It is also practiced under the name of ifa by descendants of yoruba slaves in cuba bascom, 1952. Bascoms landmark study of ifa, the most important and elaborate system of divination of the yoruba people of nigeria, remains a monumental contribution to scholarship in anthropology, folklore, religion, philosophy, linguistics, and african and africanamerican studies. Ifa says that there was a traditional family business which had been abandoned. Till these day, the ifa priests are located over the yorubaland. Communication between gods and men in west africa is discussed. Ifa divination the yoruba people of southwestern nigeria possess a highly complex divination system called ifa. Divination is an incredibly rich area for anthropological researchin fact, i would argue that there is no richer ethnography of a culture than the study of its divination system. He also mentions numerous famous or infamous people associated with divination.
The ifa divination system is a set of divination acts done by a professional that has been granted authority a babalawo to create and make use of set of rules to communicate with the gods so as. Ifa divination is extremely important in the practice of yoruba traditional religion. This is your chance to work with someone who is not only an orisa lifestyle practitioner and a counselor but also a personal mentor and professional consultant who offers many levels of coaching, consulting and training for educators, human services. The orunmila barami agbonmiregun, the world ifa festival was held saturday june 67, 2015 at oketase the ile ifa agbaye world ifa temple, ileife. Start by marking ifa dida an invitation to ifa divination, volume 1 as want to read.
Ifa divination system intangible heritage culture sector. This is the first iphoneipod touchipad ifa divination application in the world. Bascom, 9780253206381, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Communication between gods and men in west africa bloomington. Ifa divination communication between gods and men in west africa by william w. It reminds me of something one of my mentors often said when he was teaching me the ifa spiritual tradition. There is no information regard each odu message, meaning, how to read the signm subsigns if you want to understand how the meridilogun works, it is not here. Ifa dida an invitation to ifa divination, volume 1 goodreads. Read unlimited books and audiobooks on the web, ipad, iphone and android. The sacred texts of ifa, repository of the accumulated wisdom of countless generations of yoruba people, are an invaluable source not only for all students of african oral literature and yoruba civilization, but also for future generations interested in the continuing vitality of.
Ifa says that you need to go back to this business. Nov 27, 2017 of all the methods of divination employed by the yoruba, ifa divination is considered the most reliable, and the most popular means of divination bascom 1969. Pdf a comparative study of ifa divination and computer. Not only this, but you need to observe the warnings contained in your odu. Speaking to this, umeh has specified that afa is a mystery tongue of the dibia, unknown to all save those admitted to the requisite afa mysteries that require the afa languageit is the very language which the igbos believe the gods, goddesses and other spirits speak umeh 1999. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. Ifa is a system of divination based on sixteen basic and 256 derivative figures odu obtained either by the manipulation of sixteen palm nuts ikin, or by the toss of a chain o. Illustrations 2000 poems in ifa divination by william bascom. Divination plays a crucial role in the ancient yoruba traditional religion of ifaorisa. Within the oral corpus of the ifa divination and worship system resides the soul and beating heart of the yoruba people as a whole. Students and practitioners of yoruba ifa orisa religion are now able to listen to and read ifa chanting, carry all 256 ifa verses and a virtual ifa divination chain opele in their mobile devices in the palm of their hands. To the ancient african mind, animals, plants and human beings were part of one large family. The doorway is draped with palm fronds indicating that it is the home of the leader of ilas ifa priests. Bascom s landmark study of ifa, the most important and elaborate system of divination of the yoruba people of nigeria, remains a monumental contribution to scholarship in anthropology, folklore, religion, philosophy, linguistics, and african and africanamerican studies.
The oponifa ifa divination tray, has the head ori or north, furthest from the diviner. The sacred texts of ifa, repository of the accumulated wisdom of countless generations of yoruba people, are an invaluable source not only for all students of african oral literature and yoruba civilization, but also for future generations interested in the continuing vitality of ifa divination and a yoruba way of life and thought. During this ritual i was to receive my guardian orisha, or patron spirit. The 256 odu signatures of ifa and the thousands of eseverses they contain, comprise all of the science, cosmology, metaphysics, medicine and wisdom held within that sacred ground. In addition eledumare gave orunmila the circular, the rectangualr and the triangular ifa trays opon ifa. What is the importance of an ifa yearly 2019 divination. Ifa helps repair imperfect ori and helps the individual stay in. Dafa ifa divination ifa divination gives a clear and precise look into the energies that are involved in any given situation and also provides answers and solutions for how to deal with any given circumstance that can occur in the universe. Bascom papers, 19331981 banc mss 82163 c 1 finding aid to the william r.
Divination is spoken of as casting ifa dafa, da ifa, using the verb that describes throwing corn to chickens or tossing out water. This years world ifa festival was attended by thousands of. Communication between gods and men in west africa isbn 0253206383 william r. The marks made at the end of the day look like broken intermittent lines and these are symbols of the odu, thrown up by the opele ifa divination string. The paper establishes that ifa trays from isaleoyo bear distinctive features when compared with other ifa trays in yorubaland such as those of ijebu and osogbo. The fon and ewe acknowledge as its place of origin the yoruba city of ife, from which the yoruba themselves claim it has spread. His grandfather, it turned out, was william bascoms informant for the book ifa divination, and afolabi was not keen on ethnographers. However in despite bascom had made a greate job in ifa divination, here, i dont agree.
In this article i will talk about the role of the client asking ifa questions during divination. Ifa divination may be practiced more widely than is indicated above. Students and practitioners of yorubaifaorisa religion are now able to listen to and read ifa chanting, carry all 256 ifa verses and a virtual ifa divination chain opele in their mobile devices in the palm of their hands. One may also determine whether the prayers and offerings presented to the divine forces are both heard and accepted. Yoruba divination from africa to the new world isbn 0253208475. Ifa also says that you should consider getting initiated so as to be comfortable in life. Ifa divination 9780253206381, 9780253114655 vitalsource. Candidate in religious studies at boston university and folasade woodbine have created this website to provide a support network and forum for all students and practitioners of yoruba ifa orisa religion, to learn and discuss ifa divination. This festival celebrates the new year for all the traditional yoruba practitioners. Ifa in yoruba thought system carolina academic press. Divination systems 2005 university of metaphysical sciences 2 divination methods are covered, the author attempts to give full explanations of each and how they are done.
The kamuku and gbari or gwari are neighboring peoples in niger province, northern nigeria. Of all the methods of divination employed by the yoruba, ifa divination is considered the most reliable, and the most popular means of divination bascom 1969. There are some charts, illustrations and photographs. Note that on the rim of the opon ifa divination board the face of esu eshu appears twice, although more often than not it appears a single time. Osun and the origins of the ifa divination wande abimbola y ifa divination we mean ifa and related systems of divination based on the stories and symbols of the odu such as dida owo divination with the sacred divining chain called opele.
Asking ifa questions during divination is important in order for you to fully comprehend the message being given. A ifa yearly divination deals with what you need to do for the the up and coming year to be balanced and successful in business, health, family, finances etc. A survey of the documentation of the william russell bascom collection at the. Save up to 80% by choosing the etextbook option for isbn. Afolabi allowed me neither tape recorder, camera, or notebook, saying i would have to rely on memory to reconstruct the event. Yoruba priests of ifa are known as babalawo fathers of secrets. His grandfather, it turned out, was william bascom s informant for the book ifa divination, and afolabi was not keen on ethnographers. We regularly use divination in our day to day lives to receive guidance and advice from ifa and the orishas. When we break the rules of nature, nature breaks us, he told me. This business would enhance your chances for success. Ifa is a central feature of yoruba religion, culture, and society, and it constitutes a main source for their knowledge, cosmology, and belief system.
Pdf a comparative study of ifa divination and computer science. Other writings include african arts 1967 and the yoruba of southwestern nigeria 1969. Communication between gods and men in west africa midland book, mb 638 9780253206381. The ifa divination system, which makes use of an extensive corpus of texts and mathematical formulas, is practiced among yoruba communities and by the african diaspora in the americas and the caribbean. Ifa divination communication between gods and men in west africa r wlbtiam bascm indiana university press bloomington london copyright. The two earliest known descriptions of ifa divination among the yoruba date from the same year. Bascom papers, 19331981 finding aid written by bancroft library staff the bancroft library university of california, berkeley. It is worse than burglary, for one to be so richly endowed, and for one not to. Trained from their youth in the rituals of divination, they are masters of a vast corpus of oral literature known as ese ifa often referred to as containing the wisdom of ifa. In a very real sense, as the yoruba of nigeria explicitly state about their system of ifa, a divination system constitutes a peoples book of knowledge wherein.
It is through divination that we find out if you should receive an initiation, or whether a cleansing or offering to the egguns or an oricha is what a person needs. The word ifa refers to the mystical figure ifa or orunmila, regarded by the yoruba as the deity of wisdom and intellectual development. Ifa divination definition of ifa divination by medical. Candidate in religious studies at boston university and folasade woodbine have created this website to provide a support network and forum for all students and practitioners of yorubaifaorisa religion, to learn and discuss ifa divination. The series provides scholarly and educational texts that can serve both as ref. Orunmila is identified as the grand priest, as he is who revealed divinity and prophecy to the world. We greet you all in the name of olodumare, orunmila and all other orisa. Ifa divination ifa is the oracle of maximum importance to practitioners of orisa lifestyle. Purchase ifa divination app at itunes store ifa divination. The meridilogun is based in odu interpretation not only in verses. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. It is through casting the oracle that noninitiates and priests alike can determine the wishes of their ori, the ancestors and the orisa. Communication between gods and men in west africa 1969, clarified the yoruba divination system, which is orally transmitted by ifa priests to apprentices.
The publisher has supplied this book in encrypted form, which means that you need to install free. Osun and the origins of the ifa divination wande abimbola y ifa divination we mean ifa and related systems of divination based on the stories and symbols of the odu such as dida owo divination with the sacred divining chain called opele and et. I, 47 reports cryptically that the ibo of eastern nigeria also have the wellknown palm nut divination. Orunmila the capsule of divination, which he swallows eagerly. Virtually everything we do in the religion revolves around some form of divination. In divination rites the babalawo always sits opposite an open door or window assuring a freedom of communication between the rites of divination and the realm of spiritual powers. Pdf 1ifadivinationwilliambascomenglishcomplete ubiratan. In addition eledumare gave orunmila the circular, the rectangualr and the triangular ifa trays opon. Ifa divination, knowledge, power, and performance provides an invaluable glimpse into the richness of indigenous african spiritualities, even when they are transmitted into new geocultural environments as africanderived religiosities.
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