Alaafin , or The custodian of the Palace in the Yoruba language , is the title of the king of the medieval Oyo empire and present-day Oyo town of West Africa . It is the particular title of the Oba (king) of the Oyo. It is sometimes translated as "emperor" in the context of ruler of empire. He ruled the old Oyo Empire, which extended from the present-day Benin republic to Nigeria , originating from states in the South East and West to the North . The people under him are called Yoruba people and spoke the Yoruba Language.
47-684: The Alaafin of Oyo in Yoruba mythology and history is said to be one of Oduduwa seven grandsons who later became Kings, forming the bedrock of the Yoruba Civilization . The Alafin and the Oyo Mesi formed the central government of the Empire. Local provincial government was in the hands of oba (if crowned head) or bale (if not entitled to wear a crown). The relationship between the Alafin and the Obas was a feudal one, that
94-531: A babalawo in 2013. Olodumare Olorun ( Yoruba alphabet : Ọlọrun ) ( Ede language : ɔlɔrun ) is the ruler of (or in) the Heavens creator of the Yoruba. The Supreme Deity or Supreme Being in the Yoruba pantheon , Olorun is also called Olodumare ( Yoruba alphabet : Olódùmarè ), Eledumare and Eleduwa/Eledua. In Yoruba culture, Ọlọrun is credited with creating the universe and all living things. Ọlọrun
141-525: A contraction of the words Ìṣẹ̀ (Ishɛ), meaning " source/root origin ", and ìṣe (Ishe), meaning " practice/tradition " coming together to mean "The original tradition"/"The tradition of antiquity" as many of the practices, beliefs, traditions, and observances of the Yoruba originate from the religious worship of Olodumare and the veneration of the Orisa. According to Kola Abimbola, the Yorubas have evolved
188-445: 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. 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
235-415: A person from the world of the living to the world of the dead, and the subsequent journey of the deceased to the afterlife. Oku is a natural part of life, and death is seen as a transition to a new stage of existence rather than an end. The Yoruba people believe that the dead continue to play an active role in the lives of their descendants, and that they can influence the living in various ways. Thus, Oku
282-481: A robust cosmology. Nigerian Professor for Traditional African religions , Jacob K. Olupona , summarizes that central for the Yoruba religion, and which all beings possess, is known as "Ase", which is "the empowered word that must come to pass," the "life force" and "energy" that regulates all movement and activity in the universe". Every thought and action of each person or being in Aiyé (the physical realm) interact with
329-464: 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
376-412: Is Supreme. Perhaps one of the most important human endeavors extolled within the Yoruba literary corpus is the quest to improve one's "Ìwà" (character, behaviour). In this way the teachings transcend religious doctrine, advising as they do that a person must also improve their civic, social and intellectual spheres of being; every stanza of the sacred Ifá oracular poetry ( Odu Ifa ) has a portion covering
423-460: Is a collection of revealed oracular texts originally passed down through oral tradition among babalawos . It is traditionally divided into 256 sections, or Odu, which are divided into verses. It is closely related to the divination system of Yoruba religion, Ifá . The verses contain proverbs, stories, and statements that cover every aspect of life. The Odu Ifá is the foundation of Yoruba spiritual knowledge and has influenced spiritual communities in
470-539: Is also associated with the concept of "ara orun," which refers to the spiritual realm or the world of the dead. The Yoruba people believe that the dead reside in this realm, where they continue to live and interact with the living. Furthermore, an earthly representation of the Oku is the Egungun , which embodys the spirits of the ancestors, and are often used to communicate with the dead and to honor their memory. The Egungun
517-438: Is depicted as a warrior; a similar theme to some depictions of Shango and Adams. This theory supposed that this resemblance was used by the population as a covert form to honor their ancestral deity. In the early 21st century, Nigerian migrants have also taken Yoruba religion to Brazil. Koshikawa Yoshiaki [ ja ] , professor of literature at Meiji University , became the first Japanese person to be initiated as
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#1732766293072564-605: Is for his rule and protection, the Obas, the Bales and chiefs of vassal states owed him certain obligations. By the early 1800s, however, conflicts between the Oyo emperor (alafin) and the hereditary kings (obas) of the core city-states, who comprised an independent executive council (oyo mesi), had considerably weakened cen- tral authority-even as the Oyo Empire began to lose control over outlying kingdoms and city-states. The title
611-467: Is frequently perceived as a compassionate entity who protects its creations and is thought to be omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. Humans do not worship Olorun directly; there are no sacred areas of worship, no iconography, nor ordained person. Olorun is outlying, distant, and does not partake in human rituals. There are no shrines or sacrifices dedicated directly to them, although followers can send prayers in their direction. Olorun has no gender in
658-455: Is known as Orun. Creator of the cosmology and all that exists, Ayé . From the Yoruba language , Olorun's name is a contraction of the words oní (which denotes ownership or rulership) and ọ̀run (which means the Heavens , abode of the spirits). Another name, Olodumare, comes from the phrase "O ní odù mà rè" meaning "the owner of the source of creation that does not become empty," "or
705-433: Is known to BE everything, and everywhere. There is some controversy about whether Olodumare is directly worshiped, due to their aloofness from humanity, or due to the belief that Olorun already is ALL manifestation of life and existence, and the believer is bound to be grateful and loving towards all existence, and all beings, since Olorun IS everything. However, there are those who also worship Olodumare directly. Olodumare
752-742: Is largely due to migration—the most recent migration occurred with the Atlantic slave trade , and with Nigerian and Beninoise Yorùbá emigrating to the United States, the UK, Brazil, and other countries of the Americas and Europe. During the pre-colonial 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 , St. Vincent & The Grenadines , Uruguay , Venezuela , and other parts of
799-412: Is locally referred to as "Ife Oodaye" – "cradle of existence". In Yoruba religion and culture, Oku is a complex and multifaceted concept that encompasses various aspects of death, the afterlife, and the relationship between the living and the dead. Oku is often translated as "death" or "the dead," but it carries a deeper meaning that goes beyond the physical act of dying. Oku refers to the transition of
846-468: Is sufficient to strengthen the ori-inu of most people. Well-balanced people, it is believed, are able to make positive use of the simplest form of connection between their Ori and the omnipotent Olu-Orun: an Àwúre (petition or prayer) for divine support. In the Yoruba belief system, Olodumare has ase over all that is. Hence, it is considered supreme. The Yoruba scriptures are called the Odu Ifá , which
893-510: Is the basis for a number of religions in the New World, notably Santería , Umbanda , Trinidad Orisha , and Candomblé . Yoruba religious beliefs are part of Itàn (history), the total complex of songs, histories, stories, and other cultural concepts which make up the Yoruba society. The Yoruba name for the Yoruba indigenous religion is Ìṣẹ̀ṣẹ, which also refers to the traditions and rituals that encompass Yorùbá culture. The term comes from
940-443: Is the origin of virtue and mortality, and bestows the knowledge of things upon all persons when they are born. Olorun is omnipotent, transcendent, unique, all knowing, good, and evil. These orisa or orishas are supernatural beings, both good ( egungun ) and bad ( ajogun ), who represent human activity and natural forces, all at the same time, and is all harmonious, all possessed of equilibrium and worth. In Trinidad Orisha, this God
987-466: Is the physical representation of the Oku tradition, which is focused on honoring and paying respects to the ancestors. The Egungun possesses spiritual powers and to be able to communicate with the ancestors, an Oku tradition of seeking the blessings and protection of the dead or ancestors. However, it is worth noting that Egungun traditions is not simply a representation of Oku, but rather has its own unique characteristics and significance, depending on
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#17327662930721034-827: The African diaspora in countries such as Haiti and Cuba , also New Orleans , Louisiana in the United States . In Latin America , Yoruba religion has been in intense Syncretism with Christianity , Indigenous religions and Spiritism since the first arrival of African immigrants. In Brazil, the religion of Umbanda was born from the rich interaction of beliefs that Latin America provided. Followers of Umbanda typically consider themselves Monotheistic , but honor Catholic Saints and Orisha as manifestations from god or as Tutelary deities . Umbanda worship also include elements from Native South American rituals such as
1081-598: The Alaafin (Emperor) of Oyo was Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III who was the 45th Alaafin, celebrated his 50th year on the throne. Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, Iku Baba Yeye, Alaafin (Emperor) of Oyo was the permanent Chairman, Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs until his death on Friday, 22 April 2022. The style used for Alaafins is Imperial Majesty . 4. The official website of the Alaafin of Oyo ( https://www.alaafinoyo.com ) 5. A Symbol of Yoruba Culture and Unity: The Life and Royalty of His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyemi III,
1128-510: The Alaafin Oyo by Siyan Oyeweso and Olutayo C. Adesina This Nigerian history -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Yoruba Mythology The Yoruba religion ( Yoruba : Ìṣẹ̀ṣe), West African Orisa (Òrìṣà), or Isese (Ìṣẹ̀ṣe), comprises the traditional religious and spiritual concepts and practice of the Yoruba people . Its homeland is in present-day Southwestern Nigeria , which comprises
1175-517: The Americas, such as Santeria . Ifá refers to the deity Orunmila, who is associated with wisdom, intellect, and divination . In 2005, UNESCO designated the Odu Ifá tradition as one of the world's Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity . Olódùmarè is the most important "state of existence". "They" are the owner of all heads, for during human creation, Olódùmarè gave "èmí" (the breath of life) to humankind. In this, Olódùmarè
1222-454: 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" which are a variety of Yorùbá-derived contemporary African religions: The Vodun faith, which originated amongst a different ethnic group (the Gbe speaking peoples of present-day Benin , Togo , and Ghana ), holds influential aspects on
1269-586: The Ifá Literary Corpus, and is always referred to as an entity who exists in spiritual form only. Christian missionaries, such as Bolaji Idowu , aimed to reinterpret traditional Yoruba culture as consistent with Christian theology as a way of pushing conversion. The first translation of the Bible into Yoruba in the late 1800s by Samuel Ajayi Crowther controversially adopted traditional Yoruba names, such as "Olodumare/Olorun" for "God" and " Eshu " for
1316-509: The Supreme force, all other living things, including the Earth itself, as well as with Orun (the otherworld), in which gods, spirits and ancestors exist. The Yoruba religion can be described as a complex form of polytheism , with a Supreme but distant creator force, encompassing the whole universe. The anthropologist Robert Voeks described Yoruba religion as being animistic , noting that it
1363-402: The context. Egungun can have its own set of rituals, ceremonies, and practices that are separate from the Oku tradition, although the two are conected and closely intertwined. Therefore, Yoruba people may refer to Egungun as "Oku ara orun," which means "the Oku of the heavens" or "the Oku of the spirits." This name reflects the close connection between Egungun and the Oku tradition, and highlights
1410-450: The devil, and thus began associating Olorun with the male gender. For Yoruba traditions, there is no centralized authority; because of this, there are many different ways that Yoruba people and their descendants or orisa-based faiths can understand the idea of Olorun. Historically, the Yoruba worship Olorun through the agency of the orisa; thus there is no image, shrine or sacrifice made directly towards Olorun, since Olorun
1457-408: The importance of "Ìwà". Central to this is the theme of righteousness, both individual and collective. Adherents of the Yoruba religion regard Olodumare as the principal force of creation. According to one of the Yoruba accounts of creation , at a certain stage in the process, the "truth" was sent to confirm the habitability of the planets that were newly formed. The earth , being one of these,
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1504-404: 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 . According to Professor Adams Abdullahi Suberu, the Yoruba were exquisite statesmen who spread across the globe in an unprecedented fashion; the reach of their culture
1551-513: The majority of Oyo , Ogun , Osun , Ondo , Ekiti , Kwara and Lagos states , as well as parts of Kogi state and the adjoining parts of Benin and Togo , commonly known as Yorubaland ( Yoruba : Ilẹ̀ Káàárọ̀-Oòjíire ). It shares some parallels with the Vodun practiced by the neighboring Fon and Ewe peoples to its west and with the religion of the Edo people to its east. Yoruba religion
1598-725: 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. He is known by a variety of names, including Elegbara. Ìjẹ̀lú, Èkìtì . (Home) _______ Igbeti , Ọ̀yọ́ . (Site) _______ Iworo, Lagos . (Site) Ìràwọ̀ , Oyo State . (Home) Ìrè , Èkìtì . (Home) _______ Ṣakí, Ọ̀yọ́ . (Associated) Ṣakí , Ọ̀yọ́ State . (Home) _______ Ibara, Abẹ́òkúta , Ògùn State . (Site) Shoponna priests prevented
1645-608: The original entities sent by Olorun to complete given tasks, often acting as liaisons between Òde Ọ̀run (the invisible realm) and Ilé Ayé (the physical realm). Irunmale(s) can therefore best be described in English as the highest ranking divinities; whereby such divinities are regarded as principal Orishas. The Irunmale or Imalẹ̀ are the primary foundational divinities or divine entities. In summary, all Imale are also Orisha, but not all Orisha are Imale. The Yoruba believe in Atunwa,
1692-463: The possibility of 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 one's grandfather or great uncle will "come back" in the birth of a child, however. Whenever the time arrives for
1739-463: The practices and beliefs of neighboring groups, though they may be more strongly or closely associated with certain places, occupations or subgregions spread across Yorubaland. There are said to be 400 plus 1 of them in total; The 200 of the right ( Igba Ọ̀tún ), the 200 of the left ( Igba Òsì ) and one more. Eshu is the Orisha of chance, accident and unpredictability. Because he is Olorun's linguist and
1786-468: The ritual use of Tobacco and communication with the spirits of deceased Indian warriors ( Caboclo ). In the 1949 documentary Fiestas de Santiago Apóstol en Loíza Aldea , anthropologist Ricardo Alegría noted a similar tendency at Loíza, Puerto Rico , arguing that the affinity between the black population in the municipality and the Catholic saint Santiago Apóstol may derive from the way in which he
1833-737: The role of Egungun as a representation of the ancestors and the spiritual realm. The Orisha , ( Yoruba : Òrìṣà ) are entities that possess 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 has also been variously translated as "Deities", "Divinities" or "Gods". Orisha(s) are revered for having control over specific elements of nature. They are thus also referred to as Imole . There are those of their number that are more akin to ancient heroes and/or sages than to primordial divinities. These are best addressed as dema deities . Even though
1880-483: The spirit and energy of one's previous blood relative, but the accumulated wisdom he or she has acquired through myriad lifetimes. This is not to be confused with one's 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. The Primary Ancestor (which should be identified in your Itefa) becomes—if you are aware and work with that specific energy—a "guide" for
1927-407: The spread of contagious diseases by being responsible for the removal of corpses and belongings of those who died from them. Sopona priests seem to have known of the protective and dangerous nature of the virus and often inoculated people against the disese by skin incisions. Ilé Ifẹ̀ . (Home) The Irúnmalẹ̀, from the words; Ìrun meaning ' Origin ' and Imalẹ̀ meaning ' Primal divinity ' are
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1974-533: The term Ajogun comes from the words; A + Jẹ + Ogun , literally meaning; "That which feeds/thrives on trouble/war". The Ajogun are often personified as "warriors" who wage war against humanity . Out of their number, there are eight principal Ajogun led by 'Iku' (Death). The Yoruba have developed a robust pantheon of divinities, each well developed in their different rites and traditions. Many of these have attained national/pan Yoruba statuses and are known all across Yoruba country, even diffusing beyond Yorubaland into
2021-491: The term Orisha is often used to describe both classes of divine entities , it is properly reserved for the former one. The Ajogun on the other hand are best described as active negative, destructive or malevolent forces of nature. They exist at the same operational plane as the Orisha but occupy counter positions and work against one's Ori. They represent the other side of the Yoruba duality of existence which can either be Ire " (Goodness) " or Ibi " (Evil) ". Broken down,
2068-478: Was "firmly attached to place". Each person living on earth attempts to achieve perfection 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). Iwapẹlẹ (or well-balanced) meditative recitation and sincere veneration
2115-445: Was happening on earth, Olodumare gathered the gases 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. For this reason, Ife
2162-421: Was retained after the fall of the Oyo Empire as the official title of the ceremonial ruler of the contemporary natives of Oyo, Nigeria . The Alaafin is the political head of the Yoruba people and the only monarch with the pre-requisite power to appoint a chieftain representing the entire Yorubaland . Examples of such appointments include Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland and Iyalode of Yorubaland. As of 2021
2209-442: Was visited but considered too wet for conventional living. 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 were emptied onto what soon became
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