LucumĂ
/lukuËmi/noun
A term for the Yoruba-derived ritual language, religious tradition, and cultural identity preserved in Cuba and the Caribbean.
Did you know?LucumĂ is especially associated with the ritual language of Regla de Ocha, where Yoruba vocabulary and praise formulas were preserved orally in Cuba.
Etymological Timeline
Precolonial period
Yoruba
olĂșkĂčmĂ
âA Yoruba expression traditionally interpreted as âmy friendâ or âmy intimate,â though its exact linguistic development is disputed.â
16thâ19th Centuries
Spanish
lucumĂ
âA colonial-era Spanish ethnonym for Yoruba-speaking Africans transported to the Caribbean.â
18thâ19th Centuries
Cuban Spanish
lucumĂ
âA designation for Yoruba-derived people, speech, music, and religious practices in Cuba.â
19th Century
LucumĂ
lucumĂ
âA ritual and liturgical vocabulary used in Afro-Cuban religious communities, especially Regla de Ocha.â
Modern English
English
LucumĂ
âThe Yoruba-derived religious tradition, ritual language, or cultural identity associated with Cuba and the wider Afro-Caribbean world.â