Music and Dance as Elements of Worship in Yoruba Religion By Akinfenwa, #ntroduction

Religion is an important issue in human life. Every human being believed in the existence of the Supreme Being who is known as God. The concept of God is universal in frican Society and the world at large. The !oruba people like all fricans people have the concept of God. This can be seen in the names and attributes given to the Supreme Being" which are descriptive of #is nature and character. There is no image or temple to represent the Supreme Being" because he cannot be compared with any graven image. The !oruba people $oined other frican people to accord the Supreme Being the due respect and honour through worship. The paper focuses on the importance of %usic and &ance in the worship of the Supreme Being as been practiced by the !oruba people. The Supreme Being is worshipped by the !oruba through the divinities who are seen as intermediaries between #im and man. The divinities according to !oruba believe are created by the Supreme Being for a purpose. They #is ministers and act for #im in the theocratic government of the world. They have no absolute existence or authority of their own. Their authority is derived from #im and delegated by the Supreme Being. Every act of worship in !orubaland has ultimate reference to the Supreme Being who must sanction it. The paper further discusses the symbolic meaning of %usic and &ance in worship of the Supreme Being through the divinities. Example of songs rendered during worship of some of the divinities and their importance in Religious circle are cited. The paper concludes by analy'ing the outstanding role music and dance play in worship of the !oruba people. Definition of $erms ccording to the Oxford Dictionary of Current English( )*++,-.*/**,0. %usic is the act of combining vocal or instrumental sound in pleasing ways" while dance is moving rhythmically to music. 1t is a series of steps and movement that march the rhythm of a piece of music. %usic and &ance therefore goes hand in hand in worship. The !oruba of 2igeria occupy a large area. They are found in South/3estern part of 2igeria and in some part of Republic of Benin and Togoland. 4redominantly" the !oruba belong to the 5gun"5yo"5ndo" 5sun" Ekiti"and 6agos States of 2igeria. 4art of 7wara State are also!oruba. The !oruba people speak the language though with dialectal variation. 4art of the dialectal groups are Egba" 1$ebu" 1badan" 1fe" 5yo" 1$esa" Ekiti" 5ndo" 1kale" 1la$e etc. They have the same cultural heritage and ideological beliefs which serves as basis of their Religious beliefs and practices. ) wolaluand &opamu" *++8-*0. Since !orubaland is vast and wide examples will be drawn from the 5yo !oruba" 1$esa" and Ekiti axis. This is to contribute meaningfully to the topic under discussion and to avoid overgenerali'ation. Though the !oruba share the same cultural ideology there are

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variation in their practices. This variation gives meaning to their lives and enrich their culture and Religion. 3orship in a secular sense means the honour used in addressing a person of note. 9or example" a court $udge is addressed as :#is 3orship; or : !our 3orship;. 3orship may also be regarded as the respect" admiration or devotion for ob$ect of esteem. s a Religi/ ous exercise" worship is a means of honouring spiritual Being or an act of veneration paid by man to such a spiritual beings ) wolalu" ,.<.-.</.=0. 3orship is an imperative urge in man. 1t beginning may be traced back to the basic instinct" which was evoked in man by the fact of his confrontation with the numinous. %an perceived that there is a power other and greater than him" a power that dominated and controlled the unseen world in which he felt himself enveloped( a power" which he therefore made by intuition to be the ultimate &eterminer of &estiny )4ratt" ,.>?-@+0. Anderhill ),..?-@0 defines worship as a response to the creature to the external. 7ay ),..*-<0 also defines worship as a response to the Eternal and expatiates upon those aspect of Eternal to which man respond. ccording to him" worship is manBs response to the nature and action of God. 9rom his definition" we are able to know that worship is truly offered by man to a Being #igher than himself. That" this response is conditioned by a personBs conception of the divine Being according to his mental development )7ay" ,..*-<0. 3orship involves the performance of devotional act in honour of the Supreme Being. 1t is presupposes a yearning for God and it is a means of glorifying the source" the sustainer and the end of life. 1t confirms manBs acknowledgement of the Transcendent Being who is independent of the worshipper but upon whom worshipper depends. ccording to &opamu" )*++8-,*80 worship is an expression of manBs attitude towards God and other spiritual beings. 1t is an act of communication and communion between man the supersensible world" a means of retaining God/man relationship" the channel through which an upset of the balance if such relationship is rectified and restore. 3orship is the inward expression of spiritual realities by means of the physical" the medium or channel by which divine power are presented to man. Worship in Yoruba Religion 1n !oruba Religion" worship is a prominent factor. 1t begins" controls" and ends all the affairs of life for the !oruba people. The !oruba people believe in the existence of the Supreme Being who is the creator of the world and in the divinities and spirits who act as #is %inister and intermediaries between #im and man. 3orship is" therefore" accorded to the Supreme Being to whom man owns his beginning and who is the determiner of manBs destiny. The !oruba people respond to their spiritual world in different ways" hence they accord worship not only to the Supreme Being but also to #is functionaries/ the divinities and spirits. The people believe that if worship is given to these divine Beings regularly and in the right time all will be well with man. 5n the other hand failure to perform the customary rites and ceremonies will lead to serious problems. 3orship in !oruba Religion take the form of rites and ceremonies and include prostrating" praying" invoking" and hailing the spirit of the ob$ect of worship" making offering. Sounding the bell or gong" singing" drumming" and dancing as occasion demands. 3orship may be private"

offered by single person in a house" shrine or it may be corporate. 3hatever form worship takes" it is expected to be done in reverence and in the right mood and manner" if the desired effect is to be achieved. Every act of worship has distinct element" which are liturgy" sacrifice" cultic functionaries and sacred places. %usic and dance come up under liturgy. 6iturgy therefore" is an important element of worship in !oruba Religion. 1t means the prescribed form of public worship among the people. lthough frican Religion has no written literature" it depends mainly on oral tradition. 6ack of written literature is not barrier to the understanding of the peopleBs approach to worship which has been preserved undiluted from generation to generation. The !oruba people approach their task with awe and seriousness" always conscious of the fact that any omission in the normal order of service or any wrong word uttered or song not properly rendered during the service could incur the displeasure of the deity and $eopardi'e the efficacy of worship. Every act of worship in !orubaland has an ultimate reference to the Supreme Being who must sanct/ ion it. $he %lace of Music and Dance in Yoruba Religion! The !oruba are singing people" in their singing" which comprises of songs" lyrics" and minstrelsy" they tell stories of past" the circumstances of the present and the hope and fear of the future. Their songs are permeated with their beliefs. Songs are employed in almost every sphere of their lives" in worship" in naming ceremonies" in wedding" in funeral" in wrestling" in cultivating the farm" in working" in going to war" in praising the rulers" in rocking babies to sleep and in many other activities. Such songs are usually attended by drumming and dancing ) wolalu and &opamu" *++8-@,/@*0. Songs usually conveyed sentiments or truth. They express peopleBs feeling of $oy" sorrow or thanksgiving. Songs in worship convey the faith of the worshippers" their beliefs in and about the divinity( their assurances and with reference to their hereafter. The praise names and the attribute of the divinities are revealed through songs used in worship. Songs also enhance emotional and physical participation in the act of worship and often lead to ecstatic experiences. &uring worship when the singing and dancing penetrate wholly into every being of the worshipper" spirit possession may follow and the possessed devotee may give message from the divinity )&opamu" ,.<.-,@,0. %usic occupied an important place in worship of the !oruba people. The music may be Cuiet" loud" or noisy" that depends on the kind of worship in which occurs. 1t may be singing accompanied by clapping or singing accompanied by instruments. The kind of worship decides how full the instrument may be" two piece of bamboo sticks" or metal" held by each member of the congregation" it may be drum" it may be a stick and a gong or sticks and gongs" it may be these together.)1dowu" ,..?-,,@/,,>0. 1n daily morning worship" music rarely occurs because the priest alone can offer the sacrifice. But on the sacred day of the divinities there is usually singing in the set order of worship. 1t may be accompanied with instrument. The type of instrument to accompany the song depend on the status and the rank of the divinity concerned. Every divinity has a set of praise name with stories which are recited about him in commemoration of his origin" greatness" past deeds" ability and capability.

#ymns occur often on communal worship. Each divinity has his own set hymns" which are connected with the cult. These are sung as occasion demands" either during the sacred day worship or during the annual worship or the time of crisis or at funeral. 1n the set order of worship" where they are strictly followed there are appropriate traditional point at which hymns are sung. 3hen such a place is reached" the hymns are struck up by the officials" the congregation $oining the chorus. The traditional number of the hymns and the point at which they are sung vary with each liturgy" in some" there may be an invocatory song a hymn of call to worship" a hymn of prayer committing the worshipper to the care of the divinity and parting hymn" all set at intervals within the order of worship. 1n other there may be a set of up to seven hymns coming together at the end of the ritual. Besides the hymns" lighter songs may occur during the ritual. This may come during the annual worship after a successful casting out of kola/nut" these are song of re$oicing that the offering have been accepted. )1dowu" ,..?-,,>0. Examples of hymns and song in worship in !oruba Religion are below. ,. #ymn of adoration in praise of 5risa/2la. Eni soju semu, Orisa ni maa sin. A dani bo ti ri, Orisa ni maa sin. Eni ran ni waye, Orisa ni maa sin. #E who makes eyes makes nose" 1t is 5risa 1 will serve. #e who makes one as he chooses" 1t is 5risa 1 will serve. #e who sent me here on earth" 1t is 5risa 1 will serve. *. #ymn of praise committing the worshippers to the care of the divinity Baba omo, ogungun fomo o. 9ather of children" 4repare medicine for the children. @. parting hymn at the close of annual worship. A si maa rira leeminrin, Odoodun laa ri yemeti. 3e shall meet again next season" nnually habitually appears yemeti. )1dowu" ,..?-,,*0

>. 1fa hymns!a" #fa jingin jingin,

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#fa mo gbo oro $an %&x 'on ni n wa joye ilesanmi. 1fa full of praises" ifa 1 heard something" that 1 should be contented at home. !b" #fa gba mi, mi o leni$an, yeye omo nii gbomo. 1fa accept me" 1 have nobody %others accept their children. !c" #fa gba mi o ra mi, #fa gbe mi le$e. #ru$ere nii gbomo Orunmila, #fa gba mi o ra mi. 1fa accept me wholly" 1fa make me triumph. #orsewhip rescue 5runmilaBs child" 1fa accept me whooly. 8. Songs during Egungun festival )a0 6ead - (ee,hee%&x Dhorus - (aa, hee hee hee 6ead - E ma ma bawo je o Dhorus -Awo 6ead - #ee" heeE*x Dhorus - #aa" hee hee hee 6ead - please donBt reveal the secret of the cult Dhorus - The cult )b0 Oni labi$u o lo nile yi o Oni lolomo o jere omo won. Today" born/to/die will disappear from the land Today" parents will witness the $oy of their children !c" )olomo $ilo fomo re, Oni a ro. 6et every parent warn his child" Today will be though.

s the !oruba people show their love for music in their day Fto/day life so also do they use the art in worship. The praise name of each divinity is recited by the worshippers at the beginning of any worship. lso certain songs dedicated to the divinities are song in their honour as occasion demand. These songs are rendered to show the Cualities and nature of the particular divinity. The characteristics of the divinity are also revealed through songs rendered during worship. 1n some cases" a fixed number of songs have to be rendered in a particular order. The Gnumbers vary from one to two hundred and one. lthough the songs are not recorded" the officiating priests never forget the order in which they should be song. The belief is that if the songs are not sung accordingly" the sacrifice will not be acceptable to the divinities. &ancing on the other hand is no less prominent during worship than songs. There is therefore a place for dancing in the rituals especially during the sacred day worship and during the annual festival celebration. The dances take definite form" depending on the divinities to which the offerings are made. The dances which are ritualistic in nature is more emotional responses to the rhythm of music" they are symbolic and revealed something sacred. 9or example" there is a !oruba statement :Onisango to jo, ti $o ta*a Abu$u ara re ni+ sango devotee" who dance without flinging his feet and legs" &oes discredit to himself. This is because during sangoBs lifetime" he was a very graceful dancer" particularly to the rhythmic drumming of baata drum" and always flinging his legs in a graceful manner. #is devotee" therefore must imitate him. lso the 5balufon devotee say : osi laa jo ijo Obalufon;. 1t is towards the left you move when you dance in honour of 5balufon. This is to show that the devotee do not dance anyhow" but are constrained to conform in their dance to certain form and patterns. ) wolalu H &opamu" ,..?-,+<0 ccording to 1dowu" most of the dance are fixed patterns and must be done correctly. 3hich foot goes forward first" which movement of the hand and body accompanying it" which turns are taken next" and how many times each component of the pattern is to be repeated( all these must be carefully observed. The speech of the musical instrument is often designed to guide the dancers in their movement )1dowu" ,..?-,,?0. &onclusion %usic and dance occupy important position in worship in !oruba Religion. 3ithout these the efficacy of the peopleBs worship are reduced to nothing. The paper" so far discuss the significance of music and dance in worship among the !oruba. Through music and dance the devotees always believe that their worship is acceptable and their prayers answered. %usic and dance also boost peopleBs health and give them the opportunity to serve the Supreme Being better. lot of mysteries are revealed through music" which encourages the devotees to hold on to the divinities. 3hen the musical instruments are played and danced to" it brings spiritual inspiration and relief to man.

The origin of music and dance is a mystery" but their importance cannot be over emphasi'ed in Religious circle. 4eople speciali'ed on them and earned their daily bread. %usic and dance cannot be replaced by anything in the world. world without music and dance will face trouble. This is because of the important position they occupied in worship. %an was made to worship the Supreme Being and the worship is not complete without music and dance.

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References wolalu" 5mosade. ,.<.. ,oruba Beliefs and acrificial -ites, 6agos- 6ongman" 2igeria 4lc. wolalu" 5mosade and &opamu" de 4. *++8. 'est African .raditional -eligion, 1badan- %acmillian Do. Anderhill" Evlyn. ,..?. 'orshi*" 6ondon- %acmillian Do 1dowu" E. Bola$i. ,..?. Olodumare/ 0od in ,oruba Belief, 1badan- 6ongman Group 6td. 7ay" I. llan. ,..*. .he 1ature of Christian 'orshi*" 6ondon- Aniversity 4ress. Oxford Dictionary of Current English" *++,. 2ew !ork- Aniversity 4ress. 4ratt" 5..,.>?. .he -eligious Consciousness" 2ew !ork- %acmillian Do. G