Egungun, also known as masquerade, involves people dressing up in costumes and wearing masks. While they often wear colourful clothes and decorations, there’s more to them than just looking good.
Egungun have deep meaning, especially for the Yoruba people. Let’s explore what they represent and why the festival is still celebrated today.
Table of Contents
Sacred Ritual
The Egungun Festival is a famous one that is rooted in ancestral worship. According to Yoruba belief, death is not the end but a transition to another realm. So, this festival indicates a time for honouring the spirits of departed ancestors who have lived righteously. These spirits are believed to come back to the world of the living to bless, guide and protect their descendants.
Therefore, the Egungun Festival is not just a performance. It is a ritual performed to maintain a balance between the physical and spiritual worlds. Year after year, family and community members gather in large numbers for this purpose.
Preparation
Just like Christmas and other annual events, this festival is thoroughly prepared for weeks and even months before the due date. Ancestral shrines are cleaned, special delicacies are prepared, and consultations are made with babalowos (traditional diviners). All of these are done to ensure that things are appropriately done.
In the course of prepping, the outfit of the Egungun is another important aspect. They are believed to be a means through which ancestors return to the world of the living. The elaborate outfits are made of embroidered and colourful layers of cloth. To further beautify it, they are designed with cowries, beads, charms and other sacred symbols. Also, the outfit of each Egungun differs. This is because they represent a specific ancestor or family.
Performance
During the festival, drums beat rhythmically while praise singers chant and the crowd watches with intrigue. Every masquerade performs unique movements. While some are comical, others are fierce and dignified.
These masquerades should not be touched by the public. This is because they are considered as powerful spiritual beings. Direct contact can lead to misfortune of spiritual consequences.
So, the Egungun is usually followed by drummers and attendants. These attendants carry sticks to maintain a respectful distance between the masquerade and the audience. They make sure that order is maintained and the sacredness of the event is preserved.
Importance of the Festival
This festival is family and community oriented. It serves as a time for celebration and reconciliation. This is also a moment of cleansing (spiritually and socially) where disputes are settled and blessings are offered to all.
The event is equally entertaining. Music is at the center of the festival. Traditional drums like Bata and Dundun are used. Also, praise singers recite oriki (praise poetry) that tells the stories of achievements, lineage and virtues of the ancestor being honoured.
The festival serves as a moral compass as well. It teaches values like respect for elders, communal responsibility, and significance of honouring one’s heritage.
Some Egungun even issue earnings, expose wrongdoings or praise virtuous behaviour during the performance. Thus, strengthening the community’s cultural identity and familial bonds.
Final Thoughts
The Egungun Festival is a cultural spectacle. It bridges the past and present. Also, it celebrates life, death and ancestral legacy that binds generations. The Yoruba people uphold traditions and seek guidance from those who have walked before them reinforcing the fact that our ancestors are always watching.
The Festival is also gaining international attention. Every year, tourists and cultural enthusiasts come from far and near to witness the festival in all of its splendour.
