Meet the Ethopian women who're beaten & scarred with canes & thorns to prove their energy

 While its an offense to beat feamales in most areas of the planet, Ethiopia's Hamar tribe females enjoy it. No screaming is permitted by the men wielding the canes & rather than fleeing, the ladies beg the men to repeat and again until blood flows, dripping into the gritty red dust of the Omo River Valley.
Ceremonial beatings take place through the male initiation rites but also in the home when the husband chooses. 

Continue after the break.

An interview with Sweet OMITONADE IFAWEMIMO: I Was Initiated Into Ifa Religion At Age 5”

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•22 Yr Old YEMOJA Priestess, IFAWEMIMO Explains 

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+How She Combines This With Her Studies \

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Nothing about her portrays her deep involvement in African Traditional Religion. In fact with her gentle mien, and unassuming disposition, she easily cuts the picture of a beautiful babe, next-door, and ‘Omo Mummy’ (Mummy’s Pet), to use the popular Yoruba cliche. But in reality, Ifawemimo Omitonade Egbelade is a thoroughbred Ifa Priestess cum Yemoja Priestess. This 22-year-old lady was initiated as an Ifa devotee/adherent, at age 5. “I was born into an Ifa religion worshipping family.

I got initiated into Ifa religion at age 5. At a young age I started getting conversant with the referred ‘Opele’ (stringed cowries) and ‘Opon Ifa’ (sacred tray for divination). Subsequently, I took more interest in worshipping Yemoja and I grew up to become a Yemoja Priestess. I have been consulting for people for long. I offer sacrifices on their behalf as well as several other sacred and spiritual things”.
Ifawemimo is a 300 level student of Economics at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Osun State.
Inspite of her deep involvement in Ifa, and Yemoja worshipping, she copes well in school and never allows her traditional religious practices to take her focus off studies. Just as Christian and Muslim students on the campus go to churches/fellowships and Mosques for prayers, and meetings Ifawemimo fellowships with fellow traditional religious devotees at a popular shrine at Oke Itase, adjacent the Ooni of Ife’s place, in the University town of Ile-Ife.

She revealed that her choice of Yemoja out of all the gods and goddesses was borne out of a personal informed judgement. “If anyone chooses to be a devotee of Yemoja, she must learn a lot of things before becoming Iyalorisa (Priestess). Basically, to become an Iyalorisa, it takes a lot of deep knowledge, especially about sacrifices learning about Yemoja is a continuous process.
Is there any difference between a Yemoja Priestess and an Ifa Priestess? “Yes, there is a world of difference. My father is an Ifa Priest and also a Yemoja Priest. I chose Yemoja as my Orisa (god). Though I am very conversant with the 256 Ifa Corpus, but I chose Yemoja to be my deity.
Ifa is the voice of Olodumare (the supreme being) and it is like the Holy Bible, Quran, it has 256 Corpus (Chapters) with many verses, Yemoja is an Orisa (deity) that is worshipped.

With her obvious deep knowledge of the deities e.t.c., Ifawemimo is always bombarded with questions, consultations from several people, who regularly want her to tell them what Olodumare has to say about their problems or future. Her words “I have to be careful so that my divinating for people will not tell on my academics. I am doing my bit and I am thankful to Olodumare”.
When asked of an insight into the Yemoja deity the dark complexioned, slim-built lady said, “Yemoja is among the deities our forefathers worshipped before Christianity and Islam were introduced to them. Yemoja nurtured 3 Orisas: Dada, Sango and Obaluaye”.

Yemoja is known to take care of babies and passed the tradition of baby sitting onto the Yoruba people, all other deities respect Yemoja. Yemoja is called ‘Arugbo Odo Aya Obinrin Okere’ (the eldest woman of the sea). Yemoja is also referred to as Yemoja Otete Ari Eyin Pon Sango (the caring deity who bore and nurtured Sango). Yemoja was Sango’s mother and Sango was her dearest son”.
So what is the difference between Yemoja and Osun? The soft-spoken young lady who wears traditional beads typical of traditional religion priests said, “Yemoja is Sea goddess while Osun is River goddess. They are both deities. Findings have shown that Yemoja was Osun’s mother-in-law.
Sango married Osun while Yemoja was Sango’s mother. To be able to deliver spiritual messages one needs to be pious and live a holy life. Ifatomide said, “only Olodumare knows those that are his true worshippers. Not all traditional worshippers or Church or Mosque goers are good Christians or good Muslims”.

Has Ifatomide ever been wooed by guys for romantic relationship? “Yes, several guys come to me but once they discover I am a traditional worshipper they back-off”. Is Ifawemimo in any romantic relationship now? “I am not in any relationship. I am totally dedicated to my spiritual activities and academics”. The Yemoja cum Ifa Priestess possess spiritual powers. Has she ever been provoked, or had cause to using such powers? “I don’t fight anyone, I live at peace with everyone. If I claim to be powerful, there is someone more powerful than all human beings. What if Eledumare does not allow me to succeed in using such powers? Ifatomide was born to Chief Olukunmi Omikemi Egbelade, the Aare Isese of Oyo State and his wife, who is a practising Christian. The family hails from Ibadan, Oyo State.

As you read this, a world Yemoja Festival is scheduled for October. According to Ifawemimo’s brother, Ewatomi Egbelade, the festival will include activities such as sacrifices, dance and cultural display. Not only will Yemoja worshippers benefit from the festival, Ifawemimo, her elder brother and dad will also reach out to motherless babies’ home, give aids to the needy, visit prison yards and do community services. There will also be lectures by popular traditional worshippers to shed more light on Yemoja. The 17-day event is excepted to be attended by Yemoja worshippers from all parts of the world.

Why Yoruba Africans don't wage holy war.

A Yoruba proverb says, "A kole birikoto, a ni ki Orisa gba a; bi ko ba gba a, ko lo sigbee ko lo sa eke, ko lo sodan lo ho okun, ko mo bi agara-a ti ndani."

In English, it means that, if you build a shrine for your God or Orisa. And your god does not want the shrine or appreciate your effort. You do not have to worry. You also have the right as a man to ask the Orisa to go into the forest to cut stakes, grass land for vines to build his or her shrine. 

I love this proverb because it shows how tolerant our ancestors were to one another about God and different mode of worship. It also shows the horizontal relationship between them and their Gods (Orisa's). Unlike the vertical relationship between African Christians and Muslims to their adopted heavenly Gods today. 

We should all learn to tolerate one another. Our security should only be the reason why we should attack or defend ourselves with cohesive force not because of our religion and our definition of the most high (God). Could this be the reason why Yoruba ancestors don't wage crusade or Jihad (holy wars) on one another? I believe so, what about you?

Grammy award winning Youssou N’Dour dropped As Senegal’s Minister Of Culture

Grammy award winning artiste and Senegal’s Minister for Culture and Tourism, Youssou N’Dour has been removed from office.

N’Dour was sacked on Sunday, September 8, 2013 after a cabinet re-shuffle by the Senegalese president, Macky Sall.

Sources revealed that N’Dour, the prime minister, Abdoul Mbaye and some other cabinet members were dismissed allegedly for failure in delivering public services to the masses.

The 54-year-old artiste turned politician was named Senegal’s Minister for Culture and Tourism on Wednesday, April 4, 2012 after his bid for presidency failed.

N’Dour has released 27 albums over the past 28 years with his most recent being 2011’s ‘Mbalakh Dafay Wakh’.

Goddess of Osun River (Yeye) : Lovely Photos From Osun Osogbo festival

 No fewer than three hundred thousand people from across the globe converged in Osogbo last Friday to celebrate the annual festival. In case you missed the entire Osun Osogbo festival, you can check out the African hairstyles of the Osun River goddess worshipers and other photos below (photo courtesy of Fela Awosika).

See More Photos Bellow.

A worshipper of Osun goddess stands beside statues as they pray to the goddess and other spirits at the Osun river in Osogbo, Nigeria, Friday Aug. 23, 2013. Many of the worshippers observing the centuries-old ethnic Yoruba celebration in southwestern Nigeria are Christians and Muslims. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

Worshippers of Osun goddess pray to the goddess and other spirits at the Osun river in Osogbo, Nigeria, Friday Aug. 23, 2013. Many of the worshippers observe the centuries-old ethnic Yoruba celebration in southwestern Nigeria are Christians and Muslims. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

Worshippers of Osun goddess pray to the goddess and other spirits at the Osun river in Osogbo, Nigeria, Friday Aug. 23, 2013. Many of the worshippers observing the centuries-old ethnic Yoruba celebration in southwestern Nigeria are Christians and Muslims, But they say a person cannot pray to enough gods in a country overwhelmed by grinding poverty, rampant ethnic violence and the ravages of AIDS and malaria. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

Worshippers of Osun goddess pray to the goddess and other spirits at the Osun river in Osogbo, Nigeria, Friday Aug. 23, 2013. Many of the worshippers observing the centuries-old ethnic Yoruba celebration in southwestern Nigeria are Christians and Muslims, But they say a person cannot pray to enough gods in a country overwhelmed by grinding poverty, rampant ethnic violence and the ravages of AIDS and malaria. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

Worshippers of Osun goddess arrived to pray for the goddess and other spirits at the Osun river in Osogbo, Nigeria, Friday Aug. 23, 2013. Many of the worshippers observing the centuries-old ethnic Yoruba celebration in southwestern Nigeria are Christians and Muslims.(AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

Worshippers of Osun goddess pray to the goddess and other spirits at the Osun river in Osogbo, Nigeria, Friday Aug. 23, 2013. Many of the worshippers observing the centuries-old ethnic Yoruba celebration in southwestern Nigeria  (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

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Congrats: Fifi Ejindu Bags African Arts & Fashion Lifetime Award by AAA

Celebrated entrepreneur, architect, philanthropist and founder of African Arts and Fashion Initiative,Princess Fifi Ejindu, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the African Achievers Awards at the African Arts and Fashion Banquet that has been held at The Dorchester on Sunday, 4 August 2013. TheAfrica Fashion Week London Life Patron was presented with the award for her contribution towards the promotion of African Arts and Fashion across the globe.

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Aṣọ-Oke : Clothes from the up-country ( Dress Of the Day)

Aṣọ-Oke is a popular attire in Yorubaland, usually worn by couples on their traditional wedding day or by people attending a classy, glamorous and indigenous party. Yoruba people take pride in this attire hence its prestige. Aṣọ-Oke is a short form of Aso Ilu Oke meaning clothes from the up-country. It is the traditional wear of the Yoruba people. Aṣọ-Oke clothing materials typically come from processed cottons from traditional weavers in Yorubaland.

Basically, Yoruba's Aṣo-oke comes in three major colours: Alaari – a rich red Aṣọ-Oke, Sanyan- a brown and usual light brown Aṣọ-Oke, and Ẹtu- a dark blue Aṣọ-Oke.

There are also Aso-ofi - pure white yarned cloths, used as cover cloth, it can be sewn and worn.

Aran- a velvet clothing material sewn into Danṣiki and Kẹmbẹ, worn by the rich.

Adirẹ - cloth with various patterns and designs, dye in indigo ink (Ẹlu).

These fabrics are used to make pertinent women’s wrapper called Iro and notable men’s large gown called Agbada. There are also different sorts of hat designs to complement the dress; Fila for men and Gele for women.