African Cultural Practices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

African Cultural Practices - Essay Example The case in point is how Oduduwa ceremony is presided over by priests and priestess in Yoruba land found in Nigeria. Although Africa is rich in ceremonies, the sacred ceremony for the Oduduwa the first king of the Yoruba community is one of kind. In this festival, drumming is prohibited and instead a percussive instrument known as eganira is used (Olupona 83). Notably, the instrument is particularly used by priests and priestess who have learned how to effectively produce the desired sound. Sound from drums and chanting from priests usually communicate to the spirits and ancestors thus they are evoked to answer the needs of the society. The ceremony was of great importance especially for those that believe in the power of traditional beliefs. Chanting from the priests and priestess has enabled Yoruba community to engage deity forces with courage as they try to inspire them through chanting. The Oduduwa ceremony was first conducted in Nigeria; it specifically started at Yoruba land a region that was formally dominated by the Yoruba community. The ceremony initially started as a move to engage forces from the evil. Because of their rich cultural practices, the Yoruba community has since continued to enjoy high profit made from the sales of beads and objects. This has really boosted Nigerian economy because of high income obtained from the tourism sector. Interestingly, Yoruba community has practiced the ceremony up-to-date despite challenging influence from modern way of life especially targeting the young generation. Priests and priestess take the center stage of the ceremony; they are the ones in charge of presiding over the ceremony. Priests are perceived as being mystical since they obtain powerful spirit during their initiation. They relentlessly learn how to tune their voices like an instrument in order to contend the supernatural powers.