City of 201 Gods: Ilé-Ifè in Time, Space, and the ImaginationIn a study that challenges familiar Western modes of thought, Jacob K. Olupona focuses on one of the most important religious centers in Africa and in the world: the Yorùbá city of Ilé-Ifè in southwest Nigeria. The spread of Yorùbá traditions in the African diaspora has come to define the cultural identity of millions of black and white people in Brazil, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, and the United States. Seen through the eyes of a native, this first comprehensive study of the spiritual and cultural center of the Yorùbá religion tells how the city went from great prominence to near obliteration and then rose again as a contemporary city of gods. Throughout, Olupona corroborates the indispensable linkages between religion, cosmology, migration, and kinship as espoused in the power of royal lineages, hegemonic state structure, gender, and the Yorùbá sense of place, offering the fullest portrait to date of this sacred African city. |
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african ajé ancestors ancient Arābā aer Bàbá Babaláwo Bascom Benin British called celebration central ceremony chapter chief priest Christ apostolic Church Christian city’s civil client context crown cultural cultural hero deity devotees drum edì festival evangelical evil flywhisk frobenius gender goddess gods heaven human Ibid identity Ìdìta ifá divination Ifá priests Ifé Igbo ilé Ilé-Ife indigenous Iſè islam king king’s kola nut lagos leo frobenius lineage Lówá medicine missionary Morémi Muslim myth mythic narrative nigeria Obâtálá odù Oduduwa offered Ogún Ogún's Olódùmarè Olorì Olúbuse Olúorogbo Orisa oen palace palm wine perform political pray prayer propitiate Qbadio Qbátálá Qld.jó Qöni Qöni's referred religion religious traditions ritual role royal sacred center sacred city sacred king sacred kingship sacrifice scholars shrine significant social space spiritual status story symbols taboo teele tion William Bascom women worldview yemòó yorùbá cities yorùbá religious yorùbáland