Nigeria has a lot of cultural practices, a lot of which have gone into extinction. Explore some of the ancient beliefs of the Yoruba people.
Taboos in ancient Yorubaland. [scoopernews]
Being the largest ethnic group in Nigeria, the Yoruba people are a proud cultural group.
They are rich in culture and tradition, which most still practise till this day. Every ethnic group, in the ancient days, saw the need to come up with rules that the society had to live by in order to keep the land clean. This need to sanitise the society and prevent cultural abuses has led to the establishment of cultural taboos and abominations.
These taboos are things that must never be done in Yorubaland, though some are not unique to the Yoruba people.
1. Adultery
Yoruba culture forbids a married woman to have sexual relations with a man that isn't her husband. A man that suspects his wife of cheating could be tempted to lace her with magun, which is one of the strangest traditions in Nigeria. Magun could lead to her lover losing his life or getting stuck while in the act. This taboo is more critical against women than against men, so it is highly frowned upon for a wife to cheat on her husband.
2. A king and his royal crown
Kings in Yorubaland are forbidden from looking inside of his royal crown. A king must wear a crown but he must never peer into it. The day he does it is the day he will join his ancestors. Kings could be allowed to do this if they insist on committing suicide.
3. A strapped baby must never fall from its mother’s back
It is an abomination in Yorubaland for a baby to fall from its mother’s back. It is believed that if a male child falls from its mother’s back, he will always lose his wife at adulthood, while for a female, she will always have a lover die atop her when she grows up. If a baby does fall from its mother’s back, the mother is expected to carry out some rituals to prevent evil from happening to the child when it grows.
4. Suicide
Committing suicide is a serious abomination in Yorubaland, and the body must not be lowered down until some sacrifices are performed to appease the gods. The body of such individual will be thrown into the evil forest or outside the town to avoid invoking the anger of the gods on the land. The family of an individual that commits suicide will be tainted forever in the community.
5. Unclean food
It is generally considered unclean to consume dog meat, pork, and cat meat among others. While many Yorubas will never taste dog meat but gladly consume African rabbit (Okete), the Ondo people consider Okete an abomination but will gladly eat dog meat with relish.
6. Same sex relations
This is forbidden in Yorubaland. Although many people practice it in Nigeria, it is still considered an abomination in Yorubaland.
7. Whistling
Men and women are not allowed to whistle at nights in Yorubaland. Whistling at nights is believed to invite demons and evil spirits into the house to torment people. Additionally, it is believed that whistling could attract snakes and reptiles into the house at night.
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FAQs
Prohibition of eating dog meat: In Yoruba culture, dogs are considered sacred and are often seen as spiritual guardians. Therefore, it is forbidden to kill or eat them. 2. Incest: Incest is considered a grave sin in Yoruba culture.
What is a taboo in Yoruba culture? ›
The meaning of the word eewo (taboo) has been somewhat expanded in Yoruba traditional culture to strong prohibitions relating to any area of human activity or custom that is sacred or forbidden based on their moral judgement, religions, beliefs or norms.
What are cultural norms in Yoruba? ›
Major traditional Yorùbá values, according to Abayomi, are hard work, integrity, diligence, self-reliance, honesty and social responsibility.
What is the taboo of Ogun? ›
Another taboo in Yorubaland stipulates that knowing fully well that one is responsible for an act, he should never venture to swear by "OGUN" god of iron. The process of swearing goes thus.
What are the cultural values in Yorubaland? ›
Some of the values include wisdom, integrity, valour, hard work, honour, and wealth. Let us take you on a cultural trip on the Yoruba Value System. The application of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding (Ogbón, ìmò ati òye)cannot be overemphasized in the Yoruba culture.
What is forbidden in Yorubaland? ›
Whistling
Men and women are not allowed to whistle at nights in Yorubaland. Whistling at nights is believed to invite demons and evil spirits into the house to torment people. Additionally, it is believed that whistling could attract snakes and reptiles into the house at night.
What is avoid in Yoruba language? ›
yago fun. More Yoruba words for avoid. yago verb. avoid.
What is unique about Yoruba culture? ›
The traditional Yoruba religion has an elaborate hierarchy of deities, including a supreme creator and some 400 lesser gods and spirits, most of whom are associated with their own cults and priests. The Yoruba language has an extensive literature of poetry, short stories, myths, and proverbs.
What are some cultural taboos in Nigeria? ›
Here are taboos that cut across the country that you must know
- In some Nigerian tribes, it is forbidden to kill a snake.
- It is forbidden in some parts Nigeria to kill one self.
- In some Nigerian cultures, it is a taboo for pregnant women, kings to go near corpses.
In Yoruba philosophical discourse, ethics relates to the norms that govern human behavior, on the one hand, and the behavior of the supernat- ural beings in their relationship with humans, on the other. As the above suggests, it is not only humans that have to be ethical: the gods too do.
Followers of traditional Yoruba religion can swear to tell the truth in court by "kissing a piece of iron in the name of Ogun." Drivers carry an amulet of Ogun to ward off traffic accidents.
Is Ogun good or bad? ›
Though a fierce god, Ogun is not evil and will help those who pray to him. Yoruba blacksmiths have traditionally sacrificed dogs to Ogun, and each year they hold a three-day festival in his honor. See also African Mythology; Olorun.
What is the color of Ogun God? ›
Traditionally Ogun's colours are green, red, and black.
How do we show respect in Yoruba culture? ›
Yoruba boys also prostrate themselves while the girls kneel while attempting to greet an older person. Respect can also be shown through putting one's hand behind his/her back and respectfully bowing of the head a little while being addressed by an older person.
What is the Yoruba death ritual? ›
According to the Yoruba tradition the burial rite involves seven days of rituals (etutu) to successfully send the deceased's spirit to its ancestral realm. The Yoruba culture states that in burial the spirit does not fade away in death.
How marriage is done in Yorubaland? ›
The Yoruba traditional marriage entails some customs which are adhered to which includes taking the bride-to-be to the fattening room where she is well fed and also taught how to be a good wife, she is also cleansed by taking a special birth before going to the husbands house, she must not also meet the husband in the ...
What are some examples of taboos in African tradition? ›
Here are 5 African taboos that people have refused to let go.
- Consummating with relatives. Having sex with one's relative is a taboo considered as the worst form of sin in most African communities. ...
- Disrespecting the elderly. ...
- Family and staying In-laws. ...
- Pot breaking – Accidental or intentional. ...
- Food taboo.
Some taboos and their reasoning are as follows below. To begin with, no hunting, fishing and farming on specific were commonly seen in most Akan and Ga communities where some days were considered bad days for these activities. It was believed that the gods will strike one dead if he or she did.
What are some taboos in Akan? ›
There are varieties of verbal taboos in Akan that were traditionally adhered to. They include ntam, 'reminiscential oath', duabɔ 'imprecation', nsedie, 'self-imprecation', atɛnnidie 'invectives' and ammodin, 'unmentionables' (see Agyekum 1996).
Why is virginity important in Yoruba culture? ›
Virginity In Yoruba Culture
During the traditional era and before the advent of colonialism, virginity was held at high esteem among the Yoruba people. A lady is expected to get married as a virgin as having sexual intercourse before the wedding ceremony is a taboo.
