Introduction to Egungun

All classes with Egbe Imodoye Orisa are for students who have applied and registered at egbeimodoyeorisa.net.

In Yoruba culture, egungun are ancestors that have lived a morally good and long life. Immoral, evil/bad people are not classified as ancestors. Egungun are in charge of maintaining the morals and ethics of the community. Egungun, are believed to be the spirits of deceased family members who have transitioned to the realm of the spirit world. The term "Egungun" can refer to both individual ancestral spirits and the collective practice of ancestor worship.

The belief is that the spirits of the ancestors continue to exist and have the ability to influence the lives of their living descendants. Egungun are considered to be intermediaries between the living and the divine. They are believed to have the power to communicate with the Orisas (deities) on behalf of the living and can offer blessings, protection, and guidance. The ancestors are seen as a source of wisdom, experience, and spiritual support.

The practice of Egungun involves elaborate ceremonies and rituals that often include masquerades and performances. During these ceremonies, individuals don ancestral masks and colorful costumes, representing the presence of the spirits. The masquerades, accompanied by music, dance, and chanting, serve as a means of honoring and appeasing the ancestors.

The primary purpose of the Egungun ceremonies is to pay homage to the ancestors and it is believed that through these rituals, the spirits of the ancestors can bring protection, prosperity, and spiritual elevation to their living descendants.

You will learn: the categories of egungun, types of egungun connected to Orisa, places to worship egungun, egungun masquerade, and the importance of opa iku, a sacred tool for calling forth the ancestors. The class will include adura (prayers), oriki (praise poems/chants), orin (songs) as well as iton (stories) and much more.