- Belief in Olodunmare Olokun, Supreme Being of the universe, creator of the heavens and the earth, who knows no beginning.
- Belief in deities/Orixas. Small entities created by Olodunmare who gave them specific tasks. They acted as intermediaries between Olodunmare and the men. There are up to 401 deities among which Obatala mother of human bodies; Ogun, god of war and iron; Sango, the man changed into the god of thunder (see below); Yemoja, goddess of water, worshiped on the coast. Two groups stand out: those created by Olodunmare, and men who have become gods (Sango, Osun, Oya).
- The Irunmalẹ are intermediate spirits between Orodunmare and men, they perform the tasks of the latter, on request, and have no task assigned by default. Live in forests, mountains and other remote places.
- A cult of the ancestors was in order in the past.
- Belief in reincarnation, that the spirits of ancestors can return to a baby's body. Names such as Babatunde, Babajide, Iyabode, Yewande, Yeside and Yetunde are given to these children.
Creation
The first men were made in heaven by the great god. The first man received morality and family order, which he enforced as legislator and ancestor. He imposed taboos and punished those who broke them. He particularly revered the Great God, for having been created by him. It is said that one of the other gods who descended on earth acted with disdain towards the first man, so the latter poisoned the daughter of said god. Everything was done, but he is unable to treat his daughter. The man was gifted in medicine, so he promised healing in exchange for repentance from the rude god.
Former King Oduduwa had many grandchildren, and upon his death he divided all his possessions between them. But his youngest grandson, Oranyan, had gone hunting during the division, and when he returned he learned that his brothers and cousins had already inherited everything: money, cattle, seeds, clothes, crowns but nothing was left for him. otherwise 21 pieces of iron, a rooster and some potting soil wrapped in a cloth.
At that time the whole earth was covered with water, on the surface of which all mankind lived.
Oranyan spread the pieces of iron on the water, and on the pieces of iron he put the cloth; and on the cloth, the earth; and on earth, the rooster. The rooster scratched its feet and spread the earth far and wide, until it began to fill the ocean and form islands. Iron scraps became buried ores
From now on, all his brothers and cousins wanted to live on these islands. He allowed it against tribute and from then on became king of the Yorubas, true heir of his grandfather.
Marks
King Sango sent two slaves on a mission abroad. One returned having accomplished his mission and the other had done nothing. The king rewarded the first and cut the other with 22 razor strokes.
However, it gave him a remarkable appearance, which the king's wife even found attractive. The king therefore decided to reuse the technique, not to punish, but to set royalty apart. However, he could only endure two cuts. Also, two cuts on the arm became the sign of royalty, and other marks the sign of other tribes.
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