the living, the eleda of the parents, grandparents,
and great grandparents must always be protected
by rituals. The only way that the living can receive
the invisible power of the ancestors is to continue to
perform special memorial ceremonies.
The eleda of the Yoruba is similar to theidlozi,
spirit, of the Zulu philosophy that must be brought
back,ukubuisa, to live among the people to help
with daily problems and decisions. In this way, the
Yoruba, as the Zulu, see the strength of commu-
nity as ongoing so long as the rituals occur.
Molefi Kete AsanteSeealsoOlodumare; Yoruba
Further Readings
Bascom, W. (1991).Ifa Divination. Bloomington:
Indiana University Press.
Curry, C. (1997).Making the Gods in New York:The
Yoruba Religion in the African American
Community. New York: Routledge.
ENIYAN
In the Ifa spiritual and ethical tradition, eniyan is
a fundamental concept that speaks to the moral
status and moral considerability of the human
person. In fact, it is the hub and hinge on which
Ifa moral anthropology turns. The wordeniyanin
the Yoruba language, the parent language of Ifa,
literally means “chosen one(s)” and at the same
time is the word forhuman being. At the heart of
Ifa moral anthropology is the ethical teaching that
humans are chosen by the Creator to bring good
into the world and that this special status and task
are the fundamental mission and meaning of
human life. This concept is advanced in theOdu
Ifa (78:1), the sacred text of Ifa, which reads,
“Surely humans have been (divinely) chosen to
bring good in the world.” This entry examines the
meaning of this concept.
Who Is ChosenThis concept of “chosen” has profound significance
in moral anthropology for both the conception and
treatment of human beings. Moreover, it also
carries with it a uniqueness, in that it presents the
highest level of humanism in its inclusion of all
humans as chosen, rather than just those in its cir-
cle of believers and adherents, as is the case for vir-
tually all other traditions who self-define as chosen,
elect, or recipients of endowed status. Here the Ifa
priests, thebabalawo, do not claim special status
for Ifa adherents, but provide a theological narra-
tive in which all humans share equally in the divine
endowment of chosenness. In addition to this
unique inclusivity beyond religious relationship or
covenant, the concept also is defined by its concept
of all humans as chosen (yán) without distinction of
race, class, gender or sex, ethnicity, or any other
social or biological attribute.
As noted earlier, this status is a divine endow-
ment or gift and thus carries with it all the tran-
scendent and ultimate meaning and authority that
accompany such divine benefactions. Thus, it
places great emphasis on respect for the human
being as the chosen of God. This status as the cho-
sen of God parallels and is a companion concept
in the Ifa tradition of humans as the omo
Olódùmarèor omoOduduwaor the offspring of
the Great God or Creator. Thus, it presents an
image of the God concept similar to the ancient
Egyptian conceptsenen netjer(snn ntr), which lit-
erally means “image of God.”
In any case, it supports the concept of the inher-
ent and inviolable worthiness of the human beings
(i.e., the concept of dignity). In the Ifa tradition, as
reflected in theOdu Ifa, there are numerous words
and calls for respect of humans. Some of the words
for these concerns areolá,ìyìn, andowo, which
may be used to indicate both inherent and socially
achieved and recognized worthiness.What Is Expected
The moral anthropology in which the concept of
eniyanis rooted is expressed at length in the theo-
logical narrative found in Odu 78:1. In this Odu
(chapter), it says that humans are chosen to bring
good in the world (i.e., to make it good). But they
are also to sustain and increase it. The theological
narrative makes it clear that humans are chosen,
not over and against each other, but with each
other to bring good into the world. They are to do
this for each and everyone’s benefit. Moreover, for
humans to honor both the fundamental meaning
and mission of their lives as chosen ones, they mustEniyan 239