Pelumi Adejumo ~ In the poet's hand

Thesis Supervisors: Florian Göttke & Julia Morandeira Arrizabalaga

Thesis: In the poet's hand 

August, 2024

Abstract

This text serves as a means of grieving and exploring different methods of grieving. Its primary objective is to gather insights into how storytelling can help in recalibrating one's experience of loss. Such as the loss of language, history, and a sense of self. To achieve this, I will delve into the rich world of Yoruba mythology, poetry, rituals, and philosophy, seeking wisdom and guidance on how the ancient Yoruba society comprehended concepts of self, life, and death. Beginning with a focus on the tangible body: head, hands and feet. The head (ori) is connected to the tradition of oríkì, the poem-song that serves as both a celebration of life and death, and holds the key to the unique recipe that shapes an individual's life. The hands connect to the profound spiritual significance of naming in Yoruba cosmology, as well as the role that mythology can play in navigating the process of grief. The feet signify my own roots, my family’s history with migratory grief. I will write the thesis as a self-discovery journey through the poems of my father, my friend Logan February, Audre Lorde as well as writings from Nigerian scholars researching Yórùbá cosmology and oral poetry traditions. Stepping into these works, words, traditions, and knowledge, I am writing this as a literate oríkì, a legacy making, a praise song to my lineage.

Author Pelumi Adejumo