TAO11:



It was in an early 2000s Yoruba movie where the Babalowo was pointing to the hide of the animal

foleskay:

Even at that, lion and tiger have never met in the wild. They lives in different continent. Op might be right to some extent. Tiger is not found in Africa.

cbrass:


Bro.. Have you encountered Leopard before? you can be a feet close to a Leopard and you won't know. Bro Ekun is not an animal you mes with. Yoruba doesn't have a name for Tiger. This is just misconception that we have carried foe years, I used to think Ekun was Tiger before

aywhy93:
@OP, Demzlent... While trying to show us and impress us that you're a true Yoruba. You were doing the opposite.
@Mods, Lalastica... Please edit the topic on the front page, it's misleading to everyone.

Venerable612 has done justice to the post. He explained exactly the way it is.
So for anyone who really wants to know.

In Yoruba,

Lion is Kìnìún
Tiger is Ẹkùn/Ògìdán
Cheetah is Ọ̀wàwà
Leopard is Àmọ̀tẹ́kùn

PS: For those who care to read, this is a comprehensive article on EKUN (Yoruba Article) - https://wol.jw.org/yo/wol/d/r36/lp-yr/101996845

Thank You!

Debaiz:


India has both wild Lions and tigers

But the op has that point they’re not found in Africa but that doesn’t mean the yorubas don’t know the tiger to be a fierce rival of a lion.

aywhy93:


Do your research properly then come back and quote me.

nlPoster:


yes, seems Nollywood is where people get their history and facts from nowadays.

Venerable612:


This is wrong.

First off the name Amotekun has nothing to do physical semblance as such.

It literally translates - “one who knows as Ekun”.

Again, you are wrong that Yoruba doesn’t have a transalation for Tiger - because our fathers didn’t have an encounter with them.

In fact Tiger has two Yoruba names. It could be called OGIDAN or EKUN. That’s why they say this provide - “Ogidan o ni se Barber, ki aja de be lo ge irun”.

And “KAKA KI KINIUN SAKAPO EKUN, OLODE A MAA RODE.“ Mind you Lion in Yoruba is Kiniun. And no one will ever compare a Lion with a Leopard. No animal can stand the Lion grit for grit amongst the Cat Family other than the Tiger; hence, the comparison.

Also, when Yorubas jokingly refer to someone as Ekun - it’s to represent that the person is a Strong man.

Thus,

Lion - Kiniun
Tiger - Ogidan and Ekun
Leopard - Amotekun
Cheetah - Owawa./ Idagiri

Hope this helps.

TAO11:


Lol... Yes, Nollywood Yoruba is some of the custodians of the Yoruba language and culture today.

TAO11:
If you have a different view and superior source for it, do not bolt. Bring it forward.

macof:


Tiger is not native to Africa
and what do you mean by "mere leopard"?

Leopard is a big gun amongst animals, one of the few if not only animal that can enter anywhere, be it by jumping, running, stalking, climbing or swimming

aywhy93:


The link I included in my initial post is enough to clear anybody's doubt... But NO, you wont research, read and understand. Only to argue without thinking deeply.

It was stated there that Ekun (in yoruba) is the largest animal in the cat family. Since the Tiger is the largest in the cat family then why will Ekun (in yoruba) be a Leopard which is even much more smaller to a Lion, not to talk of Tiger in size..? THINK!!!

riddo2:
you are totally wrong. Tiger is ekun, leopard is amotekun and cheetah is eta. The fastest animal on land.

cbrass:


The difference between you and I is, you rely on what someone posted on the internet while I had a first encounter with the hunters. The Tiger been the larger cat in the cat family is peculiar to the whole cat family in the world and not cat family in Yoruba land. The Oluode in Ibadan said that he is still trying to understand why they chose Amotekun instead of Ekun. He even went on to say thag Amotekun looks like Ekun. So does Tiger look Leopard? I repeat we don't have A name for Tiger

cbrass:


What research again o. Lol Is it me that is vast in Yoruba history or who? by the way how can you have a name for something you have never seen in your life.. Haba reason well nw. Yoruba language is dying and this is the resultant effect

cbrass:


What research again o. Lol Is it me that is vast in Yoruba history or who? by the way how can you have a name for something you have never seen in your life.. Haba reason well nw. Yoruba language is dying and this is the resultant effect

GidiWoodsMan:


pound for pound, the leopard is the deadliest of the big cats.

Hayelomo:
The theory that yorubas cannot have a name for tiger because it is not native to Africa can only work if no single tribe in Africa has a name for Tiger. People adopt names for things that are not necessarily native to the culture. The theory of nativity is still prone to exceptions and you can't 100% say something does not exist somewhere except you have done a thorough and complete search of the area in a way you can't miss it which is practically impossible. Ai rin jina, lai r'abuke okere. Tiger may not be native to Africa, but that still doesn't rule out the possibility of encountering or seeing it at some point in time and at that point, ekun was adopted for tiger. Language is dynamic and as of the Yoruba of today, Ekun is the name for tiger and Amotekun the name for Leopard.

Hayelomo:
The theory that yorubas cannot have a name for tiger because it is not native to Africa can only work if no single tribe in Africa has a name for Tiger. People adopt names for things that are not necessarily native to the culture. The theory of nativity is still prone to exceptions and you can't 100% say something does not exist somewhere except you have done a thorough and complete search of the area in a way you can't miss it which is practically impossible. Ai rin jina, lai r'abuke okere. Tiger may not be native to Africa, but that still doesn't rule out the possibility of encountering or seeing it at some point in time and at that point, ekun was adopted for tiger. Language is dynamic and as of the Yoruba of today, Ekun is the name for tiger and Amotekun the name for Leopard.

macof:


I agree. And I believe Zoologists state this too

Leopards and Tigers are a lot more successful than lions in this survival game
And leopards are generally unchallenged in their domain unlike the lion that even honey badgers threaten
Or Tigers that monkeys mess with

No animal messes with the leopard

Debaiz:


India has both wild Lions and tigers

But the op has that point they’re not found in Africa but that doesn’t mean the yorubas don’t know the tiger to be a fierce rival of a lion.

UnitedFront:


But there are English names for all animals even including the ones that couldn’t be found in their environment. Explain that

aywhy93:


Calm down Bro...

A single Hyena just effortlessly stole a Leopard's kill on Nat Geo Wild Right Now.

UnitedFront:


But there are English names for all animals even including the ones that couldn’t be found in their environment. Explain that

by the way how can you have a name for something you have never seen in your life.

GidiWoodsMan:


Owawa is the honey-badger. It's very wild though. It will literally eat your balls for breakfast if you slip up

salford1:

A simple googling does confirm they exist is the western part of Africa. The picture below also confirms that Chester's roamed the Nothern Yoruba country.

Hayelomo:
The theory that yorubas cannot have a name for tiger because it is not native to Africa can only work if no single tribe in Africa has a name for Tiger. People adopt names for things that are not necessarily native to the culture. The theory of nativity is still prone to exceptions and you can't 100% say something does not exist somewhere except you have done a thorough and complete search of the area in a way you can't miss it which is practically impossible. Ai rin jina, lai r'abuke okere. Tiger may not be native to Africa, but that still doesn't rule out the possibility of encountering or seeing it at some point in time and at that point, ekun was adopted for tiger. Language is dynamic and as of the Yoruba of today, Ekun is the name for tiger and Amotekun the name for Leopard.

cbrass:


So you watch Natgeo wild and still think Ekun is Tiger... Did they tell you in Natgeo wild that Tiger is found in Africa let alone Nigeria?

cbrass:


The difference between you and I is, you rely on what someone posted on the internet while I had a first encounter with the hunters. The Tiger been the larger cat in the cat family is peculiar to the whole cat family in the world and not cat family in Yoruba land. The Oluode in Ibadan said that he is still trying to understand why they chose Amotekun instead of Ekun. He even went on to say thag Amotekun looks like Ekun. So does Tiger look Leopard? I repeat we don't have A name for Tiger

Hayelomo:
The "amo" in amotekun does not mean "looks like", it is rather " knows as", so amotekun literally means "knows as ekun". If it is looks like, it would be " bi ekun" not amotekun.

nlPoster:


Good for you.




Go through the thread again but this time without a predisposition to ignorance.

everything that needs to be discussed has already been said.

But if you prefer nollywood as your source of knowledge, I have no problem with that. Meaning it's not my problem.