Inquiry Post #5: Yoruba Culture

So, I may have said I was going to find movies and TV Shows in Yoruba for this post, as promised in my last one, but honestly, I haven’t gotten around to seeing any just yet. Nevertheless, I will accomplish that before my previous inquiry post and, by then, will have more to share and give my opinions of the shows and movies I watched. In the meantime, I wanted to expand more about Yoruba culture from what I mentioned in my first post. Learning a language isn’t only about comprehending the language but also comprehending where it comes from and the history of the language to immerse yourself in your learning. And, of course, doing so with respect, kindness and open-mindedness. Just some stats for you all: as of 2020, there are 42,600,000 Yoruba speakers in Nigeria (which has the highest population), and in Canada, there are 42,075 speakers, well, hopefully 42,076 soon 😉. Countries like Benin and Togo have high populations of speakers as before colonization when the three countries were known and, to some, still referred to as Yorubaland. Hence, the lands where the language is spoken were populated by colonization, which split the land into ‘colonized’ countries. There are, of course, many more speakers from a variety of African countries and around the world. 

From what I know from what my boyfriend and his family have told me, Yoruba is not only a language but an Indigenous tribe in Nigeria, which they are a part of and part of a lineage of many kingdoms. Yoruba people are among the highest-ranking populated ethnic groups in sub-Saharan Africa and the largest population amongst other ethnic groups in Nigeria. Is it said in the Yoruba religion that the origin of its people descended from the hero/god Odua or Oduduwa. There are a lot of legends, mythology and folklore in the Yoruba religion, with 400 different heroes, gods and warriors with unique symbolism. 

Within Nigeria’s linguistic and cultural diversity, there is also a diversity of dialects and cultures within Yoruba, depending on which area you are from. For example, my boyfriend’s parents (his mom is Oyo and his dad is Ijebu) so they come from different dialects but still can understand each other and choose to speak the universal dialect. Here are some of the cultural sub-groups of Yoruba: Oyo (people of the Oyo, which have an extensive history), Egba, Ijebu, Ekiti, Ijesha, Ilaje, Owo, Ife, Ibarapa, Igbomina, Egbado, Awori, Egun, Akoko, Ondo, and Yagra. 

There is so much to learn about Yoruba culture and its diverse peoples that this post would be so long if I included everything! But here is a video that goes into a deeper dive into Yoruba culture, especially highlighting the importance of art, specifically the importance of masks and sculptures that date thousands of years. Unfortunately, due to colonization and the slave trade, a lot of Yoruba art was stolen and sold to private collections for thousands of dollars and not returned to its place of origin. Nevertheless, the culture and people remain strong and prosperous in continuing cultural practices.