Anagó 101: Full Intro To Lukumí Ritual Language

2026 will be the 2nd annual cohort of this intensive and comprehensive course, open to all practitioners regardless of initiatory level

Taught by Oluwo Leo Suárez, MA, PhD(c)

Suárez is a Lukumí Babalawo who holds an MA in Latin American and Caribbean Studies from New York University, where he was formally trained as an anthropologist. He is also a PhD Candidate in the Department of Social and Cultural Analysis at the University of Texas at Austin. In Austin he was formally trained as a Historian and studied modern Yorùbá language under reknown Yorùbá scholar Omoniyi Afolabi

Course Overview

There are many books and PDFs on the internet that contain Lukumí translations, but only this course can teach you the logic and structure of Yorùbá-Lucumí language.

This course covers trans-atlantic Lukumí history, comparative linguistic analysis, and classic language instruction over 6 hours of live meetings.

Materials cover hundreds of words and terms, along with dozens of phrases and proverbs, as well as dozens of translated Orisha songs.

Course meetings will be held over Zoom, Participants will have future access to course recordings.

Students are encouraged to download the Lukumi A-Z app on the Apple App Store, the 1st and only Lukumí to English dictionary and language guide.

With Lukumi A-Z you can easily reference and study essential vocabulary loyoyumó (everyday)!

Enroll Today

One-Time Fee, Full Access

$110

By enrolling in this course, students will also be invited back to the 2027 of this course for free.

Olorishas who take this course will receive $30 off 2027 Anago for Olorishas Only course

Course curriculum

1

Meeting One: November 2st, 2026 6:30 pm PST
- Essential History: Yorubaland and the Middle Passage
- Theoretical Basics: Why Is Lukumi Language Called Anago?
- Linguistic Foundations: Yoruba Morphemes, Word Structure, Pronunciations
- Parts of Speech: Nouns, Pronouns, and Possesive Pronouns
- Important Vocab: Numbers and Colors
- Proverbs and Common Phrases 1
- Orisha Song Translations: Elegba, Ogun, Ochosi
2

Meeting Two: November 9th, 2026 6:30pm PST
- Essential History 2: Orishas in Cuba Before the Fall of the Oyo Empire
- Theoretical Basics: Samuel Ajayi Crowther, Lydia Cabrera, John Mason
- Linguistic Foundations: Differences Between Lukumi and Yoruba
- Parts of Speech: Verbs and Advebs
- Important Vocab: Body Parts and Animals
- Proverbs and Common Phrases 2
- Orisha Song Translations: Oya, Yemaya, Oshun
3

Meeting Three: November 16th, 2026 6:30 pm PST
- Essential History 3: Orishas in Cuba After the Fall of the Oyo Empire
- Linguistic Foundations: Agglutination and Elision/Contractions
- Parts of Speech: Prepositions and Adjectives
- Important Vocab: Ritual Materials
- Orisha Song Translations: Shango, Obatala, Oduduwa
- More Resources for Continued Learning from Lukumi A-Z