Yoruba Body Attitude in communication

Yoruba Body Attitude in Communication was a very striking article in that is brought to light many of the staunch differences between western cultures and that of the eastern world. One part in particular that stuck out to me was the part about body language and how to the Yoruba people value body attitude as a very important part of communication. We see in many cultures people talking with their hands or bodies, however in the U.S. it is something that is frowned upon. I distinctly recall when I was younger being excited about something and wanting to communicate that to an elder and was told that talking with my hands, neck, and shoulders, was something “uneducated” people did. Ironically although talking with my body was nothing something I was immediately exposed to in my house household I feel as if it was something innate if me that showed when I wanted to stress a point or really express how I feel. Even today when I am speaking with someone I have to be aware of my audience and body language because I have the tendency to touch people when I speak. To me touching someone or “acting” out my speech is something I believe brings intimacy and clear communication to whomever I am talking to. It is also interesting how different cultures have different protocol persay when speaking. Italians are known for their hand gestures, Yoruba are known for their body language, and from personal experience West Indians jovial tactile space invaders. All in all, this article brought to life just how cultures thousands of miles away share similarities with those on the other side of the globe.

Mona Quarless
Middlebury 2012