THE Egungun festival is a part of the Yoruba traditional religion. It is performed to mark the deaths of important personalities, the festival is common among the Egbas, Egbados, Oyos, and other parts of Southwestern Nigeria.
Egungun festival is a historical event that brings together people from far and near to see the proof of evidence of the Yoruba strong religious belief and how it has cleverly evolved to solve their problems and proficiency of the so-called Egungun and overdeveloped the potential substance of a sudden development in economic activities. The study revealed the origin of Egungun, how the festival draws people from far and near to partake, and how it helps in the development of economic activities. The study derived its data from both oral and secondary sources. The study concluded that Egungun festival has its incredible way of helping economic growth and is one of the last iota of culture left on Yoruba body of culture.
The Egungun is celebrated in festivals known as ‘Odun Egungun’ and in family rituals through the masquerade costume. In family situations, a family elder known either formally or informally as “Alagba” presides over ancestral rites. He may or may not be initiated into the local Egungun society. In matters that deal with the whole community, Egungun priests and initiates, who are trained in ancestral communication, ancestral elevation and funerary rites are assigned to invoke and bring out the ancestors.
They wear elaborate costumes as masquerades. Through drumming and dance, the egungun-robed performers are believed to become possessed by the spirits of the ancestors, as manifested as a single entity. The egungun spiritually cleans the community through the dramatic acting and miming of the robed priests.
They demonstrate both ethical and amoral behaviours that have occurred since their last visit. In this way, they expose the strengths and weaknesses of the community to encourage behaviour more befitting of their descendants. When this performance is completed, the performers as Egungun give messages, warning, and blessing to the assembled spectators.
The classification of Egun or Egungun types might appear to be a fairly straightforward task, but in fact it is extremely complex deciphering the comprehension of indigenous taxonomies. The difficulties includes: the problems of distinguishing between personal Egun names and generic terms for types, the problems of determining “sets” where one masquerade may be regarded as several types of categories simultaneously; the practice of “laying” in which a masquerade wears one costume type over another and changes these during performance; and the varieties of criteria used to classify egugun as well as the range of variations within types of categories. Such factors demonstrate the complexity of the analysis of indigenous taxonomies and the classification of masquerade types.
These same difficulties arise in the definition and use of the term Egungun itself However, from cultural affinities, especially in the Yoruba land, Southwest Nigeria, the following Egungun names can be identified: Danafojura and Awodagbese in Ogbomoso, Alapansanpa in Ibadan.
In conclusion, the Egungun festival in Oyo is a vibrant and meaningful celebration that showcases the rich cultural heritage of the Yoruba people. This ancient festival honours the ancestors and the spirit of the dead, seeking their blessing and guidance for the living.
- Tinuoye is Principal Museum Education Officer, National Museum, Oyo.
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