Abuja – In the south of the Sahara Desert lives one of the largest African ethnic groups, namely the Yoruba. They are not considered as a single group; rather, the name refers to a collection of diverse people. The majority of them group are bound by a shared history, culture, and a common language.
According to long oral traditions and mythology, the group is believed to have descended from an area called Odua. Today, the Yoruba people live in Southwest Nigeria and Benin, as well as in some places in the Caribbean and in the Americas.
Slavery and Colonization
Yoruba has a number of different communities, and in four centuries of slave trade, countless members of their group have been shipped off to the Americas. The group’s territory was even known as the Slave Coast during those times. However, even when slavery ceased in 1893, the Yoruba lands in Nigeria became part of the Protectorate of Great Britain until the 1960s.
Now, decades after, the Yorubas are found in several parts of the Caribbean and South America. Their descendants have preserved the colorful and rich traditions that represent their distinct ethnicity. They even combined their religion with Christianity. Nevertheless, their predominant culture of shared history and practices are the main factors that keep them a strong ethnic community.
Modern Day Practices
Rite of Passage
The Yorubas have specific rites of passage. Elders introduce the activity to younger members of the group. They are extremely particular about important milestones from childbirth to death, as well as marriages and important events in the life of a member. Each community prepares its own set of customs, and these rites of passage are still a common practice even to this day.
Religion
The Yoruba still practice the traditional religions of their ancestors. Around 20% of the communities’ population still follows the traditional forms of religion, but the practices vary from one community to another.
This variation can be from the gender of the deity or god, to more specific worship beliefs. However, there are three gods who are available to all: Olorun (Sky God), Eshu (or Legba), and Ifa. The people consider Olorun as the high god or the Creator. Eshu is the divine messenger and the one who delivers sacrifices to Olorun. Ifa is the god of divination who has the ability to interpret the wishes of the Creator to mankind.
Art
In modern times, the group continues to cling to their culture. They do their best to keep and preserve their oral tradition, such as praise poems, tongue twisters, and other forms of oral lore. The elders try to share these wonderful tales of the past to help the younger generations remember and have a glimpse of the life in those years that the Yoruba was just developing and growing.
They have developed distinct styles of pottery, beadwork, mask making, and other. Moreover, the members are known to be excellent sculptors throughout their history. Aside from these, they are known to have rich and lively music, which includes different religious songs, work songs, and many others.
Image from Cassiano Rodrigues on Fivehundredpx, https://500px.com/photo/140304565/ogum-by-cassiano-rodrigues?ctx_page=1&from=user&user_id=12759647
