Nana Burukuu
Yoruba
Alternative forms
- Bùrùkúù, Bùùkúù, Nàná Bùùkúù
Etymology
From nàná (“mother”) + bùrùkúù (“cruel, bad, ruthless”), ultimately from Fon nɔ̀ (“mother”) and burúkú (“cruelty, badness”). Nàná is a term meaning mother found in many Gbe languages, compare with Gun nɔ̀ and Ewe nɔ̀. Folk etymology states that bùrùkúù is said to be a form of the Yoruba term burúkú.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /nã̀.nã́ bù.ɾù.kúù/
Proper noun
Nàná Bùrùkúù
- A supreme female (sometimes regarded as androgynous) primordial divinity in the Yoruba religion and other African religions; her worship is believed to be predate that of the Odùduwà era of Ifẹ̀. Among the Yoruba, she was mainly worshipped by the Idàáṣà Yoruba subethnic group; where she was the national deity.
See also
- Nàná (“a title given to women”)
References
- Adediran, Biodun. The Structure of Administration of Pre-Colonial Idaisa , 1984
- Adediran, Biodun. The Frontier States of Western Yorubaland , p.55-80, 1994