Registration now closed

Kwanzaa: A Memoir Literary Experience

The Creation of Oyotunji African Kingdom 1970 – 1995

Queen Mother Orite shares the history of the first twenty-five years of the Oyotunji Village’s as a historic landmark that greatly influenced African American identity in the late 20th century.

The African American Research Library and Cultural Center's Kwanzaa Ujima 2024 celebration event is featuring a presentation by the former senior queen of the Oyotunji African village in low country South Carolina as part of the day long celebration at 12:00 PM.  For full program details and registration see Kwanzaa Family Celebration - Broward County Library. 

Her Royal Grace (HRG) Olori Iya Orite Olasowo-Adefunmi shares the history of the pivotal twenty-five years of the Oyotunji Village.  Through her book Seeds of Awakening: The Creation of Oyotunji African Kingdom 1970 – 1995, readers experience the prelude, birth, development and proliferation of the Kingdom as a historic landmark whose existence greatly influenced African American identity in the latter part of the 20th century. She speaks of the rewards that come with perseverance and dedication to one’s culture and spirituality.

H.R.G. Olori Iya Orite Olasowo-Adefunmi was the senior queen of the Oyotunji African Kingdom located in Sheldon, South Carolina. The only authentic, traditional African Kingdom in the continental United States, Oyotunji is a religious center for practitioners of the Yoruba culture. The Iya Orite (“mother heads throne”), Her Royal Grace (the proper address for a queen) is in essence a “queen mother.” She joined the founder King Oba Oseijeman Adefunmi I, as the chief father and mother for followers of the ancient West African traditions of the Yoruba. Their cultural practices are also related to Candomble which is popular in Brazil where the Queen and the Oba travelled, and the Lucumi influence in Cuba.  These played foundational roles in Oyotunji’s early development.

A native of Atlantic City, New Jersey, Olasowo-Adefunmi attended St. Augustine College as Sheila B. Brown in Raleigh, North Carolina where she became a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Previously, she enjoyed tenure with the Negro Ensemble Company in New York before destiny brought her to Oyotunji. Over time Olasowo-Adefunmi gained experience in both matters of state, as well as skill as a traditional diviner. It became increasingly apparent that soon she would ascend to the position of Principal Queen to the Oba in 1990. The practice of polygamy is traditional for the Yoruba and, over fifty years after Oyotunji’s founding, Her Grace is talking about the institution – its benefits, its shortcomings, its practical place in society whether acknowledged or seen as clandestine affairs, and the richness of African cultures.

During her tenure, Her Grace served as Chief of Protocol, built Oyotunji’s tourism department from the ground up, linking the Kingdom with the Beaufort Chamber of Commerce, received Chief of the Year awards 1988-1993, scheduling television news crews and tour groups by the busloads from across the country for Oyotunji’s many ongoing annual festivals, as well as documentary filmmakers such as Al Santana's Voices of The Gods. Television programs such as The Oprah Winfrey Show, 1988 and Nickelodean soon called, laying a path for Oba Adefunmi II to later broaden the footprint of Oyotunji during his impactful reign of almost twenty-years. Additionally, Iya Orite achieved the highest position a Yoruba woman can attain by being initiated into the ancient cult of the Bokono (Ifa Priests) at Atendehu Hoca in Dahomey (the equivalent to the level of cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church).

The book discussion includes a question and answer session with the Queen Mother. Books will be available for sale and signed by the author.  Partial proceeds will be donated to the Friends of the African American Research Library and Cultural. 

This program will also be live streamed. 

Queen Iya - Book Talk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qsoa63IfYeg

https://www.facebook.com/events/1155888469461572

Upcoming Events