Ketu
In “The Fortuitous Meeting of Gerard van Oost and Oludara”, Oludara mentions that he “hails from the kingdom of Ketu”.
Ketu was the westernmost of the seven historical Yoruba kingdoms. Yoruba tradition says that these kingdoms were formed by the descendents of the Orisha Oduduwa when they moved west from Ilé-Ife. Oduduwa is credited with creating the Earth, at the command of the supreme deity Olorun.
Sopasan is credited as the first oba (king) in the line of Ketu, even though the city did not exist during his lifetime. Instead, it was he who led forth the people from Ilé-Ife who would eventually inhabit Ketu. Only the seventh king, Ede, would finally found the city.
The town was settled on a plateau with so few sources of water that a saying developed among the Yoruba: “Water becomes honey in Ketu”. To compensate, inhabitants gathered rainwater in cisterns and dry wells. This lack of water limited the size of the settlement. However, the plateau provided excellent protection–Ketu was conquered only once in all its long history.
Sixteenth-century brass plaque, Benin
The town was built around a sacred Iroko tree. According to custom, a human sacrifice was required to protect the town. A hunchback from a nearby Ewe community was sacrificed at the entrance to the city, which is said have provided the town’s name. The question “Who straightens the hump?” is “Ke ‘tu ike?” in Yoruba. The answer: no one can straighten the hump, so no one can destroy the town. The fourteenth oba, Sa, built a massive gate at the same spot. The gate, crafted from Iroko wood, contained two wooden doors, one outside and one inside. It was given the name Idena for “sentry”.
Iroko Tree
From the gate stretched an immense clay wall which surrounded the city. Outside the wall lay the ditches from which its clay had been dug, providing further protection. As a final defense, a row of thorn bushes was planted outside the ditch.
Remains of Ketou ditch
The Oba of Ketu takes the title Alaketu: “the one who owns Ketu”. From the twenty-fifth Alaketu on, the position of oba has rotated between five different royal families: Alapini, Magbo, Aro, Mesa, and Mefu. I will discuss the Oba in greater depth in another post.
Ivory belt mask – Sixteenth century Benin
To the west, Ketu shared a border with Fon-speaking peoples who would eventually found the kingdom of Dahomey and become their greatest rivals. After many wars and much history, Ketu and their Fon neighbors both fell under French domination and were eventually united in the modern-day nation of Benin, while most other Yoruba kingdoms fell under British control and eventually became part of Nigeria.
Ketu still exists today, under the French-modified name of Ketou. It is a city with a long and rich history, tracing its kings and traditions back over six-hundred years. Many travelers visit Ketou and speak with the Alaketu himself to learn much of this magnificent history.
Modern-day Ketou
(Images copyrighted by their respective owners. Pictures contain links back to their original hosting locations.)
Taiwo Olanrewaju
06-18-2010
at 4:30 pm
This is educative. Simply wonderful! A good job well done.
Christopher Kastensmidt
06-19-2010
at 6:29 am
Thank you, Taiwo! Where are you from?
I hope you have the chance to read the stories.
Taiwo Olanrewaju
06-20-2010
at 12:42 pm
I am from Nigeria. I am a journalist with the African Newspapers of Nigeria Plc, publishers of the Nigerian Tribune, Saturday Tribune and Sunday Tribune with head office in Ibadan, capital city of Oyo state.
I am married with children.
Christopher Kastensmidt
06-20-2010
at 5:35 pm
Taiwo, as you can tell, I am very interested in Yoruba culture. It would be great to talk more. Feel free to send me an e-mail at the address on the bottom of the author page (I don’t write it out to avoid spam): http://www.eamb.org/the-author/
In any case, thanks again for writing!
amaury ifadayo
08-03-2010
at 8:23 pm
acercamiento a nuestras raices herencia de nuestros ancestros,soy cubano y vivo en francia hablo español y frances el ifa original que yego a cuba vino de benin y lo trajeron akonkon oyeku meji,adesina obara meji atanda ifa bi ogunda otura ifa omi salieron de abe okuta en el tiempo de los esclavos obo ato asureo iwori bofun orunmila abewao aseo odabo
Christopher Kastensmidt
07-29-2011
at 9:48 am
Thanks for posting!
It’s always interesting to look back. The Yoruba have deep roots, and have spread around the world.
I hope you have a chance to read the story!
Baba Sangodare Egunjobi Ifasina
07-28-2011
at 10:51 pm
E ku Se ! Mr. Katensmidt many accolades to you ,and your staff.We of the English-speaking world have been waiting a long time for some updated information of the three Yoruba (Nagot) kingdoms in the Republic of Benin! Ifa a se egbe oooooo
Christopher Kastensmidt
07-29-2011
at 9:48 am
Thank you! And I hope you have a chance to read the story and see my version of a sixteenth-century Yoruban hero.
Maeka joel
09-29-2011
at 3:51 am
Maeka joel .am a history teacher.great work. if you need any thing about kenya. I can help
Christopher Kastensmidt
09-29-2011
at 4:08 am
Thank you Maeka joel! I will be doing some more fiction in Africa in the future. Please send me an e-mail at elephantmacaw (gmail) or friend me on Facebook so we can keep in touch.
Baba Sangodare Egunjobi Ifasina
09-29-2011
at 9:35 pm
Greetings Cristopher Kastensmidt. Please contact me privately concerning contacts in Ketou.
Thanks,
Baba Ifasina
dfd
12-08-2011
at 3:55 am
The object labeled “Sixteenth-century Yoruba brass” is in no way, shape, or form Yoruba. It is purely Benin and from the Benin kingdom.
Christopher Kastensmidt
12-08-2011
at 8:47 am
Thanks for the clarification, dfd. Are you a researcher in that area?