Egungun nigeria. An Egungun costume is composed of multiple layers of cloth lappets made from expensive and prestigious textiles, expressing the wealth and status of a family as well as the power of the ancestor. One: Egúngún tells the life story of a twentieth-century Yorùbá masquerade dance costume (egúngún), from its origins in Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́, Nigeria, to its current home in Brooklyn. ” It comes from Egun (ancestor) and gun (to rise), meaning the spirits of the dead are honoured and lifted up. The composition of an Egungun ensemble has several distinctive features. . Egungun Yoruba mythology holds a rich cultural heritage within the Yoruba community. The Egungun festival is a part of the Yoruba traditional religion . This ancient belief system revolves around honoring ancestors and celebrating their presence through intricate masquerades and rituals. NJ: Africa World Press, 2011. It is performed to mark the death of important personalities, the festival is common among the Egbas, Egbados, Oyo and other parts of south western Nigeria. The streets of the town of Iwo in south-west Mar 23, 2025 · Egungun is a Yoruba word from Nigeria that means “ancestral spirits” or “spirits of the dead. 44) Egungun is a visible manifestation of the spirits of departed ancestors who periodically revisit the human community for remembrance, celebration, and blessings. Composed of over three Jul 13, 2016 · This article is a revised excerpt from “Whirling Cloth, Breeze of Blessing: Egungun Masquerades Among the Yoruba” in Homegoings, Crossings, and Passings: Life and Death in the African Diaspora, edited by Regennia Williams, 175–206. Jan 10, 2018 · The Egungun is a secret society of masqueraders of the Yoruba People who live in the area of Western Nigeria and Eastern Benin. Aug 23, 2017 · Nigeria’s annual Egungun festival is a centuries old Yoruba tradition, and one of the most colourful cultural celebrations in West and Central Africa. People of historic town Isan Ekiti were not left out in the celebration of the Egungun festival. Egungun Masquerade Dance Costume: Ekuu Egungun Early 20th century Yoruba peoples, Oyo region, Nigeria Cloth, metallic thread, glass beads, cowrie shells Museum purchase: Friends of Ethnographic Art Fund, 92. This fascinating celebration practiced by the Yoruba people in southwestern Nigeria goes beyond being a festival; it is a blend of people’s spirits and a link between the living and the dead, where ancestors are Mar 24, 2025 · The Role of the Egungun Festival in Yoruba Culture, The Egungun Festival is one of the most important cultural and spiritual celebrations among the Yoruba people of Nigeria and parts of West Africa. The Egungun festival often takes place around the middle of the year between July and August and it is celebrated with much enthusiasm, funfair and festivities. It is a unique Nigeria, a country endowed with many cultural and traditional values, is enlivened by the mystical spirit of the Egungun Festival. The masks worn by the Egungun represent a spirit of a particular person. Aug 26, 2021 · The Egungun Festival is a widely celebrated festival amongst the Yoruba people of Western Nigeria. During the ceremony, the living implores their help for peace and harmony in the community. The Egungun worship the ancestors and provide a means of contact with the ancestral spirits. Oct 1, 2023 · The Egungun masquerade is a multi-faceted ceremony, which includes the presentation of offerings and honouring ancestors for their life of virtue. 54 (cat. It is a time-honored tradition that honors ancestors and strengthens community bonds. Egungun is a secret society among the Yoruba people of Nigeria, though, bears different names among the various ethnic groups in Nigeria. cbdcrhxldimqanlvlafuxaziaoqvrqubkheryyswjgsrnbghjnax