ẹburumbu

Yoruba

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛ̀.bù.ɾú.ŋ̀.bú/

Noun

ẹ̀bùrúm̀bú

1. (literally, rare) hidden method
2. a traditional Yoruba artistic method used in oral poetry competitions in which poets approach a type of poem (oríkì, ẹ̀sà, ìjálá) from an uncommon angle (perhaps idiomatic or proverbial) and challenges a fellow poet to continue the poem from that unique angle in an attempt to confuse them.
   • A competent ẹlẹ́sà (ẹ̀sà poet) can confuse and defeat an opponent by starting from an ambivalent point, causing the opponent to chant the wrong oríkì orílẹ̀ in response.

References

• Ọlátúnjí, Ọlátúndé O. The Yoruba Oral Poet and His Society [1], 1979