In the Yorùbá language and tradition, the words “Ìyàwó” and “Aya” are both used to refer to a wife, but they hold different connotations, etymological origins, and cultural implications. Their distinction is not merely linguistic but reflects layers of social, spiritual, and historical meanings in Yorùbá cosmology and family structure.

“Aya” is considered the more formal and idealized term for “wife” in Yorùbá. It represents the status of being a wife within a household or society. Aya is the woman who has transitioned from maidenhood into recognized marital life, often signifying completion of traditional rites or full integration into her husband’s lineage. The term carries a tone of dignity and respect, often used in formal introductions or religious contexts.

Etymologically, some scholars trace “Aya” to ancient Yorùbá roots possibly linked to the concept of “ìyà” (mother or woman) and “àṣẹ” (power or authority), implying that Aya is not just a wife, but a woman who carries spiritual and domestic authority within the home. “Ìyàwó” refers specifically to a new wife or bride, especially one who has just been married or brought into the family. The term is loaded with symbolism and history, particularly in relation to initiation into marriage and womanhood.

Anthropologically, “Ìyàwó” is believed to be a compound of “Ìyà” (suffering, trial) and “Wó” (to enter or fall into) thus, “Ìyàwó” could be interpreted as “one who has entered into a trial” or “one who bears suffering.” This etymology is reflective of the rites of passage and challenges that a new wife traditionally endures, including proving herself in her husband’s household, enduring physical and emotional adaptation, and embracing new responsibilities.

Another cultural explanation relates to the mythical journey of a beautiful woman from the town of Wó. According to oral tradition, this woman married Ọ̀rúnmìlà after much hardship and trial. She was referred to as “Ìyà-Wó” the woman from Wó who suffered before becoming a wife which eventually became a generic term for brides. In Yorùbá tradition, womanhood is often segmented into stages based on one’s marital and maternal status.

Ìyàwó is a new or young wife, often still undergoing initiation into her new family’s customs and expectations. Aya is a matured wife, respected and integrated, possibly with children and domestic responsibilities. Ìyálé or Ìyàwó Àgbà denotes the senior wife in a polygynous setting. Ìyá is a mother, often elevated in status within both the marital and natal families.

These transitions are not just social but are often marked by rituals, communal acknowledgment, and cultural performance such as dances, greetings, dress codes, and oríkì (praise poetry). The use of multiple words to describe a wife reflects the dynamic roles of women in Yorùbá society. Rather than a static identity, being a wife is seen as a journey , a series of transformations guided by age, experience, and relationship dynamics.

From a linguistic anthropology perspective, this vocabulary also reveals how deeply gender roles, family hierarchy, and spiritual beliefs are embedded in everyday speech. Language becomes a way of expressing one’s social status, emotional burden, and communal identity.

Ìyàwó and Aya refer to a wife in Yorùbá culture, they convey distinct stages and expectations within marriage. Ìyàwó is a transitional role — often laced with trials and initiation — whereas Aya is a title of honor and acceptance. Their usage in language and culture offers a rich window into how Yorùbá society understands marriage, womanhood, and family structure, defining the power of words to reflect lived realities and ancestral wisdom.

“ Aya is the moonlight that steadies the home,
Ìyàwó is the morning dew, soft yet brave.
One holds the secrets of seasoned fire,
The other learns to dance in the heat of new flame.
Aya walks with silence that shapes destiny,
Ìyàwó sings with steps still searching the path.
In their eyes, rivers of memory and becoming,
In their hands, the weaving of lineage and love.
Not just wives, but altars in motion,
Guardians of balance between worlds unseen.
They rise with dawn, bearing Àṣẹ in their breath,
Their names carved in time, sacred and eternal.
Aya speaks in gestures that calm the storm,
Ìyàwó listens to winds that teach her name.
One is the drumbeat of rooted tradition,
The other, a flute calling transformation.
Together they echo the sky’s unfolding,
Walking the thread between duty and divinity.
Their roles are not worn—they are lived,
As earth remembers through the steps they take.” – Adeyinka Olaiya

Interestingly, similar distinctions are found in other African and diasporic cultures. In Bantu languages, there are often different terms for a young bride versus an established matron. In Afro-Brazilian Candomblé, women undergo naming and initiation rites that also mirror the journey from Ìyàwó to spiritual elder. The diasporic echoes of these stages show the resilience of Yorùbá concepts across time and geography.

While the terms Ìyàwó and Aya may both denote “wife” in the Yorùbá language, their deeper meanings offer a profound window into how Yorùbá culture understands womanhood, marriage, and spiritual identity. Ìyàwó represents the trials, vulnerability, and initiation of new marital life. Aya symbolizes maturity, dignity, and spiritual authority within the family structure.

This linguistic and cultural distinction is not trivial, it embodies the Yorùbá belief that roles are not merely given but earned through conduct, ritual, and time. The journey from Ìyàwó to Aya is, therefore, a metaphor for the transformation of the self, guided by ancestral wisdom and communal recognition. In understanding these terms, we gain deeper insight into the lived realities of Yorùbá women and the cosmological frameworks that shape their lives.

The post AYA and ÌYÀWÓ: Etymology, Cultural Meanings, and Social Roles of the Wife in Yorùbá Tradition appeared first on The Ancestral News.

Peruvian novelist Mario Vargas Llosa, one of the pivotal figures who ignited a global boom in Latin American literature, has died aged 89. His death on Sunday 12th of April was announced in a statement from his children, Álvaro, Gonzalo, and Morgana Vargas Llosa.

Over a career that spanned more than 50 years, Vargas Llosa charted power and corruption in a series of novels including The Time of the Hero, Conversation in the Cathedral, and The Feast of the Goat. Living a life that was as colourful as his fiction, Vargas Llosa also launched a failed bid for the Peruvian presidency, nursed a long-running feud with Gabriel García Márquez, and triumphed as Nobel literature laureate in 2010.

Born in Arequipa in 1936, Vargas started working as a crime reporter when he was just 15. Four years later, he eloped with his 32-year-old aunt by marriage, Julia Urquidi—a departure his father called a “virile act.” A trip to Paris in 1958 was the beginning of 16 years abroad, living in Madrid, Barcelona, and London as well as the French capital. But while working as a journalist, broadcaster, and teacher, Vargas Llosa began to return to his homeland in fiction.

In 1963, his first novel, The Time of the Hero, was published in Spain. But this story of a murder at the Leoncio Prado military academy—where Vargas Llosa spent two years as a teenager—and the subsequent cover-up was deemed so shocking in Peru that it is said that 1,000 copies were burned on the school’s parade ground.

Vargas Llosa found himself at the centre of a boom in Latin American literature alongside writers such as Julio Cortázar, Carlos Fuentes, and Márquez. His 1971 study, García Márquez: Story of a Deicide, brought the literature of the New World into conversation with the Old, but his friendship with the novelist didn’t last. When Márquez greeted Vargas Llosa outside a Mexico City cinema in 1976, he received a punch to the face in reply. Speaking at an event in Madrid three years after Márquez died in 2014, Vargas Llosa said he was sad to hear of his former friend’s death but refused to elaborate on the reasons for the feud. “We’re moving toward dangerous ground,” he said. “The time has come to put an end to this conversation.”

Plays, short stories, and novels including Conversation in the Cathedral, Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter, and The War of the End of the World confirmed his literary reputation. But as his profile grew, Vargas Llosa became increasingly involved in politics. Moving away from the Marxism of his youth, he hosted a chat show on Peruvian television and, in 1984, turned down an offer from the conservative president Fernando Belaúnde Terry to become his prime minister.

In 1987, Vargas Llosa drew a crowd of 120,000 to a rally in Lima protesting plans to nationalise the Peruvian financial system and launched a presidential campaign. Three years later, after many abusive phone calls and death threats, he was defeated in the second round by Alberto Fujimori and left the country within hours.

“I didn’t lie,” he told The Guardian in 2002. “I said we needed radical reforms and social sacrifices, and in the beginning it worked. But then came the dirty war, presenting my reforms as something that would destroy jobs. It was very effective, especially with the poorest of society. In Latin America we prefer promises to reality.”

Vargas Llosa took up Spanish citizenship in 1993, as the stream of plays, essays, and novels continued. The Feast of the Goat, published in 2000, entered the mind of the Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo to chilling effect. His 2006 novel The Bad Girl follows an on-off affair that spans more than 40 years. Vargas Llosa at first thought it was a joke. The Nobel prize was “a fairytale for a week,” he told The Guardian in 2012, but “a nightmare for a year,” the public attention leaving him barely able to write: “You can’t imagine the pressure to give interviews, to go to book fairs.”

The laureate used his new global platform to speak out against manipulation in the Peruvian media, propaganda from the Russian Federation, and Donald Trump. However, in May 2022 he said that he would be backing Brazil’s far-right former leader Jair Bolsonaro over Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Brazil’s general election. Though the former president’s “clowning around” is “very difficult for a liberal to accept,” he explained that “between Bolsonaro and Lula, I of course prefer Bolsonaro. Even with Bolsonaro’s foolishness, he’s not Lula.”

From 1976 until 1979, Vargas Llosa served as president of PEN International, the worldwide writers’ freedom of expression group. Due to his objection to the Catalan independence movement, he resigned as emeritus president in 2019 after the organisation called for the release of two jailed Catalan civil society leaders and claimed Catalans had been persecuted “in a way not seen since the Franco dictatorship.”

Despite the author’s international profile, he carried on making space for fiction, with four novels appearing after the Nobel prize. One of his most recent novels, Harsh Times, was the tale of a coup in 1950s Guatemala. Edward Docx, in his Guardian review, said it “swarms with life and a determination to tunnel down into the underlying truth of humanity.”

“I learned from my political experiences that I am a writer, not a politician,” Vargas Llosa explained to The Guardian in 2012. “Part of the reason I have lived the life I have is because I wanted to have an adventurous life. But my best adventures are more literary than political.”

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“ Antes de qualquer palavra, antes de qualquer pedido, há um gesto que abre os caminhos- Ìjúbà-Mòjúbà na tradição Yorùbá- este não é apenas um ato de saudação — é um rito de reconhecimento, um fundamento de respeito e ancestralidade. Inclinar-se diante dos que vieram antes, reverenciar os Òrìṣà, a terra, o céu e todas as forças invisíveis que sustentam o mundo, é afirmar que ninguém está só, que toda existência se apoia sobre alicerces antigos e sagrados.
Ìjúbà é a voz que limpa os espinhos do caminho. Mòjúbà é o coração que se curva com sabedoria. Juntas, essas palavras tecem um elo entre o visível e o invisível, entre o agora e o antes, entre o ser e o orí. Não se inicia um culto, uma oração, uma oferenda ou mesmo um encontro sem antes oferecer essa saudação. Ela é a chave que abre as portas do sagrado.
Nesta tradição, saudar é recordar. É reconhecer a hierarquia espiritual e a presença dos ancestrais. É plantar o respeito para colher a bênção. Assim começa nossa jornada pelo sentido profundo de Ìjúbà-Mòjúbà, onde cada gesto carrega um mundo e cada palavra reverbera na eternidade” – –Adéyínká Ọláìyá

Na religião tradicional Yorùbá, fazer Ìjúbà, e dizer Mójúbà— ou seja, prestar reverência e saudar com respeito — é um ato fundamental ao se aproximar dos assentamentos dos Òrìṣàs (òrìṣà). Ìjúbà-Mójúbà não é apenas uma saudação formal, mas uma invocação espiritual que abre caminhos, reconhece hierarquias sagradas e estabelece conexão com as energias ancestrais.

Ao dizer Mójúbà, a pessoa pede licença e honra a presença espiritual que habita aquele espaço. Nenhuma oferenda, reza ou ritual deve ser iniciado sem essa saudação, pois ela prepara tanto o ambiente quanto a consciência do devoto para o contato com o sagrado.

Nesse gesto, não apenas os Òrìṣàs são saudados, mas também os ancestrais (Ìgbàlè), os bàbáláwos, Ìyálòrìṣàs, mestres espirituais e até os instrumentos sagrados. Esse reconhecimento demonstra humildade, respeito e uma profunda consciência da linhagem espiritual à qual o devoto pertence. Ijúbà-Mójúbà também é uma forma poderosa de atrair o Àṣẹ— a força vital que sustenta o universo e os seres. Ele garante que o trabalho espiritual tenha eficácia e seja bem recebido, harmonizando o corpo, o espírito e o espaço com as forças divinas.

Além disso, ao reconhecer os Òrìṣàs e os ancestrais com reverência, o devoto se protege contra desequilíbrios espirituais. A saudação atua como uma ponte entre o humano e o divino, fortalecendo o equilíbrio e afastando forças indesejadas. Esse gesto sagrado também assegura a continuidade da tradição. Ao dizer Mójúbà, o devoto transmite os valores essenciais da cultura Yorùbá — o respeito, a gratidão, a consciência espiritual e a ordem ancestral. Cada saudação ecoa a sabedoria dos antigos, mantendo viva a herança e a espiritualidade do povo Yorùbá.

Em idioma Yorùbá , Ìjúbà é o gesto inicial de reverência. A palavra literalmente significa “fazer/realizar a saudação” (ì + júbà – onde júbà é “saudar com respeito”). É uma ação: o movimento físico e espiritual de curvar-se ou saudar, seja com palavras, com o corpo (ajoelhar-se, deitar-se no chão), ou com oferendas. Na prática espiritual, dizemos: “Mo wá ṣe ìjúbà” – Vim prestar saudação.

Mòjúbà é a forma específica e personalizada da saudação. Literalmente, significa “eu saúdo com respeito” ou “eu reverencio”. É a verbalização da saudação feita com intenção e direcionamento. Quando dizemos Mòjúbà, estamos expressando diretamente respeito a uma força específica: um Òrìṣà, um ancestral, ou uma figura espiritual. Por exemplo: “Èṣù, Mòjúbà ó!” – “Èṣù, eu lhe saúdo com reverência!”

Ìbà, por sua vez, é um tipo mais cerimonial e poético de saudação. É um louvor honroso e elevado, usado muitas vezes em cantos, oríkìs, e rituais mais profundos. Ìbà também pode ser usado para marcar o respeito devido a forças espirituais, mas de maneira mais solene e invocadora. Exemplo: “Ìbà Èṣù, Ọ̀nà mí ò ní di!” – “Louvor a Èṣù, que meu caminho não se feche

Enquanto Ìjúbà representa o ato, Mòjúbà é a expressão direta, e Ìbà é a saudação enaltecida. Cada uma carrega um tom diferente, mas todas nascem do mesmo princípio: o respeito e a consciência da presença do sagrado.

ỌFỌ́ IJÚBA – MÓJÚBÀ….

YORUBA: Ewúrẹ́ tó wọ ilé tí ò júbà, ó di ẹran àmúsọ;
Agùntàn tó wọ ilé tí ò júbà, ó di ẹran àmúsọ;
Ṣùgbọ́n èmi, Adéyínká Ọláìyá, wọ ilé Mòjúbà ó!
Ẹ má jẹ́ kí n di ẹran àmúsọ o!
Ẹ jẹ́ kí ìbà mi ṣé o! Àṣẹ!

Portugues: A cabra que entrou na casa sem saudar, tornou-se carne para sacrifício; o carneiro que entrou na casa e não saudou, também se tornou carne para sacrifício; mas eu Adéyínká Ọláìyá entrou na casa e saudei dizendo Mòjúbà! Que vocês não deixem que eu me torne carne para sacrifício! Que a minha Ìbà seja aceita! Axé!

Mójúbà é, portanto, mais do que um gesto: é oração viva, reconhecimento sagrado e chave espiritual que abre as portas do Òrun (mundo espiritual) para o Ayé (mundo terreno). Ao chegar a um assentamento, o devoto deve se ajoelhar, tocar a testa no chão e com reverência dizer: “Mójúbà, gbogbo òrìṣà, gbogbo àtọ̀runwá, gbogbo agbà…” — chamando um a um, com amor, respeito e devoção.

The post Mójúbà: A Chave Sagrada que Abre os Caminhos aos Òrìṣàs – O Significado Espiritual do Ìjúbà-Mójúbà na Religião Tradicional Yorùbá appeared first on The Ancestral News.

In the heart of Brazil, where the rhythm of drums meets the soul of the ancestors, a sacred flame awakens— not of fire, but of memory, of voices long carried by the winds of Òrún. Beneath the vast sky of São Paulo, the children of Ikú Aiyé gather— robed in mystery, crowned in wisdom, bearing the marks of an ancient oath. From the depths of time, the Ògbóni rise, their footsteps echoing across continents, their chants transiting the past into the present— a vast of honor, earth, and spirit.This is no mere festival— it is a return, a reverence, a rekindling of the covenant between the living and the ageless ones.

In SaoPaulo , history was made as the first-ever National Ògbóni Festival was held in São Paulo, Brazil, drawing a crowd of hundreds of thousands from across the country. This landmark celebration, which honored the sacred Yoruba Ògbóni fraternity, turned the vibrant city into a spiritual and cultural epicenter of African heritage in the diaspora.

The festival proudly paraded the who’s who of the Ògbóni society in Brazil, led by the trailblazing first Lisa Ògbóni of Brazil, Olúwo Atinúkólá (Pai Olavo) — a revered spiritual figure known for his deep knowledge of Yoruba philosophy and rituals. Beside him stood the dignified Árábà Olúwo Ògbóni Awó Fúnfún, Olúwo Àlàbí Atinúkólá, and numerous other initiates of Ògbóni, Ifá, and Òrìṣà, representing various temples and communities across Brazil.

The atmosphere was electrifying with Yorùbá music, traditional bands, chants, and folklore echoing through the streets. Cultural displays showcased Yoruba foods, traditional garments, crafts, and rituals, offering Brazilians and visitors an immersive experience into one of Africa’s oldest spiritual institutions.

More than just a festival, the event was a bold statement of identity, ancestry, and spiritual continuity, reinforcing Brazil’s position as a key hub for Yoruba religion in the diaspora. It highlighted the strength of cultural memory among Afro-Brazilians and the growing movement to reclaim and celebrate ancestral traditions.

According to the organizers, this is only the beginning. Plans are already in motion to establish the festival as an annual national event, solidifying the presence and recognition of the Ògbóni fraternity as a central pillar of Brazil’s African-rooted religious and cultural landscape.

This historic gathering not only honored ancient rites but also reignited pride, unity, and spiritual renewal among thousands. In the words of Olúwo Atinúkólá: “This is not just a festival — it is a call to remembrance, a return to our sacred paths, and a celebration of who we are.”

The festival, rich in the vibrant rhythms of African ancestry, showcased a dynamic array of cultural expressions. Highlights included the graceful movements of Afro-Brazilian Capoeira, the resonant beats of Yorùbá bàtá drummers, and the honored presence of revered Ìyálòrìṣàs and Bàbálòrìṣàs. Devotees of Ifá and various Òrìṣà traditions also participated, adding spiritual depth to the celebration.

A special moment during the festival was the presentation of awards to Olúwo Àlàbí Atinúkólá, in recognition of his tireless advocacy for African heritage in Brazil and the diaspora. The award was endorsed by the esteemed monarch, Ọba Ajibade, the Alákétu of the Kétu Kingdom in Yorùbáland. In a live video message streamed from Africa, the monarch expressed his full support for the festival and praised the unwavering commitment of Olúwo Adésòólá Atinúkólá (Pai Olavo) and Olúwo Àlàbí Atinúkólá in preserving and promoting ancestral traditions across continents.

As the sacred chants faded into the São Paulo dusk and the scent of ancestral incense lingered in the air, the gathering of Ọmọ Ikú Aiyé stood not as a memory— but as a living testament to a lineage unbroken. With a voice both gentle and resolute, the First Lísà Ògbóni of Brazil, Ólùwò Adésòólá Atinúkólá—known to many as Pai Olavo— offered closing words that echoed across hearts and generations: “ This is not the end—it is a new beginning. The Ògbóni spirit has crossed oceans, not to rest, but to rise. In Brazil, we do not imitate—we inherit, and in our embrace, the tradition breathes anew.” With these words, the ancient fraternity took its place once more—not in shadows, but in full daylight—its truth walking hand in hand with the children of the diaspora, its light burning where the earth remembers and the heavens bear witness. In São Paulo, the Ògbóni did not simply gather—they returned home.

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“Antes que houvesse escrita, havia palavra sagrada; antes que houvesse templo, havia árvore, pedra e tambor — é nesse silêncio antigo que Ìṣẹ̀ṣe làgbà sussurra: a tradição vive.”- Adéyínká Ọláìyá

Ìṣẹ̀ṣe làgbà é uma expressão em Yorùbá que significa, literalmente, “a Tradição é suprema” ou “a Tradição ancestral é maior”.

Ìṣẹ̀ṣe refere-se à tradição original, aos costumes, crenças e práticas religiosas dos ancestrais Yorùbás — especialmente os cultos aos Òrìṣà, aos Egúngún (ancestrais) e demais elementos da espiritualidade africana tradicional.

Làgbà significa “é maior”, “é suprema”, ou “vem antes de tudo”.

Portanto, quando se diz “Ìṣẹ̀ṣe làgbà”, está se afirmando o valor, o respeito e a supremacia das tradições ancestrais Yorùbás sobre influências externas, valorizando a sabedoria dos mais velhos, o culto aos ancestrais e os ritos originários. É uma saudação comum entre praticantes das religiões de matriz africana, especialmente durante festivais como o Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Day (Dia da Tradição), celebrado em várias partes da Nigéria e da diáspora Yorùbá . Serve também como um lembrete da importância de preservar e respeitar as raízes culturais e espirituais.

Embora às vezes sejam usados como sinônimos, Ìṣẹ̀ṣe làgbà e Ẹ̀sìn Ìbílẹ̀ têm diferenças sutis mas importantes. Ìṣẹ̀ṣe làgbà é uma declaração de reverência à tradição ancestral Yorùbá . A palavra Ìṣẹ̀ṣe representa o início, o fundamento espiritual e cultural do povo Yorùbá — antes das influências externas como o Cristianismo e o Islã. Já làgbà significa que essa tradição é a mais velha, a mais respeitada, a maior. A frase completa, portanto, afirma que a tradição original é suprema.

Ẹ̀sìn Ìbílẹ̀, por outro lado, significa literalmente “religião tradicional nativa”. Ẹ̀sìn quer dizer religião ou fé, e Ìbílẹ̀ se refere ao que é da terra, da origem. É um termo mais técnico, usado para se referir às religiões africanas tradicionais de forma geral, especialmente as que se mantêm vivas nos cultos e práticas espirituais. Portanto, enquanto “Ìṣẹ̀ṣe làgbà” é uma saudação, um lema e uma afirmação de identidade ancestral, “Ẹ̀sìn Ìbílẹ̀” é a forma como essa fé se manifesta na prática ritual.

As tradições espirituais que se enquadram no universo de Ìṣẹ̀ṣe làgbà — e que também são chamadas de Ẹ̀sìn Ìbílẹ̀ — incluem o culto aos Òrìṣà (como Ṣàngó, Ọbàtálá, Ọ̀ṣun, Ọ̀gún, Èṣù, Yemoja e outros), o sistema de Ifá e Ọ̀rúnmìlà, o culto a Egúngún(espíritos ancestrais), e outros sistemas de saber ligados à natureza, à medicina tradicional (como o culto a Ọ̀sanyìn), à agricultura e à ética do Ọmọlúàbí (valores de respeito, responsabilidade e integridade).

Como se diz poeticamente:
“Ìṣẹ̀ṣe làgbà é o coração da ancestralidade; Ẹ̀sìn Ìbílẹ̀ é o seu corpo visível em rituais e cultos.”

Na prática cotidiana, quem vive segundo o princípio de Ìṣẹ̀ṣe làgbà costuma seguir um ciclo de vida profundamente conectado com os rituais, os calendários espirituais e os ensinamentos dos ancestrais. Cada fase da vida — nascimento, iniciação, casamento, morte — é marcada por ritos específicos que conectam a pessoa com o Òrìṣà, com o Orí (destino individual) e com a comunidade.

Por exemplo, quando uma criança nasce, um sacerdote de Ifá pode ser consultado para revelar o Odù Ifá daquela criança — o caminho espiritual que ela trouxe ao mundo. Esse processo ajudar os pais a compreender o destino da criança, seus tabus (ẹ̀èwọ̀), seus talentos e deveres.

Nos cultos como o de Egúngún, os mortos são honrados como vivos — não apenas lembrados, mas evocados, vestidos com roupas ritualísticas, dançando e abençoando a comunidade. Isso mostra como o tempo no universo de Ìṣẹ̀ṣe làgbà é circular, e não linear — o passado está vivo no presente.

Ìṣẹ̀ṣe làgbà, expressão que afirma a supremacia e a ancestralidade das práticas tradicionais, é mais do que um lema — é a essência da espiritualidade Yorùbá. Ẹ̀sìn Ìbílẹ̀, a religião original do povo Yorùbá, carrega séculos de sabedoria, ética, arte, e conexão profunda com os Òrìṣà, os ancestrais e a natureza. Em um mundo em constante transformação, essa tradição se mantém viva através dos rituais, da oralidade, das cerimônias e da preservação dos valores que moldam a identidade de um povo. A valorização de Ìṣẹ̀ṣe não é apenas um retorno ao passado, mas um compromisso com o presente e o futuro — reafirmando que, antes de tudo, a raiz é sagrada, e a cultura é força vital. Ìṣẹ̀ṣe làgbà ooo!

“E assim, entre rezas sussurradas ao vento e tambores que guardam a memória do mundo, seguimos ouvindo o chamado. Ìṣẹ̀ṣe làgbà não é passado — é presença. É o axé que nos sustenta, o Orí que nos guia, o ancestral que nos habita. Em cada folha colhida com respeito, em cada saudação lançada ao céu, reafirmamos: a tradição vive, porque nós escolhemos lembrar. E quem lembra, resiste. Quem resiste, renasce”- Adéyínká Ọláìyá

The post Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Làgbà: O Que Realmente Significam Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Làgbà e Ẹ̀sìn Ìbílẹ̀ – A Tradição Ancestral Yorùbá em Tempos de Reconexão Espiritual appeared first on The Ancestral News.

Abeokuta—The ancient city of rocks came alive once again as the Egba people from across the globe converged under the watchful presence of Olumo Rock for the 2025 edition of the Lisabi Festival. This year’s celebration, themed Ègbáliganza 2025, blended rich tradition with contemporary flair, honoring the legacy of the revered hero, Lisabi Agbongbo Akala.

Lisabi, a farmer by trade and warrior by fate, is remembered for his quiet but daring resistance against the oppressive rule of Oyo’s Ajeles. He mobilized his fellow farmers, turning agricultural tools into instruments of liberation. Through strategy, discipline, and silent preparation, he led a revolution that broke the chains of external domination and restored Egba dignity. Though his end remains shrouded in myth, his memory lives on—as both legend and symbol of Egba unity.

The 2025 festival opened with cultural performances, ancestral rites, and a procession of Egba indigenes clad in vibrant Ofi, Adire, and Afrocentric attire. The celebration reached its crescendo at the grand finale, which sparkled with a dazzling display of fashion rooted in heritage. From luxurious aso-oke to elaborate gele, guests transformed the event into a moving runway of identity and pride.

Present at the festival was the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, who, adorned in regal attire and coral beads, welcomed dignitaries and guests with royal grace. Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State also graced the occasion, expressing admiration for the enduring unity and cultural resilience of the Egba people.

The event attracted a host of prominent personalities including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who arrived dressed in the symbolic style of Òsóòsi, a gesture of honor toward Lisabi’s warrior spirit. Also in attendance were Ladi Adebutu, the 2023 PDP gubernatorial candidate; celebrated Nollywood actor Richard Mofe-Damijo (RMD); and business mogul Lai Labode, all of whom posed for photos and mingled among the people.

High chiefs, cultural troupes, and traditional rulers from across Yorùbáland added further splendor to the gathering, reinforcing the spiritual and historical importance of the festival. The songs, dances, and colorful regalia reminded all present that Lisabi’s story is not only one of rebellion—it is one of dignity, leadership, and the unbroken thread of Egba identity.

The Lisabi Festival 2025 was not merely a commemoration of the past—it was a powerful statement of continuity, a celebration of culture that binds generations, and a beacon calling Egba sons and daughters home.

As the sun set over Abeokuta, the spirit of Lisabi—unseen, but deeply felt—stood tall once more, watching over a people forever proud of their roots.

The post Abẹ́òkúta Awakens: In Praise of the Farmer Who Freed a People — Lísàbí Festival Exhibits Culture and Tradition in Elegance appeared first on The Ancestral News.

Nas terras sagradas de Ọ̀yọ́, onde a história caminha com os reis e o solo carrega memórias de impérios, o céu se abriu em bênçãos para receber um novo Aláàfin. Com passos firmes e espírito ancestral, Oba Abímbọlá Aleem Owóadé I foi entronizado sob o cântico dos Òrìṣà e o olhar venerável dos guardiões da tradição. Foi mais que uma coroação — foi o renascimento de um legado que pulsa na alma do povo Yorùbá.

Em uma celebração histórica e profundamente enraizada na tradição cultural, Oba Abímbọlá Aleem Owóadé I foi oficialmente coroado como o 46º Aláàfin de Ọ̀yọ́, marcando o início de uma nova era para um dos tronos mais reverenciados da terra Yorùbá. A antiga cidade de Ọ̀yọ́ transformou-se em um grande palco de tradições, cores e reverência ancestral, com centenas de milhares de pessoas reunidas de todo o país e da diáspora para testemunhar este momento sagrado.

A coroação atraiu uma reunião excepcional de dignitários, incluindo numerosos monarcas tradicionais de primeira classe, líderes políticos e figuras espirituais. Liderando a comitiva real estava o Òónì de Ifẹ̀, Ọọ̀ni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojájá II, cuja chegada foi marcada por cânticos reais, bênçãos e profundo respeito à sua antiga autoridade.

Entre os muitos reis yorùbá presentes estavam:

Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi (Kusenla III, Elegushi de Ikate) Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi (Télú I, Ọlúbàdàn de Ìbàdàn)Oba Adewale Osiberu (Elepe de Epe-Sagamu)Oba Adeyemi Obalanlege (Olota de Ota)Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona (Awùjalẹ̀ de Ìjẹ̀bú) Oba Francis Alao (Olúbàdàn de Ìbàdàn) Oba Dr. Olusanya Adegboyega Dosunmu (Olowu do Reino de Owu)Oba Ajíbádé (Aláketú do Reino de Kétu, República do Benim)Onísabę de Sábę, representando a casa real de Sábę, Onípópó de Pópó, do histórico reino Yorùbá de Pópó, Owá Obòkún de Ìjèṣàland, o rei e figura reverenciada do povo Ìjèṣà

Diversos outros monarcas tradicionais de Kwara, Ekiti, Ondo, Lagos e de comunidades Yorùbá na República do Benim e no Togo

O Governador do Estado de Ọ̀yọ́, Engenheiro Seyi Makinde, apresentou oficialmente o Cajado de Investidura ao Oba Abímbọlá Owóadé I, afirmando o total apoio do Estado ao seu reinado e homenageando o legado cultural e histórico do trono de Ọ̀yọ́.

A dimensão espiritual do evento foi igualmente grandiosa, com a presença de Bàbáláwos e estudiosos de Ifá altamente respeitados. No centro desta reunião sagrada estava o Àwíṣẹ Ifá Àgbáyé, Prof. Wande Abimbola, cuja presença simbolizou autoridade intelectual e espiritual na tradição Yorùbá. Ao seu lado estava o Àràbà de Òṣogbo, Chief Ifáyẹmí Elẹbuíbọn, amplamente reconhecido como uma das vozes mais respeitadas na espiritualidade Yorùbá e preservação cultural.

Delegações de líderes espirituais e tradicionalistas vindos dos Estados Unidos, Brasil, Cuba, Trinidad, Haiti e Colômbia também marcaram presença, representando a vasta influência da religião e cultura Yorùbá ao redor do mundo.

Suas vestes tradicionais e oferendas espirituais reforçaram o sentimento de continuidade ancestral e celebração sagrada. Os sons dos Oríkì, Ìjálá e profundos versos de Ifá ecoaram pelos arredores do antigo palácio, enquanto o povo de Ọ̀yọ́ testemunhava não apenas a ascensão de um novo monarca, mas a reafirmação de uma civilização duradoura. Os tambores falavam, os ancestrais foram honrados, e a espiritualidade se entrelaçou à realeza em perfeita harmonia.

A coroação de Oba Abímbọlá Akeem Owóadé I simboliza uma renovação poderosa da liderança em Ọ̀yọ́ — um epicentro cultural da civilização yorùbá. Com as bênçãos dos reis, dos sacerdotes e do povo, inicia-se um novo capítulo sob a liderança de um rei destinado a preservar a herança, promover a unidade e guiar seu povo com sabedoria e dignidade.

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An increasing number of Brazilians practicing Ìṣẹ̀ṣe—the Yoruba spiritual tradition—are turning to the Yoruba traditional marriage system, affirming that “ What the Òrìṣà have joined together, let no man, no custom, no modernity, put asunder.”

This growing trend reflects a deepening connection between Brazilian devotees and the ancestral heritage of the Yoruba people. For many adherents, marriage is not merely a social contract, but a sacred and spiritual covenant that requires the blessings of Olódùmarè, the Supreme Being. According to practitioners, the traditional Yoruba wedding, as preserved in the Ifá Corpus, offers a divinely guided, spiritually rich, and well-structured pathway to matrimony.

“Marriage, in its truest sense, is an alignment of destinies guided by the Òrìṣà,” said one devotee. “The rituals and ceremonies in Yoruba tradition ensure that a couple is not only united by love but also by divine spiritual forces that sustain their union.”

Statistics suggest that in Brazil, the marriages with the highest success rates—free from the fear of early divorce—are those established on spiritual foundations and overseen by spiritual leaders, whether pastors, Catholic priests, or Òrìṣà priests. Notably, unions officiated by Òrìṣà priests have recently emerged as the most enduring.

“I am an Awó, initiated long ago into Ifá and Òrìṣà spirituality. For me, it would be absurd to marry before a pastor. I sought the blessings of Ọ̀rúnmìlà through Ifá,” said Awó Fatunbi, a Brazilian Ifá adept, as he wedded Ìyánífá Aníké in a Yoruba traditional ceremony conducted at an Òrìṣà temple in Brazil.

His wife, Ìyánífá Fatunbi, emphasized the sacredness of their union: “It is Ifá that selected my husband for me. We met in the temple and had been together for years before deciding on this wedding. Now, how do you expect me to go and marry in the church? That would be an act of ingratitude.”

The traditional wedding of Awó Fatunbi and Ìyánífá Aníké did not only attract fellow Brazilian devotees of Ìṣẹ̀ṣe, but also showcased a breathtaking cultural display that honored Yoruba heritage in full color. Guests were elegantly dressed in traditional Yoruba attire—àṣọ òkè, bùbá, gele, and agbádá—creating a regal atmosphere reminiscent of weddings in Yorùbáland. Attendees feasted on authentic Yoruba cuisine, including àmàlà, ẹ̀bà, ofada rice, ewédú, and gbègìrì, prepared with spiritual care and cultural pride.

The celebration reached its peak when the Yoruba bàtá drums began to echo through the temple grounds, inviting everyone to dance in a spiritually charged and joyful rhythm. Traditional Yorùbá music bands, with talking drums and flutes, filled the air with ancestral melodies that brought the Òrìṣà into the heart of the ceremony. It was a wedding of the time in Brazil—a landmark event that further solidified the growing presence and acceptance of Yoruba culture and spirituality across the country.

As more Brazilians seek a deeper connection with Ifá spirituality, the culture and traditions of the Yoruba people are gaining unprecedented ground. Many are now naming their children according to the guidance of Ifá, following Yoruba naming rites such as Ìṣẹ́ntáiyé, and observing all spiritual protocols surrounding childbirth.

This cultural revival has even led to the growing use of the Yoruba language within homes and family life. Couples are now choosing to conduct their unions in full accordance with Yoruba traditional norms—not only as a symbol of spiritual authenticity but also as a way of reclaiming their ancestral identity in a modern world.

The post Brazilians Are Embracing the Yorùbá Traditional Wedding System – “It Is Ordained by the Òrìṣàs,”- Insist Devotees appeared first on The Ancestral News.

Na efervescente atmosfera cultural da Biblioteca Pública Central de Austin, uma exposição singular tem capturado a atenção e o coração dos visitantes. No dia 23 de março de 2025, a renomada mostra do professor e historiador de arte Moyo Okediji, intitulada “Beleza e as Contas: Fogo Divino e Cor na Arte Transatlântica com Miçangas”, foi inaugurada, oferecendo ao público uma experiência visual e intelectual que transcende o tempo e o espaço.

Esta exposição destaca as contas de vidro – elemento tradicional e universal na arte africana – apresentadas não apenas como peças estéticas, mas como portadoras de significados profundos e múltiplas narrativas. Ao longo dos corredores da biblioteca, os visitantes se deparam com painéis de vidro coloridos, meticulosamente adornados com miçangas que se entrelaçam em formas orgânicas e geométricas. As composições, iluminadas com maestria, revelam um mosaico vibrante que simboliza a dualidade da existência: a beleza deslumbrante e, ao mesmo tempo, a complexidade e as dores do passado.

No epicentro desta mostra, Moyo Okediji surge como um verdadeiro contador de histórias, um artista que, por meio de sua pesquisa e sensibilidade estética, busca resgatar a rica e multifacetada história da África indígena. Seu trabalho, imbuído de um profundo respeito pela tradição e de um olhar crítico sobre as transformações sociais e históricas, convida o espectador a refletir sobre os paradoxos que compõem a experiência humana. Durante toda a exibição – que se estenderá até o dia 27 de abril de 2025 – a obra de Okediji desafia o público a olhar para além da superfície, percebendo que cada peça de vidro reluzente carrega consigo vestígios de narrativas de opressão, resistência e transformação.

O professor Okediji, integrante do Departamento de Arte e História da Arte, explica que a inspiração para a exposição surgiu da ideia de que “toda beleza carrega um lado sombrio”. Segundo ele, embora as contas sejam inegavelmente deslumbrantes em seu brilho e nas suas cores vivas, elas também escondem histórias marcadas por tragédias e desafios históricos. “As contas são incrivelmente belas, mas há um lado obscuro nelas que tendemos a não conhecer”, afirma Okediji. “Foi por meio da pesquisa que descobri que, por trás do brilho e das cores deslumbrantes das contas de vidro, existe uma narrativa histórica infeliz ligada à sua produção.”

Essa narrativa, que se desdobra em cada detalhe da obra exposta, remete a um passado onde a estética e o sofrimento se entrelaçaram, transformando simples adornos em poderosos símbolos culturais. As contas – ou ìlẹ̀kẹ̀, como também são conhecidas – revelam não apenas a maestria artística dos povos africanos, mas também o percurso de lutas, conquistas e resiliência que moldaram suas identidades.

A exposição “Beleza e as Contas: Fogo Divino e Cor na Arte Transatlântica com Miçangas” não se limita a ser uma simples mostra de arte. Ela se configura como um espaço de diálogo e memória, onde passado e presente se encontram para provocar uma reflexão profunda sobre a herança cultural africana e sua influência nas diásporas contemporâneas.

Ao celebrar a beleza das contas, Okediji nos convida a reconhecer e a confrontar as cicatrizes históricas que as acompanham, transformando a experiência estética em um momento de aprendizado e conscientização.
Para aqueles que buscam compreender as complexas intersecções entre arte, história e identidade, esta exposição se apresenta como uma oportunidade imperdível de explorar as camadas subjacentes da cultura africana e a forma como suas narrativas se perpetuam através dos tempos.

Credit : The DailyTexan.

The post Ìlẹ̀kẹ̀ – Contas de Separação e Unificação: A Exposição Inovadora do Professor da UT que Desvenda as Complexas Camadas da História Africana appeared first on The Ancestral News.

On March 21, 2024, São Paulo became the stage for a radiant celebration where spirit, culture, and ancestry converged in a powerful tribute to African heritage. The third edition of the Ilé Àşẹ́ Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Awards transformed the Paulo Kobayashi Auditorium in the Legislative Assembly into sacred ground, where voices rose in praise, drums spoke in rhythms of old, and the presence of the ancestors could be felt in every breath. More than a mere gathering, it was a homecoming of souls, a celebration of faith in the colors of resilience and reverence.

Over a thousand participants filled the space—leaders and practitioners of Ifá, Òrìṣà traditions, Candomblé, Umbanda, and other African-based religions stood side by side with government officials, artists, intellectuals, and social activists. They came not only to witness but to honor, to remember, and to proclaim that these sacred traditions, once carried across the ocean in the hearts of the enslaved, remain alive, unshaken, and firmly attached in the land that received them.

This year’s edition was not just a celebration but a proclamation of survival, strengthened by the recent enactment of Law 14.519/2023 by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a legal recognition of African-diaspora religions in Brazil. It was a night where silence was broken, where faith stood tall against centuries of oppression, where each word spoken and every drumbeat resounded as an affirmation: We are here. We have always been here. We will always be here.

The event, organized by a coalition of religious communities, advocacy groups, and cultural institutions, unfolded like a sacred ritual, blending the divine with the artistic. Drums thundered, calling forth the spirits of old—bàtá, atabaques, and agogôs sang in unison, carrying prayers on their echoes. Dancers became storytellers, their bodies channeling the movements of the Òrìṣà, painting the air with the fire of Ṣàngó, the flowing grace of Ọ̀ṣun, the wisdom of Ọbàtálá, and the unbreakable will of Ògún. Feet struck the floor like raindrops on the earth, hands lifted to the sky as if reaching for the blessings of the Ọ̀rún.

At the heart of the evening was the awards ceremony—a moment of deep gratitude and recognition for those who have held the ancestral wisdom close, shielding it from erasure. Babaláwos, Ìyálòrìṣàs, Bàbálòrìṣàs, researchers, and community leaders took the stage, their work a lighthouse in the fight against religious intolerance and cultural silencing. Their names, spoken aloud before the gathered multitude, became incantations, woven into history.

The awards also honored those who bridge the gap between past and future—educators, social justice warriors, and interfaith advocates who fight not just for recognition, but for a world where African-diaspora religions are embraced as integral parts of Brazil’s identity. The event, free and open to all, welcomed scholars, students, journalists, and seekers of truth, while live broadcasts carried its message far beyond the walls of the auditorium, spreading the call for respect and unity across the digital realm.

The media’s lens captured the urgency of this moment, a battle cry against religious intolerance and a celebration of faith’s enduring power. These traditions are not relics encased in time—they are living, breathing forces, shaping the present and guiding the future.

More than a ceremony, the Ilé Àşé Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Awards became an oath spoken in a thousand voices, a reaffirmation of the sacred paths walked by those who came before. The night was a river of memory and prophecy, flowing from the past into the hands of the next generation, ensuring that the heartbeat of Ifá, Òrìṣà, Candomblé, and Umbanda never fades.

And as the final drumbeats shivered through the air, as the last dancers bowed, drenched in the energy of the night, a truth settled over the gathering like a divine whisper: The legacy of African-diaspora religions is unbreakable. Their wisdom is endless. Their presence is undeniable.

The post Àşẹ́ Echoes in São Paulo: Ilé Àşẹ́ Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Awards Celebrates African Spiritual Traditions in Brazil, Honoring Ancestral Legacies appeared first on The Ancestral News.