Religious Place Names

Ibadan, Nigeria: From the Arabic word “ibada,” meaning “divine service.”

Menehune Ditch, Hawaii, USA: The menehune are little fairy-like supernatural people from Hawaiian mythology.

Islamabad, Pakistan: Islam is the Arabic word for “submission (to God).”

Saint-Isidore, Quebec, Canada: From “Isis,” the Greek form of the name of the ancient Egyptian goddess (probably “Aset” in ancient Egyptian), plus the Greek word “doron,” meaning “gift.”

Guwahati, India:  This city has had several names over its history, including Durjaya (Sanskrit = “impregnable”), and Pragyostishpur, from “pragyotish,” the Sanskrit word for “astrology.” The modern name of Guwahati is more mundane.  It comes from two Assamese words; “guwa” (“azeca nut”) and “haat” (“marketplace”).

"Olorun" in Yoruba

This Christian song, "Olorun" ("God"), is performed by two Texans, Brother Chosen Okonrende and Brother Falu (I could not determine his surname).  The song is performed in the Yoruba language.

There is some controversy about the use of Olorun by Christians as the name of God.  Olorun is the supreme creator deity in the Yoruba polytheistic pantheon; his name is "olo" ("owner") + "orun" ("heaven"). Olorun is all-knowing and all-powerful and, in Yoruba, it can be translated as "God."

Yoruba-speaking Christians use Olorun in the same way that Arabic-speaking Christians use Allah (الله‎ ), Greek-speakers use Theos(θεὸς),
 or Israeli Hebrew-speaking Christians use Elohim (אלהים )or Jahweh (יהוה). They are aware of the other meanings of the names but they use them in the Christian context. 

Hello, Nigeria!

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