Whether you are an elder in life humbling oneself to begin a path in the Orisa tradition, or you are a hip-hop generation Orisa worshipper, there are new experiences and concerns ahead as the tradition and its Diaspora move further into the new millennium.

Keeping Iwa Pele at the forefront, this column will explore those experiences and concerns to give new information and insight to inspire growth and productivity within our community.

My perspective is that of a twenty-something, African-American woman, initiated at the tender age of 12 in New York City.  Walking through Osa’s door at the height of puberty, and then graduating from the Orisa-based Egbe Iwa Odo Kunrin/Binrin Rites of passage program, my lens has been set to look at everything within the context of Orisa and Egun.

Unlike many of our elders who came to the religion as adults, my peers and I have had Orisa determine most of our life’s major decisions, even starting with our names.  Young priests and alejos growing into adulthood have many choices to consider. School, housing, dating/marriage, child-rearing, and career are challenging areas to navigate for worshipers of all faiths. So what will the new Yoruba family look like? That will be determined by the decisions that this generation makes.

Even while there is external pressure to conform to the Judeo-Christian norm, the young Orisa worshiper is truly in a position to advocate for our causes. Like never before, we can take advantage of innovative forums and media to guide the next step in the evolution of the Yoruba Diaspora.

Today, we can truly see ingenuity and resolve present in the ways that Yoruba worship has survived throughout the world.  While the world modernizes, it is the job of the youth to learn what once was, maintain our traditions, and continue them diligently.

As we work to preserve what our ancestors and elders worked so hard to give us, we will make fertile ground for the Orisa-worshipping youth of tomorrow to thrive on.

Ase!