Yorùbá social arena blog

A man’s dressing is considered incomplete without a cap (Fìlà). Some of these caps include, but are not limited to; Gobi (Cylindrical, which when worn may be compressed and shaped forward, sideways, or backward), Tinko, Abetí-ajá (Crest-like shape which derives its name from it's hanging flaps that resembles a dog's hanging ears. The flaps can be lowered to cover the ears in cold weather, otherwise, they are upwardly turned in normal weather), Alagbaa, Oribi, Bentigoo, Onide, and Labankada (A bigger version of the Abetí-ajá, and is worn in such a way as to reveal the contrasting color of the cloth used as underlay for the flaps).

 Àlàyé lórí Òrò atókùn ń gbé òwe Yorùbá léyìn pé '' bí a bójú tí a bómú, ìsàlè àgbòn làá Parí rè sí ''. Èyìí rí béè nítorí pé ohun tí a pè ní atókùn yìí jo ìsòrí Òrò ìse. Àbùdá Òrò ìse àti Òrò atókùn jora púpò láti fí so pé Òrò ìse ni, sùgbón ìsòrí Òrò tí ó dá dúró ni Òrò atókùn jé.  Àwon Òrò tí a ń pé ní atókùn ni: tí, fi, pèlú, ní, láti, fún, bá, sí. Àwon àpęęrę tó se àlàyé rè fún wa ní wònyìí. Mo fò sókè Fún ayò N ó lo sí ojà Ní àìpé. A wà Ní ibí ó. Túndé FI èrú gba ìbùkún Fájémirókun FI owó mo Olorun Àwon sójà ń TI ojú ogun Sambísa dé. Alàájì ti dé LÁTI mókà. Olóyè dé PÈLÚ ìlù àti Ariwo. Bí a bá se Akíyèsí daada, a ó ri pé ègé kan ni Òrò atókùn máa ń ní, ó máa ń bèrè pèlú kóńsónántì, ó sì máa ń gba àbò. A ó ri wí pé àwon ìrísí àti ìhùwà si rè dá gégé bí Òrò ìse.

Committing  suicide  is a serious abomination  in Yoruba land,  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.

Disease to the Yorùbás is seen as a disruption of our connection with the Earth. Yorubas are great believers of preventative medication. They are critical in the way they relate to modern western medicine.    In Yoruban medicine they also use dances, spiritual baths, symbolic sacrifice, song/prayer, and a change of diet to help cure the sick.  They also believe that  the only true  and complete cure can be  a change of 'consciousness' where the individual can recognize  the root  of the problem themselves and seek to eliminate it. According to elite practitioners, if we listen  to our bodies they will provide us with the preparation and appropriate knowledge we need to regain our balance with our immediate surroundings.