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Oríkì, or praise poetry, is a cultural phenomenon amongst Yoruba-speakers of West Africa.
Oríkì includes both single praise names [1] and long strings of “attributive epithets” that may be chanted in poetic form.[2] According to the Yoruba historian Samuel Johnson, oriki expresses what a child is or what he or she is hoped to become. If one is male, a praise name is usually expressive of something heroic, brave or strong. If one is female, the praise name may be a term of endearment. In either case, the Reverend Johnson said that it was intended to have a stimulating effect on its bearer.[3]
Because of the variety of performance modes, oríkì defies classification as music or poetry, and it has been studied from both perspectives. Historically, oríkì was delivered by a specialist in a particular vocal style.[4] For example, ìjálá is acoustically open and intense, while ewì is spoken in a high-falsetto, wailing voice quality. [5] According to Waterman, “The words that placate gods and drive kings to suicide [are] made more potent by the patterning of timbre, texture, pitch, and rhythm.” [6] According to Vidal, Yorùbás have oríkì for “almost everything . . . even food”. [7]
The oríkì varies in length depending on whether it is the name given to a child to describe the future portents of the life or a recital of the accomplishments of a person's clan. It is invoked to praise a child for bringing pride to the parents or to attempt to evoke virtuous character traits of bravery, fortitude and perseverance that are believed to be innate in a person by pedigree.
It is not always clear what was pre-eminent in the mind of the person who named a child with the shorter praise name. Predetermined names based on the circumstances of birth are called Oríkì ṣókí, such as the names for twins: Táiyé and Kẹ́hìndé.[8] Traditionally, a boy born with the umbilical cord around his neck is called Òjó (there are exceptions; the Ijebu subculture names a boy or girl Àìná), but the name Òjó has praise poetry that does not even mention that but implies that the child would be the darling of ladies and might be a little impatient.
Praising gods and mortals has traditionally been the focus for singers and the most engaging for audiences, whether the tone is persuasive or controversial. Nigerian politicians often hire well-known singers to elaborate on their heritage. [9] Today, Nigerian Christians and Muslims use oriki to praise sing for the Abrahamic god.[10] They may pray for salvation if they hear the praise of indigenous Yorùbá gods such as Ògún because many of them believe that traditional Yorùbá deities are demonic.[11]
Short form
Examples of oríkì names and their meanings (F or M indicates whether the name is usually female or male):
- Àjoké (F) - meant to be taken care of by all
- Àlàké (F) - to take care of her as a result of victory over circumstance
- Ànìké (F) - had (birthed) to be pampered
- Àsàké (F) - selected to be spoiled (with good things)
- Àbèní (F) - begged for (from God or, more traditionally, the gods)
- Àríké (F) - meant to be spoiled on sight
- Àdùké (F) - people will fight over the privilege to spoil her
- Àdùbi (M/F) - competed over to have
- Àbèbí (F) - begged for to be birthed (probably a difficult birth)
- Àjàní (M) - fought to have this child, valuable and cherished son
- Àkànní (M) - met only once to have this child
- Àjàgbé (M) - fought to carry this child
- Àkànde Àgàn (M) - favourite of the prince
- Àdìgún (M) - the perfect one
- Àpèkẹ́ (F) - Called to be cared for
- Adunni (F) - One sweet to have
- Amoke (F) - Known about and cared for
- Ajadi (M) - the end of conflict
- Ariyo (M) - One that brings joy on sight
- Àshàbi (F) - selected to be born
- Àtànda (M) - lured to be created
- Ayoka (F) - One who causes joy
- Atunke (F) - One who would continually be taken care of
Long form
Usually, a family derives its surname from a strong, accomplished patriarch or matriarch, and it is common to find the latter's accomplishments recited in the longer version of the oríkì of all progeny. An excerpt from praise poetry for the name Òjó would be:
Ojo o si nle, omo adie d'agba
t'o ba wa nle, a ti pa Iya e je....
When Ojo is not home, the chick grows to become a hen, if he was at home, he would have made soup of it.
Another particularly fine example of an excerpt from a family's oriki is that of the Supreme Court justice Kayode Eso:
Eso Ikoyi, Eso Aduroja, Apara Ogun bi eni pa'le....
Eso of Ikoyi, the One who waits to fight, who finishes off the war with the care of one rubbing paint on a paved wall.
This excerpt highlights Justice Eso's descent from the famous Eso Ikoyi warriors of the medieval period.[12]
- Isibongo, a similar concept amongst the Bantu of Southern Africa.
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