Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-04-06
By Professor LEO FROBENIUS,
Chief of the German Imperial
Expedition to Interior Africa

STVO ma pOpulous well organized ana
highly civilized race ia the heart OF
= Africa was most surprising, after all
the work OF my predecessors iu this field
of exploration But 8. Is nevertheless
true that i'm West Africa did find the
race of the lorubi, and the remarkable
city Of life, seeming almost as if had
awaked in the centre OF some ancient
highly civilized and progressive nation.
The people are NOT ucgrod in feature
color or characteristic. The color of the
skin is almost yellow Tanf ara clever.
gifted, aud display power OF organiza-
ton and artistic ability which is alto
gether un-Airicau.
II anything there appear to be traces
OF degeneration from some very great
civilization, now partly lost Toe degeu-
Grafton may be due 90 the introduction OF
the practice OF slavery and human sacri-
fees TO the gods.
can hardly give an adequate account
OF all the wealth of art treasures. OF the
thorough going organization in modes of
living, government and religion and the
ancient traditions universally current
which appear 90 so far toward proving
that here is "a very ancient civilization in
deed
On @. their fayorite traditions is this
one of the creation. once upon time
there was NO earth. There was only Okun.
the Sea. "a water. that was spread out
everywhere. Above was OlOrln Oluruu
(the Orischa of Heaven and Olokun (the
OTischa OF the Sea- were both old Every.
Il. slF
] he elder was called Orishalla. the young
or Odudua Dloruu called to Orischa
He gave him the earth He gave him
hen with 1--WE fingers lie said TO him.
Arise now. and make of Obu the earth
OrisCha went. On the way Orischa found
palm-wiue Orischa began 10 drink the
wine. and became drunken Then he fell
asleep. Olorun saw this. Then Olorm
called 20 Odudua and said 10 him Your
elder brother has made himself drunken ON
the way down. DO you 60. take the sand
and the hen with the five fingers and maxi.
the earth our OF Okun" Odudua went He
took the sand. He went and laid DO upua
tIe sea. He placed the hen with the five
fingers thereon. The hen began 70 scratch
and scattered the sand. and pushed the
water aside The place where this hap
pened was life. around which che sea
hrst flowed. 0uuCua was the first king
who ruled over the land Of. life ia.
sea-Olukun became smaller and smaller
and ran into a small hole and then into a
still smaller hole. our of which man may
now draw the divine water so much that
II is never exhausted. Ir Is called Oscha
OTischa was however. very angry that he
did not bring about the creation Of the
earth, and he began war against Odudua.
They fought with each other for a LONG
time. but afterwards .hara was peace.
They both went upOu rha earth and were
never more seen by man.
] also found that the Yorubis for 50
these people call themselves believe iu
sixteen gods o. Observation-Disclosures of tho
great thunder-g0d. their chief d.e.u,r,. and
that these sixteen express rha arll power
uf Odu This belief may DE- compared with
thar of tine Errurials. who also divided rH.
heavens into sixteen sections. over each
ot which "a d.,ins-v presided 3 found also
sword god comparable 20 the Roman
Mars
The name Of -Hn -..raH e.rs u.r. is sr.
ned hy sba usf.-e- f.. .... -f# ...a o.
Palm-seed- Aul her. IS .he eras,