African Indigenous Beliefs

• Africa has 54 countries and covers approximately 6% of the Earth's surface.
• The continent's population is around 1.3 billion people.
• Africa has over 3000 different ethnic groups, each with unique history, language, and beliefs.
• Indigenous African beliefs often include the worship of spirits, multiple gods, and ancestors.
• These beliefs are based on the understanding that the spiritual infuses daily life.
• The concept of a supreme being is not always part of indigenous tribal life.
• Gods, ancestors, and spirits aren't necessarily thought of as omnipresent, omniscient, or good.
• Ancestors play an important role in these traditions, linking the dead and their living descendants.
• Diviners, priests, or community members communicate with the dead through prayers, sacrifices, rituals, festivals, and ceremonies.
• Public festivals and masquerades are central to spiritual wellbeing in West Africa.
• Masks worn at these events embody gods and spirits, identifying them to the community.
• Indigenous beliefs frequently coexist alongside Islam, Judaism, and Christianity in African nations.
• Relationships between Abrahamic religions and native beliefs and practices can be difficult.
• Some conservative branches of Abrahamic religions have tried to eradicate Yoruba practices.

History and Belief

• The Yoruba are one of Africa's largest ethnic groups, with over 25 million people in Nigeria, Benin, and Togo.
• Pre-modern Yoruba history is based on oral traditions and legends.
• Ile Ife is believed to be where Yoruba civilization began and where the gods descended to earth.
• Ile Ife became a city around 500 BCE and is considered the origin of all African people by the Yoruba.
• "Ife" in Yoruba means "expansion," so "Ile-Ife" refers to the myth of origin, "The Land of Expansion."
• Ife is famous for its art, including terracotta, stone, and bronze sculptures found in museums.
• The Yoruba have hundreds of deities called orisha, with the high god being Olorun.
• Other important orishas include Eshu (the trickster), Shango (god of thunder), and Ogun (god of iron and technology).
• The Yoruba believe ancestors influence the living, honoring them with annual rituals and sacrifices.
• Egungun (maskers) appear at funerals, embodying the spirits of the deceased.

Location and Society

• The Yoruba people are concentrated in southwestern Nigeria, Benin, and northern Togo.
• There are 35-40 million Yoruba across Africa.
• The Yoruba were originally called the Oyo.
• The term Yoruba came into use in the 19th century, initially referring to subjects of the Oyo Empire and those who spoke the language.
• Its first documented use as ethnic description by a scholar occurred in the 16th century
• The Oyo empire arose in the late 15th century CE, expanding with the increased use of horses.
• Civil war occurred within the Oyo empire in the late 18th century CE, with rebels seeking help from the Fulani.
• The Fulani conquered the Oyo empire in the 1830s.
• Yoruba lands were colonized by the British in 1901, becoming part of Nigeria in 1914.
• Nigeria declared independence on October 1, 1960.
• Historically, the Yoruba were primarily farmers, growing cassava, maize, cotton, beans, and peanuts.
• They are also known for their crafts, including blacksmithing, leatherworking, weaving, glassmaking, ivory, and wood carving.
• Each town has an Oba (leader), considered a direct descendant of the founding Oba, assisted by a council of chiefs.

Rituals and Art

• Key Yoruba Rituals include:
• Egungun (representative of ancestral spirits visiting the living)
• Epa (symbolic performances promoting valor and fertility)
• Eyo (a procession of masked dancers)
• Art and spirituality are intertwined for the Yoruba.
• Art gives visual form to the divine, inspires devotion, and is empowered by spiritual forces.
• Aesthetics play an important role in sacred manifestations.
• People worship many gods (òrìṣàs) in Nigeria.
• Before the Gèlèdé masquerade festival, community members consult priests to communicate with the òrìṣàs .
• The priest interprets the òrìṣàs' words by throwing palm nuts and drawing symbols.
• The Gèlèdé masquerade is performed by the Yoruba people of Nigeria.
• Preparations include consulting the Ifá priest, who helps communicate with spirits and choose songs.

Legacy

• Some West African practices were transported by enslaved individuals to the Americas in the 16th and 17th centuries.
• Brazilian candomblé is an extension of Yoruba beliefs, demonstrating their strength.
• Caribbean Vodou also reflects Yoruba beliefs about the role of spirits.
• Some leaders or members enter a 'trance-like' state, interpreted as spirit possession.
• This serves as contact with spirits or ancestors and relaying messages to the community.
• The Yoruba Gelede from the Ketu region of Benin is recognized as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage by UNESCO.