Ẹgbẹ Egúngún Gànlɔdó

As many well know, ߋߜ߭ߎ߫ߣߜ߭ߎ߫ߣ Egúngún is the word used to spiritually refer to ancestors in the Yọrùbá language. ߍߜ߭ߍ ߋߜ߭ߎ߫ߣߜ߭ߎ߫ߣ  Ẹgbẹ Egúngún is the name of the society (ẹgbẹ) of ancestral priests, called ߊߕߏߞߎߣ atokun in Yọrùbá and asɔxotɔ in Ajã, charged to be the custodians of the culture and the direct medium between society and society's ancestors. This society is also called ߞߎ߫ߟߌ߫ߕߐ߫ Kútítɔ́nú/Kúlítɔ́nú among the Ajã people; the word Kúlítɔ́ used as the  term for "ancestor". It literally means "one who walks the path provided by death".  

ߋߜ߭ߎ߫ߣߜ߭ߎ߫ߣ ߊߜ߭ߊߣ  Egúngún agan (masquerade depicted above) is a visible manifestation of the spirits of departed ancestors who periodically revisit the human community for remembrance, celebration, and blessings. They appear in a masquerade called agan. The agan of the ancestor is paraded annually to bring ߊߗߍ açɛ/àṣẹ (spiritual power and enlightenment) to the family that ancestor belongs to. This is very crucial for New Afrikans in that the connection to our ancestors, our ancestral rites, proper burials, proper elevation rites, kwk were some of the primary things we were cut off from. Plus, the foundation of all that we do is based on our ancestors. Thus, at the Maroon Monarchy of Gànlɔdó, it is mandatory that any hùnnɔn and/or olòrìṣà ("priest" of a deity in the Ajã and Yọrùbá languages respectively) first be initiated into Ẹgbẹ Egúngún/Kúlítɔnu. This model was first established by the monarchy of Ọ̀yọ́tunji of Sheldon, SC from whence we, lineage-wise, received the Egúngún rites.

One of the most pertinent and powerful things about the atokun (ancestral priests) is that they are trained to be able to communicate with other people's ancestors outside of their own. They are trained to "bring down" ancestors and properly send them back home when it is time during a ceremony called ߌߞߎ߫ ߖߏߞߏ Ikú Joko - to sit with the ancestors.  

The annual Egúngún festival at Gànlɔdó occurs during the first month of the year aptly named Kúlítɔ́ which begins at the commencement of the vernal equinox. It is a time when various individuals and families bring out and parade the agans of their family ancestors; a time for annual festivities for our departed.

We do not film our festivals or rituals but here is video of Afrikans in amerikkka at an Egúngún Festival. https://youtu.be/jTIxKgJZjs0?si=JJIdg08oJcz2rZX0

For more information on this very key society at Gànlɔ́dó, please feel free to contact us at ekaabokilombo@gmail.com