oriki
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Yoruba[edit]
Alternative forms[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From orí + kíkì, ultimately from orí (“head, destiny, conscience”) + kì (“to recite, praise”), literally “The act of praising one's existence”.
Pronunciation[edit]
Noun[edit]
oríkì
- A form of Yoruba oral praise poetry, (ewì), it is characterized by long epithets praising and acknowledging the traits, accomplishments, and or attributes a specific person, family or lineage, town, animal, òrìṣà, subethnic group etc.
- This form of oriki is known as oríkì jáǹtìrẹrẹ, and are normally chanted or sang.
- Synonym: oríkì jáǹtìrẹrẹ
- Oríkì ní ó gbajúmọ̀ jù nínú gbogbo ohùn-ẹnu Yorùbá ― Oriki is the most popular of the Yoruba oral poetic genres
- A class of Yoruba names, this form of oriki known as oríkì ṣókí, it consists of short single Yoruba praise names or nicknames.
- It is often given by one's grandmother or older relative, similar to a cognomen. These often are informal and not part of the official name of a person.
- Synonyms: oríkì ṣókí, oríkì ọlọ́danni
- a kì í pe orúkọ ẹni k'á báni wí; a kì í porúkọ odò k'ódò gbéni lọ; bẹ́ẹ̀ náà ni a kì í sọ oríkì ọmọ kínúu rẹ̀ má yọ̀ síni(proverb on the importance of an oríkì name)
- We do not call someone's name and begin to reprimand him; we do not cite the name of a river and get drowned by it; similarly we do not recite the praise name of a child and he does not rejoice at it
- definition
- Synonym: oríkì nǹkan
Derived terms[edit]
- oríkì orílẹ-èdè (“national oriki”)
- oríkì ọlọ́danni (“personal oriki names”)
- oríkì àfìtọ́kamọ̀ (“referential definition”)
- oríkì ìdílé (“oriki poetry of a family or clan”)