Yoruba Mythology
The Yoruba people have different stories about their origin, but they all relate to the same ancestor “Oduduwa”, Some oral traditions claim that Oduduwa was Olodumare's ( Supreme God also recognized as Olorun) favorite orisha, and as such was sent from heaven to create the earth.
According to the Yoruba mythology, the sky and sea was ruled by Orisha a council of Gods. Olorun ruled the sky, Olokun was the master of everything below in the waters. Olorun (owner of the heavens) , lowered a great chain from the heavens to the ancient waters. Down this chain climbed Oduduwa, Olorun's son. Oduduwa (the father of the Yoruba) was sent by God from heaven to create the earth and the Human race. |
Oduduwa brought with him a handful of dirt, a special five-toed chicken, and a palm nut (and possibly a black cat) . He threw the dirt upon the ancient waters and set the chicken on the dirt. The chicken busily scratched and scattered the dirt until it formed the first dry earth. In the center of this new world, Oduduwa created the magnificent Ife kingdom. (is an ancient Yoruba city in southwestern Nigeria),
Along the way, he stopped over at a feast where Obatala got drunk from drinking too much palm wine. Oduduwa, finding his master drunk, he and the chicken and continued on the journey. Later when Obatala got out of his drunken haze, he discovered that Oduduwa had already performed his task and he was very upset. God however gave him another task to perform to create the people that would populate the earth. |
The chain with which he landed onto earth is still said to exist in the shrine; though it is said to be hidden from profane eyes.
Praying Obatala priests in their temple in Ile-Ife
(Obatala is Olorun's representative on earth and the shaper of human beings) |
Sources:
http://www.tigweb.org/youth-media/panorama/article.html?ContentID=1088
http://www.allfolktales.com/wafrica/yoruba_creation.php
http://www.tigweb.org/youth-media/panorama/article.html?ContentID=1088
http://www.allfolktales.com/wafrica/yoruba_creation.php