₦airaland Forum

@ Rabzy

Sorry, that I haven't posted in a while. I've just been so busy writing, as things are going superbly! On the previous page though, you asked if I could provide a few sentences when it comes to the Yoruba word for "Lightning", and how it is used. That is a good idea and that might be easier to do that, because then I can see how these words are used, so I don't have to keep bugging you. While I don't need full sentences, I think I should clarify a bit something. For my project, while the conversations are in English (with plans for the rest to be translated into other languages, by someone more skilled) the names of people, specific titles, magical spells, and important places are in the language of the respected group that is being represented. In the case of the areas first introduced, Yoruba.

I was wondering if you (or anyone) would be willing to translate the following phrases into Yoruba:

Names of some magical abilities/attacks:

Lightning Step
Ride the Lightning
High Speed Dash (or High Speed Run)
Blast of Lightning (or Lightning Blast)
Water of Healing
Fist of Judgement (or Judgement Fist)
Fog of Sleep (or Mist of Sleep)
Lion's Roar
Song of the Wind

Magical Items:

Pot of the Storm (or Storm Pot)
Pot of Lightning (or Lightning Pot)
Pot of Healing (or Healing Pot)
Pride Mane (or Mane of Pride)
Wrists of Iron

Also, what is the Yoruba word for:

Earth
Ground
Mountian

I thank you all for whatever assistance you can grant upon me.

Please! Back in my day, there were no checkpoints in video games! No continues! None of this "Cheats Option on the Main Menu" nonsense! It was 3 hits (sometimes one), death, then title screen!

Heck! I was watching my cousin play Super Mario Brothers on the Nintendo Wii and when he kept dying, the game asked "Do you want the game itself to beat the level for you!" I sat there speechless as the game literally controlled Mario, ran him to the end of the stage, and beat it for him. What happened to simply learning from your mistakes if you suck, and then overcoming the obstacle through what you learned?

Pukkah:
What are some of the Ifa rituals that are in Islam and Judaism please?

I think he (Negro_Nts) is referring to sand divination. That's the only thing I can think off of the top of my head. While both Islam and Ifa have sand diviniation, Islam uses a base 10 method, where as Ifa uses a base 2 method. The latter creating the very foundation of the modern computer programming code called "Beta". Instead of "long and short" symbols in Ifa, Beta uses the numbers 0 and 1.

Hello there,

I am a Black American, who is currently in the process of creating a comic book series. A proprietary work that respectfully focuses on various traditional cultures of Africa. Here's a little more info on it, in another thread I created.

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-687904.0.html#msg8508427

(It's hard to talk about without giving away too many details, for copyright purposes.)

Now if you read near the end of paragraph two, under section two, you'll see where I mentioned that I am including mythological beings/creatures in my story. Being someone who has always loved mythology and folklore from all over the world, I've only heard of a few fantastic tales of African folklore/mythological creatures. But that was mainly from various Bantu/Central African groups and Southern African groups. Very few tales from Nigeria. So I made this thread to ask for help in this area, because the main cast in my story is from a fantasy version of ancient Nigeria. From different ethnic groups. Does anyone have any tales they've heard about a magical creatures (both good and evil) from Nigerian folklore? The same goes with magical people/heroes like Timi of Ede. (Thank you Rabzy!)

If anyone wishes to help me, to keep the format simple, could you make sure to clarify which Nigerian group the creature/person is from. On top of a little bit about them:

- What they look like
- If they are good or evil
- Where/how they live
- Special abilities (do they use magic or have special things like super strength or inhumanly fast speed)
- Do they have any weaknesses
- Do they favor certain human things like food, pottery, or jewelry

If you don't know all the details, that is fine too. It will just give me a good place to start, when I go to further research them.

Thank you for your time!

@ Rabzy
Hmm, Shango's human characteristics have changed a few things. Looks like I'll have to rewrite a major aspect of the story. Although, with the addition to Timi and Gbanko it adds a really nice area of plot development. Sort of a "things are not what they always seem" lesson.

Oh, and what is an Elemo?

@ Anyone

Now I'm glad that the confusion about "Lightning" being "Monamona" and not "Ara" (being "Thunder" is cleared up. (I really hope it's cleared up, although honestly I liked it more when I thought it was "Ara", because it just sounded neat, with how I had used it.) Speaking of "Ara" I'm still confused on something. Is there any tonal variation of "Ara" that means "skin". And by skin, I'm strictly referring to "human skin", because I have heard there is a seperate word for "animal skin". Which is "Eranko". I'm hoping to nip the confusion I have with this issue in the bud, so I can proceed.

In terms of other words to be translated into Yoruba:

Prince (I can't believe I forgot to ask this, )
Princess (Same with this one, )
Queen (And even THIS one!)
Grandmother
Grandfather
Wash (If it's different than Soak)
Scrub (If it's different than Soak)
Spear
Sword
Shield
Knife (or dagger)
Armor

Also, could anyone please tell me the Yoruba words for:

Lava
Magma (if it's different than Lava)
Leaf
Cover (like "to cover something" or "a cover"
Cripple
Circle
Soak
Automation (Or a "machine"

Also, I know Rabzy said "Conquerer" was "Segun", I was wondering how that's pronounced. Is it. . .

"Say-goon"
"Shay-goon"
"Say-goo-neh"
"Shay-goo-neh"

Forgive my western tongue, as I'm a little mixed up when it comes to certain letters, when they are placed at the beginning and end of words. I'm still learning though.

@ Rabzy

Ooooh! I had known about that story of Shango for years, but I didn't know that it involved Timi and Gbonka. As everytime I heard that tale, it didn't go too deeply into who the two generals were. Let alone their powers. Btw, I don't mean to be insultive or a "know-it-all", but I heard that Shango's enemies lied about him commiting suicide to make him look cowardly, because suicide was (from what I heard) looked down upon by Yorubas. I would love to hear about Aburu-maku (pronounced Ah-boo-roo Mah-koo?), Aare-Ona-Kakafo, and Soun though. Any details would be very appreciated. I just have a few questions about though. . . .

1. When Timi and Gbonka were generals in (mortal) Shango's kingdom, were they comrades who got along? Or were they enemies even before Shango tried to make them kill each other? If they were friends (or at least didn't hate each other) before Shango stepped in, then I have a fantastic idea on how to impliment them

2. Was Ojo Aburumaku the war commander who constantly set himself up to look like a hero, by starting and ending conflicts? Or was that Aare-Ona-Kankanfo?

3. Is it "Aburu-maku" or "Aburumaku", and is this his actual last name or a special title/nickname that he was given?

4. Just what is an Elemoso? I love learning about all sorts of mythical creatures, and Africa's are just supreme

5. Is Timi pronounced "Tee-mee"?

6. Just so I'm 100% sure, the "Alaafin" is the ruler of the Oyo kingdom? Like "Oba" was for Edos of the Benin Empire?
Oh, and if that movie about Timi and Gbonka is a Nollywood film, then I think I'll be able to find it. Might take a few days, but it shouldn't be too hard. And thank you for all the incredible information you've given me so far, my friend.

imhotep:
If these missionaries tenaciously held on to their own languages/tribes/families, I assure you that there will be no church in Bini land as we speak: only shrines that encourage human/animal sacrifices. Benin City used to be known as the 'Land of Blood'.

Benin was only known as that by white people. White people who have been proven to not having the slightest clue what they were talking about, by historians. White people who confused Benin executing criminals with sacrifices. White people who demonize animal sacrifices (which were later eaten by Edos) while white people themselves needlessly kill animals for sport, stuff their bodies for personal display, and mount their heads on walls.

imhotep:
To 'attend' church services with this level of bitterness in the heart is demonic.

To demonize your own culture (assuming you're Edo), because white people shamed you into replacing it with their bland and soul-less one, is EVEN MORE demonic.

Emmyk:
but u got a white man's picture on your profile. Haha

It was a joke, but the person in the picture isn't "technically" white?

I'm African American. What's up?

If whites were intellectually superior to blacks, then they would have been on top for all of humanity's history. Not just the past 800 years, where before that, they were living in caves and eating raw meat and had to be educated by the Arabs. If whites are naturally superior mentally, then why have many white nations been failures historically and even in the present day? You can’t attribute decent governance and the success of nations to intelligence and then gloss over examples where white-run nations have not been well-governed or successful. Speaking of Africa, several black African countries rank ahead of several Eastern European countries by whatever metric you opt to use, to measure quality of life. Black Caribbean countries rank ahead of even some Western European countries.

I would have no problem accepting racial differences in intelligence were it to be empirically certain and true. But the arguments people make in support of that thesis are much too easy to shoot down. In fact I’d say that the preponderance of evidence weighs heavily against European intellectual or cognitive superiority.

Just because there are blacks living in shantytowns in South Africa doesn’t preclude the presence of geniuses there. And the white man sitting in some high rise office in Johannesburg could be an slowpoke relative to many of the blacks in that shantytown. Human intelligence simply doesn’t work the way many people think it does. If intelligence was the key controlling factor empires wouldn’t rise and fall. How do Britons go from living in mud huts and being colonized by Rome to eventually becoming a world power with a far-flung empire? Did they somehow become more intelligent? Of course not. It was done through acculturation, assimilation and adaptation, which every single human being is capable of, regardless of race or color.

And if you want an example of low intelligent Asians, look at the native Burakumin Koreans that live in Japan. They are genetically the same as the native Japanese that have high IQ's. Why is there a difference you ask? The Koreans there have been kept at the bottom of the ladder for generations and have had poor access to education. Where as the Japanese who's ancestors enslaved them have always had access to the best of education. You can apply the same reason to other historically oppressed groups with low IQ's. It all comes down to access of education.

@ Rabzy

Hmm, I can't really find anything on the original Timi of Ede. Nothing about his heroics or his flaming arrows, just information on his modern descendants. Do you have any info on him? Because "right off the bat" I have the perfect place to put him, in my project. I just need to know a little more about him and his character, in order to make it an accurate depiction of him.


(I really should devote a seperate thread towards folklore. . . . )

Oh, which reminds me! Is his name pronounced "Tee-mee" with any tonial change? And also if you don't mind me asking, from which Nigerian group does he hail from? If he's a Yoruba then that makes things really easy.

rabzy:
Nice one brother, if you need some legendary figures and the powers that they were believed to have we could get you some. I remember Timi of Ede, the warrior with the flaming arrows. i think its going to be so exciting, its just the national support/govt support that i am not sure of. But it is something that would really excite the University community and also some western state governors.

Cheers man and all the best.

Oh! You reminded me of a detail I forgot to mention. I'm actually making sure to include dynamic heroes from the actual folklore of numerous African groups. Even incorporating them with the kingdoms and the groups they encounter, so they feel as if they are a natural part of the story. So far, the main characters even bump into a few of them during their long and dangerous journey.

But a warrior with flaming arrows? I'd love to hear his tale. Culture heroes like that are [b]exactl[/b]y what I've been searching for. Over the past few days, I have even purchased over 11 novels about that. African folktales and cultural heroes. So far I've only finished 2 books, and I've gotten a lot of material. Especially when it comes to magical spells and magical items. But any Nigerian cultural heroes or magical items, I'd really love to learn about, because they seem to be some of the hardest to find information on. Well besides Shango and the Orishas at least. There's plenty of information about them.

@ Negro_Ntns

Ooooooh! Now I see what angered you. Did you think I was "learning" Yoruba to make a manga to make fun of Yorubas, and to teach Yoruba youth naughty things?

No, what I'm doing isn't to make fun of Yorubas and Yoruba culture. It's the exact opposite, my friend. Its sole purpose is to replace the horribly un-African fantasy heroes like Superman and Batman and Ben 10 in Nigeria (and eventually all of Africa) with easily recognizable fantasy versions of what is familiar to Yorubas. Hence why I'm studying the Yoruba language and customs, to make it feel as authentic as possible, but still keeping it in the realm of fantasy. I don't know how you feel about that sort of thing so far, but my intent isn't to insult Yoruba culture by me making fantasy, heroic, and magical versions of pre-colonial Yorubas (and other African groups). It's kind of hard and somewhat frustrating to explain without showing you, because it would cause you to go "Oooooh!" and would be instantly understandable. But I can't just yet, for copyright reasons. But be warned, chances are what I'm doing is not what you're thinking, whether your feelings are good or bad. I feel that it will quickly instill pride in any Yoruba child/teenager/young adult, by reminding them just how great their people are. Pride, while putting many things into context, by teaching them life lessons and morals from the events that transpire in my stories.

This is the thread about what I'm doing in slightly more detail:
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-681712.32.html#msg8490136

And for the record, I've wanted to visit Nigeria ever since I was in elementary (primary) school. I just want to learn how to hold a basic conversation in Yoruba before I go. Can't rely on everyone speaking English. That just seems a little arrogant (also known as "Horribly American" to assume that everyone will cater to my native language, in a country that isn't America or England. My goal is for this to spark-up something in the country to create a comic industry, because there is a lot of money to be made, if it is nationally supported. Just look at how all every single age group in Japan has comics tailored to their levels of maturity and how rapidly other countries import them. (I'm not comparing anything I'm doing to Japan's comics, it's just an example.) I don't see why the same can't be done in Nigeria.

And Negro_Ntns is a prime example of why the majority of world looks down on Africans like him as being nothing more than silly and backwards primates. I feel sorry for the good Africans that become ashamed when they see unintelligent and loudmouthed idiots like you making the majority of them look bad. It's funny because you're the only Yoruba here that has a problem with what I'm doing. Which is why I decided to do this, because I have more faith in your own people and their willingness to think outside the box than you do! In terms of what I'm actually doing, it's not going to commercialize Yoruba culture in the least bit. The Yoruba aspects which are unknown to non-Yoruba are merely something that will be familiar to Yoruba, so they can relate to the characters. If that's too advanced a concept for your infant like mind to grasp, then that's not my problem.

For someone who claims that he's so sophisticated, you sure spell like a complete "donkey".

Now please point out where I said that I planned on doing any of the following things that you accused me of! I dare you to!

- Verbal disrespect towards adults and elders
- Violence towards adults
- Vulgarity in general
- Homosexuality
- Corruption of teenagers

Please go back and quote me where I said I was doing any ONE these things. I'll wait! You know what? I'll just save you the trouble. I didn't say any of those things, and you're just a wacky person that pulls random theories out of his behind!

And who's forefathers said those incorrect things about Yoruba culture? If you hold some random forefathers accountable for their past actions, then I should hold ALL Africans accountable for someone as silly as you! But you know what? I don't and I WON'T! Why? Because I'm not a worthless waste of space, who sits around and whines like you are and like you do!

Newsflash you friggin' slowpoke: I'm doing all of this to counter act that misinformation!

For the record, I hate Spongebob Squarepants with the rage of over a billion burning suns.

And the only reason I stated that "the details are unimportant" is for copyright purposes. Do you even know what that phrase is? Or is your "sophisticated" mind too slow? Moderator, can you ban this poster, because he's too "mentally child-like", to contribute in any meaningful way. Not to mention the fact that he drags down the image of Africans as a whole.

Nothing I said remotely hurt my argument!

You just decided to take the mentally simplistic route and didn't even listen to my answers because you believe what you want to believe. Despite how overwhelmingly incorrect you are. You couldn't even wait a few posts before you engaged in self-destructive tribalism like I mentioned earlier. Typical. The contents of what I'm making is primarily for teenagers and young adults. But there are more than enough lighthearted aspects in the fantasy world that I'm creating to create spinoffs tailored specifically for children. The problem with assumptions is that you tend to make a fool of yourself. Just like you have demonstrated, with your very first post in this thread.

Sorry, I don't believe in corruptiing children. As that is one of the few things that I hate more than the devil himself. I leave that up to already corrupt Yorubas like yourself and your governments officials, that want to keep "the status quo" by creating distractions for their people. Distractions like you lambasting what I'm doing, despite the fact that it's an honest project. How can something that instills pride in the minds and hearts of Yoruba, a people that have very few (if any) positive images to look forward to, be a bad thing? Just how backwards are you?? So you try and create a witch hunt, because someone outside of the Yoruba group actually wants to see it thrive? That's just moronic! So besides the creation of the educational program Bino and Fino, what are you and other Nigerians doing to uplift their children and people?

In terms of learning the Yoruba language, it's not that easy. Most schools and universities in America don't offer any African language besides Swahili. Which, last time I checked, ISN'T Yoruba!

Why are you shocked? You sound very defensive. Are you mad because there wasn't anyone engaging in brainless tribalism and telling me to go away, because I'm a non-Yoruba? I'd rather ask actual Yorubas for translations, because if I were to continue my current methods, I'd continue to get the wrong translations. I could have just said "Screw it!"and not cared and made up "African sounding words", but I didn't because that's not right. Ileke-IdI DID ask me if I was studying Yoruba, and I answered him. BABE asked me as well, and I answered her as well. But it seems as if you just skimmed over my answers, so you could "continue to be outraged".

Do you have an actual purpose for questioning my motivations, or are you just nit-picking because like some unfortunate Yoruba, you have deep seeded hatred for your own language? If you're worried that I am just "using" Nigerians for Western entertainment, then you couldn't be further from the truth. My target audiences are varied with the main ones being Nigerians and Westerners. (Slightly moreso towards Nigerians though.)

rabzy:
Blood-Eje, i.e e as in air, je as in je-lly.

Interesting. So Eje (Blood) pronounced "air-jeh"? Or did I mess that up?

Also, could someone tell me the Yoruba translation of:


Pure
Corrupt or Corrupted or Corruption
Evil
Sinister
Dark
Justice
Erase or Erasing

exotik:
and oh, @IG
here is a good mystery you should resolve, where did oduduwa come from? cos some yorubas believe he came somewhere from arabia, and they reason they believe so is because they say he was light-skinned and not black, hmmmm.

Oduduwa came from Benin, as his name (like some other Yoruba ones) is an alteration of an Edo name. So it doesn't matter what Yoruba's think, when it comes to his origins. It's not so much of a mystery, but sheer stubbornness on the part of some Yorubas. The likes of which frustrate me sometimes.

PAGAN 9JA:
the europeans onsidered anyone darker than them as black. and the ppl in d first 2 pics r brown.

No, the exact terms they used were either "swarthy" for brown Arabs or "pitch black" for the majority of Africans they encountered. The Greeks and Romans used the same terms.

For once Pagan 9ja didn't make a post that demonstrated his white people worshipping, anti-African, colonized mindset. I'm speechless!

That picture doesn't look like he has "hair of wool" and "skin of the earth" like the bible says he has! And the Arabs were described as being "black as cooking pots" by whites when the Arab Moors took over their countries long ago. That doesn't sound white or like the Arabs of today.

White Jews are fake Jews by the way, because they don't speak a Semetic Language like Ethiopian and Arab Jews do. They only speak Yiddish, which is a variation of German. Plus white Jews didn't even exist until the 8th century. Several hundred years after Jesus died, and after Judiasm was already established. Your mind is so colonized that it's frightening.

rabzy:
if you go to youtube search for yoruba movies, you will recognize and get to hear some of these words pronounced.

That's actually an interesting comment,  because I actually prefer many Nigerian movies over many American ones. Simply because the actual acting is really good, in comparison to how stale and emotionless many American actors are. I'm somewhat of an acting snob, so I can easily spot a good actor over an overrated and overpaid western one.

And while I'm typing, about a half hour ago, I hit another temporary creative roadblock because I didn't know these four words:

Shift (as in the body movement)
Shock (as in an electric shock)
Silver
Blood

This happens a lot, if you haven't noticed. All because I'm just that devoted to being accurate.

rabzy:
Conquer- Segun (shell without the 'll' and 'gun' as in japanese 'shogun'

Interesting, so it's pronounced "Sheh-gun"? I thought it would be "Seh-gun". So the letter "S" is pronounced like "She" without the "e"? If so, I'll remember that, for the future.

You all have no idea how massive of a help, you are being. I have more words to ask of you fine folks.

Snow
Freeze (as in frozen by ice)
Noble (like nobility)
Conquer or Conquering
Ferocious or Fierce or Ferocity
Awaken or Awakened
Refine
Perfect or Perfected
Automation (like a machine)
Council (like a group of elders)
General (the military rank)
Death
Test
Proving
Ground
Cannon (I found a translation, but I'm not sure about it)
Complete (as in "finished"

A slightly morbid list,    But it's for a good reason, I promise you. I'm not depressed or going crazy or anything. 

I also have a question. If I wanted to create a phrase/title like "The Proving Ground", as in a specific place of choice for a person to take a test, how would I say that? Is there any specific rule, or is it just the two words one after the other?

firestar:
I commend you for aiming at accuracy especially when it comes to a culture like ours. Mark my words, your work will pass through alot fiery tests here and other Yoruba speaking groups elsewhere because as with other cultures, we are proud of it.

Fiery Tests? "Bring them on!", I say! I will be sure to "do Yoruba cultures proper" and make Yoruba's proud.

ikooko:
Hello Booshman, am a Yorubaman, above is my contribution. Hope you find it useful.

Greetings, and thank you for the help! Now is "Soul" in Yoruba "Emi" or "Okan", because I've gotten two different translations for it so far.

PAGAN 9JA:
abeg describe tribalism. im curious to now wat u mean by it.
cause how in the name of satans red bikini, can tribes be great n tribalism be silly

A prime example is what commonly happens on these very forums. There will be a thread about a Yoruba doing something positive and then the Igbos will flood and insult him. Or there will be a thread about Nigerians as a whole and the Yorubas will start insulting Igbos for NO REASON! Indivdual tribes and cultures are fine. But that doesn't mean you have to start bickering against others outside of your ethnic group, like a petulant child, for no reason! Especially when you all are in the same boat, and living in a country that's struggling.

PAGAN 9JA:
it doesnt matter. if u take percentages of individual countries in Africa, d poverty is still higher compared to India. and 1 must understand dat countries lyk India or China are far too vast and controlling them is a tough job, yet, they somehow manage to keep the situation of their country stable and the poverty in India is only around 30% which good for such a big country which is so difficult to manage in d first place. however in Africa, even small countries lyk Chad or Mali (for example), which being small, r easy to manage, yet more than half the percentage of the population lives below $1/day. we must correct our own mistakes first b4 taking on other countries. also one must not forget that, a single country lyk India has far more diversity, when compared to ANY ""single"" country in Africa (not Africa as a whole). them Indians have som many different religions, tribe, races, 4500 languages and they even have 1000s of castes and still follow the caste system. Such a situation would nominally imply civil war, BUT their conditions still stable inspite of such a magnanimous diversity.

So you want to compare India to Africa only in areas where it helps your argument? How typically dishonest. India's inhumane caste system is the only reason WHY it is as stable as it is. The poor Dalits (the darkest Indians) are kept at the bottom and in the dark, and believe that their low place in society is all they are destined to be. Which is why there are barely any civil revolts. They've accepted their terrible lot in life , and have no aspirations to be anything more. You clearly know nothing about India, besides what's on the surface.

PAGAN 9JA:
i think its cuz India, inspite of 30% of its population (around 300 million ppl) being poor, have a stable form of democratic government whereas in Africa, things are usually unpredictable. e.g., millitary dictatorship, etc.

Yeah, but India is a country, whereas Africa is a continent. Non-Arab Africa is over 900 million people with far more diversity than India too.