Amazing what you'd learn daily when you pick on different topics on Wikipedia...I recently stumbled on this, and here are my findings. Surprising that majorly the Yoruba Ifa religion and language have found their way throughout the world and is now expressed in practices though given different names in places such as Trinidad (Trinidad Orisha), the Republic of Benin, Togo, Brazil, Cuba (Lucumi), Dominican Republic, Mexico, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Argentina (Santeria), the United States, Uruguay, and Venezuela among others. As interest in African indigenous religions (spiritual systems) grows, Orisha communities and lineages can be found in parts of Europe and Asia as well. It is not just a vague idea among the ardent followers within these countries, it is occasionally celebrated, and all the Orishas are worshiped just the way our forefathers did.

In Cuba as well as Argentina, the worship of Orisa has been given a native dialect...and been called Santería as far back some hundreds years ago. Interesting it has evolved, and included some aspect of their personal culture, and Santería or Regla de Ocha, La Regla Lucumí or Lukumi is a syncretic religion of West African and Caribbean origin influenced by Roman Catholic Christianity when slaves from Yoruba to other parts of the world. These Yorubas carried with them various religious customs, including a trance for communicating with their ancestors and deities, animal sacrifice and sacred drumming and dance.

In current time, the religion still stands in its purest state though with altered names but still you'd hear terms such as Olorisha: which are the priest, and Iya-onifa (priestess)...these people are called these Yoruba names in all these part of the world...and there is the issue of some over three million Yourba race taken to Argentina, the Bahamas, Jamaica, America, and other parts of the world. There is the issue with Afro-Argentines, to the Yoruba-lineages within the Caribbean, Tobago, and other parts of the world...

Quite disheartening that Jesus, a Jewish prophet who came around some 2013 years ago could have easily displaced our heritage and culture which is been revered by the same people who brought Christianity merely as a tool for winning our hearts, before enslaving us....You'd still ask, what is wrong with Nigeria and Africa at large? What is wrong with seeing Europeans worshiping the Ibo's gods as well as the Yorubas? Why does everything we own seem totally inferior to us? I hope fellow traditionalists like myself find some soothing comfort in this findings....Gotta go work

Inset: Photo of Yoruba People of Argentina Celebrating Ifa and Egungun Day in Caseros, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina.
And Ifa worshippers, performing Santería ceremony known as "Cajon de Muertos". Havana, Cuba, 2011.

As Nigerians sleep, foreigners storms Ile- Ife for ifa festival

http://www.compassnewspaper.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4027:as-nigerians-sleep-foreigners-storms-ile-ife-for-ifa-festival&catid=69:business-news-&Itemid=220

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucumi_religion

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucumi_language

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orisha

and further studies picked from ebooks...

Odd enough,I used to think the Malaysians themselves might be Yorubas.They have their deities, and they are dark...its just some mixture because of their region. If you check our tradition, culture, it seem soooo aligned.They have the Chinese beside them, and the Arab nearby as well,but you will be amazed at their local and traditional beliefs despite the strong influence of Islam and the chinese. I still remember a debate in the classroom back in the days about the origin of Yoruba, a doctor told us, the Yorubas are the hardest tribe to trace. Some say they are Caribbeans, some say originally aboriginals, some say from Mekkah (the Mekkah part is the most laughable)...lol, nice piece though

Interesting

mehn, na sango sure pass

9icest: Odd enough,I used to think the Malaysians themselves might be Yorubas.They have their deities, and they are dark...its just some mixture because of their region. If you check our tradition, culture, it seem soooo aligned.They have the Chinese beside them, and the Arab nearby as well,but you will be amazed at their local and traditional beliefs despite the strong influence of Islam and the chinese. I still remember a debate in the classroom back in the days about the origin of Yoruba, a doctor told us, the Yorubas are the hardest tribe to trace. Some say they are Caribbeans, some say originally aboriginals, some say from Mekkah (the Mekkah part is the most laughable)...lol, nice piece though

Be grateful, atleast your ppl aren't as myopic as some who think David and Jesus are their forefathers. And those racist jews are their ancestors. Interesting post.

wow, over 10 useless rubbish made it to the frontpage...Seun, you don dey fall my hand big time....
Na una sabi sha

http://www.caribbeanlifenews.com/stories/2013/4/2013_04_15_farrington_orisha.html

April 15, 2013 / Arts & Entertainment / People / Trinidad and Tobago / Music
CALLING THE YORUBA DEITIES
By William Farrington

Orisha master Earl Noel and student drummers before a recent performance. Earl passes along the musical traditions as a teacher in Brooklyn schools and in Natural Expressions his carnival drum group.

A rare opportunity presents itself this week as Orisha drummers play Manhattan’s Elebash Hall. Outside of Trinidad, Orisha is generally experienced in late-night gatherings in Flatbush churches celebrating feasts, occasions which can last several nights. Earl Noel, a master of this sacred ceremonial tradition, will lead a trio of drummers and an ensemble of dancers in an Orisha religious service. Three drums, the Bo, Bembe, and Umele are at the center of the ceremony. The drummers call to each Deity in turn with a particular rhythm known by that Deity’s name.

In a sense, Earl says, it’s a conversation with that spirit or ancestor -- the rhythms from the three drums calling the Yoruba deities; a tradition handed down orally from generation to generation that he continues as a drummer and teacher in Brooklyn.

[b]A typical Orisha religious service includes Spiritual Baptist hymns, plaintive prayers, lively songs for all the spirits, and closes with a somber song of thanks. All of the songs are sung in Yoruba, except for the opening hymns sung in English, says producer Ryan Bazinet

A musician, Ryan fell in love with the fast-paced, energetic music, where everyone is singing and clapping. “It is the best feeling and musical experience i have ever had.” The Orisha religion shares roots, Yoruba lyrics and even identical songs with the Cuban music,” he says. “Many people who have heard of Santeria did not know Yoruba-derived music and religion exist in Trinidad. I am thrilled to be a part of sharing this with a wider audience.”

Earl plays a vital role in the Orisha social scene in Brooklyn, which is coming into season. As the weather gets warmer, feasts return, centered at Mt Moriah Baptist and other churches in Flatbush.

Earl began drumming at four years old in Belmont, Port of Spain. “A place called Gonzalez,” he says. The youngest of 13 children, he was born into Orisha music, first picked up drumming from his older siblings and from his neighbor, Mother Burness, the keeper of the Orisha feasts there. He now spends time teaching drumming -- folkloric and Orisha, to youths here in Brooklyn. Natural Expressions, another group he is involved in performs during carnival season and includes drummers of all ages.

While Orisha music remains largely confined to tight-knit communities both here and in Trinidad, its influences can be heard in the popular music of David Rudder and in the spiritual folk music of songs like, “Bring Down the Power” by Ella Andall.

Historian and radio host Trevor Wilkins says “Shango (Orisha) played a serious role in Trinidad and Tobago music in the ‘30’s and ‘40’s, calypso grew out of shango and spiritual baptist music. The pracitice itself was banned under colonial rule, and as an underground practice only became legal with independence.” Chalkdust, Sparrow, Houdini and others made calypsos based on Shango.[/b]

The concert is Wednesday, April 24 at Elebash Hall, located at 365 5th Avenue, at 34th Street in Manhattan, at the City University Graduate Center. Tickets are $12; $10 for students and can be purchased online by visiting www.liveat365.org.

The Trevor Wilkins Show on Friday and Saturday evenings on WNYE (91.5 FM) will present a full evening of Spiritual Baptist music May 24th and a full evening of Orisha music on May 25th.