Yoruba culture

Yoruba culture refers to the cultural norms of Yorubaland and the Yoruba people.

Art

Sculpture

The Yoruba are said to be prolific sculptors, famous for their magnificent terra cotta works throughout the 12th and 14th century; artists also earnests their capacity in making artwork out of bronze.

Esiẹ Museum is a museum in Esiẹ, Irepodun. The museum was the first to be established in Nigeria when it opened in 1945. The museum once housed over one thousand tombstone figures or images representing human beings. It is reputed to have the largest collection of soapstone images in the world. In modern times the Esie museum has been the center of religious activities and hosts a festival in the month of April every year.

Textile

Weaving is done on different types of looms in order to create hundreds of different patterns.

Cuisine

Some common Yoruba foods are iyan (pounded yam), Amala (yam flour meal), eba, semo, fufu, Moin moin (Steamed Bean pudding) and akara (Bean Cakes). Soups include egusi, ewedu, ila okra, vegetables are also very common as part of diet. Items like rice and beans (locally called ewa). Some dishes are also prepared for festivities and ceremonies such as Jollof rice and fried rice. Other popular dishes are Ekuru, stews, corn, cassava and flours - e.g. maize, yam, plantain and bean, eggs, chicken, beef and assorted forms of meat and fish (kpomo is made from cow skin). Some less well known meals and many miscellaneous staples are arrowroot gruel, sweetmeats, fritters and coconut concoctions; and some breads - yeast bread, rock buns, and palm wine bread to name a few. Yoruba cuisine is quite vast.