Oyotunji, Intentional community in Seabrook, South Carolina, US
Oyotunji is an intentional community in Seabrook, South Carolina, built around West African Yoruba traditions. The village is made up of modest buildings decorated with symbols and colorful concrete sculptures, set among sand and tall pine trees along Coastal Highway 17.
The village was founded in 1970 by Ofuntola Oseijeman Adelabu Adefunmi I, born Walter Eugene King in Detroit, on land that had previously been used for farming. He had encountered Yoruba spiritual practice during a trip to Haiti and wanted to establish a living home for it in America.
Residents wear traditional Yoruba clothing, speak the Yoruba language, and follow customs passed down through generations. Once a year, the Yemonja Festival brings in outside visitors who can watch ceremonies and browse crafts and food stalls.
Visitors enter through a marked gate and can join guided tours that cover the grounds and shrines, with a small marketplace and café also available on site. The village is an active spiritual community, so respectful behavior is expected throughout the visit.
The community declares itself independent from the United States, following its own laws and customs rather than those of the surrounding country. Its founder appeared on the Oprah television show to explain Yoruba beliefs to a broad American audience.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
