Osun Festival in Osogbo – photographer unknown
The truth is that it's not as difficult as most Westerners make it out to be. In fact, if you can say Sango, or Ifa or Alaafia, there's absolutely no reason why you can't learn conversational Yoruba. You just have to make the effort to step your game up.
If it's not impossible to learn Yoruba what's holding folks back?
I'm not sure. I think most people in the Americas have gotten so used to people not speaking Yoruba that they've bought into some subconscious myth that says mastering “alaafia” is as far as you can humanly go.
Well it's time to bust that myth up once and for all. Here are some tips that have helped me on my journey to learning and speaking Yoruba:
Make It A Daily Ritual:
Let's get real. You need to take action. The language isn't just going to flow into your head without any effort on your part. If you really want to learn the language, then you need to make a commitment to study it every day. One of the best foundational books on Yoruba is Je K'A So Yoruba by Professor Antonia Yetunde Schleicher. Set a goal of studying for at least 30 minutes a day. Consider making it part of your daily spiritual routine.
Forget About The Tones:
Yoruba is a tonal language. A word can have several different meaning depending on the tones. This is where most folks miss the boat. They get so overwhelmed thinking they have to master each and every tone, they give up in frustration. Instead of stressing over the tones,simply listen to words as you hear them and try your best to repeat them melodically. Think about it. Isn't that how you learned English? By repeating what you heard? Do you think babies in Yorubaland start speaking by learning tones? Stop stressing about the tones and just go with the flow.
Focus on Greetings and Simple Phrases
Learn basic greetings and simple phrases. Learn how to say: Good morning! Did you sleep well? How is your husband? Your Wife? The Kids? How's work? Learn how to say who, what, where, when why. Learn how to count from 1 to 10. Then build and expand your vocabulary as you make progress. I never understood and I still don't understand why many people begin their Yoruba studies by trying to master esoteric Odu Ifa or incantations without first having the most basic understanding of the language. Start with the basics.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Practice by speaking to native speakers every chance you get. Or, practice with others who are studying the language. One of my best friends is a native Yoruba speaker and speaking to him every day helped me to progress rapidly in the early stages of learning the language. Now that Skype is readily available, you can befriend and speak to native Yoruba speakers anywhere in the world.
Remember You're On A Journey
Your study of Yoruba, or any language for that matter, can open doors for you and can enrich you spiritually, culturally and intellectually. Take time along the journey to celebrate each milestone. With commitment you can be speaking fluent conversational Yoruba in less than two years. Never give up. Keep your eye on the prize.
James Weeks/Producer, Across The King's River