<scp>Y</scp>oruba Culture, Religion, and Gender

The traditional religion of the Yoruba is Ifa/Orisha worship. Yoruba culture remains strong in West Africa and is part of religions such as Vodun, Candomble, Santeria, and Voodoo through both voluntary and involuntary Diaspora. Traditional Yoruba language, everyday life, and religious tenets are inextricably linked. Since the Yoruba language is largely gender neutral and traditional Yoruba culture is gender balanced, this religious family offers insights into non‐Western ways of thinking about gender that are shared among many indigenous groups. Since Western gendering expects behavior and abilities according to genitalia, of particular interest are the way in which language and praxis draw clear distinctions between anatomical sex, sexuality, personal characteristics, and social function. These distinctions remain evident in religious practices even when the history of a particular branch has included severe patriarchal constraints during slavery.