Post by omohayek on Jun 27, 2017 19:41:29 GMT
The subject matter of this paper is outside my usual areas of expertise, but I'm posting it here because I think it might be of wider interest.
An Evaluation of the Akurẹ Yorùbá Traditional Belief in Reincarnation
Reincarnation is the belief that after someone dies; his immortal soul separates from the body and lives again in another physical body. The traditional Yorùbá culture holds the belief in reincarnation (atunwaye). Atunwaye is believed to be possible in three different forms which are: ipadawaye (ancestor’s rebirth), akudaaya (die and reappear) and abiku (born to die). Yorùbá people of Akurẹ also hold on to the traditional belief in atunwaye. The article used the philosophical tools of analysis and evaluation to examine reincarnation beliefs among the Yorùbá people in general and Akurẹ people in particular. Oral interviews were also conducted among indigenes of Akurẹ, to understand their beliefs on reincarnation. Findings show that Yorùbá people of Akurẹ also hold on to traditional belief in reincarnation (atunwaye) in its various forms. The research concludes that reincarnation is an established belief among the Yorùbá people in general and the Akurẹ people in particular. It is also noted that this belief has survived despite the influence of Christianity and Islam on the culture of Akurẹ people.
Maybe it's just that my Yoruba is poor, but I'd never heard of the terms "atunwaye" or "ipadawaye" until now, though of course their meanings are obvious once one hears them. I can only wonder what else is out there that I've never encountered: it's shocking how much of the traditional Yoruba worldview has already passed away completely under the onslaught of Christianity, Islam and westernization.
An Evaluation of the Akurẹ Yorùbá Traditional Belief in Reincarnation
Reincarnation is the belief that after someone dies; his immortal soul separates from the body and lives again in another physical body. The traditional Yorùbá culture holds the belief in reincarnation (atunwaye). Atunwaye is believed to be possible in three different forms which are: ipadawaye (ancestor’s rebirth), akudaaya (die and reappear) and abiku (born to die). Yorùbá people of Akurẹ also hold on to the traditional belief in atunwaye. The article used the philosophical tools of analysis and evaluation to examine reincarnation beliefs among the Yorùbá people in general and Akurẹ people in particular. Oral interviews were also conducted among indigenes of Akurẹ, to understand their beliefs on reincarnation. Findings show that Yorùbá people of Akurẹ also hold on to traditional belief in reincarnation (atunwaye) in its various forms. The research concludes that reincarnation is an established belief among the Yorùbá people in general and the Akurẹ people in particular. It is also noted that this belief has survived despite the influence of Christianity and Islam on the culture of Akurẹ people.
Maybe it's just that my Yoruba is poor, but I'd never heard of the terms "atunwaye" or "ipadawaye" until now, though of course their meanings are obvious once one hears them. I can only wonder what else is out there that I've never encountered: it's shocking how much of the traditional Yoruba worldview has already passed away completely under the onslaught of Christianity, Islam and westernization.
My interest in such things is purely from the historical and sociological viewpoints, as a means of understanding different peoples' worldviews. To paraphrase some wise individual, "religion is nonsense, but the study of nonsense is scholarship!"