Abstract

This article examines the sound of the cockcrow in Yoruba rural spaces, phonically represented as ‘kukurúùkúù’, with a particular focus on the ecological and spiritual implications. The study highlights the timing functions of the cockcrow which have endured over the years in Yoruba rural societies, thereby foregrounding the interlinking between human and nonhuman forms of life among the Yoruba in Nigeria. Utilising an ethnographic approach through participant observation and key informant interviews conducted with selected Ifá priests, this study engages in a hermeneutic exploration of the Yoruba indigenous religion and literary genres to demonstrate the importance of the cockcrow, time, and nature in traditional Yoruba life and the implications for healthy cohabiting of human and nonhuman forms under conditions of environmental degradation. (This article is published in the thematic collection ‘African ecologies: literary, cultural and religious perspectives’, edited by Adriaan van Klinken, Simon Manda, Damaris Parsitau and Abel Ugba.)