The Òrìs.à Legal Tradition

Abstract

This article advances the claim that the Òrìṣà tradition is best conceived of as a legal tradition. Notwithstanding the fact that scholars have written extensively about the tradition from the perspectives of religion (W. Abimbola 1976; Hucks 2012; Murphy 1995; Olupona & Rey 2008; Stewart 2005), philosophy (K. Abímbọ́lá 2018; K. Abímbọ́lá 2006; Hallen 2000; Makinde 1988; Taiwo 2004), the arts (Abiodun 1975; Thompson 1984; Pemberton III 1977), and many other domains of inquiry, I maintain that the extant scholarship has underrated the significance of tradition, and has almost completely overlooked the fact that the primary function of Òrìṣà is the improvement of social interaction through the governance and regulation of conduct—which makes it a legal tradition.