Ìṣẹ̀ṣe is more than drums, dancing, traditional clothes and colourful festivals.
For many Yoruba people, it is a way of life built around beliefs, customs, respect for ancestors, family traditions and rules that have been handed down from one generation to another.
While many people see Ìṣẹ̀ṣe during public celebrations, there is another side that is rarely discussed — the taboos, restrictions and sacred practices that guide the lives of those who follow the tradition.
Some of these rules are simple and familiar. Others are deeply personal and are only understood by members of particular families or traditional religious communities.
A young traditional worshipper in Osun State said many people have a wrong impression of Ìṣẹ̀ṣe because they only see its public celebrations.
“People see the dancing and the celebration, but they don’t always understand what happens beyond that. There are things we are taught from childhood about what to do and what not to do,” he said.
What does Ìṣẹ̀ṣe really mean?
Ìṣẹ̀ṣe is commonly used to describe indigenous Yoruba religious and cultural traditions. But to practitioners, it can mean much more than religion.
It can involve family customs, festivals, respect for elders, traditional ceremonies, ancestral beliefs, devotion to deities and consultation with traditional priests.
It can also shape how some people approach major events such as marriage, childbirth, naming ceremonies, funerals and community celebrations.
However, Ìṣẹ̀ṣe is not practised in exactly the same way everywhere.
A tradition observed by one family or community may not necessarily be followed by another.
That is why cultural researchers say it is difficult to put every Ìṣẹ̀ṣe practice into one box.
The rules people rarely talk about
One of the less visible sides of Ìṣẹ̀ṣe is the system of rules followed by practitioners.
Some rules may concern food, behaviour, relationships, sacred places or religious ceremonies.
For some devotees, a restriction may be connected to their family or personal spiritual journey.
A person may be told to avoid a particular food or behaviour because of a traditional instruction given to them.
Another person may have no such restriction.
This is where many outsiders sometimes get confused.
They may hear that something is forbidden in one community and assume it applies to every Yoruba person.
According to cultural researcher Adewale Adebayo, traditional practices are often influenced by family history and community customs.
“Not every traditional rule applies to every Yoruba person. Some are connected to particular families, communities or religious practices,” he said.
The meaning behind taboos
Among the Yoruba, taboos are often referred to as èèwò.
They can involve actions, food, places, objects or behaviour considered unacceptable within a particular tradition.
For practitioners, breaking a taboo may not simply be viewed as breaking an ordinary rule.
It may be seen as disrespecting something considered sacred.
However, the meaning and seriousness of a taboo can differ depending on the community or religious tradition involved.
Some people follow these rules because they were taught them by their parents and elders, while others learn them through traditional religious training.
Why some things remain private
There are also aspects of Ìṣẹ̀ṣe that practitioners do not discuss publicly.
Some rituals and sacred knowledge are taught only to people who have been properly introduced into a particular tradition.
This has helped preserve certain practices over generations.
For practitioners, keeping some knowledge private is not necessarily about hiding something from society.
They see it as respecting the sacred nature of the knowledge.
An elder who has spent years observing Yoruba traditions said, “Everything is not meant for everybody. Some things have to be learnt from the right people and at the right time.”
The elders who carry the knowledge
For generations, Ìṣẹ̀ṣe knowledge was largely passed down through families because grandparents taught children, Parents taught their children.
Elders explained the meaning of festivals, names, customs and traditional practices.
This made the family an important place for preserving indigenous knowledge.
But as modern lifestyles continue to change, some of this knowledge is becoming less common among younger people.
Some elders worry that practices which took generations to preserve could disappear if young people lose interest in them.
Beyond religion
For some Yoruba people, Ìṣẹ̀ṣe is also about identity.
Traditional names, greetings, festivals, clothing, music, food and respect for elders are all connected to Yoruba cultural life.
This means that someone can appreciate aspects of Ìṣẹ̀ṣe culture even if they do not practise traditional worship.
A cultural historian, Prof. Kunle Ajayi, said indigenous traditions should not be reduced to religious ceremonies alone.
“Culture is part of how people understand who they are. When people lose their language, stories and traditions, they can also lose part of their connection with their history,” he said.
A tradition facing a new generation
Today, Ìṣẹ̀ṣe exists alongside Christianity, Islam and modern Nigerian life.
Some families have abandoned traditional practices, while others continue to observe them.
There are also young Nigerians who are beginning to ask questions about traditions their parents and grandparents practised.
For some, the interest is spiritual. For others, it is cultural.
But the questions remain the same: What should be preserved? What should be allowed to change? And who should teach the next generation?
Perhaps that is the real story of Ìṣẹ̀ṣe.
It is not simply about what happens when people gather for a festival.
It is about the beliefs they carry home, the rules they observe in private, the taboos they respect, the stories passed down by their elders and the identity they hope will not disappear.
Ìṣẹ̀ṣe may be celebrated in public, but much of its story is lived in private.