Faith, Fancies and Fetich, Or, Yoruba Paganism: Being Some Account of the Religious Beliefs of the West African Negroes, Particularly of the Yoruba Tribes of Southern NigeriaThe writer when living in Yorubaland found that worship of the people showed belief in Spiritual beings of various types, falling properly into four distinct classes, viz (A) a Supreme Deity, Olorun by Name; (B) a large class of Lesser Gods, or Orishas, their number being variously stated as 201 or 401 by their babalawos, or priests, but probably comprising over 600; (C) the spirits of the Dead (ancestor worship, etc); (D) a Supreme Spirit, Esu. Stephen Farrow discusses objects of worship, objects of beliefs, modes of worship, the world of the mysterious and more making this book a valuable treatise on the Yoruba Religion and its practices. |
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Common terms and phrases
Abeokuta according African appears babalawo become belief body called caused ceremony chapter chief child Christian Church cloth conception connected consulted death deceased deity described divine earth Egun Ellis Eluku Eshu evidence evil existence facing fact Fetichism figure four given gives gods hand head heathen History human importance kill King known Lagos leading living London means mission missionary myth native nature never night Obatala object ODUS offered Ogun Olorun origin orisha pagan particular person possession practice present priest receive regarded Religion religious represented respect river rock sacred sacrifice says secret seen Shango shown shrine similar society sometimes soul spirit stone supposed taken tells term things town tradition tree tribes usually various Verse victim West Africa woman worship writer Yoruba