Were music: History and Key Facts

Were music (Yoruba: Wéré) is an indigenous Yoruba music genre which, like ajisari, is used to arouse the Islamic faithful to pray and eat their early morning meal (sahur) during the holy month of Ramadan in Yorubaland. Ajiwere or oniwere translates to "one who performs were music."

Unlike ajisari, which is typically a solo performance, were music is performed in groups. Usually, young men or boys, numbering up to ten or more, come together to write songs and practice dance moves. Again unlike ajisari performers, who sleep a bit and only come out at 2:00 in the morning, the ajiwere or oniwere leave their homes each night shortly after the Isha'a (8:00 PM) and Tarawih prayers. They roam the streets singing and dancing until about 4:00 AM, when they disperse to go prepare for that day's fasting. A couple of days before the end of Ramadan, all of the ajiwere or oniwere groups in the area meet in a town hall to compete for prizes, with the grand prize typically being a shiny silver-plated trophy.

Source and attribution

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