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Ifá

January 01, 1970

For other uses, see IFA (disambiguation).

Ifá is a divination system originating among the Yoruba people of West Africa. It plays an important role in Yoruba religion and certain African diasporic religions deriving from it, such as Cuban Santería.

A divination tray on which cowrie shells rests, as are used for Ifá divination
Sixteen Principal Odu
Name 1 2 3 4
Ogbè I I I I
Ọ̀yẹ̀kú II II II II
Ìwòrì II I I II
Òdí I II II I
Ìrosùn I I II II
Ọ̀wọ́nrín II II I I
Ọ̀bàrà I II II II
Ọ̀kànràn II II II I
Ògúndá I I I II
Ọ̀ṣá II I I I
Ìká II I II II
Òtúúrúpọ̀n II II I II
Òtúrá I II I I
Ìrẹ̀tẹ̀ I I II I
Ọ̀ṣẹ́ I II I II
Òfún (Ọ̀ràngún) II I II I
Sixteen Principal Afa-du
(Yeveh Vodou)
Name 1 2 3 4
Eji-Ogbe I I I I
Ọyeku-Meji II II II II
Iwori-Meji II I I II
Odi-Meji I II II I
Irosun-Meji I I II II
Ọwanrin-Meji II II I I
Ọbara-Meji I II II II
Ọkanran-Meji II II II I
Ogunda-Meji I I I II
Ọsa-Meji II I I I
Ika-Meji II I II II
Oturupon-Meji II II I II
Otura-Meji I II I I
Irete-Maji I I II I
Ọse-Meji I II I II
Ofun meji II I II I

According to traditional belief, Ifá is associated with Orunmila, who is one of the orisha spirits central to Yoruba religion. Its oracular literary body is made up of 256 volumes (signs) that are divided into two categories, the first called Ojú Odù or main Odù that consists of 16 chapters. The second category is composed of 240 chapters called Amúlù Odù (omoluos), these are composed through the combination of the main Odù.

The system of divination used in Ifá is a code to access a literary corpus, the Odù Ifá. Orunmila is identified as the Grand Priest, as he revealed the foundational divinity and prophecy (the first 16 Odu) to the world. Babaláwos or Ìyánífás are usually called Ifa priests, but really, they are scholars; the equivalent of professors in classical university systems. They use either the divining chain known as Ọ̀pẹ̀lẹ̀, or the sacred palm (Elaeis guineensis) or kola nuts called Ikin, on the wooden divination tray called Ọpọ́n Ifá to mathematically calculate which Odu to use for what problem.

History edit

The 16-principle system has its earliest history in West Africa. Each Niger–Congo-speaking ethnic group that practices it has its own myths of origin; Yoruba religion suggests that it was founded by Orunmila in Ilé-Ifẹ̀ when he initiated himself and then he initiated his students, Akoda and Aseda. Other myths suggest that it was brought to Ilé-Ifẹ̀ by Setiu, a Nupe man who settled in Ilé-Ifẹ̀. According to the book The History of the Yorubas from the Earliest of Times to the British Protectorate (1921) by Nigerian historian Samuel Johnson and Obadiah Johnson, it was Arugba, the mother of Onibogi, the 8th Alaafin of Oyo, who introduced Oyo to Ifá in the late 1400s. She initiated the Alado of Ato and conferred on him the right to initiate others. The Alado, in turn, initiated the priests of Oyo and that was how Ifá came to be in the Oyo empire.[1]

Orunmila came to establish an oral literary corpus incorporating stories and experiences of priests and their clients along with the results. This Odu corpus emerges as the leading documentation on the Ifá tradition to become a historical legacy.

Yoruba tradition edit

In Yorubaland, divination gives priests unreserved access to the teachings of Orunmila.[2] Eshu is the one said to lend ashe to the oracle during provision of direction and/or clarification of counsel. Eshu is also the one that holds the keys to one's ire (fortune or blessing)[3] and thus acts as Oluwinni (one's Creditor): he can grant ire or remove it.[4] Ifá divination rites provide an avenue of communication to the spiritual realm and the intent of one's destiny.[5]

Odù Ifá edit

There are sixteen major books in the Odu Ifá[6] literary corpus. When combined, there are a total of 256 Odu (a collection of sixteen, each of which has sixteen alternatives ⇔ 162, or 44) that are believed to reference all situations, circumstances, actions and consequences in life based on the uncountable ese (or "poetic tutorials") relative to the 256 Odu coding. These form the basis of traditional Yoruba spiritual knowledge and are the foundation of all Yoruba divination systems. Ifá proverbs, stories, and poetry are not written down. Rather, they are passed down orally from one babalawo to another. Yoruba people consult Ifá for divine intervention and spiritual guidance.[7]

The Messenger sign of Ifá edit

In addition to the sixteen fundamental signs, Ifá divination includes a major sign, which is the combination of Ọse and Otura, from right to left (Ọse-Tura).

Ọse-Tura
I I
II II
I I
I II

That sign must be written each time a ritual is performed: Ọse-Tura is the messenger and the carrier of the sacrifice. It is closely associated with the god Èṣù in the system of Ifá. That Messenger sign was known in Arab and Latin medieval geomancy as the Morning Star,[8] that is as the planet Venus. In other words, Ọse-Tura is a remainder of ancient astrology in Ifá divination.[2]

The Church of Ifá (Nigeria, Benin) edit

According to William Bascom,[9] "an indication of the importance of Ifá to the [Yoruba] religious system as a whole is the fact that the most striking religious syncretisms resulting from European contact are to be found in a church established in Lagos in 1934, the Ijọ Ọ̀rúnmila Adulawọ, which was founded on the premise that the teachings of Ifa constitute the Yoruba Bible." It was also set up in Porto-Novo (Benin) the same year.

Adebanjo Olorunfunmi OṢIGA founded the Church of Ọ̀rúnmila for the Black People (Ijọ Ọ̀rúnmila Adulawọ) in order to create a religious institution comparable to the Protestant churches, but grounded on Yoruba culture and mythology. He wrotes rules and regulations for the Church of Ifá, and ordained pastors of Ifá. His teachings include sixteen commandments and a liturgy inspired from the reading of the Book of Common Prayer and of the mythology of Ifá. Ọ̀rúnmila, the first diviner, is considered to be the prophet of the church, along with Ela (Jesus). The history of the Ifa Church is a unique example of the moral, ritual and institutional process of religious acculturation between Africa and Europe.

According to Erwan Dianteill,[10] the Church of Ifá is still active in 2024, in Nigeria and Benin, with around 2000 followers in Lagos, Porto-Novo and Cotonou.

International recognition edit

The Ifá divination system was added in 2005 by UNESCO to its list of the "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity".[11]

Ifá and the African diaspora edit

Ifá in Santería edit

Ifá is used in the Afro-Cuban religion of Santería;[12] it is the most complex and prestigious divinatory system used in the religion.[13] The two are closely linked, sharing the same mythology and conception of the universe,[14] although Ifá also has a separate existence from Santería.[15] High priests of Ifá are known as babalawos and although their presence is not essential to Santería ceremonies, they often attend in their capacity as diviners.[16] Many santeros are also babalawos,[17] although it is not uncommon for babalawos to perceive themselves as being superior to most santeros.[18] Traditionally, only heterosexual men are allowed to become babalawos,[19] although homosexual male babalawos now exist due to the more open policy for Santería initiates. [20] Women are typically prohibited from taking on this role,[21] a restriction explained through the story that the òrìṣà (pronounced "orisha" or "oricha" in Spanish) Orula was furious that Yemayá, his wife, had used his tabla divining board and subsequently decided to ban women from ever touching it again.[22] In spite of this legend, by the early 21st century, a small number of women have since been initiated as babalawos.[23] Initiation as a babalawo requires a payment to the initiator and is typically regarded as highly expensive.[24]

The òrìṣà of Ifá, Orula or Ọ̀rúnmila, also has a prominent place within Santería.[15] He is believed to oversee divination; once an individual is initiated as a babalawo they are given a pot containing various items, including palm nuts, which is believed to be the literal embodiment of Orula.[25] Babalawos provide offerings to Orula, including animal sacrifices and gifts of money.[26] In Cuba, Ifá typically involves the casting of consecrated palm nuts to answer a question. The babalawo then interprets the message of the nuts depending on how they have fallen; there are 256 possible configurations in the Ifá system, which the babalawo is expected to have memorised.[27] Individuals approach the babalawo seeking guidance, often on financial matters, at which the diviner will consult Orula through the established divinatory method.[28] In turn, those visiting the babalawos pay them for their services.[29]

Female practitioners have also been reported in Mexico.[30]

Ifá in Brazil edit

Although surviving in Cuban Santería, Ifá did not remain part of a Brazilian religion that owed much to Yoruba traditions, Candomblé.[31] In Candomblé, dilogun instead forms the primary method of divination employed by its initiates.[32] One of the earliest practitioners of Ifá in Brazil was the French ethnographer Pierre Verger, who had become a babalawo in West Africa and who was also involved in Candomblé.[33]

As a result of growing links between Brazil and Nigeria, in the 1970s various educational efforts to promote understandings of Yoruba culture were established in Brazilian cities. This included the Yoruba Culture Research and Study Centre, founded in 1977 by Fernandes Portugal, and which brought in Nigerian teachers to run a course teaching Ifá.[34] The closing ceremony took place in January 1978, attended by 14 students who were granted the status of omo (son of) Ifá.[35] One of these pupils, a Candomblé initiate named José Nilton Vianna Reis (Torodê de Ogun), later went on to become a babalawo nine years later, before setting out his own Ifá teaching course in 1984.[36]

Notable followers edit

See also edit

References edit

Citations edit

  1. ^ Johnson, Samuel (1921). History of the Yorubas from the Earliest of Times to the Beginning of the British Protectorate. Nigeria Bookshops.
  2. ^ Lijadu, E. M. Ifá: ImọLe Rẹ Ti I Ṣe Ipile Isin Ni Ilẹ Yoruba. Ado-Ekiti: Omolayo Standard Press, 1898. 1972.
  3. ^ "Ase Ire :: What is Ase Ire?".
  4. ^ [1] September 25, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ Adéẹ̀kọ́, Adélékè. "'Writing' and 'Reference' in Ifá Divination Chants." Oral Tradition 25, no. 2 (2010).
  6. ^ Sixteen major 'books in Odù Ifá July 2, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Karade, Baba I. (2020). The Handbook of Yoruba Religious Concepts. Red Wheel/Weiser. ISBN 9781578636679 – via Google Scholar.
  8. ^ Dianteill, E. (2022). Venus, Issa, and the Moon Dog, International Journal of Divination and Prognostication, 3(2), 125-170. doi: https://doi.org/10.1163/25899201-12340025
  9. ^ Bascom, William (1969). Ifa - Communication between Gods and Men in West Africa. Indianapolis: Indiana University Press. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-253-32890-8.
  10. ^ Dianteill, Erwan (2024). "L'Oracle et le Temple - De la géomancie médiévale à l'Église d'Ifa (Nigeria, Bénin)". Les éditions Labor & Fides (in French). Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  11. ^ "Ifa Divination System". Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  12. ^ Hagedorn 2001, p. 104; Holbraad 2012, p. 90.
  13. ^ Fernández Olmos & Paravisini-Gebert 2011, p. 70.
  14. ^ Holbraad 2005, p. 233; Holbraad 2012, p. 90.
  15. ^ a b Hagedorn 2001, p. 104.
  16. ^ Hagedorn 2001, pp. 104–105; Holbraad 2012, p. 90.
  17. ^ Hagedorn 2001, p. 105; Wirtz 2007, p. ix.
  18. ^ Holbraad 2005, pp. 233–234.
  19. ^ Holbraad 2005, p. 234; Holbraad 2012, p. 90.
  20. ^ Pérez y Mena 1998, p. 20.
  21. ^ Wedel 2004, p. 157; Fernández Olmos & Paravisini-Gebert 2011, p. 61.
  22. ^ Fernández Olmos & Paravisini-Gebert 2011, pp. 52–53.
  23. ^ Clark 2005, p. 63.
  24. ^ Holbraad 2005, pp. 235–236.
  25. ^ Holbraad 2012, pp. 90–91.
  26. ^ Holbraad 2005, p. 237–238.
  27. ^ Wedel 2004, p. 92; Holbraad 2012, p. 91.
  28. ^ Holbraad 2005, p. 234.
  29. ^ Holbraad 2005, pp. 234–235.
  30. ^ Papenfuss 2023, p. 390.
  31. ^ Hayes 2007, p. 303; Capone 2010, p. 43.
  32. ^ Capone 2010, p. 43.
  33. ^ Hayes 2007, p. 303.
  34. ^ Capone 2010, pp. 239–240.
  35. ^ Capone 2010, p. 240.
  36. ^ Capone 2010, pp. 240–241.
  37. ^ "Faculty Database - Koshikawa Yoshiaki".
  38. ^ "運命は自分で切り開くもの！ 精霊（オリチャ）から欲しいエネルギーを得て、2019年を良い年に！".
  39. ^ "The Role of Spirit in the #BlackLivesMatter Movement: A Conversation with Activist and Artist Patrisse Cullors". 24 June 2015.
  40. ^ "ATLANTA RAPPER 21 SAVAGE PRACTICES THE IFÁ RELIGION". 5 August 2016.
  41. ^ "A Cobra Kai actor practices a religion that predicts the future". Market Research Telecast. 2022-01-03. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
  42. ^ "Baba Wande Abimbola - Parliament of the World's Religions". parliamentofreligions.org. Retrieved 2023-09-21.

Sources edit

  • Capone, Stefania (2010). Searching for Africa in Brazil: Power and Tradition in Candomblé. Translated by Lucy Lyall Grant. Durham and London: Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0-8223-4636-4.
  • Clark, Mary Ann (2005). Where Men Are Wives And Mothers Rule: Santería Ritual Practices and their Gender Implications. Gainesville: University Press of Florida. ISBN 978-0813028347.
  • Fernández Olmos, Margarite; Paravisini-Gebert, Lizabeth (2011). Creole Religions of the Caribbean: An Introduction from Vodou and Santería to Obeah and Espiritismo (second ed.). New York and London: New York University Press. ISBN 978-0-8147-6228-8.
  • Hagedorn, Katherine J. (2001). Divine Utterances: The Performance of Afro-Cuban Santería. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Books. ISBN 978-1560989479.
  • Hayes, Kelly E. (2007). "Black Magic and the Academy: Macumba and Afro-Brazilian "Orthodoxies"". History of Religions. 46 (4): 283–31. JSTOR 10.1086/518811.
  • Holbraad, Martin (2005). "Expending Multiplicity: Money in Cuban Ifá Cults". The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute. 11 (2): 231–254. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9655.2005.00234.x. JSTOR 3804208.
  • Holbraad, Martin (2012). "Truth Beyond Doubt: Ifá Oracles in Havana". HAU: Journal of Ethnographic Theory. 2 (1): 81–109. doi:10.14318/hau2.1.006. S2CID 143785826.
  • Papenfuss, Maria (2023). "Santería in Catemaco, Mexico: Hybrid (Re)Configurations of Religious Meaning and Practice". Interdisciplinary Journal for Religion and Transformation in Contemporary Society. 9: 375–94. doi:10.30965/23642807-bja10044.
  • Pérez y Mena, Andrés I. (1998). "Cuban Santería, Haitian Vodun, Puerto Rican Spiritualism: A Multiculturalist Inquiry into Syncretism". Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. 37 (1): 15–27. doi:10.2307/1388026. JSTOR 1388026.
  • Wedel, Johan (2004). Santería Healing: A Journey into the Afro-Cuban World of Divinities, Spirits, and Sorcery. Gainesville: University Press of Florida. ISBN 978-0-8130-2694-7.
  • Wirtz, Kristina (2007). Ritual, Discourse, and Community in Cuban Santería: Speaking a Sacred World. Gainesville: University Press of Florida. ISBN 978-0-8130-3064-7.

Further reading edit

  • Chief FAMA Fundamentals of the Yoruba Religion (Orisa Worship) ISBN 0-9714949-0-8 (works self-published through her company)
  • Chief FAMA Practitioners' Handbook for the Ifa Professional ISBN 0-9714949-3-2
  • Chief FAMA Fundamentos de la Religion Yoruba (Adorando Orisa) ISBN 0-9714949-6-7
  • Fama, Chief (1994). Sixteen mythological stories of Ifá = (Ìtàn Ífá mẹ́rìndínlógún). San Bernardino, CA: Ilé Ọ̀rúnmìlà Communications. ISBN 9780964424722.
  • Chief FAMA FAMA'S EDE AWO (Orisa Yoruba Dictionary) ISBN 0-9644247-8-9
  • Chief FAMA The Rituals (novela) ISBN 0-9644247-7-0
  • Awo Fasina Falade Ifa: The Key to Its Understanding ISBN 0-9663132-3-2
  • Chief Adedoja Aluko The Sixteen (16) Major Odu Ifa from Ile-Ife ISBN 978-37376-6-X
  • Chief S. Solagbade Popoola library, INC Ifa Dida: Vol 1 , ISBN 978-0-9810013-1-9
  • Chief S. Solagbade Popoola library, INC , ISBN 978-1-926538-12-9
  • Chief S. Solagbade Popoola & Fakunle Oyesanya ISBN 978-09810013-0-2
  • C. Osamaro Ibie Ifism the Complete Works of Orunmila ISBN 1-890157-05-8
  • William R. Bascom: Ifa Divination: Communication Between Gods and Men in West Africa ISBN 0-253-20638-3
  • William R. Bascom: Sixteen Cowries: Yoruba Divination from Africa to the New World ISBN 0-253-20847-5
  • Rosenthal, J. ‘Possession Ecstasy & Law in Ewe Voodoo" ISBN 0-8139-1805-7
  • Maupoil, Bernard. "La Geomancie L'ancienne Côte des Esclaves
  • Alapini, Julien. Les noix sacrées. Etude complète de Fa-Ahidégoun génie de la sagesse et de la divination au Dahomey
  • Dr. Ron Eglash (1997) Recursion in ethnomathematics, Chaos Theory in West African divination.
  • Bàbálàwó Ifatunwase Tratados Enciclopédicos de Ifá (Colección Alafundé), ISBN 978-0-9810387-04

January 01, 1970
ifá, other, uses, disambiguation, divination, system, originating, among, yoruba, people, west, africa, plays, important, role, yoruba, religion, certain, african, diasporic, religions, deriving, from, such, cuban, santería, divination, tray, which, cowrie, sh. For other uses see IFA disambiguation Ifa is a divination system originating among the Yoruba people of West Africa It plays an important role in Yoruba religion and certain African diasporic religions deriving from it such as Cuban Santeria A divination tray on which cowrie shells rests as are used for Ifa divination Sixteen Principal Odu Name 1 2 3 4 Ogbe I I I I Ọ yẹ ku II II II II Iwori II I I II Odi I II II I Irosun I I II II Ọ wọ nrin II II I I Ọ bara I II II II Ọ kanran II II II I Ogunda I I I II Ọ ṣa II I I I Ika II I II II Otuurupọ n II II I II Otura I II I I Irẹ tẹ I I II I Ọ ṣẹ I II I II Ofun Ọ rangun II I II I Sixteen Principal Afa du Yeveh Vodou Name 1 2 3 4 Eji Ogbe I I I I Ọyeku Meji II II II II Iwori Meji II I I II Odi Meji I II II I Irosun Meji I I II II Ọwanrin Meji II II I I Ọbara Meji I II II II Ọkanran Meji II II II I Ogunda Meji I I I II Ọsa Meji II I I I Ika Meji II I II II Oturupon Meji II II I II Otura Meji I II I I Irete Maji I I II I Ọse Meji I II I II Ofun meji II I II I According to traditional belief Ifa is associated with Orunmila who is one of the orisha spirits central to Yoruba religion Its oracular literary body is made up of 256 volumes signs that are divided into two categories the first called Oju Odu or main Odu that consists of 16 chapters The second category is composed of 240 chapters called Amulu Odu omoluos these are composed through the combination of the main Odu The system of divination used in Ifa is a code to access a literary corpus the Odu Ifa Orunmila is identified as the Grand Priest as he revealed the foundational divinity and prophecy the first 16 Odu to the world Babalawos or Iyanifas are usually called Ifa priests but really they are scholars the equivalent of professors in classical university systems They use either the divining chain known as Ọ pẹ lẹ or the sacred palm Elaeis guineensis or kola nuts called Ikin on the wooden divination tray called Ọpọ n Ifa to mathematically calculate which Odu to use for what problem Contents 1 History 2 Yoruba tradition 3 Odu Ifa 4 The Messenger sign of Ifa 5 The Church of Ifa Nigeria Benin 6 International recognition 7 Ifa and the African diaspora 7 1 Ifa in Santeria 7 2 Ifa in Brazil 8 Notable followers 9 See also 10 References 10 1 Citations 10 2 Sources 11 Further readingHistory editThe 16 principle system has its earliest history in West Africa Each Niger Congo speaking ethnic group that practices it has its own myths of origin Yoruba religion suggests that it was founded by Orunmila in Ile Ifẹ when he initiated himself and then he initiated his students Akoda and Aseda Other myths suggest that it was brought to Ile Ifẹ by Setiu a Nupe man who settled in Ile Ifẹ According to the book The History of the Yorubas from the Earliest of Times to the British Protectorate 1921 by Nigerian historian Samuel Johnson and Obadiah Johnson it was Arugba the mother of Onibogi the 8th Alaafin of Oyo who introduced Oyo to Ifa in the late 1400s She initiated the Alado of Ato and conferred on him the right to initiate others The Alado in turn initiated the priests of Oyo and that was how Ifa came to be in the Oyo empire 1 Orunmila came to establish an oral literary corpus incorporating stories and experiences of priests and their clients along with the results This Odu corpus emerges as the leading documentation on the Ifa tradition to become a historical legacy Yoruba tradition editIn Yorubaland divination gives priests unreserved access to the teachings of Orunmila 2 Eshu is the one said to lend ashe to the oracle during provision of direction and or clarification of counsel Eshu is also the one that holds the keys to one s ire fortune or blessing 3 and thus acts as Oluwinni one s Creditor he can grant ire or remove it 4 Ifa divination rites provide an avenue of communication to the spiritual realm and the intent of one s destiny 5 Odu Ifa editThere are sixteen major books in the Odu Ifa 6 literary corpus When combined there are a total of 256 Odu a collection of sixteen each of which has sixteen alternatives 162 or 44 that are believed to reference all situations circumstances actions and consequences in life based on the uncountable ese or poetic tutorials relative to the 256 Odu coding These form the basis of traditional Yoruba spiritual knowledge and are the foundation of all Yoruba divination systems Ifa proverbs stories and poetry are not written down Rather they are passed down orally from one babalawo to another Yoruba people consult Ifa for divine intervention and spiritual guidance 7 The Messenger sign of Ifa editIn addition to the sixteen fundamental signs Ifa divination includes a major sign which is the combination of Ọse and Otura from right to left Ọse Tura Ọse Tura I I II II I I I II That sign must be written each time a ritual is performed Ọse Tura is the messenger and the carrier of the sacrifice It is closely associated with the god Eṣu in the system of Ifa That Messenger sign was known in Arab and Latin medieval geomancy as the Morning Star 8 that is as the planet Venus In other words Ọse Tura is a remainder of ancient astrology in Ifa divination 2 The Church of Ifa Nigeria Benin editAccording to William Bascom 9 an indication of the importance of Ifa to the Yoruba religious system as a whole is the fact that the most striking religious syncretisms resulting from European contact are to be found in a church established in Lagos in 1934 the Ijọ Ọ runmila Adulawọ which was founded on the premise that the teachings of Ifa constitute the Yoruba Bible It was also set up in Porto Novo Benin the same year Adebanjo Olorunfunmi OṢIGA founded the Church of Ọ runmila for the Black People Ijọ Ọ runmila Adulawọ in order to create a religious institution comparable to the Protestant churches but grounded on Yoruba culture and mythology He wrotes rules and regulations for the Church of Ifa and ordained pastors of Ifa His teachings include sixteen commandments and a liturgy inspired from the reading of the Book of Common Prayer and of the mythology of Ifa Ọ runmila the first diviner is considered to be the prophet of the church along with Ela Jesus The history of the Ifa Church is a unique example of the moral ritual and institutional process of religious acculturation between Africa and Europe According to Erwan Dianteill 10 the Church of Ifa is still active in 2024 in Nigeria and Benin with around 2000 followers in Lagos Porto Novo and Cotonou International recognition editThe Ifa divination system was added in 2005 by UNESCO to its list of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity 11 Ifa and the African diaspora editIfa in Santeria edit Ifa is used in the Afro Cuban religion of Santeria 12 it is the most complex and prestigious divinatory system used in the religion 13 The two are closely linked sharing the same mythology and conception of the universe 14 although Ifa also has a separate existence from Santeria 15 High priests of Ifa are known as babalawos and although their presence is not essential to Santeria ceremonies they often attend in their capacity as diviners 16 Many santeros are also babalawos 17 although it is not uncommon for babalawos to perceive themselves as being superior to most santeros 18 Traditionally only heterosexual men are allowed to become babalawos 19 although homosexual male babalawos now exist due to the more open policy for Santeria initiates 20 Women are typically prohibited from taking on this role 21 a restriction explained through the story that the oriṣa pronounced orisha or oricha in Spanish Orula was furious that Yemaya his wife had used his tabla divining board and subsequently decided to ban women from ever touching it again 22 In spite of this legend by the early 21st century a small number of women have since been initiated as babalawos 23 Initiation as a babalawo requires a payment to the initiator and is typically regarded as highly expensive 24 The oriṣa of Ifa Orula or Ọ runmila also has a prominent place within Santeria 15 He is believed to oversee divination once an individual is initiated as a babalawo they are given a pot containing various items including palm nuts which is believed to be the literal embodiment of Orula 25 Babalawos provide offerings to Orula including animal sacrifices and gifts of money 26 In Cuba Ifa typically involves the casting of consecrated palm nuts to answer a question The babalawo then interprets the message of the nuts depending on how they have fallen there are 256 possible configurations in the Ifa system which the babalawo is expected to have memorised 27 Individuals approach the babalawo seeking guidance often on financial matters at which the diviner will consult Orula through the established divinatory method 28 In turn those visiting the babalawos pay them for their services 29 Female practitioners have also been reported in Mexico 30 Ifa in Brazil edit Although surviving in Cuban Santeria Ifa did not remain part of a Brazilian religion that owed much to Yoruba traditions Candomble 31 In Candomble dilogun instead forms the primary method of divination employed by its initiates 32 One of the earliest practitioners of Ifa in Brazil was the French ethnographer Pierre Verger who had become a babalawo in West Africa and who was also involved in Candomble 33 As a result of growing links between Brazil and Nigeria in the 1970s various educational efforts to promote understandings of Yoruba culture were established in Brazilian cities This included the Yoruba Culture Research and Study Centre founded in 1977 by Fernandes Portugal and which brought in Nigerian teachers to run a course teaching Ifa 34 The closing ceremony took place in January 1978 attended by 14 students who were granted the status of omo son of Ifa 35 One of these pupils a Candomble initiate named Jose Nilton Vianna Reis Torode de Ogun later went on to become a babalawo nine years later before setting out his own Ifa teaching course in 1984 36 Notable followers editYoshiaki Koshikawa Japanese professor of literature at Meiji University and first Japanese person to be initiated as a babalawo 37 38 Susanne Wenger Austrian artist Patrisse Cullors American co founder of the Black Lives Matter movement 39 Sheyaa Bin Abraham Joseph 21 Savage British American rap artist 40 Xolo Mariduena American actor 41 Iyanla Vanzant American author life and spiritual coach Iyanifa and Priestess of Obatala Ifayẹmi Ọ ṣundagbonu Elebuibon Nigerian writer poet author linguist Wande Abimbola Nigerian academician professor researcher 42 See also editAfrican diaspora religions Babalawo I Ching ancient Chinese method of divination using binary representations Iyalawo Orunmila nbsp Traditional African religion portalReferences editCitations edit Johnson Samuel 1921 History of the Yorubas from the Earliest of Times to the Beginning of the British Protectorate Nigeria Bookshops Lijadu E M Ifa ImọLe Rẹ Ti I Ṣe Ipile Isin Ni Ilẹ Yoruba Ado Ekiti Omolayo Standard Press 1898 1972 Ase Ire What is Ase Ire 1 Archived September 25 2015 at the Wayback Machine Adeẹ kọ Adeleke Writing and Reference in Ifa Divination Chants Oral Tradition 25 no 2 2010 Sixteen major books in Odu Ifa Archived July 2 2008 at the Wayback Machine Karade Baba I 2020 The Handbook of Yoruba Religious Concepts Red Wheel Weiser ISBN 9781578636679 via Google Scholar Dianteill E 2022 Venus Issa and the Moon Dog International Journal of Divination and Prognostication 3 2 125 170 doi https doi org 10 1163 25899201 12340025 Bascom William 1969 Ifa Communication between Gods and Men in West Africa Indianapolis Indiana University Press p 12 ISBN 978 0 253 32890 8 Dianteill Erwan 2024 L Oracle et le Temple De la geomancie medievale a l Eglise d Ifa Nigeria Benin Les editions Labor amp Fides in French Retrieved 2024 02 28 Ifa Divination System Retrieved 5 July 2017 Hagedorn 2001 p 104 Holbraad 2012 p 90 Fernandez Olmos amp Paravisini Gebert 2011 p 70 Holbraad 2005 p 233 Holbraad 2012 p 90 a b Hagedorn 2001 p 104 Hagedorn 2001 pp 104 105 Holbraad 2012 p 90 Hagedorn 2001 p 105 Wirtz 2007 p ix Holbraad 2005 pp 233 234 Holbraad 2005 p 234 Holbraad 2012 p 90 Perez y Mena 1998 p 20 Wedel 2004 p 157 Fernandez Olmos amp Paravisini Gebert 2011 p 61 Fernandez Olmos amp Paravisini Gebert 2011 pp 52 53 Clark 2005 p 63 Holbraad 2005 pp 235 236 Holbraad 2012 pp 90 91 Holbraad 2005 p 237 238 Wedel 2004 p 92 Holbraad 2012 p 91 Holbraad 2005 p 234 Holbraad 2005 pp 234 235 Papenfuss 2023 p 390 Hayes 2007 p 303 Capone 2010 p 43 Capone 2010 p 43 Hayes 2007 p 303 Capone 2010 pp 239 240 Capone 2010 p 240 Capone 2010 pp 240 241 Faculty Database Koshikawa Yoshiaki 運命は自分で切り開くもの 精霊 オリチャ から欲しいエネルギーを得て 2019年を良い年に The Role of Spirit in the BlackLivesMatter Movement A Conversation with Activist and Artist Patrisse Cullors 24 June 2015 ATLANTA RAPPER 21 SAVAGE PRACTICES THE IFA RELIGION 5 August 2016 A Cobra Kai actor practices a religion that predicts the future Market Research Telecast 2022 01 03 Retrieved 2022 02 28 Baba Wande Abimbola Parliament of the World s Religions parliamentofreligions org Retrieved 2023 09 21 Sources edit Capone Stefania 2010 Searching for Africa in Brazil Power and Tradition in Candomble Translated by Lucy Lyall Grant Durham and London Duke University Press ISBN 978 0 8223 4636 4 Clark Mary Ann 2005 Where Men Are Wives And Mothers Rule Santeria Ritual Practices and their Gender Implications Gainesville University Press of Florida ISBN 978 0813028347 Fernandez Olmos Margarite Paravisini Gebert Lizabeth 2011 Creole Religions of the Caribbean An Introduction from Vodou and Santeria to Obeah and Espiritismo second ed New York and London New York University Press ISBN 978 0 8147 6228 8 Hagedorn Katherine J 2001 Divine Utterances The Performance of Afro Cuban Santeria Washington D C Smithsonian Books ISBN 978 1560989479 Hayes Kelly E 2007 Black Magic and the Academy Macumba and Afro Brazilian Orthodoxies History of Religions 46 4 283 31 JSTOR 10 1086 518811 Holbraad Martin 2005 Expending Multiplicity Money in Cuban Ifa Cults The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute 11 2 231 254 doi 10 1111 j 1467 9655 2005 00234 x JSTOR 3804208 Holbraad Martin 2012 Truth Beyond Doubt Ifa Oracles in Havana HAU Journal of Ethnographic Theory 2 1 81 109 doi 10 14318 hau2 1 006 S2CID 143785826 Papenfuss Maria 2023 Santeria in Catemaco Mexico Hybrid Re Configurations of Religious Meaning and Practice Interdisciplinary Journal for Religion and Transformation in Contemporary Society 9 375 94 doi 10 30965 23642807 bja10044 Perez y Mena Andres I 1998 Cuban Santeria Haitian Vodun Puerto Rican Spiritualism A Multiculturalist Inquiry into Syncretism Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 37 1 15 27 doi 10 2307 1388026 JSTOR 1388026 Wedel Johan 2004 Santeria Healing A Journey into the Afro Cuban World of Divinities Spirits and Sorcery Gainesville University Press of Florida ISBN 978 0 8130 2694 7 Wirtz Kristina 2007 Ritual Discourse and Community in Cuban Santeria Speaking a Sacred World Gainesville University Press of Florida ISBN 978 0 8130 3064 7 Further reading editChief FAMA Fundamentals of the Yoruba Religion Orisa Worship ISBN 0 9714949 0 8 works self published through her company Chief FAMA Practitioners Handbook for the Ifa Professional ISBN 0 9714949 3 2 Chief FAMA Fundamentos de la Religion Yoruba Adorando Orisa ISBN 0 9714949 6 7 Fama Chief 1994 Sixteen mythological stories of Ifa Itan Ifa mẹ rindinlogun San Bernardino CA Ile Ọ runmila Communications ISBN 9780964424722 Chief FAMA FAMA S EDE AWO Orisa Yoruba Dictionary ISBN 0 9644247 8 9 Chief FAMA The Rituals novela ISBN 0 9644247 7 0 Awo Fasina Falade Ifa The Key to Its Understanding ISBN 0 9663132 3 2 Chief Adedoja Aluko The Sixteen 16 Major Odu Ifa from Ile Ife ISBN 978 37376 6 X Chief S Solagbade Popoola library INC Ifa Dida Vol 1 EjiOgbe Orangun Meji ISBN 978 0 9810013 1 9 Chief S Solagbade Popoola library INC Ifa Dida Vol 2 Ogbe Oyeku Ogbe Ofun ISBN 978 1 926538 12 9 Chief S Solagbade Popoola amp Fakunle Oyesanya Ikunle Abiyamo The ASE of Motherhood ISBN 978 09810013 0 2 C Osamaro Ibie Ifism the Complete Works of Orunmila ISBN 1 890157 05 8 William R Bascom Ifa Divination Communication Between Gods and Men in West Africa ISBN 0 253 20638 3 William R Bascom Sixteen Cowries Yoruba Divination from Africa to the New World ISBN 0 253 20847 5 Rosenthal J Possession Ecstasy amp Law in Ewe Voodoo ISBN 0 8139 1805 7 Maupoil Bernard La Geomancie L ancienne Cote des Esclaves Alapini Julien Les noix sacrees Etude complete de Fa Ahidegoun genie de la sagesse et de la divination au Dahomey Dr Ron Eglash 1997 American Anthropologist Recursion in ethnomathematics Chaos Theory in West African divination Babalawo Ifatunwase Tratados Enciclopedicos de Ifa Coleccion Alafunde ISBN 978 0 9810387 04 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ifa amp oldid 1218943869, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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