Oriki Ilu Owo. In their oral tradition, Owo traces its origins back to the ancient city of Ile-Ife, the cradle of Yoruba culture. Oral tradition also claims that the founders were the sons of the Yoruba deity Odudua, who was the first ruler of Ile-Ife. Our culture, our heritage. | Alani Adegoke Entertainment.

“owo” is an internet face that blew up in anime and furry circles before spilling into mainstream meme culture. The o’s are the “eyes” and the w is a little “mouth,” meant to show wide-eyed cuteness, surprise, or playfulness. Over time it became a whole writing style—“owo-speak”—where words are made extra cutesy or ironic. And while online culture can seem silly, it’s worth remembering how memes and movements shape real-world politics. The same internet spaces that popularized things like “owo”