Oyotunji
Encyclopedia
Oyotunji African Village is a village located near Sheldon
, Beaufort County
, South Carolina
that was founded by the late Oba
Efuntola Oseijeman Adelabu Adefunmi I
in 1970, as part of a "New World Yoruba" initiative.
Oyotunji Village covers 27 miles. During the 1970s, the era of greatest population growth at the village, the number of inhabitants grew from 5 to between 200 and 250. (Goldstein, Hunt, and McCray) The population is rumored to fluctuate between 5 and 9 families as of the last 10 years. It is promoted as an authentic Yoruba
village and as a successful example of Pan-Africanism
in the New World
, and receives tourists from time to time, many of whom are African-American. It was originally intended to be located in Savannah, Georgia
, but was eventually settled into its current position after disputes with neighbors in Sheldon proper over drumming and tourists.
Historically, residents of Oyotunji Village joined twentieth-century black nationalist ideology with aspects of Yoruba and Fon
cultures to form an innovative community. It can be asserted that Oyotunji villagers consciously excised “European” characteristics from certain Cuban and Haitian traditions. In turn, they intertwined elements of the Yoruba and Fon cultures upon which these traditions were based with black nationalist ideology. In this way, the villagers helped to develop a unique brand of Orisa (or deity) worship, rich with black nationalist concepts. The villagers also made an effort to build an independent nation based on West African cultural values. (McCray, 1-3)
Sheldon, South Carolina
Sheldon is an unincorporated community in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States, at latitude 32.602 and longitude -80.793. The elevation is 23 feet. Sheldon appears on the Sheldon U.S. Geological Survey Map. The Old Sheldon Church Ruins are located nearby. US 17 and 21 run through the...
, Beaufort County
Beaufort County, South Carolina
-National protected areas:*Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge *Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 155,215 people, 45,532 households, and 33,056 families residing in the county. The population density was 206 people per...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
that was founded by the late Oba
Oba (ruler)
Oba is a West African synonym for monarch, one that is usually applied to the Yoruba and Edo rulers of the region. It is also often used by their traditional subjects to refer to other kings and queens, such as Elizabeth I of England, in their native languages.-Edo account of the word's origin:The...
Efuntola Oseijeman Adelabu Adefunmi I
Adefunmi
Oba Efuntola Oseijeman Adelabu Adefunmi was the first African-American to ever be initiated into the priesthood of the initiation cult of any African traditional religion...
in 1970, as part of a "New World Yoruba" initiative.
Oyotunji Village covers 27 miles. During the 1970s, the era of greatest population growth at the village, the number of inhabitants grew from 5 to between 200 and 250. (Goldstein, Hunt, and McCray) The population is rumored to fluctuate between 5 and 9 families as of the last 10 years. It is promoted as an authentic Yoruba
Yoruba people
The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...
village and as a successful example of Pan-Africanism
Pan-Africanism
Pan-Africanism is a movement that seeks to unify African people or people living in Africa, into a "one African community". Differing types of Pan-Africanism seek different levels of economic, racial, social, or political unity...
in the New World
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
, and receives tourists from time to time, many of whom are African-American. It was originally intended to be located in Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
, but was eventually settled into its current position after disputes with neighbors in Sheldon proper over drumming and tourists.
Historically, residents of Oyotunji Village joined twentieth-century black nationalist ideology with aspects of Yoruba and Fon
FON
Fon is a company that operates a system of dual access wireless networks. Fon is the largest Wi-Fi network in the world, with over 4 million hotspots....
cultures to form an innovative community. It can be asserted that Oyotunji villagers consciously excised “European” characteristics from certain Cuban and Haitian traditions. In turn, they intertwined elements of the Yoruba and Fon cultures upon which these traditions were based with black nationalist ideology. In this way, the villagers helped to develop a unique brand of Orisa (or deity) worship, rich with black nationalist concepts. The villagers also made an effort to build an independent nation based on West African cultural values. (McCray, 1-3)