Where – What – Yoruba?
You might have never heard of Yorùbá. Or you have, but what do you know? With the project we are looking into some very specific aspects of Yorùbá culture. We’ll be diving into all of that a little later. But first off a quick factual introduction.
Binary Tales is a documentary project currently in development. In search of a different perspective filmmaker Juul van der Laan teams up with professor Sophie Oluwole to look into a pre-colonial philosophy. Read more here
Geography
The Yorùbá are a people originating from West-Africa. As most African countries have been divided with a ruler by a ruler, Yorùbáland actually stretches across South-Western Nigeria through Benin to Togo. Their land is actually called Ilè Yorùbá in Yorùbá. Because it’s also the name of the language. Did you know that you can also google in Yorùbá?
Origins of thought
When I visited Prof. Sophie Oluwole December last year, we traveled through Osun state (yes please go ahead – see if you can find it on the map!). It is a state in South-Western Nigeria very important to Yorùbá culture. In the capital city Ifẹ̀ we visited the King’s court. According to the stories, this city is also the place of origin of their philosophy. We’re talking way before Christ, ancient stuff. The estimate is about 500 B.C.E.