Why is a name important Why is a name important

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Pele O!  Ona re O!  A few weeks ago I performed an isomoloruko and esentaye for a new baby.  Isomoloruko is the Yoruba Naming ceremony also called ikokomojade.  Esentaye is the seating in the world.    When a child is born they must be seated in the world to close off their connection to the other world and for the child to receive their destiny and and taboos so that they can navigate properly through the world.  I have participated in Christian and Muslim Yoruba Naming Ceremonies and they are similar accept the Traditionalist may have divination performed through Ifa and pray to the Orisha.

Isomoloruko is performed on the 7th day for girls and 9th day for boys  and the count starts from the day of birth.  This ceremony can be performed by a priest or Eldest male in the family.  The Esentaye is performed on the 3rd 7th or 9th day depending on one tradition.  This can only be performed by a priest.  The destiny of the child is discovered,  the childs taboos, and which Orisha(s)  they should follow and if the child is an Abiku,  this is a child who chose to be born only to die and make the family sad.  Then there is the Imori which determined which side of the family and who the child is the reincarnation of.  The leader of the ceremony prays for the child and the family.  A table is also set up with white plates and glasses.  The glasses have water and gin.  The plates will have salt, honey, sugarcane, palm oil, Aadun(traditional corncake) Alligator pepper, a pen(to signify education and profession) and possibly a coconut which opened and is only shown to the women in the house.  Each ingredient is taste by the parents and the child and then everyone present.  This creates a covenant between God and the people present to protect the child and to bring the child up correctly.  After this is done the people present may put money in a calabash for the newborn and his family.  Then depending on the tradition the child is introduce to the house with their new name.  Traditionally the eldest members of the family chose the babies name.  Before the baby receives their name they are called Ikoko or Abiye.  The baby is presented to the house 7 times when the mother is ask who the baby is and its name and they enter the house 7 times.  After that the family has a party, Juju and Apala music and plenty food,  Jollof Rice, Pounded yam, Egusi Soup.

Ifa gba wa O!

Baba Ifayoriju Aworeni