Ancestral worship

Egun or the ancestors are important​ in the tradition and are worshipped or propitiated when they make their wishes known through divination. There are many ceremonies that give honor to the ancestors as they are never forgotten. There are many ceremonies that give honor to the ancestors, including ritual sacrifices, funerary rites and sacred drum events, amongst others. Also determined by divination, ancestor staffs (Opa Egun) or sticks (Igi Egun) are prepared for devotees and are used to call the ancestors forth, as well as to be used to dispel negative energy in their homes. Ancestor shrines (Oju Egun) are prepared by devotees and are usually close to the earth as the ancestors receive their offerings there. Ile Oro separates the worship of Egun from spiritism or the practice of affinity spirits honored through spiritist practices. There is a distinction between Egun worship and spiritism as the Lukumi do not mix one with the other. When we have Egun worship we are honoring blood members of our family and spiritual members of the community that have passed on. Worship of the ancestors consists of giving offerings, chanting of ritual songs, and playing ceremonial drums. Spiritism is when masses or seances known as a misa or mesa are done where a white table is prepared and mediums deliver messages from the spirit world and from spirits that visit the table.