Moonlight tales and the arts of the mouth.

Story fire

Àló

Folktales

Àló is story time. Tortoise (Ìjàpá) is the funny one who thinks he is clever. Sit. Listen. Then you tell it back.

The long memory

Ìtàn

History, legend, origin

Ìtàn is ‘what happened.’ Kings, brave women, how a town began. Like a true story grandma keeps.

Lined speech

Èwì

Poetry

Èwì is a poem. Short lines that sound like a song even when nobody is singing.

The sung mouth

Orin

Songs and chants

Orin is a song. Clap. Repeat. Songs teach words faster than a list.

The hunter’s mouth

Ìjálá

Hunter’s chant

Ìjálá is the hunters’ special poem. They praise the forest and Ògún. We learn a short opening only — like the first drum.

The professional mouth

Rárà

Praise chant

Rárà is a loud, long praise song a trained person sings for a family or a king. We learn a tiny piece.

The locked story

Àló àpamọ̀

Riddles

A riddle! I say a funny clue. You guess. If you get it, you laugh. If not, I tell you.

Deity-specific chant

Orin òrìṣà

Ògún and Ṣàngó chants

These are strong name-songs for Ògún (iron, road) and Ṣàngó (thunder). We learn the names with respect, like learning a hymn at school — not playing priest.

Seeds and speech

Ayọ̀

Board-game lore

Ayọ̀ is a seed game in a wooden board. You count. You tease. Old people play it under a tree. Words belong to the game too.

Òwe in the mouth of the day

Ọ̀rọ̀ ìlú

Everyday proverbial speech

These are tiny wise jokes grown-ups drop into ordinary talk — not the long òwe list.

The mourning mouth

Ẹkún

Dirge / funeral poetry

Sometimes people sing when they miss someone who has died. The song is sad and beautiful. We learn only a gentle piece — like saying we still remember.