The Ilefoastro Method: A Three-Step Approach to Preserving Yoruba Family Oral History

Abstract

Many Yoruba families keep their history in the memory of their elders, and when an elder dies that knowledge often goes with them. The Ilefoastro Method is a short, practical approach for recording and keeping it in three steps: record (oral ethnography), check (archival forensics) and preserve (secure storage and, optionally, a visual identity). This paper explains each step in plain language, with sample interview questions and guidance on consent and privacy. It is a working method developed by the author from his own practice, not a peer-reviewed framework. All examples are generic; no real family data is included.