Department of Culture and Tourism
Department of Culture and Tourism
Our tradition is the foundation of our existence. No one can live in Democratic Republic of the Yoruba (D.R.Y) without understanding that our traditions are the basis of every aspect of the Yoruba way of life.
This means that no one can take away our culture. Our tradition serves as the guide for everything we do.
For example, our language is intertwined with our culture. Because of this, everything we do—whether in government offices or private businesses, and anything involving the community—is conducted in the Yoruba language.
Anyone who cannot express themselves in Yoruba should feel ashamed. From schools, both public and private, to government institutions, Yoruba is the language of communication and instruction.
There are countless locations for socializing and recreation, for both children and adults, all of which are part of the system in Democratic Republic of the Yoruba (D.R.Y).
Yoruba Tradition
As we know, the Yoruba heritage, the legacy given to us by Olódùmarè through our mother, is the foundation of our existence. She has told us that we will return to our origins, to our creator’s will.
What is our origin? It is the place from which we came; it is our self-governance, as the Yoruba, free from the influence of any other.
We are taught that we must return to our roots, to our indigenous culture, in everything we do – even to how we prepare food in every household and restaurant.
Our culture is what sustains our existence; that’s why we must return to our culture. If we do not, may God not allow us to lose our essence! We shall not accept the decline of our way of life.
Our culture is our inheritance; it is what Olódùmarè has bestowed upon the Yoruba. It is what has shaped us, given us our “home identity,” and it is not something foreign to the spirit of the Yoruba people. The Yoruba legacy resides within us.
Just like the plants and trees that Olódùmarè placed in our environment to provide for our needs and heal us, we also turn to our indigenous knowledge. Even as we continue to gain wisdom, we must return to what God has provided, our heritage, for it gives us life.
Our mother has always told us that, like our fathers before us, we must live well and continue to discover those things that bring prosperity to our lives.
We began with using our language, and through our language, many other aspects of our culture are reflected and honored.
Our ancestors used their knowledge to produce various forms of work, from agriculture to crafts, as well as the knowledge to work the land and navigate life.
Many elements of our heritage continue to thrive; just as our mothers in the past used to engage in handcrafts, today, we continue to see no one else in this world can embody the Yoruba essence better than the Yoruba people.
Let us remember how the foreigners came and believed that their education, culture, and ideals were superior to ours. They tried to erase our heritage, but as our Yoruba mother said, what we lost, we will regain.
The Yoruba are who we are; only the Yoruba culture can define us.