Oríkì is the oral praise poetry of the indigenous Yórùbá communities of Western Africa.
It is expressed by drums and chant in the Yoruba language which is spoken by over 40 million people in parts of West Africa (Nigeria, Benin, Togo) and Brazil.
"Orí" means head
"Kì" means to praise, or greet, and offer accolades by way of a song or a chant.
Oríkì is usually accompanied by a talking drum (“gangan”). The drum reinforces and echoes the tonality of the chant.
In the Yoruba culture, one’s identity is closely tied to the community. This is reflective of the African philosophy of "I am because you are".
And this philosophy is closely tied to the core and the essence of Oríkì.
Through the gift of Oríkì we speak celebratory words of praise in honor of the individual in his own right and also as a member of his community and lineage as we recount their personal exploits and that of their ancestors and forebears.
Listening to your Oríkìi is a deeply affirming and rewarding experience. One that has the power to elicit strong emotions and even goosebumps!
Oríkì is an affirmation and a salute that speaks of your essence, your history, and your connection to something greater.
It's a prayer, a prophecy, and a major hype that increase your vibration by telling you who you are and why YOU can and will do great things.
An Oríkì will essentially speak life into your being through carefully curated Yoruba words that tell of your past, present, and future.
You deserve a specially curated Oríkì
We'd love to get to know you so that we can create a personalized Oríkì for you!!🧡
How the process works:
You will receive a survey with some questions. Please fill them out thoughtfully. You can contact us with any questions.
Using the information you provide, we will create a draft Oríkì text in Yoruba and English for you to review.
In collaboration with the chanter, I create an oriki that encapsulates the essence of the receiver, including their lineage, current state, and future aspirations. Oriki is also aspirational praise so we incorporate elements of praise.
Once you confirm that you love the Oríkì, we will create your personal Oríkì Chant in Yoruba
You will receive as a final product, an MP4 video of the Yoruba and English text along with the audio version of your Oriki.