Ifá

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This article is about a system of divination from West Africa. For other uses, see IFA.

Note, this is only one version of the order, and can vary depending on region


Sixteen Principal Odu
Name 1 2 3 4
Ogbe I I I I
Oyẹku II II II II
Iwori II I I II
Odi I II II I
Irosun I I II II
Iwọnrin II II I I
Ọbara I II II II
Ọkanran II II II I
Ogunda I I I II
Ọsa II I I I
Ika II I II II
Oturupọn II II I II
Otura I II I I
Irẹtẹ I I II I
Ọsẹ I II I II
Ofun II I II I
Sixteen Principal Afa-du
(Yeveh Vodoun)
Name 1 2 3 4
Gbe-Meji I I I I
Yeku-Meji II II II II
Woli-Meji II I I II
Di-Meji I II II I
Abla-Meji I II II II
Akla-Meji II II II I
Loso-Meji I I II II
Wele-Meji II II I I
Guda-Meji I I I II
Sa-Meji II I I I
Lete-Meji I I II I
Tula-Meji I II I I
Turukpe-Meji II II I II
ka-Maji II I II II
Ce-Meji I II I II
Fu-Meji II I II I

Ifá is a system of divination that originated in West Africa among the Yoruba ethnic groups. It is also practiced among believers in Lucumi, (sometimes referred to as Santería), Candomblé, West African & Diaspora Vodoun, and similarly transplanted Orisa'Ifa lineages in the New World. In Togo, it is known as Afa, where the Vodou deities come through and speak. In many of their Egbes, it is Alaundje who is honored as the first Bokono to have been taught how to divine the destiny of humans using the holy system of Afa. Interestingly enough, the Ewe spelling “Afa ” is also a sacred Dravidian (Tamul, Afro-Elamite) word meaning “breath, or spirit of life” (Massey, 1994 p. 245). The Ifa Divination system was added in 2005 by UNESCO to its list of "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity".


The Yoruba divination system enabled diviners to invoke Orunmila, the Yoruba deity of wisdom, prophecy and ethics. Esu (Eshu), who is in charge of spiritual justice, as well as the god directly in charge of transportation of ebos, lends his authority or ase to the oracle for the purpose of clarifying the future and providing direction to those seeking guidance. Ifa divination rites provide an avenue of communication between the spirit world and that of the living.

Performing Ifa divination is called idafa (or dida owo and ounte ale). Idafa is performed only by a Babalawo (an initiated priest). Babalawo is can be translated as "father of the secrets". There are a variety of palm nuts that are available, but only specific kinds may be used for Ifa divination and must have at least 3 "eyes" or more. The palm nuts are grouped in one hand, then the diviner attempts to shift them all to his/her other hand at once, and counts the remaining Ikin left, hopefully to discover that either one or two remain. (Odu, which are the foundation of the binary data, can only be marked with either one or two palm nuts, remaining in the diviner's original hand. As this process goes on, the diviner marks single or double marks in wood powder spread on his divination tray until he or she has created one of the 256 odus that are available.

Each of these odus is associated with a traditional set of Ese (verses), often relating to Yoruba mythology, which explain their divinatory meaning. These verses represent thousands of years of observation and are filled with predictions, and both mundane and spiritual prescriptions that resolve issues found in that Odu. Within Ifa, Believers find all the knowledge of the world past present and future.

After obtaining the Odu that governs a situation or event, the diviner then determines whether the Odu comes with Ire (which is poorly translated to mean good luck) or Ibi (which could be viewed as obstacles or impediments to success). After this process the diviner now determined appropriate offerings, spiritual disclipines and/or behavioral changes necessary to bring, keep or compel success for the person receiving divinatory counsel.

Contents

[edit] Odu Ifa

There are sixteen major Odu, when combined there are total of 256 Odu that govern all situations, all circumstances and all actions and consequences in life. These form the basic of Yoruba spiritual knowledge and the foundation of all Yoruba divination systems.

Reading Odu signature is fairly easy. Where I is an odd count or a "heads" result, and II is an even count or a "tails" result, the sixteen basic patterns and their Yoruba names are set forth in the sidebar (please not this is only one way of ordering them, this changes depending on area within Nigeria, or the diaspora. An alternative order used in Ibadan, and Cuba is: Ejiogbe, Oyekun meji, Iwori Meji, Idi Meji, Irosun Meji, Oworin Meji, Obara Meji, Okanran Meji, Ogunda Meji, Osa Meji, Ika Meji, Oturupon Meji, Otura Meji, Irete Meji, Oshe Meji, Ofun Meji. Heepa Odu! This is important to note as it changes the outcomes of certain parts of the reading).

The babalawo recites a series of proverbs and stories from the Ifa poetry that go with that choice. The final interpretation is made by the person seeking guidance, who decides how the verses that the babalawo has recited should be applied to the problem at hand. (This may be one style, however other schools of thought with Ifa have the Diviner interpreting what Ifa says and not simply chanting and leaving it to the client) Though the number of symbols is different, the Chinese I Ching divination system also bears some resemblance to Ifa divination. Like the Chinese I Ching, Ifa combines a large body of wisdom literature with a system for selecting the appropriate passages from it. Unlike the I Ching, however, Ifa poetry is not written down but passed down orally from one babalawo to another. Today, there are many texts that are designed to help Babalawos to learn and retain the huge corpus of knowledge. Additionally, Odu Ifa is different from iChing in that it is considered to come from a specific divinity and only trained, initiated priests are allowed to divine and interpret within this system.

[edit] Vocabulary

Akapo. This is another name for a Babalawo, that refers to the practice of the Babalawos of carrying a bag (akapo in yoruba) with their divining instruments.

  • Iyanifa. Female Ifa Priest
  • Bokono. Male Priest of Afa/Vodoun (has nothing to do with Ifa)
  • Amengansie. Female priestess of Afa/Vodoun
  • Dida Owo. casting cowrie shells.
  • Ohunte Ale. Inscribing or marking Odu on the Opon Ifa
  • Opon Ifa. Divining tray
  • Orunmila. Prophet that developed and spread Ifa divination system. Now considered a deified Ancestor (Orisa) that embodies principles of Ifa.
  • Orisa. Primordial energies from which all living things emanate; The Deities that represent various manifestations of God, Olodumare.
  • Iya Nla. Ìyá àgbà, The bearded woman, the Womb of Creation, Womb of existence, the fearful power, the Mother of the closed calabash, the Mother of the gourd, who teach humankind through Awon Iya Wa how to acquire the cosmic knowledge to understand life, balance and the harmony on their life.
  • Irunmole. The Primordial deities, first sent to earth to make the world habitable for humankind, also the full spectrum of deities (Orisa) created by Olodumare (the Creator) for worship and veneration numbering 400+1 as an infinite number of natures manifestation and recreation.
  • Dafa. means to cast Ikin Ifa (sacared holy palm kernel) for divination purpose and divine direction in life
  • Apetebii. is the wife of a Babalawo AND / OR the wife of a Babalawo Ikin Ifa, she is one of the few titled positions within the Yoruba tradition and holds an important position within the tradition and culture, she will assist her husband in the worship and appeasement of his Ifa, and help to teach children the fundaments of worshipping Ifa as a philosophy. This is not simply a title, but has accompanying initiations that must be performed to hold this title.
  • Ayafa. very similar to the Apetebi and can also be Apetebi, but this wife is often "married" to the Ifa of a Babalawo and can also be married to another man, or even a female child before marriage age or the girl child of a Babalawo who by "marrying" to Ifa, this is a symbolic ceremony and will convey certain blessing and protection to the female.

[edit] Names

Ifa priests and worshippers among the Yoruba people or those who believe in Ifa bear names related with Ifa, typically, but not necessarily, begin with the word, ‘Ifa’, like Ifadairo, Ifabiyi, Ifadare, Ifabunmi, etc. The first "I" in these names may be omitted to form Fadairo, Fabiyi, Fadare, Fabunmi, Falola, etc. The prefix "Awo" is also used in names ascribing Ifa or its priesthood - Awolalu, Awodele, Awolowo, Awosika, etc.

[edit] Resources

  • Chief FAMA Fundamentals of the Yoruba Religion (Orisa Worship) ISBN 0971494908
  • Chief FAMA Practitioners' Handbook for the Ifa Professional ISBN 0971494932
  • Chief FAMA Fundamentos de la Religion Yoruba (Adorando Orisa) ISBN 0971494967
  • Chief FAMA Sixteen Mythological Stories of Ifa (Itan Ifa Merindinlogun) ISBN 096442472X
  • Chief FAMA FAMA'S EDE AWO (Orisa Yoruba Dictionary) ISBN 0964424789
  • Chief FAMA The Rituals (novela) ISBN 0964424770
  • Awo Fasina Falade Ifa: The Key to Its Understanding ISBN 0966313232
  • Chief Adedoja Aluko The Sixteen (16) Major Odu Ifa from Ile-Ife ISBN 978373766X
  • C. Osamaro Ibie Ifism the Complete Works of Orunmila ISBN 1890157058
  • William R. Bascom: Ifa Divination: Communication Between Gods and Men in West Africa ISBN 0253206383
  • William R. Bascom: Sixteen Cowries: Yoruba Divination from Africa to the New World ISBN 0253208475
  • Awo Fa'Lokun Fatunmbi Awo: Ifa & the Theology of Orisha Divination ISBN 0942272242
  • Iyanifa Ileana S. Alcamo "The Challenge growing within the Orisa Community" ISBN 1890157317
  • Hunter-Hindrew, Mamaissii V. Mami Wata: Africa's Ancient God/dess Unveiled. 2nd Edition." ISBN 0-9716245-4-2
  • 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
  • Iyalaja Ileana Alcamo (2007). The Source Iya Nla Primordial Yoruba Mother,Athelia Henrietta Press, Inc.

ISBN 1-890157-41-4

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If%C3%A1"
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