Ile-Ife
Ile-Ife
Nationality/Culture
West African/Yoruba
Pronunciation
EE-lay EE-fay
Alternate Names
Ife or Ife-Lodun
Appears In
Yoruba creation mythology
Myth Overview
According to Yoruba mythology, the world was originally a marshy, watery wasteland. In the sky above lived many gods, including the supreme god Olorun (pronounced oh-loh-RUN), the Owner of the Sky. These gods sometimes descended from the sky on spiderwebs and played in the marshy waters, but there was no land or human being there.
One day Olorun called Orisha Nla (pronounced or-EE-shuh nn-lah), the Great God, and told him to create solid land in the marshy waters below. He gave Orisha a pigeon, a hen, and the shell of a snail containing some loose earth. Orisha descended to the waters and threw the loose earth into a small space. He then set loose the pigeon and hen, which began to scratch the earth and move it around. Soon the birds had covered a large area of the marshy waters and created solid ground.
Orisha reported back to Olorun, who sent a chameleon to see what had been accomplished. The chameleon found that the earth was wide but not very dry. After a while, Olorun sent the creature to inspect the work again. This time the chameleon discovered a wide, dry land, which was called Ife (meaning “wide”) and He (meaning “house”). All other earthly dwellings later sprang from Ile-Ife, and it was revered forever after as a sacred spot. It remains the home of the Ooni, the spiritual leader of the Yoruba.
Ile-Ife in Context
Ile-Ife (pronounced EE-lay EE-fay), also known as Ife or Ife-Lodun, is the holy city of the Yoruba (pronounced YAWR-uh-buh) people who live in Nigeria in West Africa. Ile-Ife appears in myths as the birthplace of creation and the location where the first humans took form.
Key Themes and Symbols
For the Yoruba people, Ile-Ife is a symbol of creation and life. In their mythology, it is the oldest and most sacred land. The birds of the myth represent the natural forces that shaped the land.
Ile-Ife in Art, Literature, and Everyday Life
Ile-Ife has been symbolized in art as a palm tree with sixteen branches, which represent the main families of the first Yoruba states. The creation myth of Ile-Ife is celebrated in the city during the Itapa festival. The city has traditionally been a center of art and agriculture, and remains so in modern times.
Read, Write, Think, Discuss
The city of Ile-Ife is believed to be over 2000 years old. In the United States, the oldest continuously settled city is less than 500 years old. Do you think that, given time, the oldest cities in the United States will develop myths similar to those found in places like Ile-Ife? Why or why not?
SEE ALSO African Mythology; Animals in Mythology; Creation Stories; Olorun
Ile-Ife
Ile-Ife
Ile-Ife, also known as Ife or Ife-Lodun, is the holy city of the Yoruba people who live in Nigeria in West Africa. Ile-Ife appears in myths as the birthplace of creation and the location where the first humans took form.
According to Yoruba mythology, the world was originally a marshy, watery wasteland. In the sky above lived many gods, including the supreme god Olorun, the Owner of the Sky. These gods sometimes descended from the sky on spiderwebs and played in the marshy waters, but there was no land or human being there.
One day Olorun called Orisha Nla, the Great God, and told him to create solid land in the marshy waters below. He gave Orisha a pigeon, a hen, and the shell of a snail containing some loose earth. Orisha descended to the waters and threw the loose earth into a small space. He then set loose the pigeon and hen, which began to scratch the earth and move it around. Soon the birds had covered a large area of the marshy waters and created solid ground.
Orisha reported back to Olorun, who sent a chameleon to see what had been accomplished. The chameleon found that the earth was wide but not very dry. After a while, Olorun sent the creature to inspect the work again. This time the chameleon discovered a wide, dry land, which was called Ife (meaning "wide") and Ile (meaning "house"). All other earthly dwellings later sprang from Ile-Ife, and it was revered forever after as a sacred spot. It remains the home of the Oni, the spiritual leader of the Yoruba.
See also African Mythology; Animals in Mythology; Creation Stories; Olorun .
chameleon lizard that can change color
* See Names and Places at the end of this volume for further information.
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