The Yoruba culture has several deity which serves different unique purposes in the Yoruba land. The orisa Ayangalu is a type of deity that is meant for the drummer's and the handler of the drum which are referred to as the 'Onilu'.

There is an initiation in the Ayangalu deity in which it carries rituals for the initiates and the Onilu's. 

The Ayangalu deity are also referred to as 'Ayan', 'Ayan Agalu', or 'Aña' and this is the reason the Onilu's family bear names that include the Ayan. Some of the names are Ayantomiwa, Ayantunji, Ayanbunmi and many more.

The people bearing the Ayan names are being referred to as the Onilu's and are the only one that knows the secret to the talking drum and other drums that are dedicated to the Ayangalu deity. 

The Ayan family often perform a rite of the Ayangalu at child's birth which is begging for water, soap and sponge from other houses to bathe for Onilu's baby at birth, so the baby won't be shy.

It is said that drummers are not meant to be shy because they have to drum well in public and collect their money. In this article, we would reveal everything to know about the Ayangalu deity.

History of the Ayangalu 

The Ayangalu deity is not a well-known deity in the Yoruba land and there are many misconceptions about the deity. The Ayangalu deity is being referred to as a male in most part of the Yoruba land but the Oyo empire referred the deity as a female deity.

It was said that the Ayangalu is a female deity in the Oyo empire and one of the wives of the Àlàáfin and she is still yet to be known. Oyo people said that the Ayangalu deity usually praise her husband who is the Àlàáfin with the drum.

Every other part of the Yoruba land consider the Ayangalu deity as a male deity and this is the reason it is a taboo for women to be a drummer in the ancient times in the Yoruba land.

A woman is allowed to sing, chant and be an agbè or igbá beater which she would honor the Ayangalu deity in her performance. The women are allowed to have the Ayan in their names but not allowed to beat the Yoruba drums such as the bàtá, dùndún, gángan etc.

Ayan Agalu settled in atiba in otu-ife in Ile-ife land where the odu'a is on the throne, odu'a is the only one that accept and welcome Ayangalu wholeheartedly when the Almighty creator send Ayangalu to earth, which is the reason only the Odu'a is allowed to host a ritual and festival for the Ayangalu every year.

Ayangalu has two Ifa divination which is the Okaran at the right and the Ogunda at the left.

Orunmila is the chief priest for Ayangalu, and he made consultation for Ayangalu when he was sent to the earth, Orunmila was the one that take the drum and hand it over to Ayangalu.

Orunmila carved the wood for the drum and drumstick, he also picked the oja for the drum and the membrane which is used to make the drum. Orunmila made sacrifices and rituals to these items which was given to Ayangalu, because the one with the drumsticks only knows what the drum is saying.

Orunmila prayed for Ayangalu and says Ayangalu would be sought after with money forever, and even until today the Ayan(Onilu) and singer are sought after with money.

After the prayer Orunmila took Ayangalu to the sixteen market occasion which consist of 8 elders on the left and 8 elders on the right, then he took Ayangalu to join the 401 deities of Yoruba land which consist of 200 deities at the left and 200 deities at the right. The oonirisa is the remaining 1 which is the only deity that can speak in Yoruba land.

Ayangalu is the only deity that makes the 16 elders and the 401 deities happy whenever they go to a festival or ceremony. Ayangalu is known for making people and other deities happy and also brings in abundance success and financial stability because the deity is the only one that can collect money from a stingy person and take you places.

When Ayangalu plays the drum and invokes the spirit, the stingy person would be happy and spend money. Ayangalu also takes people places because anywhere Ayangalu plays the drum, people from different places would come to dance and see the Ayangalu. Odun dun Owawa is a name for the Ayangalu because it brings happiness to any festival or ceremony.

After the divination of Ayangalu, the deity moves from Otu-Ife to the Oyo empire where Ayangalu is being honored. It rains on the sekere which is the offspring of the atiba and the Ife people decorated the Ayangalu with tiny brass bells which is referred to as 'Saworo' which she took to the Oyo empire to play melodic sounds.

Ayangalu talks with the drum and the Saworo makes helps Ayangalu make a unique and detailed sound which is why the Iya Ilu has Saworo(tiny brass bells) due to the orisa connection to the drum.

The Ayangalu reside in the wood, and it is from the woods that the drums is carved out from. The Ayangalu deity speaks from the wood and the deity is usually eulogized as the spirit that speaks from his wooded home (Òrìsà gbé’nú igi fohùn), It is also said that the Ayangalu prefer the drum be carved out of a particular tree which is the 'igi òmò' which leads to the saying "Igi gbogbo ní ńbe ní’gbó, k’átó fi’gi òmò gbé gbèdu".

Drums dedicated to the Ayangalu deity

Drums serves as different purposes in the Yoruba land and not all drums are the dedicated to the drummer's deity (Ayangalu). Drums are categorized into 2 parts, which one is used to secular, religious and fun music, the other types of drum are used for the orishas (deities) which are called 'Ilu Orisha', some drums for the orishas are the igbín, ipèsè-ipèsi, Agere,Agba, Eku (Agbe) and the Bata drum.

Just like other orishas there are drums that are dedicated to the Ayangalu and these types of drum that can speak which are the Iya Ilu, Gangan, Kan-na-ngo, Gbedu, Dakara, Ogido, Adamo and Keri-Keri.

These drums are the drums that are dedicated to the Ayangalu deity, some other deities make use of other types of drum as in the case of the Obatarisa using the Igbin and Bata drum for religious purpose.

Purpose of Ayangalu and the drums in Yoruba land

The Yoruba people are blessed by the Almighty creator with the drums which the Ayangalu deity is in charge and the Onilu's in human form beating the drum to either pass message or dance.

The drums in Yoruba land doesn't only serve the purpose of music only, the drum has their language in which the Ayangalu speaks to pass important message which could be warning to people or intruder, birth of a newborn baby, warning to Obas and member of a particular community and to pass information codedly. 

Drums are played at a place and particular time to pass a message. Some drums are played during the day or at night, while some are played in the house. On some occasions, some drums are played inside the home to pass an important message to people.

Some of the drums that are played inside the home are usually the orisha drums which women cannot play at all. 

Talking drums are usually used to pass across message and are dedicated to the Ayangalu deity. Some talking drums are the Iyà-Ilu which produces the dundun music, the Kan-na-ngo is the sonorous small one which also talks and pass message across.

The Gbedu, Dakara, Gangan, Ogido, Adamo, and Keri-keri drums speaks through the nose. It takes a while before someone masters and knows what sound of the drum is saying except you are from the Ayan family.

The drums and Ayangalu also serves the purpose of religious tool which is used to entertain or invoke a spirit to the orishas, example of this type of drum is the 'bata' drum which is used to play for the 'Sango' deity festival or the 'Egungun' festival.

Conclusion 

Orisha Ayangalu is a special deity to the drummer's, and it is believed that drumming Invokes the presence and blessings of the Ayangalu deity. The Ayangalu deity is often referred to as a god of wealth and prosperity because it is claimed that Aje would be forever sought after the Ayangalu deity.

The deity brings blessing to the Ayan family and people who seek and worship the deity. Many people worship and offer rituals to the Ayangalu because it is believed to bring material prosperity and financial stability to their life's.