Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Before we start we must look at the history of each of the groups who have
attempted to consolidate IFA, all have failed. The principal reason for this is that
IFA is different in the many cultures, countries, regions, languages. Many in
traditional IFA insist that IFA is universal, in some ways it is, yet in many others it
is not. Even in Nigeria, there are major differences, for example Ode Remo does
not recognize the female Iyanifa, while other States do. Most of Cuba does not,
Brazil does. Many do not recognize the ogboni outside of Nigeria. In Cuba no ile ifa
can be started unless the Baba Awo has received Olofin. Gays are accepted
throughout the Diaspora in Orisha worship, but not as priests of Orunmila, nor are
they accepted in most of Nigeria. There are many differences; the training is
different throughout the world.
Antes de empezar hay que mirar la historia de cada uno de los grupos que han
intentado consolidar IFA, todos han fracasado. La razón principal de esto es que la
IFA es diferente en las diversas culturas, países, regiones, idiomas. Muchos en
tradicional IFA IFA insisten en que es universal, en cierto modo, es, sin embargo,
en muchos otros no lo es. Incluso en Nigeria, existen grandes diferencias, por
ejemplo Ode Remo no reconoce la hembra Iyanifa, mientras que otros Estados lo
hacen. La mayor parte de Cuba no lo hace, lo hace Brasil. Muchos no reconocen el
exterior Ogboni de Nigeria. En Cuba hay ifa ile se puede iniciar a menos que el
Baba Awo ha recibido Olofin. Los gays son aceptadas en toda la diáspora en el culto
Orisha, pero no como sacerdotes de Orunmila, ni son aceptados en la mayoría de
Nigeria. Hay muchas diferencias; la formación es diferente en todo el mundo.
For the newcomer, the fact is we call IFA the religion as a whole, yet there is also
ifa divination, and Orunmila is sometimes called Ifa. In Lucumi for example we have
several components that make up IFA, basically are there are two sides of IFA,
Orunmila and Orisha worship. There are also the components of The Dead and
Ancestor worship that do not require ceremony, rank, or an investment in money.
These are just a few (of many) examples. Then there is the second component of
education and the third of permissions (what defines if a practitioner is qualified
and permitted to perform services and ceremony). Many of the concepts of the
(ICIR) are desired, like a code of ethics. It is a sound idea to sanction temples and
ile rather than individuals. This is a fresh idea and has merit. But despite these
noble goals, here is the basic problem.
Para el recién llegado, el hecho es que llamamos IFA la religión en su conjunto, sin
embargo, también hay adivinación IFA, y Orunmila es a veces llamado Ifá. En
Lucumí, por ejemplo, tenemos varios componentes que conforman IFA,
básicamente estamos allí son dos caras de la IFA, Orunmila y el culto Orisha.
También están los componentes de los muertos y el culto a los antepasados que no
requieren ceremonia, rango, o una inversión en dinero. Estos son sólo algunos (de
los muchos) ejemplos. Luego está el segundo componente de la educación y la
tercera parte de los permisos (lo que define si un médico está cualificado y
autorizado a realizar servicios y ceremonia). Muchos de los conceptos de la (ICIR)
se desean, como un código de ética. Es una buena idea para sancionar a los
templos y ile en lugar de individuos. Esta es una idea fresca y tiene mérito. Pero a
pesar de estos nobles objetivos, aquí es el problema de fondo.
It starts with the council itself, what is the makeup of the council? Women and
traditions will want equal or proportional representation on the council. For
example, the Diaspora has three times as many practitioners than Nigeria, or
anywhere in West Africa, I would find it hard to believe the council will represent
that. Many in The Diaspora will see anything less than three to one as a power
grab, by Nigerians. Next I heard my friend Awo Popoola say that each ile or temple
would be trained in Nigeria, this immediately suggests the Diaspora submitting to
Traditional IFA and its teachings, and many will reject that. Many in the Diaspora
will question who on this council knows the intimate procedures and mechanics or
even core concepts of the many traditions that make up IFA. How can a council
regulate and train individuals in the many traditions that make up IFA? For
example, many in Lucumi and other Diaspora traditions worship combination
religions like Santeria, or IFA with Hinduism, who are the experts who know the
intricacies of every tradition? Who speaks all the languages? What about for
example the Lucumi washing ceremony (llavado los santos) there is no such
ceremony or entry for those in traditional IFA. Who on this council is immersed in
the Latino culture?
Se inicia con el consejo en sí, ¿cuál es la composición del consejo? Las mujeres y
las tradiciones querrán representación igual o proporcional en el consejo. Por
ejemplo, la diáspora tiene tres veces más médicos que Nigeria, o en cualquier lugar
en el África occidental, que iba a encontrar difícil de creer el consejo que
representará. Muchos en la Diáspora verá nada menos de tres a uno como una
toma de poder, por los nigerianos. Siguiente escuché a mi amigo Awo Popoola decir
que cada ile o templo serían entrenados en Nigeria, esta sugiere inmediatamente la
diáspora someterse a tradicional IFA y sus enseñanzas, y muchos que rechazará.
Muchos en la Diáspora se pregunta que en este consejo conoce los procedimientos
y mecanismos íntimos o incluso conceptos básicos de las muchas tradiciones que
conforman IFA. ¿Cómo puede un consejo regular y formar a las personas en las
muchas tradiciones que conforman la IFA? Por ejemplo, muchos en Lucumí y otras
tradiciones de la diáspora adoran a religiones como la santería de combinación, o
IFA con el hinduismo, que son los expertos que conocen los entresijos de todas las
tradiciones? ¿Quién habla todos los idiomas? ¿Qué pasa, por ejemplo, la ceremonia
de lavado Lucumí (llavado los santos) no hay tal ceremonia y la inclusión en los de
tradicional IFA. ¿Quién en este consejo se encuentra inmersa en la cultura latino?
My habit is to offer advice and at least partial solutions. My first suggestion would
be to limit this council to ethics and education. Attempting to be a governing body
of IFA worldwide is overly ambitious and not feasible (in my opinion). Neither is
consolidating all the many branches of IFA into one religion, there are too many
cultures, languages, mechanical differences, etcetera. Frankly, to insist that all
priests of Orunmila outside of Nigeria are omo awo or students is going to be a
monumental obstacle. Pursuing this course of strategy is death to any council.
Exactly no one outside of Traditional Nigeria IFA will submit to this insult. It would
be a wiser to not cast out and insult priests of Orunmila who have earned their
credentials and are respected in their communities. In ancient times Nigeria
operated like a university with specialists in the in the many disciplines of IFA and
Orisha worship. Personally my opinion is this is logical and Nigeria needs to return
to it. Not every Baba is an expert diviner, nor is every Baba an expert in the astral
planes of dreams, nor is every Baba an expert healer, drummer, dancer, judge,
investigator, expert on nature. Speaking of nature, I was disappointed it was not
mentioned in the conversation, because it is a central theme of IFA. The reality and
wisdom of ancient IFA is that the collective of the ile is greater than any of its
members. If we truly wish to address education, we must recognize that no priest
knows all specialties in Nigeria or in the Diaspora, not every Baba is an expert at
education, or politics, these are specialties. Just as IFA cannot be complete without
divination, it is not complete without The Dead. Just as Orisha worship is a strong
component of IFA, without ancestor veneration it is incomplete. An odu is not
complete unless it is a set of ese, Patakin, message and ebbo. All these massive
differences need to be addressed and solved before Awo Popoola and the council
(whoever they are) start naming six regions and term members to this council. To
say this is all going to be built and ready in three months for nominations to the six
regions is at best naïve (in my opinion).
Some may say I am a naysayer, a destroyer and not a builder, but I can tell you
this historically many religions have grown from the same seed and prospered. The
Abrahamic branch came from Judaism, this spawned Christianity, Rome and
Constantinople divided, Martin Luther started Protestantism and it’s many
branches. Islam was also birthed by the Jews and divided into Sunni and Shi’a.
each of these has many sects. Hinduism was the mother to Sikhism, Jainism,
Buddhism and all are thriving and each believes it is superior to the mother, an
improvement. Exactly none of these would cast aside their culture and
improvements to return to either Judaism or Hinduism, indeed they respect each
other and recognize their connection, but abandoning a culture or religion just does
not and will not happen. No one besides traditional IFA in the Diaspora is willing to
have their individual traditions ruled by Nigeria and that is why this merger will
never happen. I love my brother Awo Popoola, and other leaders like Baba Olosun
and many Araba in traditional IFA, but the more my friends push, the more
resistance they will encounter. For many Awo and Baba Awo in Lucumi we have
now seen the lack of mutual respect that in the past we have given freely, now be
not returned. All priests of Orunmila not made in Nigeria are omo awo? That my
friend was their first mistake and confirms their lack of respect for us. Finally, I
would like to thank Iya Ofae Ofae for hosting a stimulating discussion.