A Celebration That Unites Many: Important Things to Know About Egunguns & Their Festival

• Egungun (masquerade) festival dates back to pre-colonial times and it is the celebration of Yoruba ancestors and the supernatural
• Masquerades always wear flamboyant dresses that are fortified before they begin performing at a festival
• One of the masquerades, Alapansanpa Egun always visits the Oluibadan whenever it comes out in June every year

Egungun festival is an important event to the Yorubas as it is not just a celebration of their culture but an event that serves as a means to connect with the ancestors.

Egungun or Egun in Yoruba means a masquerade. The festival always pays respect to ancestors who are believed to be protecting the living. It is believed that the egungun is a representative of the spirit, The Smithsonian Institution reports.

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The festival is celebrated annually in most towns in Yoruba land and it is quite popular. However, despite its popularity, not all know some important things about the masquerades as they are mostly seen as objects of scare with their canes.

Egungun and its many purposes

Guardian reports that the Egungun has different purposes as they could be for entertaining performance, protection and military use; a practice that was common in the pre-colonial era.

The performance of any egungun is believed to be inspired and energised by the spirit. This is said to be important so that the person wearing the colourful costume and the costume can be in sync. Once inside the egungun apparel, the performer is seen as a supernatural being.

It is important to note that egungun in their costumes also have different names and should not be confused with each other.

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Gelede

This kind of masquerade is very colourful as it celebrates the essence of motherhood. The masquerade also fights for gender equality, showing that feminism is not a colonial and post-colonial phenomenon.

Alapansanpa Egun

Alapansanpa masquerade was common in the past to fight battles in Ibadan and is said to come out only once in a year.

Whenever it comes out, it heads straight to the Oluibadan palace where he whips the king thrice. Before departing, he is blessed with gifts. Visiting the king is very significant as not doing so could mean the king is a bad one.

Danafojura

Danafojura is also known as Egungun Oni Mojesin Baba Ibeji. It was gathered that the masquerade cannot be consumed by fire, no matter its intensity. In the hierarchy of eguns, it is considered the most respected.

It always tells his handlers Danafojura which translates as "set me on fire".

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The importance of egungun costumes

Speaking to Vanguard, Chief Ifaniyi Ajani Ogunjobi, Akoda Awo, Ijo Ato of Ebute Meta East explained why a masquerade's colourful cloth is important in egungun festival. He said:

"A more elaborate dress reflects social power and prestige. In performances honoring ancestors, exquisite clothe is the major medium for the masker’s transformation. An Egungun costume is composed of multiple layers of cloth lappets made from expensive and prestigious textiles expressing the wealth and status of the family as well as the power of the ancestor...."

Masquerade prays for man

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that a Nigerian man who always makes prank videos online made another clip where he went about telling strangers he loves them.

The first woman he told the words looked at him without saying a word as he walked away. When he repeated the action to another, the person danced.

Towards the end of the video, he told a masquerade, "I love you". With a cane in his hand, the masquerade engaged him.

Source: Legit.ng