egungun

Where does the word "egungun" come from? It comes from Yoruba egúngún, and was adopted directly into English (1900s).

Egungun’s story begins in Yoruba: egúngún meant “ancestral masquerade spirits.” Tonal variant of the word for "bones", applied to ancestral masquerade spirits honored since the Oyo kingdom. It reached English by 1900s as egungun. Masked dancers in cloth costumes embody returning ancestors during annual Yoruba festivals. Today, egungun means a Yoruba masquerade tradition and costume representing the collective spirit of the ancestors.

1. Stage 1 · Yoruba · 1600s egúngún "ancestral masquerade spirits", tonal variant of the word for "bones", applied to ancestral masquerade spirits honored since the Oyo kingdom.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1900s egungun "a Yoruba masquerade honoring ancestors", masked dancers in cloth costumes embody returning ancestors during annual Yoruba festivals.