Location:
Geography:
Cosmology: The Yoruba have divided reality into two worlds; one world considered Earth and the other named Heaven. Similar to other religions, Heaven is the invisible or unknown place where the gods and the passed on live. Likewise, Earth is where the living dwell, the tangible place that provides a home for the Yoruba people. The Yoruba also believe that evil or vicious humans live on the Earth too and are capable of causing disaster and evil mischief. Additionally, there are people that connect with Heaven and Earth collaboratively because it is important for the Yoruba to harmoniously interact with those in Heaven and understand the future. ("Primal Religion Traditions": http://www.wayzata.k12.mn.us/cms/lib/MN01001540/Centricity/Domain/1841/Primal%20Religions%202b.pdf)
Sacred Symbols:
1. Yams: The Yoruba people thrive on farming and a main crop for them are yams. Yams symbolize all of the farming and a thanks to their ancestors and gods. The people offer yams to gods before celebrations or daily meals.
2. Cowry shells: These shells are symbols of the connection with a supernatural world and communication with the gods or the divine of that world. Priests use them to read people and how the supernatural forces are in them or some how affecting them.
3. Palm nuts: These are also used to connect with supernatural occurrences in people and in the natural world.
4. Akoko tree: This tree is a symbol for sacred locations for the Yoruba and is considered a sacred tree. The tree is used for some medicines and is valued by the people.
("Yoruba Religion": http://www.philtar.ac.uk/encyclopedia/sub/yoruba.html)
Sacred Symbols:
Sacred Locations:
Important Gods: The important gods include the good, the bad, and... the trickster figure. In the Yoruba religion their are many gods, most of them under the category of god as these gods intercede for the people and represent main aspects of life such as fertility. There are not many particular "bad" gods, just gods that represent things such as war or storms that destroy the land. And lastly, there are trickster gods that encompass both characteristics of good and evil or bad.
"Olorun"- Olorun is the top or first god and wields power over the universe however he does not interact with humans nor is interacted with by humans.
"Orisha-nla"- This god is a good god, an "orisha" which is just any god beneath Olorun. She is given the credit for creating the Earth.
"Ogun"- This is the god of iron and war who actually was a human on earth before earning divinity. He was king of the sacred city Ife in the beginning and after he died he was deified.
"Oya"- She is a god who favors destruction and being a catalyst for various things.
"Esu"- Esu is the trickster figure in the Yoruba religion, a god that contains both good and evil. He can mediate between heaven and earth but is also mischievous and gets humans into trouble. He is an important figure because of his dynamic and he is widely worshiped.
("Godpaths": http://www.godpaths.com/yoruba-religion.html , "Primal Religious Traditions"-handout)
Orishas:
Totems, Fetishes, and Taboos: Fabric Totem: The Yoruba create fabrics with beads that the shaman wears and are considered totems because it has significance for the person who wears it, the shaman, and enshrines much of the religion and culture in this object. The Yoruba however do not seem to have any totems represented in animals whereas in another account, it is written that a totem was anything and each family had a totem such as Erin the elephant. ("History of Yoruba"-http://books.google.com/books?id=7XSiGw4_qlAC&pg=PA86&lpg=PA86&dq=totems+of+Yoruba&source=bl&ots=u0Zf4WkfIk&sig=3wjQtFhgP9ukL_AaRJReHM8ADX8&hl=en&sa=X&ei=sE4FUYfeNO6P0QHktIDoBA&sqi=2&ved=0CEEQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=totems%20of%20Yoruba&f=false, "Creation in African Thought"- http://www.afrikaworld.net/afrel/creation-in-atr.htm, "Beadwork"- http://www.cyberrug.com/yoruba_beadwork_5803.htm)
Fetishes: Love Lock Fetish: The name sounds like what it was, a way to lock away the love of someone else with prayers and an object consisting of locks. The importance of a fetish is the spiritual power behind the object and its purpose for whoever has one. (Yoruba Fetish- http://www.authenticafrica.com/yorlovlocfet.html)
Taboos: Taboos are like rules or restrictions among people in the religion and in the Yoruba religion, the divinities have things that are taboo to their being or to the people who are in charge. For instances it is taboo to drink palm wine if you worship Orisha-nla or it is prohibited. Other taboos are established around the palace and there were duties for people to communicate with deities and things such as birth or death were taboo around the palace. (Traditional Taboo- http://maxwellsci.com/print/crjss/6-9.pdf)
Totem and Taboo:
Shaman and Magic: The role of the shaman in the Yoruba religion is to serve as the healer or medicine man. He uses spiritual divination, dances, rituals, and also herbs to heal the people. The Yoruba see illnesses as things to be gotten rid of but they also look at germs like helpful things to that do certain things in the body such as digestion or fertility. Thus they use magic as a form of medicine and divination in effort to try and receive good things. Magic therefore is a means to get things either fixed or manipulated in their favor. (African Shamanism- http://shamanportal.org/shamanism_african.php, Yoruba Religion- http://www.religioustolerance.org/ifa.htm)
Shaman and Magic:
Rituals: Orisha of Ayede: Iponmi Day Ritual: This is a water carrying ritual that occurs at the end of other various festivals and celebrations. The streets are taken over in a celebration of honoring people and orishas with mainly song and dance.
Isinku: This is a combination of rituals performed under the category of a funeral. The funeral ritual is designated to those who die of old age. The funeral takes place over the course of seven days, some days of most importance are Ojo Isinku, Itaoku, Irenoku, and Ijeku. Ojo Isinku is the first day and the preliminary actions occur such as gathering things and initial songs and dances performed. Itaoku is the third day, a day of feasts and celebration. Irenoku is the fourth day and again filled with play or light-hearted activities The final day is Ijeku, marking the end of celebration and sacrifice and the opportunity for new life to begin. ("Yoruba Ritual Archive"- http://www.international.ucla.edu/africa/yra/, "Yoruba"- http://academics.smcvt.edu/africanart/kristen/yoruba.htm)
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