Egungun Festival, Trinidad and Tobago

Egungun Masquerade, Ile Isokan, Febeau Village, Lower Santa Cruz, Trinidad and Tobago
"The Egungun is one of the pillars of Yoruba tradition. It is a representation of the Ifa worshipper’s belief in life after death and in the power of the ancestors in human affairs. According to Yoruba beliefs, it is the dead ancestors’ duties to ensure that the living uphold the ethical and moral standards of the past.
The Egungun festival is a family ritual that is celebrated through outing of masquerades. Egungun priests, who have the ability to communicate with the ancestors invoke the spirits of ancestors and those spirits are said to dwell among the living in the form of the Egungun during the festival.
The Egungun Festival is the most colourful of Yoruba festivals. It shows off the rich heritage of the Yoruba in the elaborate costumes that are worn by the masquerades.
Members of an Egungun family drum and dance to accompany the Egungun and it is through their drumming and dance that they are possessed by the spirits of the ancestors. Once possessed, the masquerade cleanses the community through whipping and sacrifices. It also bestows blessings upon spectators and issues warnings about impending events.
Annual Egungun festivals are held in Yoruba communities and in communities that practice Yoruba traditional worship around the world. During the festivals, the life and fortune of that community and its people is renewed as the festivals bring the living together to strengthen their unity.
Not just anyone can wear the regalia of the Egungun. Initiates are born into Egungun families, called ‘Oje’, and different families have their own Egungun. Some of the most popular and revered Egunguns include the Eyo, Elewe, Alapansanpa, Oloolu Adegbogun, Janduku, Pajeboroko, and lye Kiye.
The masquerade can only be taken on by the male members of the Egungun families. Women are only allowed to participate in the chorus that sings the praise and recites the histories of the families. Much older female initiates, however, invoke prayers and oversee the collection of offerings.
The more elaborate an Egungun’s dress and masks, the greater its power and prestige. The costumes are often fashioned out of many layers of clothing made from expensive fabric, masks, beads, sequins and sometimes tiny mirrors. The Egungun is often covered from head to toe, and it is believed that it is the ancestor that is in the costume and not a human being." Source: www.fascinating...

[@iyaibeji4120]

you can see, our take away yoruba people in diaspora Trindad and Tobago, they dont forget their yoruba culture and tradition. nice 1 i love you.one dayyou all will get oduduwa passport, visa free to come back home, for holiday or to stay for ever.

[@oluwatobiadegoke13]

These are our Yoruba brothers and sisters. So good to see them. Omo Yòrùbá.

[@AceTheOutsider]

Excellent capture of a beautiful event!

[@michaelkeshi7359]

Yoruba Diaspora

[@kennyalokolaro9325]

Tasty. Beats the real original, custume and musical presentation. Öf the African cultural Festival it represnts. Ive seen the original Festivals live, and ususlly bester than whats on KZbin.

[@iyaibeji4120]

yoruba oba have to go and pay them viste, pls, our OOni ,Alafin pls cheekon our yoruba people here trinidad and tobago also not only brazil

[@lajuwaomogelede54]

Egungun in Trinidad!!! Great

[@dgeesproductions7555]

Wow!

[@lunalea1250]

Aah, so this is where our Junkanu comes from, Ase'!🙏💜🏺🌻🧜‍♀️🕊🌕🎶

[@omoyemoja-colafiuymi5505]

Beautiful ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@Djanoko]

excuse me, which date / time / location is this festival taking place in 2018? thanks

[@Xings868]

corina georgescu facebook.com/events/346482182782048/?ti=icl

[@stevenbarrett4110]

This was uploaded 6 years ago, And I'm just now seeing it? Wtf.

[@yakzivz1104]

this is cool!!

[@mortalkaiban]

Is this called Yoruba masquerade or Egungun masquerade?

[@makilagomez4185]

mortalkaiban Egungun

[@oluwatobiadegoke13]

Egungun is the Yoruba name for masquerade.

[@maureenpierre3757]

Trevor Noel late show

[@joaomartinez679]

Even though is beautiful traditional eggun festivites DO NOT allow women to be close or god forbid touch the egguguns....so right their is a flaw. Santeria and Candomble still holds those traditions but nevertheless it was nice

[@rotawo]

Joao Martinez that's a lie women are allowed to get close egungun , maybe if the egun is still in agbale (shrine) they are not allowed to see it that's about it

[@BlaqueKotton]

Well Egungun started out as a women's cult but hey patriarchy has ruined so many things.

[@herenow3441]

Who told you that? Am a yoruba man and you always have women around any egun festival.

[@Xings868]

So what does the Iyaagan do 🧐🧐

[@36G]

Too bad it's too dangerous to travel down there to experience it. Especially if your a man.

[@lisalai8709]

36G I guess you live in Utopia 😂

[@trini2DBone134]

Wtf are u talking about? 💀

[@aksmith9594]

shittr this is Africa

[@trini2DBone134]

No it isn't

[@trini2DBone134]

@ZAXBIEZCHICKENCOOP well ofc I know but what I meant was it doesn't take place in Africa (just in case anyone thought it did)