LibGuides: African Traditional Religions: Ifa: Appendix D: The 256 Odu (2023)

FAQs

What is the Ifa religion in Africa? ›

Ifa is a faith and divination system with its roots in Olori's family's ancestral homeland, Yorubaland. The region now encompasses the nations of Benin, Togo and Ghana and parts of Nigeria. Like some other religions, Ifa includes magic, the use of traditional medicines and veneration of the dead.

In the Kawaida tradition, odu is translated as “baskets of sacred wisdom.” Thus, the Odu Ifa contains the “baskets of sacred wisdom of Ifa.” This reading is based on the Ifa creation narrative in which Olodumare, God, gives divine and human beings baskets of sacred wisdom to make the world good.

Ifá is the native knowledge and belief system of the Yoruba. The practice of Ifá them predates historical records. Before the colonial period, the Yorùbá developed practices and institutions that make Ifá revolve around the reality of Yorubaland, and how the human inhabitants relate with that reality.

Followers of the Yoruba religion believe that a single omnipotent deity named Olodumare (or Olorun) rules over the universe. Olodumare is also referred to by other names, including Oluwa (Lord) and Orise (the source of all things), but has no gender.

Such are Obatala, whom Olorun begot, and to whom he has handed over the management of the firmament and the earth; Shango, the thunder-god; Ogun, god of iron; Shankpanna, the small-pox god; Edshu, god of strife and bringer of the Ifa oracle to men.

Ifa divination is practiced by the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria and West Africa. The exact origin of Ifa divination is unknown, but it appears to pre-date Christianity and Islam in West Africa and it continues to be an important part of Yoruba culture in Nigeria and for Africans in America.

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Ifa teaches that if there is balance and harmony between the Forces of Heaven and Earth, those who dwell upon the Earth will experience good health, gain wisdom, live in peace and receive abundance.

How do you greet an Ifa priest? ›

Orunmila mo pe, Orunmila mo pe, Orunmila mo pe.

Spirit of Destiny I am greeting you, Spirit of Destiny I am greeting you, Spirit of Destiny I am greeting you.

Oshun is the Spirit of the river in the West African religious tradition called Ifá. The word Oshun is the name given to describe a complex convergence of Spiritual Forces that are key elements in the Ifá concept of fertility and the erotic.

The Yoruba believe in Atunwa, the possibility of reincarnation within the family. The names Babatunde (father returns), Yetunde (Mother returns), Babatunji (Father wakes once again) and Sotunde (The wise man returns) all offer vivid evidence of the Ifa concept of familial or lineal rebirth.

This work is a collection of different moments she experienced during her 10 day journey and 7 day initiation ceremony.

Iyanifa means Mother of Wisdom or Mother of Ifa. It is the position of the High Priestess in the Ifa Orisha tradition .

The Yoruba are one of the more religiously diverse ethnic groups in Africa. Many Yoruba people practice Christianity under various denominations while others are Muslims practicing mostly under Sunni Islam of the Maliki school of law.

Christianity came first to the continent of Africa in the 1st or early 2nd century AD. Oral tradition says the first Muslims appeared while the prophet Mohammed was still alive (he died in 632). Thus both religions have been on the continent of Africa for over 1,300 years.

Olorun (Yoruba alphabet: Ọlọrun) is the ruler of (or in) the Heavens in the Yoruba religion. The Supreme God or Supreme Being in the Yoruba pantheon, Olorun is also called Olodumare (Yoruba alphabet: Olódùmarè).

Sango is regarded as the most powerful god in Africa and one of the most popular gods around the world. He is the god of vengeance, protection, social order and more.

Many religions see God as transcendent or immanent dimension, but in African traditional concept, 'He is both transcendent and immanent'. He dwells inside human souls and He is also beyond any reach. People cannot even appreciate Him fully in their imagination.

What do the beads mean in Ifa religion? ›

Aaliyah Rapping. Junior Jeremiah Scott, who practices the African religion Ifa, wears his eleke beads around his neck which give him protection. Scott's beads mean life, protection, and his god, Oshun.

Jesus Culture is a Christian revivalist youth-oriented organization that was formed at the Bethel Church of Redding, California, in the United States. Jesus Culture Ministry hosts conferences and operates a record label, Jesus Culture Music. In 2013, Jesus Culture moved to plant a church in Sacramento.

Islam shares a number of beliefs with Christianity. They share similar views on judgment, heaven, hell, spirits, angels, and a future resurrection. Jesus is acknowledged as the greatest prophet and venerated as a saint by Muslims.

The three religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam readily fit the definition of monotheism, which is to worship one god while denying the existence of other gods. But, the relationship of the three religions is closer than that: They claim to worship the same god.

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The language of Ifa is liturgical Yoruba (ofo ase), a language used among diviners to express transcendent ideas. Many of the words used in Ifa have a tonal resonance used to access the power of Spirit.

Does orisha believe in God? ›

There are five levels in the cosmology: Orisha worshipers believe in a creator who is called Olodumare or Olorun (God), the Orishas, human beings, human ancestors, and the lowest group, plants and animals.

Orishas (singular: orisha) are spirits or gods that play a key role in the Yoruba religion of West Africa and several religions of the African diaspora that derive from it, such as Cuban, Dominican and Puerto Rican Santería and Brazilian Candomblé.

Orisha spirits, also referred to as gods, are the messengers of Oludumare, communicating through possession during spiritual rituals such as the feast. Yoruba categorizes the orisha into several categories: “Cool,” temperate, calm gods. “Hot,” temperamental gods. The spirits of great ancestors, humans who became gods.

In treating their clients, babalawos use divining, sacrifices, herbal therapeutic, dances, invoking the gods (orisa) and ancestor worships. By doing these, they help clients to manage their lives and live in harmony in their community.

An Apetibi is considered a wife of Orunmila or a Babalawo. An apetibi is not initiated into the mysteries of Ifa and has not received Itefa or itelodu levels of initiation.

Gbe rere ko ni olu-gbe-rere. The Great One who gives good things, the Great One who gives good things, the Great One who gives good things. Give me good things from the Great One who gives good things.

Goddess Africa, also known as Dea Africa, was the personification of Africa by the Romans in the early centuries of the common era. She was one of the fertility and abundance deities to some. Her iconography typically included an elephant-mask head dress, a cornucopia, a military standard, and a lion.

Oshun, also spelled Osun, an orisha (deity) of the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria. Oshun is commonly called the river orisha, or goddess, in the Yoruba religion and is typically associated with water, purity, fertility, love, and sensuality.

Many animal symbols have been attached to Oshun including the peacock, the skunk, and the vulture for their various good qualities.

Reincarnation (Punarjanma) is a central tenet of the Indian religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism; as well as certain Paganist religious groups, although there are Hindu and Buddhist groups who do not believe in reincarnation, instead believing in an afterlife.

What religion is against reincarnation? ›

However, the different eastern religions like Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism have differed in their faith on rebirth. Further, the Islam as well as the most dominant religion of the world, Christianity, having its origin in the west, have largely denied reincarnation, though some sub-sects still show interest in it.

The modern Igbo of Nigeria, even when adhering to the Christian religion, have preserved many features of Igbo traditional religion. The belief in reincarnation seems to be particularly strong. The Igbo believe that reincarnation usually occurs within the same immediate or extend- ed family.

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In contrast to other forms of divination in the region that employ spirit mediumship, Ifa divination does not rely on a person having oracular powers but rather on a system of signs that are interpreted by a diviner, the Ifa priest or babalawo, literally “the priest's father”.

Ifa is a central feature of Yorùbá religion, culture, and society, and it constitutes a main source for their knowledge, cosmology, and belief system. Ifa refers to both the divination practice and the Yorùbá god of divination, also called Ọrunmila.

Yemonja, also spelled Yemoja or Yemaja, Yoruban deity celebrated as the giver of life and as the metaphysical mother of all orisha (deities) within the Yoruba spiritual pantheon.

Obatalá is the source of all that is pure, wise peaceful and compassionate. He has a warrior side though through which he enforces justice in the world. His color is white which is often accented with red, purple and other colors to represent his/her different paths.

Yoruban religion is centuries older than Christianity. It crossed the Atlantic with the slave ships, and it evolved into Macumba, Condomble, santeria and voodoo. Yorubans worship one Supreme Being called Olorun, who rules the universe.

Ifa teaches that if there is balance and harmony between the Forces of Heaven and Earth, those who dwell upon the Earth will experience good health, gain wisdom, live in peace and receive abundance. It is when these forces come into conflict, that life generates illness, confusion, violence and scarcity.

Ifa divination is practiced by the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria and West Africa. The exact origin of Ifa divination is unknown, but it appears to pre-date Christianity and Islam in West Africa and it continues to be an important part of Yoruba culture in Nigeria and for Africans in America.

What is Ifa used for? ›

IFA is an assay which uses fluorescent microscopy to detect antibodies to specific antigenic material. This test is often used to confirm positive results obtained by ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay) or MFIA® (Multiplexed Fluorometric ImmunoAssay®).

Native African religions are centered on ancestor worship, the belief in a spirit world, supernatural beings and free will (unlike the later developed concept of faith). Deceased humans (and animals or important objects) still exist in the spirit world and can influence or interact with the physical world.

The Story of Africa| BBC World Service. Christianity came first to the continent of Africa in the 1st or early 2nd century AD. Oral tradition says the first Muslims appeared while the prophet Mohammed was still alive (he died in 632). Thus both religions have been on the continent of Africa for over 1,300 years.

The word Hindu is an exonym, and while Hinduism has been called the oldest religion in the world, many practitioners refer to their religion as Sanātana Dharma (Sanskrit: सनातन धर्म, lit.

Odu may mean a main heading or chapter, a scepter, or authority. When it is used as an adjective, it means large, extensive, and full. Thus, when the Yoruba say “odu re kun”—one's odu is full—it means one has blessings in abundance.

Many religions see God as transcendent or immanent dimension, but in African traditional concept, 'He is both transcendent and immanent'. He dwells inside human souls and He is also beyond any reach. People cannot even appreciate Him fully in their imagination.

African spirituality is a holistic concept that stemmed from the historical, cultural and religious heritage of Africa, and includes among others, folktales, beliefs, rituals and culture.

Africa is a massive continent with diverse religious traditions, to the extent that within the same tradition there have been variations. The three main religious traditions—African traditional religion, Christianity, and Islam—constitute the triple religious heritage of the African continent.

The Araba is the Chief Priest of Ifa, a traditional Yoruba religion, of the town of Modakeke, Nigeria.

In treating their clients, babalawos use divining, sacrifices, herbal therapeutic, dances, invoking the gods (orisa) and ancestor worships. By doing these, they help clients to manage their lives and live in harmony in their community.

What is Orisha worship? ›

Orisha worshipers believe that the spirit lives on after death and may return as a reincarnated being. Many beliefs and practices are respectfully secreted from non-believers.