A Young Iyalorisa Tells Us The Role Of Dance And Song In Yoruba Spirituality
Yoruba Religion – May 5, 20160

My name is Egbelade Omitonade Ifawemimo. I practice African Traditional Religion, Yemoja worshipper. I am Yemoja priestess which also versed in Ifa, Researcher, Theologian. I am a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University where I studied Economics Education, Ile Ife, Osun State. I am from Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.

In Yoruba culture, songs and dance have so much importance to religious worship and spirituality. All Orisas holds particular importance in dance and songs. And Worship in African Traditional Religion take the form of rites and ceremonies and include prostrating, praying, invoking, and making offerings. Sounding the bell or gong, singing, drumming, and dancing as occasion demands. Song and dance come up under liturgy. Liturgy therefore, is an important element of worship in African Traditional Religion.

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In Orisa Worship, the presence of dance as a way of reenacting spirituality and songs as a way of reverence to the power of Olodumare and Orisas are essential to the worship of Orisas. Each Orisa is identified with drum ensemble, songs and dance styles. Also, every Orisa has unique dance movement that reflects its attributes as we have different drums for each Orisa. That is, the musical instruments used for each Orisa is different. The musical instrument for Sango and Yemoja is bata, Ifa is for Agogo and other Orisas is Dundun.

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