Wise Woman Omitowade Salewa Ajamu

Omitowade Salewa Ajamu Teaching African Dance

Omitowade Salewa Ajamu is a lifetime priestess of Yemoja, raised in the Aftican ancestral spirutual tradition of the Yoruba. Along with the ordinary demands for drumming and chanting which are part of her priesthood Omito has especially developed her skill as an African dancer and fine arts painter, to further reveal the depth of her cultural heritage. Pieces by her are hanging in several institutions from South Florida to South Carolina. She has long given workshops in these arts all over the US and Jamaica. When not teaching or doing spiritual work, Omito spends time with her 12-year-old daughter Duni and 2 yr old daughter Dara who teach her refinements of dance guided by a spirit source beyond this world.

African Dance

Dancing us into awareness, Omito will illustrate in movement some of the differences between secular African dance and dances done specifically to honor each of three goddesses or “orisha” of the Yoruba tradition: Oya, Yemoja and Osun. She will then demostrate traditional movements and costumes and share with us the symbolic meaning involved in these steps, gestures and African outfits. At the end she will model and make available a few traditional dance head wraps (gele) and hip wraps (lapa) for those who might like to buy a set.