Mica Rte do Conroe Etudes Aicones de USP 181987
a
SUICIDE iW voRUeA CULTURE
aoe Oloola
itor Deparment
University of He
Nigeria
Introuction
‘The malo foc of hi paper the vrs cannons kt
‘rong te Yoruba nthe preclna ar Inthe Coos rn
ort Foto inion of wrt nt hed
rude My iter to se emai on ny
Sty or door saaton! ofthe eatare hina othe Yee
‘ln ns udesten tetrnon 174 rd 9M Taso
‘mv tan cncrn int paer nat be seniicarouccphen ane
pace ont fwd bt conta star of he
Th prod unr reeencdefom unknown aigty ae od
sitet rb of Bs clo te blog
the tam cry nde ln was cso
‘cm of eition misdorary anda oeaih ta con
Sita fe incr tr ta, en, a
fa and ure aman te Yoruba? nth tah comet! em an
horteredsonpaniar endeavours to esas the Brish presence ss 8
‘ecssry otecion for thle vemturen® Thus.» combination of fos
‘rusted by thes groupe camonatod in the elsbishmest os rsh
lon over th ton war torn Yoruba ingons. Owing the cons
fra the sh posebed man indigenous Yoru converting les end
rates! The rest wat tht many of he belt and prectins ofthe
YYerube which nwcestated human sore, vey, aby oral ond
‘ther constvents of Yorube cure which ‘onfitd ith the
Exmovhitan culture of the Srilsh wore sweat away. Modern
Indestaeton gedually satin ding ane ater elon rle and the
"andar inrasnd peoorgtca orasci mobility lato the real Dt
‘ieadyUrakdown of Yoruba communsiam and bred anemplyment and
ISec prop intgraton of the depressed membere of Se varus
communis,
"Sonoraby seating, the Yoruba sbbor sukide ard express very
strong mor! iseporovl of i Ye. fowl canvantons! ue end
Froctee uphold and axel tome estgories of side. Heteln es te
fred an. the cass abeervor Iai to mistake one of tho two
prlans at repeertng the stud of to Yoruba on the question ot
(Shae. Toe por tat tha Yoruba shor sme extapoie of sie ot
the came tine extt sem: the Ene separating both extensor
early orenn to proven posible contusion
"Conaotiy the episodes hghightd for sscussion and station
inthis paper happened tore 1900, the only etcpson bang he uledein
{cf the lat’ hing of Oyo unnamed master af teats Therefore
Inv soto of information heluge oa tacos, record camped By
+ Oduoy Te pong of Chtanty Yorn ban, Daya Pr,
Ste pat cop sta prac lomosom sigan testo tonne
"nh, te aon Ladue Te Urey of Wc re)
{t's ba apinaae€ Mustonyimoweton motor Mars 1e4E 84!
‘paiva and soe anit and, ong, Co. 8
1 fulge, GI, Brisa the conquest of Ac: ap of Sulu Ann
Xen etety Meher Pe. sot gp cota. ven
‘enwashing om te Ve hens Ngu nso Mtn 8 Co: 0
sMiton. The ity of he Yrbae gen 68.5. sins 88
‘a.m Wastn Cyastoathnce Chace mapnine pang tis
‘gore gar, tsp Oe tp eae Mohentry. Tharsore, tor much
informeton about hirer
T
falimparsona relitnshpeamana alan sun”
‘The shows tat lisman among the Yorube conte (ard
consi of embers ofthe top, the ineal ond clr! eatons an,
sing rates contng of members of th lineage of th lads
‘pout. The avantngenaoring othe India en i senan wore
‘any. As pointed ou y Loy, the 20 of on tn enhanc on ssa
rd palial importance ante moe economy ara soc portant
man ws, the loger hit eof Kna® This station sil emain he
ferme and hasbeen summarized by Adepjs» poet who ho exbod he
fumoreus occaions of metage, naming, chine and. but
‘upper thom Watery? Of couse Kinsmen io suppor one anothe in
te of eran.
‘A vat mojoy ofthe Yorubs Hed out thy Hves among thie
Kinamen and rates, usualy In large compounds esh costing of
rumerous fils rade UP of ed men, that wives end grown-up won
fd thir own wives, come tos genertons or meee of grandparents,
Chien and’ grandchlaan, The Vorube dot uml amote
thamtvs tom that root: Athough the Rory of he Yara a apo
‘wit nomerods caves of Intralmigatins yu the migrant enc cise
Sed even armen eltzene were usualy Tolowes i waif ele 208
fetioment by ego numbers of parters who wore tha migrant nen
ba rloven'™ Relation wth the old horlond gonaraly remained
‘orem ang the host commons ual rad heiress
‘wseome Tham, people raver laced rites with whom they shares
Imam fosings ines of oy sao.
2 Yagon, NA. Te soup of Yous F.0d 0.0, On Oatan
1 Ly Yr La aw,
‘err, ao p20 awa, Taare ant may abe In
10 Adio ton A adn, bara Pre a oo asincompaund tock cre of thelr people limes en their constant support
rowan ie recente’ aburnse against oben fo pg expected
Hinge nd eater Even, ner ved sang tas inemen ned teay
mong. ll and tony and aied thir own fies, Ho. one wee
Uiemplyed inthe eget url end agrtion commune and everyone
‘oped abundance. Noone wes fifo Nest end ony, iarun
what the mater was wth head! the vroa ventions thet say
Totowed hepa to some exon t assuage ha eng. Ths, Dub
rot propery interstate aocty. ute how on hl ow
‘erourees and ving th Ives to th eat conte wns urn
mong the Yoruee. Uvngtogter In lrge numbers an oon ter
ini ota Wom imple
However, Duis’ thied eatgory of aise, the snomi'*
ncn sents of dels preted srg te Yoruba. to sudan change
rindi postion or date usualy le imo soe wher te
Berson concerned wos curt and uteri srg The Yoruba ced
Shstenfoe eran aan te pu ano The
parson shal surly coe osname. For x uation nw an indo
isboured an test rehab For nstnce, orn no at
in tw Yoruba merrape ature" Marisge inohed fons athe
woman wae competaly intgrted ito the amy of her ston
‘Seperation of sponae wor ovt of th doesn, Where the hasta
predncoaad ie wi of wiv, these women were why laherted by
1 a Lae on Css he rar nso age Roa
2. irre ames Nn, otal 18 9. 8
inte rlstions who were younger than the dcnased husbands. and the
ow husbands he resganabitis forthe women ana thee cern.
Widows sflrd no sonal alton ond unnacessrydeapait There wore
ho broten homer, and chadrn, feuding orphans steed no Untols
Iga Surcen women, or women predeceased by al ha ron wore
{ormmadned with conieraie spat by apa mats of thar slaren
nd of ours by thei naman. Life was rr and sino, when et
‘rovoed inthe farsa or In the cts, tha Yoruba spe tele tne
‘Srrmune! seis ane mason In ha 8's Clarke, the Ameria
Bape misionarywatog Abestats ny, Oye, Opbomosho, Herland
tnd rama ht the Yorba pha sail people strong
thai ateciment arent io thi engage, fond fie iy nd
timusemerts: Tia remare apg toa Yoruba communios becuse
thavaroussubehnis groups fe Yoruba erecta homogeneous.
Yoruba conception of death and post-dath
“The second spect of Yoruba cute to corsier in elation to slo
‘athe Yoruba bale ogording doth. The Yoruba were poytest™ they
Dover Inthe extence ofan emniptent God, who was aes Ot,
‘war of heaven and Abang fer ofa gpa The othr pads ond
Godsesses wore called cree thes condted main operat beings
Sd dled ls eres The Yorob Bokeved thet he Suprome God ved
invematem haven ene, orun ain, an Nis ciron te leer godt
Ud podesns nats inmate Peaven calle or sake Al Oe
fend ancestors were belaved to lve inthe irmedite ooven ond
trorefra, they too were fogorded 9s gods. As ily roported by Talbot
thar patna the commmurtypossng at wil from one place 0
eter aad Pelping in--mundane mutts the doad oeetors among
the Yoruba were sad Yo continue t protect the neat of ta ing
thping: The Yoru thus consivee ofthe desd anurans opi
Lue Arhdessn 40. The religion ofthe Yervbas lagen CS, Boohhon,
2 NAIA re othe Mowe Do: hi roe and extn onde,{he immediate pce, ike tho goae, Betweun the ving and supreme
Sod, But ony those arneng the ancestors who had teed wee
scoidance with onventona injunctions snd who wae bud sith us
eremeries ou 90 to daiand oa jon ha pamoonofgreesans
The Yorube sid death nta natura and unnatt Those who
Sad natura death expec ‘of old age received iting add anes
ramones Thar passing was folowes by wha Els deco aoa
uur of exaggerate rt, ith loud cen lamentations at ome
‘gesture Elis was acy ght in He obsernton but Cres roe
{eoresen cecerpeture of what flowed the annoonceent othe
‘tath consiereé natn. Kinsmen and veletvesurned hs death Se
aon of racking — equaid perhaps oforsign nations << when no
fing is The body i washed utuly with a dacoron of esonat eos
{0 ensure clesiest of the corse and admission of th oul ft ond
Into ghotlnd. twat alo baeved to onsreenanation nore Sea
‘The body i desig up in the bat Gothen of the detsroed sod we
covered with numerous othe of he decaead and ote upped ye
{Eramen, The corp ls tha id in state or fo dor ranging tooo
{0 five depending an the stu of he decent, Ths doe 6 one
‘insmen however widely esporeed ta sarembe and poy Ye pec
bore bur: etre internment, he ody Ts lay ona oat coves
it ote and borne a aot though ie sent Themen eying te
forpie (he Yorube didnot ue eof) ae folowed by Linsey
‘he race names on ofthe decnend ud how thi Tomoye
‘Ata interment too pace towards traning see xocstion
‘ng retuned. I was customary #0 bry the deed im Sep grins a
oueryard oF along the porta (verando) Tie itr-moral bai, fe
“Yors bekeved,cnsereed the house by the preetce of sees:
and ebld inaman to trom ware to pry to tar acest Thos
wes ncessary for 8 Yorba to be able ts ascran the grave of his
forebears and nsmen, Internment wat atonpaned by fringe,
sacrifices and tarertatans, As the corpee ws being omered mses
were sont hough te deceased to long dose insmon and he pont
2 ti Cl Aare Youse4pating pepe fae ca! of Hes
2 poi Mn eh han ofS
‘ot me one ing brie was implored o bah tse in ghost Many
Sides of vie, some of them possessed and fondo y the daceeed and
‘many others meet or hue n deat anawere entombed or nts,
‘The was autor or watt, some ois wenpone ware anombed endif
Chie some saves wre scited st ht grovete. Eating ad fet
forimented and continue a day and nigh. Some funeral es Wore
“nu erformed on th third sent and oath tye terrae
‘Those wote done to enable the donned to vtu aaediy and to bor
gan it the fay. Thus, ai cildrn bom into Yoru ani her
‘he death of aes ne renters ware ced Usbtunds the casted
fuer nc returned to his own peddle: wie daughters born ster he
eth ot ethers and grandmas wer ced Yeide or Yotunde™ the
Secased wether had een or the detsasd mother ha eurned 1 the
hourebold.
‘Bot ull burl ceremonies were denied! to all thay who did
natural dest” These inalvdeddesth resulting Yom sosooed
{tcocton agminstred to wicherat suspects, death resting rom
‘nections dacees such o smal pox death etng Hor Thing ed
‘rowing. women whe sad Sutng pregnancy or at chlbith, Other
Daople who were ths regarded were huss, vine ard wie The
‘orp fens youths and vine of esawood roe ocr) we
buried in shalw graves tend the houshol, ot wre spl Ion
nay in the bush!" Corser of toe led by inetous dues wor
‘nud inte grows. Dead prognant women wore opened vo, octures
tere removed and buried invstaertsn-wares wl to women were
lst rooped up epsint revs the groves” The corpen the omning
ws buried the bark ofthe ren mos eases a the pinto ive
Corpses af victim of lighting ware tad to spa! tres inthe proves.
Hunchback wore cut up the bmp removed and oth bump and ope
buried in epaate inverted ertaneen, Tin cian (ee in Oe)
were regarded ae an sbominsion, while the mathrs wert though
tg 0 aot etme ot mao
San mime raoraaed ie
Soca ineteas rite Sig
Sine oe ie eee ee om
"Eee Geieanae ace nee
EEAuricaton rua, the vie were ila bin the grove Th
el bull ware done the Yor bles, to peers he aisha
thaw persone od th re-set ofthe stnoratbn Ae they wes
deed due tur coramonin poole bled te they goue ot gs
{2 eahand, ata thr ghosts wanere sbout dalte Fount ee
bush and homelnd of te tina and aly torent spe
‘ch the baboon or ns uch oot eee
The tide pssedgoraaly se Unnoural death. But tare were
{ators of suki: hoe renuting fom gull ean ater mated
by tor despair and the third liad vs conventions Sauer of oe
{estan second ctgoie wate garded oh ol cites whe he
hich had the fetes of arte’ obser lite rade
was highly regorded. The fat wo eatgoris of sls ware Send a
‘eral, thr boses were lef for professional usertatare™ Thee