Reincarnation in the Yoruba Ontology: Abiku

Abstract

This study will present an argument on reincarnation beliefs among the Yoruba people in Nigeria, focusing on the born-to-die phenomenon, Abiku. According to the Yoruba tradition, the Abikus were once spiritual creatures before evolving into humans. But the Yoruba people's reincarnation beliefs concerning Abiku may be a myth. With the lack of medical technology in Yorubaland and other pre-colonial African nations to ascertain couples’ genotype compatibility, sickle cell anemia, and other illnesses may have been the underlying cause of child mortality. Although previous scholars have attempted an explanation of the phenomenon, most scholarly works are premised on the medical perspective of child mortality, lack of adequate healthcare, folktales, and religious beliefs. A typical phenomenon among the Yoruba is the mutilation of body parts of the children assumed to be an Abiku. They do this to easily recognize the child if he returns to the family as a new child. When newborn babies are born with mutilation marks like the ones that died, it confirms the belief that he is an Abiku. However, it is hard to determine if the Abiku phenomenon is a myth or reality. To explain and establish this, I will explore research and documented stories of reincarnation experiences of people who have been caught on this web. This will also uncover parallels in the reincarnated individuals' experiences, the consequences for these people, and the impact of reincarnation belief systems and rituals on Yoruba society.