Essay On Yoruba Birth Ceremony

Yoruba Birth and Naming Ceremony A rite of passage is defined as a ceremony and marks the transition from one phase of life to another. It is often used to describe the transition between birth and adulthood. In this essay, the rite of passage that will be explained is from the African tribe Yoruba. Yoruba people are from Southwest Nigeria and Benin. They have started to become popular among Africans all over the world who have started to claim Yoruba as their family roots and follow their religion and culture. Yoruba has a special way of bringing newborns into the world. Birth is one of the major rites because it believed by nearly all African cultures that infants come from the spirit world as important information and bringing unique talents and gifts. Before a child is born in the Yoruba culture, it is the responsibility of the family to consult with elders of the community to determine this mission, which is done by either rituals or birth charts. The missions of the community members are important, so they can successfully guide the infant along their life path. …show more content…
Rituals and ceremonies to celebrate the coming of the infant is not done until a few days after the baby is born and it is known that the child is healthy and will live on. A special ceremony called The First Step into the World is performed by the Yoruba people, three days after birth is giving to a child. This ceremony is assisted by a babalawo, a priest of Ifa, to determine what kind of person the child will be and to appoint an orisha (divinity) or guardian spirits. The babalawo determines who will be the child’s protector, or orisha, as well as what the child is forbidden to, after the child’s father has acknowledged