If you are among those who have recently watched “Sinners,” you likely agree that this movie evokes emotions you may not have realized existed. The film explores themes of ancestry, lineage, and the supernatural, all intricately woven into the concepts of Yoruba culture. With 77% of Gen Z identifying as spiritual, many are exploring diverse spiritual traditions, and following the release of this movie, there is a heightened interest in learning more about Yoruba spirituality.
But many people are asking: what is Yoruba spirituality? This indigenous religion has roots that can be traced back thousands of years to West Africa, particularly Nigeria. Yoruba spirituality has significantly shaped the cultural and religious landscape of numerous African and diaspora communities, emphasizing the interconnectedness of the spiritual and natural worlds. It highlights the importance of ancestral wisdom and divine guidance. Over time, this tradition has been adopted in various regions around the world, including West Africa and among the African diaspora in the Caribbean, Latin America, and even in places like New Orleans in the United States, where individuals continue to uphold this legacy.
Yoruba spirituality recognizes the divine presence within nature. You may wonder how these concepts are interrelated. To understand this belief system, we must consider the Ifa divination system, which originates from the Yoruba people and their ancestral homeland. Within this culture, Isese is a recognized tradition that features a pantheon of divinities, known as Orishas. These Orishas symbolize divine powers and natural forces, acting as mediators between humans and God, referred to as Olodumare in the native language. Yoruba traditions are based on the oracles of Ifa, the sacred scriptures of the Yoruba people, which impart lessons on living life in order, with value and balance.
Ifa is renowned for its divination system, utilizing sacred texts and mathematical formulas to provide spiritual guidance in individuals’ lives. Ultimately, this religion emphasizes the importance of becoming a better version of oneself through four core tenets of a balanced life: nurturing a relationship with God, connecting with your ancestors, fostering bonds with your family and clan, and engaging with your immediate community.
How is this depicted in the movie “Sinners”? Spoiler alert: if you haven’t seen the film, save this article for later as a treat after experiencing this cinematic masterpiece. The film opens with the character Annie stating, “There are legends of people with the gift of making music so true it can pierce the veil between life and death.” In many African cultures, music serves as a bridge between the living and the spirit world.
The film explores Yoruba religion and creatively interprets the famous story of Robert Johnson. In this tale, a legendary blues musician from Clarksdale, Mississippi, encounters an African spirit named Papa Legba at a crossroads, making a deal to enhance his musical abilities in exchange for his soul by tuning his guitar. Before meeting Papa Legba, Robert was merely an average musician. This story inspired Director, Producer, and Writer Ryan Coogler to reflect on the deals individuals must make and rationalize in oppressive circumstances. This concept is represented through the character Sammie “Preacher Boy,” who conjures spirits from the past and the future every time he picks up his guitar.
With music as a form of survival, resistance, and expression, the blues emerges from grief, resilience, and truth, serving as a spiritual language. One of the most visually stunning depictions of this is during the iconic sugar shack homage, where we see music evolve through time, showcasing traditional, current, and future references of the Black and African musical experience. This movie illustrates how music and spirituality have traveled throughout history and how we carry these traditions with us.
Additionally, Coogler mentioned in an interview that the concept of twin figures represents the Nigerian Orisha spirits, specifically the Ibeji twins, highlighting the historical ties between many West African traditions and their adoption among various African American communities. The Ibeji twins symbolize balance, chaos, and calm. While it may be uncomfortable, it is crucial to acknowledge that the forced migration of Yoruba people during the Transatlantic Slave Trade led to the spread and adaptation of Yoruba traditions in the Americas, blending with other belief systems such as Santería, Hoodoo, Voodoo, and Candomblé. In the film, Annie taps into Yoruba, Hoodoo, and Gullah Geechee practices—spiritual traditions grounded in African beliefs through the use of herbs, oils, mojo bags, roots, and spiritual rituals for protection, cleansing, and empowerment.
During Annie’s first encounter with vampires, she refers to them as Haints, which are malevolent spirits. Historically, people protected their homes from Haints by painting their window frames and porches in haint blue, believing that spirits cannot cross water, thus tricking them into staying out. This may also symbolize the twins in the film: Smoke in blue attire and Stack in red attire. Unfortunately, as these African traditions arrived in the Americas through enslaved individuals, they were often misinterpreted and demonized. This reality prompts us to question societal standards of spirituality and explore the ancestry of these long-standing traditions.
Instead of feeling discouraged, let your curiosity be a driving force. Embrace the opportunity to learn more about spiritual practices that can help you align with your best self.