliest studies of yoruba religious traditions were carried out by mlssionarles, travellers and explorers who were concerned with writng about the. The yoruba language has an extensive literature of poetry, short stories, myths, and proverbs.
The yoruba religion also referred to as ifa religion is 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. Apr 08, 2020 ile ori lagba is a site for african tradtional religion, orisa worship, lucumi, santeria, ifa, orisha, yoruba religion, divination, initiation and learning. Yoruba language means oriinu and translated, inner or spiritual head in the paper, our contextual usage, meaning and understanding of ori throughout the course of the paper should be construed as meaning the spiritual head, which symbolizes human destiny. Feb 02, 2015 i produce this documentary in order to complete my masters degree in cross cultural studies. It is the reflective spark of human consciousness embedded into the human essence, and therefore is often personified as an orisha in its own right. Many people have turned to the yoruba religion in this spiritual revolution. In yoruba theology, perhaps nothing is more complex than the metaphysical concept of ori, variously associated with the physical head the cranium, personal orisa, consciousness, destiny, human soul, and ancestral guardian angel.
Origin of the yoruba and the lost tribes of israel dierk lange abstract. One idea behind yoruba religion is that natural objects, like trees, rivers, stones, metal, have a spiritual existence. Traditional yoruba religion ifa divination oral tradition concept of destiny explanatory models for mental illness ayanmo narratives that which has been selected as part of ones self choosing ones ori or head before birth qualities like aptitude, personality, life outcomes, possibility of madness. Ile ori lagba is a site for african tradtional religion, orisa worship, lucumi, santeria, ifa, orisha, yoruba religion, divination, initiation and learning. The traditional yoruba religion has an elaborate hierarchy of deities, including a supreme creator and some 400 lesser gods and spirits, most of whom are associated with their own cults and priests. The yoruba metaphysical concept of ori by awo dino in yoruba theology, perhaps nothing is more complex than the metaphysical concept of ori, variously associated with the physical head the cranium, personal orisa, consciousness, destiny, human soul, and ancestral guardian angel. The concept of ori in the traditional yoruba visual representation 215 ori lo da mi the deity is my creator eniyan ko o it is not man olorun ni it is god ori lo da mi the deity is my creator ori here refers to the deity the creator himself, whereas in another of the yoruba sayings. Yoruba, one of the three largest ethnic groups of nigeria, concentrated in the southwestern part of that country. The concept of ori in the traditional yoruba visual. Yoruba and ancient near eastern history, the present article argues that yoruba traditions of provenance, claiming immigration from the near east, are basically correct. Within the purview of yoruba spirituality, certain things are regarded as sacred while others are oppositely profane. It has since brought forth new, modified world religions such as santeria in cuba and candomble in brazil. To that effect, this discourse avails one to dwell on the former, in relation to an act of showcasing the location of hierophants visavis hierophanies in yoruba religion with ori oke ajaforunti as a case study. 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.
She is completing her manuscript on yoruba grammar. Though there is mention of a good and bad heaven, most followers hope for reincarnation which in this tradition is a good thing, as opposed to say buddhism where its something to be escaped. The concepts of ori and human destiny in traditional yoruba. When one understands their place in the universe along with all the irunmole, it is only natural or with a little practice, to give thanks for everything one has, no matter how small. Ori is a metaphysical concept important to yoruba spirituality and way of life. I have been disturbed much time to upload the complete hymnal companion hymn book in pdf and also a popular known anglican, methodist, and catholic church awa yin o music sheet te deum canticle music sheet. In a spiritual sense, the head, as the highest point of the human body, represents ori. Given this consideration, ori is nothing short of what the yoruba call ipin or okeipori. The yoruba metaphysical concept of ori egbe iwapele. Oct 22, 2015 in yoruba theology, perhaps nothing is more complex than the metaphysical concept of ori, variously associated with the physical head the cranium, personal orisa, consciousness, destiny, human soul, and ancestral guardian angel. Yet olodumare is indirectly involved in the daytoday life of an individual through hisher ori inu, which is also called. For followers of ifa, known as elesin ibile, prayer is a daily practice.
Yoruba religion practitioners of the yoruba religion, which was developed among the yoruba people of nigeria and benin, believe that before we are born we stand before god and choose our own destiny. Pdf in this paper the epistemic stance of david hume is employed to dislodge a rational belief in ori. Yoruba religious beliefs are part of itan, the total complex of songs, histories, stories, and other cultural concepts which make up the yoruba society. Ashe is the energy found in all natural things much like the catholic saints, the yoruba orishas work as the intermediaries between man and the supreme creator, and the rest of the divine world.