New Egungun initiated at Grenada Ifa Festival

by Curlan Campbell

• Egungun is a secret society of men dedicated to learning rituals, prayers and ceremonial traditions
• Ifa and ancestral festival opened on 7 July in Grenada

This year’s Ifa and ancestral festival in Grenada initiated a new individual to dance, the Egungun. The ceremony accompanied pomp, pageantry, drumming, dancing, singing, and celebration. The newly initiated Egungun is an American-born son of Grenadian and Trinidadian parentage, whose spiritual upbringing was deeply rooted in Islam and Spiritual Baptist religion. 

“My journey to Ifa started with getting a reading from a Babalawo that my mother introduced me to about 13 years ago. The accuracy and individualised nature of the reading intrigued me to study more; I eventually initiated as an Awo (priest) in 2021,” The initiate said.

The true identity of the Egungun must be a mystery since the Egungun is a secret society of men dedicated most of their life to learning rituals, prayers and ceremonial traditions. Women are not allowed to dance the Egungun, although women still play an integral role in dancing and helping to create the costumes. Once the wearer adorns the outfit, he ceases to be himself and transforms into the ancestor. The costume of the Egungun is constructed of various fabrics including damask, velvet, silk, Indian madras, and printed cotton. The Egungun paraded through the streets of Corinth, St David in a carefully orchestrated routine characterised by acrobatic body movement that saw swirling fabrics and colours symbolising ancestral spirit in motion. The Egungun represents the manifestation of the spirits of departed ancestors who venture periodically back to the physical plane of existence to visit their loved ones. These ancestral spirits are believed to bestow blessings and protect their loved ones. The Yoruba concept of spirit is that it exists before birth and continues after one has transitioned.

This unique cultural tradition of the Yoruba people of West Africa in places like Western Nigeria and Eastern Benin has been celebrated in the African Diaspora and has been held in Grenada for the last 7 years. 

“Egungun is an Orisha which represents the collected spirit of our departed ancestors. This energy, we believe, is needed, among others, to assist us in the progression of our lives. We dance the masquerade in celebration of those departed who made their sacrifices for us to be here. We also seek blessings from those collective ancestors. Being an Egungun initiate also allows me to interact closer with that energy,” he said.

The festival held at Clarence Ville Villa, Corinth, St David, is an annual celebration organised by the Shrine of the Seven Wonders of Africa led by Universal Empress Iya “Yvonne Drake” Ifatooki, and officiating over the ceremony was Araba of Odi Olowo Kingdom Mushin Lagos State Lagos Nigeria, Araba Ifakolade Atinumo. 

“I hope to attend every Ifa festival in Grenada going forward. I will assist in growing this African tradition wherever it connects with people,” he said. “I recently found out I have Yoruba ancestry through my mother, who is Grenadian, so it is no surprise I was called back to my roots. Ifa is not a religion, more a way of life, more connected with nature and our ancestors, a better understanding of who you are. I hope to see many more Grenadians returning to their roots and finding clarity to some of the questions of life”.

On the continent of West Africa, in places like the town of Iwo in southwest Nigeria, portrayals of the Egungun can be seen in a state of spiritual ecstasy through the streets, and he is known to badger onlookers for small change while threatening people with his cane. In Grenada, the portrayal of Egungun was slightly different, as he was willingly gifted money as a form of gratitude for the blessing he bestowed upon those who chose to receive his blessings.

Another spectacular masquerade seen at this year’s festival was the appearance of the Kakilambé, which also originates in West African culture, particularly among the Baga people near the coastal area of Boke-region in Guinee. The Kakilambé is a masked dance that only appears once a year, and it is revered as a protector against evil entities and can predict events about the present and the future. The Ifa and ancestral festival, which opened on 7 July in Grenada, is also celebrated elsewhere in places like Nigeria in late August, towards the end of the rainy season.