Yoruba Speaking Peoples of the Slave Coast of West Africa

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Gutenberg ID

—

Title

Yoruba Speaking Peoples of the Slave Coast of West Africa

Language

en

Book source

Global Grey

Description max 80 words

A. B. Ellis's 1894 ethnographic study offers a detailed examination of the Yoruba-speaking peoples of the West African Slave Coast. Covering geography, history, religion, and folklore, this work provides an authoritative look at the customs, superstitions, and spiritual beliefs of the Yoruba, including their complex cosmology and oral traditions.

Summary up to 500 words

Published in 1894, A. B. Ellis's *Yoruba Speaking Peoples of the Slave Coast of West Africa* offers a comprehensive ethnographic study of the Yoruba-speaking peoples inhabiting the eastern half of the Slave Coast. Originally an inland people, the Yoruba were driven to colonize the seaboard by the late 18th century due to pressure from northern Mohammedan tribes. By the early 19th century, their territory comprised distinct political units including Lagos, Ketu, Egba, and Jebu, bounded by Dahomi to the west and Benin to the east. Historically, the unified Yoruba kingdom, ruled from Old Oyo, was a formidable power in the 18th century, boasting a large cavalry that frequently raided Dahomi. However, internal fragmentation began under rulers like Ajagbo and Arogangan, exacerbated by the influx of Hausa refugees fleeing the Fulas. The core of Ellis's work explores the Yoruba spiritual worldview. He details the belief in three indwelling spirits: Olori, residing in the head and governing fortune; Ipin ijeun, located in the stomach and responsible for sustenance and fire protection; and Ipori, in the great toe, guiding travel. Ellis also examines the fate of the soul (iwin) after death, describing the journey to Ipo-oku, the Land of the Dead. He notes the importance of funeral rites to prevent the ghost from wandering into the 'unseen world of potsherds.' The text further discusses metempsychosis, where ancestors are reborn in descendants, a belief Ellis analyzes as a resolution to the conflict between dream evidence and physical heredity. Ellis records a rich collection of folklore, including the metamorphosis of the woman Iyewa into a lagoon to save her children and tales involving the cunning Tortoise. The book also covers minor gods, priestly roles, worship practices, and superstitions involving spirits like Egungun and the hyena, which is believed to be a man who assumes animal disguise at night. Concluding with a vast array of proverbs, Ellis's text serves as a vital primary source for understanding the pre-colonial history, geography, and anthropology of the Yoruba people, capturing their traditions before the full impact of colonial administration.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• History
• Anthropology
• Folklore and Mythology