Ajodun Yoruba 2005

Yoruba Religion: Year 2005 Schedule* of Festivals
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Yoruba religion (Irunmole) is a monotheistic religion with one almighty god. It is based on reverence of African ancestors who are celebrated as a heirarchy of about 401 chief and minor dieties. OLORUN or OLODUMARE, the only Supreme Diety, is not worshipped directly. Irunmole is an instrumental set of rituals by which critical individuals may resolve existential dilemnas in consultation with a distant God. It does not define a specific moralising code or have any sacred texts. Individuals can converse directly with their orisha and can effect changes in their own destiny. Irunmole is not concerned about a compiled and interpreted system of beliefs for group worship of an omnipresent God, as are other world religions such as Islam, Christianity or Buddhism.

February 26 – 27
OLOKUN festival: Orisha of the deep sea [Nature] and protector of the African soul

March 21
ODUDUWA festival. Celebrations of the Orisha of the Earth. Onset of the Yoruba NEW YEAR (2005 is the 10,047th year of Yoruba culture?)

March 26 – 27
OSHOSI festival. Veneration of the Orisha of Adventure, patron of hunters
Also annual rites of passage for men

April 4
OGUN festival. Veneration of the Orisha of War, patron of metal crafts [Engineering / Military]

Last Saturday of April, for 5 days (April 30 – May 4)
OSHUN festival. Celebrations of the Orisha of love [Biology]. Onset of Spring and the wet season.

Last Saturday of May, for seven days (May 28 – June 4)
EGUNGUN festivals. Celebrations of the Ancestral Spirits (Life forces), including royal sacrifices

June 21
SHOPONA and OSANHIN festivals. Veneration of the Orishas of Disease and Medicine respecitvely.

June 25 – 26
YEMOJA festival. Celebrations and fertility paegents of the Matron Orisha of the Yorubas
Also annual rites of passage for woman.

July 2 – 3
ORUNMILA / IFA festival. Celebrations and recitations of the Orisha of Destiny / Divination [Science]. Also mass gathering of the Yorubas

First weekend in July, for three weeks (July 4 – 24)
OKO and ELEGBA / ESHU festivals. Celeberations of the Orisha of Farming [Agriculture] and Sex [Power / Communications], respecitvely. Also feasting on new harvests of the Yam tuber crop.

July 24 – 25
SHANGO festival. Veneration and celebrations of the 8th century Alaafin of ancient Oyo nation, who became diefied as the Orisha of Thunder and Lightening [Energy]

August 27 – 28
OBATALA festival. Celebrations of the Orisha of Heaven [Creation / Culture]

October 22 – 23
OYA festival. Celebrations of the Orisha of the Wind. Patron of flooding of the Oya river and guardian of the gateway between life and death. Onset of Autumn and the dry season.

October 31
SHIGIDI festival. Veneration of the Orisha of Nightmares and the unknown dead of the AFRICAN people. Solemn parade by candlelight for unsettled spirits and ghosts. World Slavery Day?

December 17
OBALUAIYE festival. Celebrations of the Orisha of Work [Business] and of the winter solstice.

Information adapted from various sources including: www.sacred-texts.com/afr/yor and www.oyotunjivillage.net . A current discourse of Yoruba perspectives on religions may be found at http://lucy.ukc.ac.uk/YorubaT/yt6.html .

*This information is subject to change. Actual dates of celebrations may differ from indicated in accordance with religious practises in location and family.


Remi-Niyi Alaran writes on enterprise and social capital.
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