The figure spins and the layers of cloth fly outward in a blur of colour. No part of the dancer can be seen: not the face, not the hands, not the feet. For the crowd, this is not a man in a costume. It is an ancestor who has returned. Egungun masquerades are one of the most important traditions of the Yoruba people, connecting the living with those who have gone before.
What Egungun means and when it appears
Egungun refers to the collective spirits of the ancestors and to the masqueraders who represent them. When the masquerade appears, the ancestors are believed to be present. Egungun costumes are made of layers of cloth, often rich fabrics, velvet, sequins and appliqué. They cover the dancer completely, because no human part should be visible. Egungun festivals take place in many Yoruba towns, with Oyo often associated with the tradition’s strongest history. Masquerades parade through streets, visiting families and blessing them.
Egungun may also appear at funerals of important people, helping guide the dead into the world of the ancestors.
Rules, lineages, music and Brazil
Touching an Egungun is forbidden, and in some traditions women must keep a distance. Attendants with whips control the crowds. Egungun masks belong to families and lineages, and their appearance honours specific ancestors. Drummers and praise singers accompany the masquerades, reciting family histories. The tradition crossed the Atlantic with enslaved Yoruba people. In Bahia, Brazil, Egungun worship continues on the island of Itaparica.
The spread of Christianity and Islam has reduced Egungun practice in some areas, while others keep it alive as heritage. Egungun costumes are displayed in museums and admired as textile art.
Respect, types and Lagos
Visitors should follow local guidance and show respect during festivals. There are many kinds of Egungun, from grand, heavily decorated masquerades to comic ones that entertain crowds with acrobatics and jokes. Each community has its own favourites. Egungun are believed to protect the community and bring blessings such as health, children and prosperity. In Lagos, the Eyo festival is a related masquerade tradition with its own white-robed figures.
For a few days each year, Yoruba towns make room for the dead among the living. The ancestors come back dressed in layers of cloth, and the community dances with them.
