Silva and Gold
By Chief FAMA

A verse of an Odu Ifa says in part:
Ti oju o ba ri ohun bi okùn
Ki i ri ohun bi ide
Difa fun Ofuntola
Ti aguntan re o ma fohun bi eniyan….

English
If one has not encountered silva
One may be unable to identify gold
Divined for Ofuntopola
Whose ram would speak like a person….

Joy, happiness, contentment—with the three words meaning almost the same thing—signify certain state of equilibrium that we all desire, and that we all wish we can have all the time. Good (!muy bien)! Of course, we should have joy; of course, we should be happy; of course, contentment should be the ceiling of our achieved goals. However, the master designer wants us to toil first, then, reap the rewards of our toil (hard work) later. If we look around us, we will see evidence of these divine orders. For instance, everyone is involved with one thing or the other early mornings: students getting ready for school to toil in classrooms for their futures; workers, business operators, business owners, (and everyone in general regardless of our different callings), preparing and rushing to toil for rewards of our immediate and distant future comforts; immediate reward being pay-checks at the end of the month and distant reward being the foreseeable eventual, comfortable retirement from Odumare's ordained daily survival chores we call work.

Ofuntola of mythological era went through the same routine one morning. By the evening, his luck had changed from rocky to greatness. So it is in our real daily life situations as there have been instances of similar occurrences. We probably know of somebody or heard of somebody or read about somebody whose life had been likewise dramatically changed for the best. As humans, we all have the divine luck for greatness; therefore, we should claim the ordained greatness after our daily toils, week after week, month after month, every time, and all the time. In addition to wishing you greatness this morning, may Odumare, via Ifa and the Orisas, crown your efforts with success, ase. Claim the silva and gold, that is the fortune that has been divinely bestowed upon you! A ji ire ni oni o (Good morning).

Chief FAMA
Ile Orunmila.com.
Electronic correspondence may be sent to fsorunmila@aol.com.

Today and Freshness
By Chief FAMA

Mo fe ti ana danu
I blew away staleness.

An important aspect of Ifa practice is Ifa's emphasis on cleanliness and purity. For instance, a verse says in part, "Mo we owo mi iteni-iteni, mo we ese mi iteni-iteni" ("I washed my hands thoroughly, I washed my feet thoroughly") which means the entire body has been washed clean. Even when it is assumed that the body has been washed clean early in the morning, Ifa still most times implores that the hands of devotees be dusted for purification with Ifa's spiritual powder, iyereosun. When this is the case, an accompanying statement is, "Mo fe ti ana danu o (I have blown away staleness)."
Every day is an Odumare (God) given opportunity in this terrain we have labeled life because every morning is an indication of the extension of our existence. It is assumed that our bodies are washed clean every morning; periodically during the day, we wash our hands for cleanliness. Another cleansing we can add to our regimental physical cleaning is that of staleness. And, staleness comes in many forms: it can be staleness of ideas, staleness of motivation, or staleness of consciousness. Backing up good ideas with actions remove staleness; motivating ourselves for a good cause removes staleness; consciously embarking on positively enriching pursuit removes staleness from our lives and from our environs. May our day be thoroughly cleansed of staleness today as we go about our daily tasks, ase. A ji ire ni oni (Good morning).

With the newness from staleness idea, it is hereby announced that Chief FAMA'S latest book, Reflections on the Wisdom of Ifa, is now available—online at ileorunmila.com, amazon.com, and at Ile Orunmila Communications. Ile Orunmila Communications can be reached at 909 886 6023.

Yemoja; Hope, Balance, Joy
By Chief FAMA

A song to Yemoja from a verse of an Odu Ifa says:
O wo awo yo
Yemoja wo awoyo
Olomo agbesere.

English
Looking at the earthenware, she was filled with emotion (she was choked up)
[Yemoja was awestruck]
Yemoja looked at the earthenware and was filled with emotion
Mother of plenty, happy children.

Whether one is religious or non religious, whether one believes in the existence of spirit or one does not, whether one believes in the concept of Odumare (God) or one does not believe in it, an undeniable phenomenon to mankind on earth is the acknowledgment of mystery, that is, the unknown. Most times, womankind is so wrapped up in the present that the unknown is repressed. Even when the unknown is not repressed, moving head-on into the unknown unfolds another phenomenon—uncertainty. A little bit down the route of uncertain is the question of security.

Life with its ambiguous curves and shifts consist of many unknowns. Sometime the unknown is anticipated. Such anticipated unknown usually has a joyful ending attached to it. In real life situations, a calculated shift can be the catalyst for an unanticipated unknown. Such shift can bring balance or imbalance into an otherwise glorious life. But, when change is necessary, one can retrospectively view hitherto unknown curves and shifts in one's life; then, compare the results of the then unknowns with the presently known results. The obvious results, indicative of a spiritual code, should provide the insight needed in moving forward with the unknown that Odumare has deliberately woven into a person's life on earth.
So, as today's journey unravels with the known securities of our jobs, businesses, relationships, families and support groups, may the unknown complements these known securities, ase. For those whose journeys continue today with the unknown with which yesterday was marked, continue to nurture the hope of a greater tomorrow. In ancient philosophy, Yemoja did it! She did it in old age and with grey hair, too. Plus, when another shift occurred in her already joyous state, she was awestruck. May we be so blessed that we will look at life and be amused with joy and smile--today, tomorrow, and until the span of life itself, ase. A ji ire ni oni o (Excellent morning, good people). "Be fired up" (*) for greatness.
*Present President of the United States of America—Barack Obama.

Ase

Ori, Slandering, and Atori
Ori, Ibayanje, owun Atori

A difa fun olori-ire
Ti won nfi ejo re wi kiri
Atori, Ifa ni yi o to temi si rere, atori

Ifa was cast for the person blessed with good destiny
Who was the target of vicious slander and gossip
To the person intent on destroying me
*Atori, Ifa, the energy with the power to straighten,
will straighten things out for me

*atori means "cane," or "switch," but also means, "to straighten..."

Ancient people were not immune to slander, as evidenced in the above verse of Odu Ifa. If the ancients had to deal with slander, we too will have to deal with it. So, as we go about our daily activities, we should mentally immunize ourselves against slander. Should one be an unfortunate victim of slander, then one should ask Ifa, the energy put forth by Odumare to deal with such problems, to straighten out things in one's behalf. Ase.


excerpt from "Reflections on the Wisdom of Ifa"
Chief FAMA

Bi Ifa o gbe eni (gbe'ni)
Ekun ni ngbe eni (ngbe'ni)—

English
When Ifa wants to bless one
Crying wants to take center stage…

According to Ifa, sometimes, a blessing comes in the form of pain.
In this regard, the pain could be in the form of a disappointment, a
discomfort, even in the form of something that seems embarrassing.
Running away from any such situation only prolongs an existing
condition because by running away from the situation, one might also
be running away from a divine solution to the problem.

Two related itan (stories)

(1)Three unexpected visitors knocked on Orunmila's door. Orunmila received them warmly. But, there was a concern: not enough food in the house. Orunmila auctioned off a prized possession to raise money
for the purpose. The visitors spent some days and were well cared for. The visitors were emissaries and their purpose was to bless Orunmila. Their mission was designed in such a way that, in order to
bless Orunmila, they had to test Orunmila's temperament first. To add to the twist, the treasure they brought to Orunmila was disguised as a personal effect, and they left it behind. Orunmila sent a
telepathic message to remind them of their forgotten property. It was at this stage that the nature of the emissaries' visit was revealed to Orunmila.

(2) The Yoruba word "Iyawo" means "wife" in English. By definition,
iyawo means "Iya" (pain), "Iwo" (a town called Iwo)—Pain-[at]-Iwo.
Ifa has it that Orunmila went to this ancient town to get his bride.
Everything was okay until the bride decided to personally test her
prospective husband's temperament. She broke Orunmila's professional
instrument, she left Orunmila unattended for a long while. Even the
food she served Orunmila had a story of its own. Orunmila was level-
headed while the prank lasted. Having passed the tests, the bride
happily went with her husband to her new home. Back home and when
town-folks asked Orunmila information about his wife, his answer was
always, Iya-ti-mo-je-ni-Iwo (the result of my indignation in Iwo
town). This eight syllable word, "Iya-ti-mo-je-ni-Iwo" became known
today as Iyawo.
(baba’s iyawo turned out to be a wonderful partner and blessed him with many children)
Please, make a sound decision today; do not pass off a good
opportunity because of a slight discomfort. May we be divinely guided
in our endeavors today and always, ase.

Chief FAMA
IleOrunmila.com

Different Expressions but Same Focus
By Chief FAMA

"Iba"; Standing on the shoulders of those who came before us;
"Founding fathers"; "A moment of silence."

We express our gratitude to those whose footsteps we are following when we use any of the above expressions. Also, with any of the expressions in our discourse, we are advancing the horizon of those who have paved the way for us to continue with a known task, program, or tradition. In addition, one of the expressions is in recognition of a life that could have otherwise continued but cut short and was sourly missed. Interestingly, we can relate to all the expressions because each of them affects us uniquely; they also overlap in context. For instance, the expression "Founding Fathers" is acknowledging the feat of those whose vision created our country, the United States of America, and made it possible for us to be in America where this expression is most unique and paramount. Paradoxically, the expression intertwines with "Iba."
When we say "Iba" or "Mo juba," we are either acknowledging the presence of spiritual energies or the spirits of fore-gone predecessors for the knowledge they bestowed upon us, whether the knowledge is that of Ifa or it is of any of the ancient technology (skills) that still sustains most people and most cultures today. The "Standing on the shoulders of giants" or of those who came before us, is an acknowledgment of the sacrifice of those who made our present achievement possible. Therefore, we should humbly acknowledge the ancestors, whose blood still flows in our veins even, as we go about our festive activities today. We should remember that these ancestors paved the way for the comfort we now enjoy. We should also remember the intense labor of those who gave up joy so we may enjoy the luxury we now have. Lastly, we should remember that we would love to be appreciated, remembered, and thanked by those who will continue from wherever we leave o ff when we, too, someday in the far future, become ancestors. Because "Thanksgiving" and "Iba" are relatives in some ways, (in the sense of those who received and those gave generously), we should say "Thank you" to the multitude unseen but felt positive energies that guide us everyday. Good luck, good morning, and happy "Thanksgiving," gracious people.
Aboru aboye

Chief FAMA
Ileorunmila.com

VodooBeninBrazil
photo tribute to the late Fatunmbi verger

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjNK-sfQX5s

OMI NÍ M'BE LÁBÉ'LÉ OMI LO MOKÚN ILE.
Water submerges below the ground.

All the Òrìsà that appear in the Ifá corpus are the personification of Spiritual Forces that exist in Nature. There are four fundamental Natural Forces in Ifá cosmology. They are Earth, Air, Fire and Water. According to Ifá, each of these forces has a direct impact on the process of spiritual transformation. This idea is based on the belief that all that exists in Nature is interconnected and interrelated. The cosmology of Ifá is not linear; it is cyclical and spiral like a snail shell. This means that the Forces that guide evolution reappear beyond time and space, and exist in multiple dimensions of reality. In other words, the Forces of Earth, Air, Fire and Water have similar dimensions in all the domains of Being. Said simply, the Òrìsà are qualities of power that represent the original forces of manifestation. At the personal level, the Earth represents the physical body, the Air represents the intellect, Fire represents the individual spirit and Water represents the emotions. On a planetary level, these elements are clearly material Forces in Nature. In a subatomic universe, these elements represent the quality of interaction between particles. All the elements fundamental they interact and create new levels of complexity. The Fire of the Creation cools down to form the stars, the Fire of the stars cools down to form the planets, the Fire in the center of the Earth cools down to form the firm ground, and the firm ground makes use of the Fire in the process of rejuvenation and transformation.
To say that the water submerges below the ground is to express the obvious truth that at the same time that water is running across the ground in all directions, it returns to the Earth. In Nigeria, the water table is very near to the surface and there is a complicated chain of underground water channels that are invisible from above. Superficially, this proverb is a simple observation on the thermodynamics of moisture. Water represents the emotions in the majority of Native American cultures and the image of water is used often by Taoism to represent the Tao. In Ifá, water is a symbol of the emotions and of the power of intuition that generates from strong feelings. The spiritual meaning of the proverb is related to the secret influence of the emotions on the physical body. In Yorùbá, the word for "emotion" is "ègbè." In accordance with Ifá, the ègbè, or the emotional center of any human body, has a tremendous influence on the general physical and mental health of the individual. The same way water submerges under the ground to form underground currents, the emotions are absorbed by the body, affecting the self in ways that remain invisible, or that are not completely comprehensible. A key element in all forms of spiritual transformation is the illumination of unknown influences that affect behavior. Ifá refers to these influences as "omi l'enia" this means "humanity is a water." One of the first stages of initiation into Òrìsà is to carry out a funeral for the inner self (ori-inu) of the initiate. The intention of this funeral is to completely remove the negative influences of the invisible and unconscious emotional currents that flow through the body. On having invoked the “death” of the initiate, the novice is returned to the state of innocence that accompanies a new baby into the world. With the tools and skills provided by initiation into the Òrìsà, the rebirth of the initiated one includes the possibility of seeing, comprehending, understanding and guiding these emotional currents that run below the skin.
(Fatunmbi)

The Yoruba Religion:
Introduction to Its
Practice

By AWO IFAYOMI
OSA'GBE SÓRÒ


The following is the last chapter of Awo
'Fayomi's book by the same title.

Looking Forward
I had several purposes or objectives for
the presentation of the material in “The
Yoruba Religion.”
My first purpose was to create an understandable,
truthful, yet nonthreatening
document for persons within the
religion. A residual effect is understandable
information for the uninitiated.
In most books written on LUCUMI or
SANTERIA there are references made
to the “mother” YORUBA religion from
which it spawned. Usually the information
that follows is not information on
the YORUBA religion. When there is
information, it is abbreviated or in some
instance inaccurate. Most of the information
tends to speak of the fragmented
YORUBA belief system after the
diaspora and not of the religion that
existed before in Yorubaland. It was my
objective to create an accurate body of
knowledge of the mother religion that
New World Africans and interested others
can objectively consider.
A second purpose was to afford my
godchildren a document that they could
read in the comfort of their homes.
There are a few books written on the
YORUBA religion, (tradition); on divination
(IKIN, OBI, Coconut, and also
cowries); on Rites and Rituals and on
ancestor communication, however, I
found that they did not collectively satisfy
the needs of my godchildren. Some
were too dogmatic, others too frivolous.
Some were written in such a way
that they frightened or intimidated the
reader, others were written in an advanced
academic style that many fol-
lowers needed help in understanding.
Nothing can be gained by naming the
books and I will not denigrate the authors
because they gave knowledge to
the unknowing. I can only comment
that I believe this document will more
readily meet the initial needs of my
godchildren.
During the period when I was writing
this book, I had been asked quite often
by colleagues and interested parties,
what did I think of the future of the
religion. It sounds like a relatively simple
question to respond to, but in actuality it
probably one of the most complex of
questions that one could ask. The
answer cannot be based on an outcome
of let’s say man’s interaction with
higher forces but rather it lies with how
man will interact with other men and his
own ego.
Up until the last 1960’s most New World
Africans travelled to Cuba to become
high priests of the religion, and the
YORUBA tradition practiced by New
World Africans had a distinct LUCUMI
flavor. There existed language barriers
between Spanish and English and
LUCUMI. The LUCUMI that I speak of is
“ritual YORUBA,” an archaic and now
somewhat distorted language of the
YORUBA that had meaning three to
four hundred years ago. It is no longer
a language of communication nor conversation.
There also existed some
philosophical differences and ritual practice
differences that will never be resolved.
Under ordinary circumstances these
differences or rifts would be large
enough to establish them as two separate
religions, however the more in depth
the pursuit of LUCUMI or
SANTERIA becomes, the more African
and less Catholic it becomes, and one
discovers that it is YORUBA.
New World Africans now travel to
Yorubaland to receive IFA (to become
BABALAWOS). The language barrier
is lessened since it is now between
English and twentieth century
YORUBA. English is also the second
language of choice in YORUBA Nigeria.
Most New World Africans are reassuming
YORUBA traditions and are not
only practicing rites and rituals, but also
learning the YORUBA spoken language.
From these observations, one sees the
emergence of two systems, based on
two languages, one Spanish, the other
English. The Spanish system has its
rites and rituals based on LUCUMI,
which few, if any YORUBA understand
today, and the English system has its
rites and rituals based on YORUBA
spoken and practiced in Yorubaland
today. This information does not desig-
nate one system as being better than
the other, but it facilitates the English
speaking person to seek out the
YORUBA spoken system.
Collectively, SANTERIA is considered
the worship of saints. This would encompass
both Cuban and Puerto Rican
practice; but there exist subtle differences
between Cuban and Puerto Rican
practice of the religion which is popularly
known as Santeria. This allows for
several Spanish-speaking enclaves,
similar, but not the same.
The English system is also producing
its enclaves. Primarily because there
does not exist a society for BABALAWO
to exchange information and hence, we
will form enclaves based on where we
received IFA. There will be an IFE
enclave, ODE REMO enclave, EJIGBO
enclave, ABEOKUTA enclave, a
LAGOS enclave and an ISEYIN enclave.
All outward signs will show growth and
proliferation of the religion, but I do not
know how healthy this growth will be.
The religion will be growing without
communication or order. The religion
will be growing without quality control.
The religion will become global without
being universal. The religion may grow
without being able to monitor the purity
of certain practices. If there is no positive
intervention soon, it could become
large and unmanageable and will further
splinter and disintegrate as major
religions did two to four hundred years
ago.
Yorubaland is experiencing its own problems.
I’ve mentioned the impact of
Christianity and Islam on the tradition
and the steady decline of practitioners.
But there is the additional threat from
within, whereas independent churches
have risen that have taken over the
functions of the traditional religion.
These churches have grown at geometric
proportions since the early 1980’s
and are numerous. They include the
Apostolic Church, the Church of the
Lord, the Cherubim and Seraphim, and
the Celestial Church of Christ. Their
practices are similar to LUCUMI,
SANTERIA and CANDOMBLE. They
display the Christian cross on the out-
side and practice ORISA on the inside.
IFA can now be gotten in America. It is
in Miami and apostles of ORISA and IFA
are spreading the word. As African-
Cubans were the keepers of the Tradition
for 400 years in Cuba, Cuban-
Americans have now transplanted their
old traditional faith to a new country and
will keep it in existence for at least
another 400 years. There’s talk of
bringing IFA from Yorubaland, but so far
it is only talk.
What can we expect from our present
situation? We can expect further growth
and proliferation of the religion, which
will call for more priests and priestesses,
and that will come. But where is
our quality control? How do we police
our religion?
We YORUBA have a king in the United
States. Born an African-American and
initially adopting LUCUMI, he is without
a doubt, the greatest spearhead of the
YORUBA culture that has taken hold in
the United States. Oyotunji Village in
Sheldon, North Carolina is Yorubaland
in America. The king, Oba Oseijeman
Adelabu Adefunmi I, is genuine. As a
king, he is respected by all YORUBA,
and is seen as both a spiritual and
cultural voice of the YORUBA; but there
are so many issues at hand, that he will
need massive help and strong leadership
in bringing together the various
factions to discuss the issues and reach
decisions that will be binding. This can
be done if men will remain of good will.
The overview that I present for the religion
is one of growth. I foresee in the
United States a continuous influx and
expansion of houses on the east coast
added to a revitalized west coast. The
south, motherland of former slaves, will
continue to experience reunification with
their African past. Many professional
African Americans after identifying with
African art, music, and dress will investigate
further and upon enlightenment
will then seek their spiritual and religious
heritage. For others, I do not see
language, ethnicity nor color as barriers
to participation. If the efficacy of
ORISA and IFA are to be preserved in
the New World during this proliferation
a concerted move must be made now
to obtain global association and communication
with the independent enclaves
that presently exist.

Awo ‘Fayomi is an African-American of
Caribbean heritage (Trinidad). He is
the founder of Ile Orisa Sango of Mount
Vernon, New York. Awo ‘Fayomi is the
author of The Yoruba Religion: Introduction
to its Practice, The Yoruba
World of Good and Evil and a series of
booklets on the recitations of the Odu
Corpus. The English translations of the
sacred verses are called Odu Ifa. Odu
Ifa: Book One (Eji Ogbe) is presently
on the market. The series will include
books with verses from all of the major
Odu.
Awo ‘Fayomi received Ifa in Ejigbo,
Nigeria and belongs to the lineage of
the Agbede’s. He is a retired Marine
Colonel, a former Corporate Executive
and former professor at Lincoln University
Graduate School.
His major thrust is to bring knowledge
and better communication within the
Ifa/Orisa community of North America.

Ifa manifest on many different levels. Ifa is complete but the problem becomes one of interpretation and perception by those of us who are children of Ifa. At its deeper level, Ifa is not even a religion but the destiny that other religions point to. Ifa at its deeper level is a science of the subtle and gross laws of the universe. It is good to believe in Ifa but Ifa is beyond belief; Ifa is knowing. Belief is for those who don't know but accept and go along with a premise or idea that has not been proven. In science, we have true-false-and not yet proven; not proven is a theory that we accept until we can prove it's true for us, our testimony. Those who are looking for the truth of life and discipline themselves to learn enter the laboratory of their Iya to perform experiments that will reveal the truth to them. Until then, they hold on to their unproven beliefs or religions. And like the shifting sands of the desert, if they don't stay close to her, they will be l ost and pushed one way and another by external influences of life. As I said, Ifa includes all religious subjects but it is not on the same level as religion; it transcends religions. I use the word science but most scientists are trapped on the level of continuous skepticism and endless questioning, and intellectualism never coming to the fundamental, basic, or core truths of life. They can't see the forest for the trees. The science I speak of is the science of the subtle law of the universe, the science of the soul of the universe. Religions use emotion and words, but Ifa is beyond the surface level of emotions and thoughts but uses emotions and thoughts only as a starting point to point the way to truths that are miraculous and unspeakable.Ifa gives us the essence of different religions teachings and points the way to spiritual knowing not just belief. Ifa points the way to spiritual internal self cultivation or self knowledge that is above the general differences in different religions.Ifa is root knowledge this is why other ethnic groups other than the Yoruba could accept it without feeling diminished(The Fon Ewe, Akan even the people of the Congo-Angola as well as Europeans and Asians).
A ji ire ni oni o (May we awaken with ire today)
ase

Chief Fama (Iyalaje)

awo dino,

As requested.

I'm looking forward to the anthropological information you have to offer.

Whatever you are familiar with, or got on your shelf, lay it on me.

HOTEP

awo dino,

As requested.

I'm looking forward to the anthropological information you have to offer.

Whatever you are familiar with, or got on your shelf, lay it on me.

HOTEP

My focus as a graduate student was in economic development in the Caribean, so I'm nowhere near an authority on Afrika. My Knowledge is very narrow. Yorubaland and the Black Atlantic. I love John Mason. But I like to start with the classics so i can understand subsequent works better. Diop, etc.
I don't want to lend my bias to your quest. I always suggest to start with the classics and your path will take over. I used to go to the library and sit in the aisle, say african history section, and rummage through books for hours. then check out the ones that i liked. i would look for authors with afrikan names. The books that align with you will come to you. i really believe that. But read one or two classics, so you will understand other writers' theoretical conception.

alaafia

Here's a good list

Amin, Samir Egypt Accumulation on a World Scale Monthly Review Press
Amadiume, Ifi Nigeria Male Daughters, Female Husbands Zed Books
Andrade, Mario de Angola Os nacionalismos africanos Sa da Costa
Appiah, Anthony Ghana In My Father's House Oxford University Press
Cabral, Amilcar Guinea-Bissau Unity and Struggle Monthly Review Press
Chimera, Rocha Kenya Kiswahili, past, present and future horizons Nairobi University Press
Diop, Cheikh Anta Senegal **Antériorité des civilisations nègres Présence africaine
Doorkenoo, Efua Ghana Cutting the Rose Minority Rights Group
Hayford, J.E. Casely Ghana Ethiopia Unbound Cass
Hountondji, Paulin Benin Sur la philosophie africaine François Maspero
Johnson, Samuel Nigeria The History of the Yorubas G. Routledge & Sons
Kenyatta, Jomo Kenya Facing Mount Kenya Secker & Warburg
Ki-Zerbo, Joseph Burkina Faso Histoire de l'Afrique noire Hatier
Krog, Antjie South Africa Country of My Skull Jonathan Cape
Mama, Amina Nigeria Beyond the Mask, Race, Gender and Identity Routledge
Mamdani, Mahmood Uganda Citizen and Subject James Currey Publishers
Mandela, Nelson South Africa Long Walk to Freedom Little Brown
Marais, Eugene South Africa Die Siel van die Mier J.L. van Schaik
Memmi, Albert Tunisia Portrait du colonisé suivi de portrait du colonisateur L'Etincelle
Mondlane, Eduardo Mozambique The Struggle for Mozambique Penguin
Mphahlele, Ezekiel South Africa Down Second Avenue Faber & Faber
Mudimbe, V.Y. Dem. Rep. of Congo The Invention of Africa Indiana University Press
Nkrumah, Kwame Ghana Ghana: The Autobiography of Kwame Nkrumah Nelson
Plaatje, Sol South Africa Native Life in South Africa P.S. King
Soyinka, Wole Nigeria **Ake: The Years of Childhood Rex Collings
Van Onselen, Charles South Africa The Seed is Mine David Philip Publishers

http://www.internationalafricaninstitute.org/publishing/classics.html

this is a link to strictly anthropological works.

My focus as a graduate student was in economic development in the Caribean,
Any info on the caribbean...I'm open to. Economic and otherwise.

so I'm nowhere near an authority on Afrika. That's cool.

I don't want to lend my bias to your quest.

Brotha, if there is one thing I know... is that there is no such thing as complete "value free"
objectivity. So don't worry about that. There is always the probability of studying/researching
something and drawing a different conclusion then others.... which is healthy and often renders
different ways was of looking at something, assuming its done reasonably.

Nevertheless, anthropology is something I wish to delve deeper into.
Anthropology is a subject you are familiar with, so it is only logical to ask,
you.

As I've said before, its about disseminating information.
An informed people is an empowered people. Which is also why I created
a thread dedicated to folks providing info. via books. We, as individuals,
can not intuit everything.

Say, are you familiar with dr. edward scobie?

This dude sheds light on certain aspects of l'ouverture that surprised me.

Especially after reading c.l.r. james' "the black jacobins".

Not to take anything away from l'ouverture, but scobie drops some
unpolished/unrefined gems on the dude.

Scobie succeeded, in reaffirming to me that one has to be careful as to
who assigns/tailors one 'hero's....and to a further extent, ones 'villians'.

sounds interesting, i'll put Scobie on my read list. thanks.


Any info on the caribbean...I'm open to. Economic and otherwise.

so I'm nowhere near an authority on Afrika.[/quote] That's cool.



Brotha, if there is one thing I know... is that there is no such thing as complete "value free"
objectivity. So don't worry about that. There is always the probability of studying/researching
something and drawing a different conclusion then others.... which is healthy and often renders
different ways was of looking at something, assuming its done reasonably.

Nevertheless, anthropology is something I wish to delve deeper into.
Anthropology is a subject you are familiar with, so it is only logical to ask,
you.

As I've said before, its about disseminating information.
An informed people is an empowered people. Which is also why I created
a thread dedicated to folks providing info. via books. We, as individuals,
can not intuit everything.

Say, are you familiar with dr. edward scobie?

This dude sheds light on certain aspects of l'ouverture that surprised me.

Especially after reading c.l.r. james' "the black jacobins".

Not to take anything away from l'ouverture, but scobie drops some
unpolished/unrefined gems on the dude.

Scobie succeeded, in reaffirming to me that one has to be careful as to
who assigns/tailors one 'hero's....and to a further extent, ones 'villians'.[/QUOTE]

sounds interesting, i'll put Scobie on my read list. thanks. He has a book out there...the title misses me.
It's on my short book list.

In the meanwhile, here is his lecture:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC6UE85fNII

I have the lecture on dvd.

Haiti: Reflections (look in the mirror)
By Awo Imodoye

January 12 can become an “Ojo ikunle” (the day of kneeling in prayer to elevate the collective spirits of the departed ones). The question one must ask oneself is if an earthquake of the magnitude that hit Haiti hit one’s town, would one be prepared to survive for a week until help arrived? Remember Haiti is an example for us: a reflection. Will our reactions be the same as theirs or different? Their example has allowed us to deliberate to create a different response. Pray; work; prepare yourself. Do not let the Haitian sufferings be in vain. Contact Iya (Fama)about the Ifa emergency management program. If you can go to Haiti to minister to the people, and if you can not do that, assist those of Haitian descents in your families and communities; they will need your support. Its not for them to tell us they need support, it is for us to offer it.
Iwure (prayer):

Eni t’o ku ti re isale asa
(the departed has gone deep in the ground)
O ti di gbere fun oloogbe
(they have said a long farewell)
O d’a-rin-na ko
(we will now meet them along the road)
O d’oju ala
(it is on the spiritual planes we shall meet—in dreams)
Awo kii ku
(the initiate never dies)….
ase
To our people known and unknown, who have recently departed, life is a circle; death is but one transition in the process of change. Follow the light, elevate beyond attachment to aye (life); follow the light beyond fear and pain. Follow the light so you may assist your loved ones again, from another plane. With greater love and wisdom, follow the light.
ase
To those left behind, we are the witness bearers and the record keepers. We must remind each other of our responsibilities to the whole, and to our collective interest.
Remember, in the end, what remain are not riches, not structures of stone and steel, but remembrances of those people with whom we have joined spirits, whom we have loved; knowing that when we truly love, they are never lost. And, it is only after they have left us that the depth of the bond is truly felt, and our loved-one becomes more a part of us than was possible in life.
My people: go beyond fear, beyond grief, and beyond pain. STRENGTH comes from love; COURAGE comes from wisdom.
ase

O di abo
Babake

The Collective Ancestors and the Haitian Devastation

The theological language of Ifa is based on the creation of elisions. An elision is a sentence that is shortened to form a word. For example the word Ifayabale from the elision Ifa iya baba ile meaning the wisdom of the mothers and fathers of earth. This word refers to a problem solving process in which the grandmothers and grandfathers of a community come together to resolve a problem through consensus.

In the study of ancestor reverence we can start with the fundamental words that describe the subject of our devotion.

Egun from the elision e ogun meaning I am the bones. This is an obvious reference to the fact that when a person becomes an ancestor all that is left is their bones. By personifying the word bones there is an implication that people who are alive are connected to the bones of their ancestors.

The Ifa concept of Egun is that Egun is a collective spirit made up of the collective experiences of all those who have come before us in our family lineage.

So it is, I believe, important to understand that the concept of egun is not related to a specific ancestor. In the Yoruba language a specific ancestor would be ara orun meaning body in heaven.

Ara orun would be the total memory experience and wisdom of one member of the family tree. The essense of ara orun merges with the collective experience of egun to form the foundation of a given family lineage.

This begs the question why, what is the point.

Ifa teaches as the spirit of egun is elevated consciousness expands on earth and the earth becomes a better place.

Dysfunction is a psychological word refering to social norms that inhibit growth and development. The yoruba word for dysfunction would be ori buruku meaning consciousness that brings death. In traditional Yoruba culture ori buruku is considered a curse and in fact it is taboo to use the word without covering your head and it is considered rude to direct the word towards another person.

I find this is a very difficult concept for westerners to appreciate and understand from an ifa point of view. The reason for this difficulty is because we have been raised in a culture that places extreme emphasis on the individual. As a result the idea of elevating personal consciousness by elevating the collective consciousness of our ancestors is not easily understood.

In an effort to clarify this concept let us examine some examples. Ori buruku as it relates to egun includes issues of domestic violence, addiction, sexual abuse, destructive learned behaviors such as racism sexism and homophobia and any for of self destructive behavior that has a generational basis. The most obvious example of self destructive behavior with a generaltional basis is low self esteem.

The first step in addressing these issues is the ability to speak with egun. Those who have the skill to speak with egun are called egungun form the elision e ogun oogun meaning I have the medicine to become the bones of the ancestors.

In the Diaspora I have only witnessed egun once or twice. Much of what is considered communication with egun is in fact communication with ara orun. There is value in communication with ara orun so this is not a critisim it is an attempt to establish a foundation for bringing creater depth to the practice of our faith.

The point is this, if you ask for assistance from one ancestor there is a limit to that support based on the life experience of the one individual who has passed. If you ask for assistance from Egun you are asking for the collective wisdom of all your ancestors which is obviously a large cloth to work from.
Baba Falokun

So how does this short essay by babalawo Falokun relate to the Haitian disaster?
We can pray to the victims of the earthquake collectively, we can do things that assist in the collective elevation of all those Haitians killed. Collective elevation will have direct effects on the entire living haitian community.
ase
ase

Haiti is our Reflection: Pray, Work, and Prepare
By Awo Imodoye

Mo ji l'onii, mo ji ire (I wake up today, I wake up with ire).
It is the head that leads the body; it is the head of the fish that leads the fish. Haiti was the first Black political power in modern times. Haiti was the first successful Black Republic to be set up in the Western Hemisphere, the second republic after the United States, to win its freedom from European domination. Because they defeated the English, French and Spanish armies, Haitians were feared by all Europeans and were penalized long after Haiti's power had waned, leading to Haitians' isolation and impoverishment. Haiti took in 6000 African-Americans in 1862 and fought in America's civil war. Lastly, Haitians never gave up their traditional African religion which was misnamed voodoo by others. Haiti gave refuge to Simon Bolivar, even giving him money to further his revolution in Venezuela, asking only that slaves be freed when he won his battle.

Surely preparation (physical and spiritual) could have been taken to prevent some of the deaths, just as preparations could have been taken in New Orleans to save some of the lives lost there. But, we have to take the sunshine and the rain. We ca not be for Haiti when Haiti is a symbol of Black strength and independence, and then be against them when they have problems. A Yoruba proverb says, "even if a head makes a mistake, hat is never worn on the buttocks." Let us do what we can to help the Haitian people regain their position of independence and strength. If they can fulfill the destiny they were chosen to play on the world stage, we will all benefit. "How many Awos were lost in this tragedy" We do not know, but we do know that Haiti was one of the centers of African religious culture in this hemisphere. As Odu Ifa Irosun Oso says, "Aide iku la nb'Osun, aide iku la nb'Orisha, bi iku ba de, iku o gb'ebo (it is when iku is not yet ready that it work s to propitiate Osun, it is when iku is not yet ready that it works to propitiate Orisha, when iku is really ready, iku does not yield to sacrifices. Let us look in the mirror and learn from what the Haitians are suffering; for, they are us.
Pray, work, and prepare for tomorrow.
O di abo.
Bakare

Ifa: An Example of Tolerance (How to find Benefit in all Situations)
By imodoyes@yahoo.com

Mo ji l'onii, mo ji ire [I woke up today, I woke up with ire]. Ifa is the essence and the spiritual science of the Yoruba way of life, culture, and history. Ifa is one of the sacred teachings of the African peoples and one of the sacred universal life teachings of the world. Ifa teaches us that, there is only one creator of the universe called by many names but maintaining one essence, who brought into being divinities that are the functionaries and intermediaries between mankind and the self-existent-being. These divinities provide diverse ways and methods for each individual to communicate and cooperate with Olodumare (God), so they may evolve and fulfill their destinies. This diversity of approaches to religious worship allowed each person to discover their unique spiritual identity. Based on their descent, affinity, or calling, it also allowed each person to fulfill their spiritual obligations in an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding—the understanding of their common interests and their need to receive Olodumare's Ashe and to fulfill their destiny.
Ifa tradition understood that different forms of worship didn't constitute different denominations or sects. All forms of traditional worship were dependant upon Ifa, and Ifa saw no need to compete with, convert, or evangelize those who utilized other forms of worship. The worship of Olorun [Olodumare] through different deities based on Ifa traditions was the basic and fundamental practice that provided continuity within diversity. Also in Ifa religious ritual divination, we know there are concepts of oppositions, such as light and dark, male and female, elderly and young. Ifa tradition looked at these opposites in a dialectal way, synthesizing the best of different approaches and outlooks, and seeing differences as complementary, not mutually antagonistic. Many people, who see these opposite forces or personalities in superficial ways, do not see the trinity in the duality; they only see the extremes. They do not see that one's life can be evolved by one's opposition, and that one's enemy is not one's block but a door to the next level of development.
Wise students of Ifa, who accept and practice these principles of Ifa, find benefits and treasures in all situations that others may call trash. Eshu often brings opposition into our lives to force us to make a decision, to help us to grow, to reveal to us who we really are, to humble us, and to open our minds to bigger possibilities. To be humble is not to be weak, but to be open-minded and flexible in our thinking where no situation can unbalance us or make us lose our integrity. It was with this mindset of humility, openness, and patience, firmly rooted in the principles of Ifa, that Ifa traditional scientist used tolerance in their interactions with those different than themselves.

Ifa tradition supported both the coming of the Christians in the 1840's and the coming of the Muslims to Abeokuta, Nigeria. Ifa tradition had been in contact with the Muslims since the12th century [?]. Yoruba families are religiously diverse, including Traditionalists, Christians, and Muslims all in one family and living together harmoniously. Yoruba Christians and Muslims have maintained many aspects of their cultural identity. In the process of spreading into Yoruba society, both Islam and Christianity have been modified by traditional religion. But it is the values, tolerance, open-mindedness, and generosity of Ifa that have prevented the Christians and Muslim converts from polarizing. It is also the openness with which Ifa traditions have spread to other groups in West Africa as the Fon Ewe and the Ga. Ifa has also spread among those in the Americas.

Yoruba is the only African language spoken among English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese speaking peoples of the Americas. It is with tolerance that we can overcome opposition and make our friends our family.
O d'abo
Babake

Ifa: An Example of Tolerance (How to find Benefit in all Situations)
By imodoyes@yahoo.com

Mo ji l'onii, mo ji ire [I woke up today, I woke up with ire]. Ifa is the essence and the spiritual science of the Yoruba way of life, culture, and history. Ifa is one of the sacred teachings of the African peoples and one of the sacred universal life teachings of the world. Ifa teaches us that, there is only one creator of the universe called by many names but maintaining one essence, who brought into being divinities that are the functionaries and intermediaries between mankind and the self-existent-being. These divinities provide diverse ways and methods for each individual to communicate and cooperate with Olodumare (God), so they may evolve and fulfill their destinies. This diversity of approaches to religious worship allowed each person to discover their unique spiritual identity. Based on their descent, affinity, or calling, it also allowed each person to fulfill their spiritual obligations in an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding—the understanding of their common interests and their need to receive Olodumare's Ashe and to fulfill their destiny.
Ifa tradition understood that different forms of worship didn't constitute different denominations or sects. All forms of traditional worship were dependant upon Ifa, and Ifa saw no need to compete with, convert, or evangelize those who utilized other forms of worship. The worship of Olorun [Olodumare] through different deities based on Ifa traditions was the basic and fundamental practice that provided continuity within diversity. Also in Ifa religious ritual divination, we know there are concepts of oppositions, such as light and dark, male and female, elderly and young. Ifa tradition looked at these opposites in a dialectal way, synthesizing the best of different approaches and outlooks, and seeing differences as complementary, not mutually antagonistic. Many people, who see these opposite forces or personalities in superficial ways, do not see the trinity in the duality; they only see the extremes. They do not see that one's life can be evolved by one's opposition, and that one's enemy is not one's block but a door to the next level of development.
Wise students of Ifa, who accept and practice these principles of Ifa, find benefits and treasures in all situations that others may call trash. Eshu often brings opposition into our lives to force us to make a decision, to help us to grow, to reveal to us who we really are, to humble us, and to open our minds to bigger possibilities. To be humble is not to be weak, but to be open-minded and flexible in our thinking where no situation can unbalance us or make us lose our integrity. It was with this mindset of humility, openness, and patience, firmly rooted in the principles of Ifa, that Ifa traditional scientist used tolerance in their interactions with those different than themselves.

Ifa tradition supported both the coming of the Christians in the 1840's and the coming of the Muslims to Abeokuta, Nigeria. Ifa tradition had been in contact with the Muslims since the12th century [?]. Yoruba families are religiously diverse, including Traditionalists, Christians, and Muslims all in one family and living together harmoniously. Yoruba Christians and Muslims have maintained many aspects of their cultural identity. In the process of spreading into Yoruba society, both Islam and Christianity have been modified by traditional religion. But it is the values, tolerance, open-mindedness, and generosity of Ifa that have prevented the Christians and Muslim converts from polarizing. It is also the openness with which Ifa traditions have spread to other groups in West Africa as the Fon Ewe and the Ga. Ifa has also spread among those in the Americas.

Yoruba is the only African language spoken among English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese speaking peoples of the Americas. It is with tolerance that we can overcome opposition and make our friends our family.
O d'abo
Babake
To be humble is not to be weak, but to be open-minded and flexible in our thinking where no situation can unbalance us or make us lose our integrity. It was with this mindset of humility, openness, and patience, firmly rooted in the principles of Ifa, that Ifa traditional scientist used tolerance in their interactions with those different than themselves

This is both inspiring and uplifting, and hopefully this message will be posted in other sections as well, because it creates a spirit of harmony and peace

YOU ARE A HYPOCRATE WHO HAS FAILED 10 TIMES TO PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH SINCE THIS POST WAS MADE

STOP THE PRETENSE, YOUR COVER IS BLOWN

YOU ARE A HYPOCRATE WHO HAS FAILED 10 TIMES TO PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH SINCE THIS POST WAS MADE

STOP THE PRETENSE, YOUR COVER IS BLOWN

This thread is about Yoruba wisdom, not my wisdom. It is to share the ways of thinking of the peoples of Western Africa, in this case Yoruba. I do not pretend to be the embodiment of Yoruba wisdom. Obviously I was brought to destee.com to meet you by Esu. I don't expect you to understand that.
you are a pitiful creature. I must learn to pity you.

This thread is about Yoruba wisdom, not my wisdom. It is to share the ways of thinking of the peoples of Western Africa, in this case Yoruba. I do not pretend to be the embodiment of Yoruba wisdom. Obviously I was brought to destee.com to meet you by Esu. I don't expect you to understand that.
you are a pitiful creature. I must learn to pity you.
you should pity yourself because everyone on Destee does after reding your immature remarks,
I do not feel sorry for you, and I doubt your heritage becuase Puerto Ricans have class

you should pity yourself because everyone on Destee does after reding your immature remarks,
I do not feel sorry for you, and I doubt your heritage becuase Puerto Ricans have class

Please go away. Do you have to pollute EVERY thread on destee.com?

Please go away. Do you have to pollute EVERY thread on destee.com?
No but the daily evidence of your trolling and insults
is that you do on a daily basis and insult the Yoruba faith by being a con man

Phuck You putput

Phuck You putput:toast::toast::toast::toast::em2300::welldon e::welldone::welldone::welldone::10900::10900::poo l::bowl::darts::congrats::congrats::congrats::terr ific::terrific::terrific::terrific::terrific::bowd own::bowdown::bowdown::bowdown::hearthis::hearthis ::hearthis::great::great::great::great::great::gre at::great:

at last we have the documented expression of the great awo dino's concern for the Yoruba religion and his expression or rejection of it's wisdom

and as stated before are you proud enough to show your post to your students or your family?

:toast::toast::toast::toast::em2300::welldone::wel ldone::welldone::welldone::10900::10900::pool::bow l::darts::congrats::congrats::congrats::terrific:: terrific::terrific::terrific::terrific::bowdown::b owdown::bowdown::bowdown::hearthis::hearthis::hear this::great::great::great::great::great::great::gr eat:

at last we have the documented expression of the great awo dino's concern for the Yoruba religion and his expression or rejection of it's wisdom

and as stated before are you proud enough to show your post to your students or your family?

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that is cold you are calling Awo Dino the invader of mixed blood taking an African religion?

that is cold you are calling Awo Dino the invader of mixed blood taking an African religion?

I'm not calling Awo Dino anything.. These clips are for you:

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LOL....:SuN049::SuN049::SuN049:

Ebo

Ebo guarantees success!
We all should know what ebo is. Ebo doesn't translate exactly to the English word "sacrifice." But that is the closest meaning. Sacrifice meaning, "The giving up or foregoing of some valued thing for the sake of something of greater value or having a more pressing claim". Whatever one desires in this life requires the giving up of something. In economics this is called "utility costs." Life does not strive on taking alone. Life also requires giving; hence life is a process of give and take. The simplest form of sacrifice one can give is time. The most complex form of sacrifice one can give is change. This subject of sacrifice takes on many facets. This page will only touch on the fundamentals of sacrifice from an African/Ifa worldview.

The sacrifice of time is the most fundamental form of sacrifice. In America we sacrifice most of our youth towards school. We then sacrifice our time towards daily labor to acquire finances for daily living. On a deeper level the sacrifice of time involves patience.

Time sacrificed does not always bring about the desired result in our lives. Nor does time spent on something guarantee you peace of mind. When these disharmonies are prevalent we are taught to seek the spiritual realm and pray to beg God for favors. Many of us are unaware and do not realize that the spiritual realm like the physical one requires some sort of giving in order to receive. Imagine walking into Human Resources at IBM and demanding a paycheck knowing that you never (sacrificed) worked a day at IBM. The Spiritual realm works the same way.

The Yoruba believe in one supreme God called Olodumare. Olodumare is very remote to the Yoruba by virtue of the duality that exists with Olodumare. In other words God created both the "good" and "evil" forces at play in the universe and he gave Ase (power) to both sides. "When you speak about 'good', you have already presupposed 'evil'." One cannot exist without the other. There are two sides to every story or problem. Within Olodumare lay both sides to one story, so directing energy to Olodumare directly can be vain. Within Ifa the cosmos is divided into two halves. The right side is inhabited by the benevolent supernatural powers and the left side is inhabited by the malevolent supernatural powers. The benevolent powers are the Orisa and their helpful associations with humans. The malevolent powers are evil and destructive energies like Iku (death), Arun (sickness), Ofo (loss), Epe (curse) and so on. There is no peaceful coexistence between these two powers, they are always in conflict, always in opposition, yet always seeking balance.

The Africans believe that verbalization is not enough in one's relationship with the supernatural. Ifa divination serves as a preamble to prayer. Via Ifa divination we can ascertain how to pray, to whom to pray and for what. For the Yoruba, divining (Ifa) serves as an approach to prayer and shows one why they need to pray and shows one the best procedure for elevating one's prayer via some form of ebo. In this world of many choices, this complex and varied approach is still miraculously accurate and effective. In this world of choices, this complex and varied approach is necessary. The variety of ebo includes time, song, dance, money, change and life force offerings.

Communication with the sprit realm is what Ifa is all about. Ebo is an attempt to rearrange the forces of the universe so that they can work for us, resulting in peace and harmony for us in our environment. Within Ifa, sacrifice is an attempt by human beings to send a message to all these supernatural powers of the universe regarding our own human affairs. When all the supernatural powers accept our sacrifice/ebo, everybody is happy and are committed to work for us and we can achieve peace.

All of God's creations have some relationship with God and communicate with God at some level beyond our comprehension. Within Ifa, animals are sometimes used to communicate our message to the spiritual realm. Each animal species have distinct properties that are beyond our comprehension. For instance, most humans cannot smell sugar, however if we put sugar or honey on the table, ants will flock there by morning because they have smelt it. Their sense of smell is much higher than our own. The Ifa sacrificial rituals use the unique communication abilities of animals to relay our messages to the supernatural forces at play. The chicken is the first animal inhabitant of the earth and she accompanied the divinities/Deities from heaven to earth. The chicken is a favorite communicator of messages to the spirit realm because of its close association to the Deities from the very start. Life force offerings direct prayer via the animals' force to a specific force in nature to elevate our prayers for our benefit and to rearrange the universe to work in our favor (as well as providing food for the community and the power of communal prayer).

For example, if someone is sick and a sacrifice is prescribed by a diviner, that sacrifice is meant too appease the left and right side divinities. Humans do not give sacrifice directly to the supernatural powers on the left, they give it to their own guardian divinity who is on the right. The closest of these right hand divinities is Ori (head) and can include a host of other Orisa and Eguns (ancestors). Esu, the divine messenger, who is almost always supposed to get part of any blood sacrifice and who shares elements of both the left and right side, will assure that the left hand divinities get their due. Esu plays a very important part in reordering universal events for the good of anyone that sacrifices in this manner.

Ebo is essential to human well being. Some people live happy lives sacrificing their pride to beg from strangers. Some people sacrifice half of their adult life in school earning PHD's. Meat eaters in our society directly benefit from blood sacrifice to accommodate their daily meal. Most meat eaters are disconnected from the total disregard of the poor animal's life during its slaughter/sacrifice for their benefit. The Jews have their kosher food, which is prayed over animals, sacrificed for consumption. Within Ifa most sacrificed animals are consumed as to further their power (Ase) for our cause and the animals are treated with respect. The European sacrificed the lives of an estimated 100 million African men women and children for their Gods of materialism, greed, lust and conquest. The Christians celebrate the human sacrifice of Jesus Christ and to this day still symbolize this via cannibalism with their communion ritual. Within Ifa the holy Odu Irete-Meji and OturuponTura forbids human sacrifice! Within the traditional African worldview you are for the most part responsible for your own self-improvement. If you want to change your condition you must make sacrifice. Sacrifice often times does not require blood. Sacrifice sometimes requires one to look in a mirror and see beyond what is reflected and to make some psychological change. This can be the most difficult of sacrifices. However, we here at Cultural Expressions are well aware of why the chicken crossed the road, and now you know.
ase o!
www.cultural-expressions.com

Ifa: Sunrise and Sunlight
By Chief FAMA

A verse of an Odu Ifa says in part:
Ifa ni, “O di leele”
Mo ni, “O di leele”
Omo eye/eku/eja/eran ale ana nko, Ifa?
Omo eye/eku/eja/eran* ale ana mbe o
Ki o si ma j’iya j’iya, ki o si j’ise j’ise O mbo wa di otatamba, o mbo wa di oyiboyi O mbo wa di oloja lawujo omo eye/eku/eja/eran … A mu Okanbi** je oloja, Ifa….

English
Ifa says, “It is a light matter”
I concur with Ifa that “It is a light matter”
What happens to the omo-eye/eku/eja/eran * of last night, Ifa?
He is going through some difficulties
However, he is going to come out of the difficulties with brightness And will become the model among his peers… Okanbi becomes a model for his peers, Ifa….

Because of the carryover of a past day’s experience, an emerging day sometime have a little bit of the previous day’s remnant attached to it. Sometimes, the thought fills up the eyes. Most times, however, the thought of a pleasing remnant brings a smile to the face. Either way, dawn is always a new beginning. Dawn is the new opportunity to continue from where one left off; it is also the new opportunity to shed off false start and begin afresh. Sunrise and sunlight—cosmic illumination of earth—is all about newness and brightness. Claim it and keep, today and for ever. According to Ifa, Okanbi had his own yesterday, combated his own “new beginning,” and got to the apex of his life in brightness and with smiles. Wishing you newness, brightness, and happiness, in all your undertakings today and everyday, ase. A ji ire ni oni (good morning) great people.
Aboru aboye.

Chief FAMA
Ileorunmila.com
*Term of reference for personified animals **Someone who must survive with his own ingenuity

Connecting with Destiny
By Chief FAMA

Good morning, great people. In conventional wisdom, particularly in Ifa tradition and to certain extent, every first meeting contextually connotes morning. So, even if you receive this message in the afternoon, evening, or night, taking into consideration our geographical differences, it is still “Good morning” to you.
Today marks a significant spiritual day in Ifa: it is “Itadogun Ifa.” Everyday is holy—sorry, I mean SACRED—in Ifa. However, Itadogun Ifa is a day for advanced congregational worship amongst Babalawos and all Orisa devotees. On Itadogun Ifa, Ifa is approached on the highest level, by congregated Babalawos, for investigation on current issues and situations. Also, Babalawos usually approach Ifa for guidance on the future: life that is still shrouded in mystery. Making today a better day than yesterday, and tomorrow the best day than today and yester-days, has always been our concerns as humans. Fortunately, Ifa gives us the opportunity to connect with our destinies and the universal energies through our ori (spiritual heads). At least, we all believe in our unique destinies. So, connecting with one’s destiny (with or without the universal energies) is as simple as holding one’s ori and channel one’s prayers to Odumare, employing the cooperation of one’s an cestors, one’s ori (destiny), and surrounding positive energies.
To the Babalawos amongst us, this is a reminder for us to go to Ifa today with our best offerings. To us Iyalorisas and Babalorisas, we should also go before our Orisas and present our humble offerings. However, we should incorporate the following chant in our supplication to these positive energies. Be generous, too. In that generous spirit, extend your iwure (pray) to all of us positive thinkers, ase. The chant from a verse of an Odu Ifa says:
Odogbo n’ikun eri
Odogbo n’ikun efon
Odogbo ninu ira magaji
Difa fun Orunmila
Nijo baba ni oun o gbo’wun akapo t’oun mo Nje, odogbo n’ikun erin Odogbo n’ikun efon Owun ti Edu (Orunmila’s alias) wi
Ni akapo ngba. Song: Odogbo n’ikun erin o
Odogbo n'ikun efon
Owun ti Edu wi o
Ni akapa ngba
Odogbo n’ikun erin

English
Odogbo* in the stomach of elephant
Odogbo in the stomach of buffalo
Odogbo in the deep forest
Ifa was cast for Orunmila
When Baba experienced silence from Ifa [prayers were unanswered] Reiterated, odogbo in the stomach of elephant Odogbo in the stomach of buffalo Orunmila’s pronouncements [blessings] Are always gladly accepted by his Akapos**

*Working on its exact translation
**Orunmila’s representatives (Babalawo).
Aboru aboye.

Chief FAMA
Ileorunmila.com

Ifa is enlightenment

Aboru, Aboye, Aboshishe,

What most people don’t understand when they embark on the path of Ifa is what Ifa’s true purpose is. All too often, as with most religions, people turn to Ifa in their time of need seeking comfort and solace, or a solution to those problems which plague them. If a solution is found, the adherent is drawn deeper into the system of belief. However just as often, if they are unable to find what they seek, they wander and drift looking for some path to provide them with a solution. Those who remain often do so from a sense of relief that they have found something to provide them with the answers they seek. Certainly Ifa can provide this. But more often than not, the deeper meaning of Ifa is hidden, ignored or simply misunderstood.

I believe the true path of Ifa is one filled with reflection, self-analysis and contemplation of the difficult questions left when one tries to understand how we can live harmoniously as one community. Ifa can help you to see the world and yourself for what they truly are. It’s through this understanding that we are able to decipher the roadmap given to us by Olodumare and the true nature of our Ori/Head chosen at the house of Ajala. Ifa is a storehouse of knowledge that acts as a key, opening an understanding of the true nature of any given situation.

So why is it that we know that enlightenment through Ifa requires self-reflection? This excerpt from the Odu Iwori Meji tells us:

Iwori take a critical look at what affects you
If you undergo Ifa initiation (Itelodu)
Endeavor to use your wisdom and intelligence
…
Awo, when you have been given Ifa initiation
Initiate yourself again by using your wisdom and intelligence
Iwori take a critical look at what affects you

Two critical sections of the Iwori meji text point to this interpretation. By reminding us over and over throughout the Ese to “look at what affects [us]”, we are reminded that it is our responsibility to constantly reassess the world around us to see how it is affecting us. Further, there is a reminder to those members of the priesthood who have been given special access to the wisdom of Ifa. It is our responsibility to use our wisdom and intelligence, i.e. don’t assume Ifa will provide the key simply through initiation.

Lastly, Iwori meji reminds of one of the most important yet one of the least stressed concepts for the Awo Ifa, “Initiate yourself again by using your wisdom and intelligence”, it is here where Ifa tells the Awo that initiation alone does not make you a true Awo. It’s only through reflection and contemplation of Ifa that one can achieve an understanding of the initiation one went through, and through analysis and study, self initiation (awareness of the truths of Ifa) can occur.

The Odu Okanran Oturupon reminds us of our need to study in saying:

It is through constantly studying Ifa that we come to understand Ifa
It is through missing the way that we come to know the way
It is the road we have not traveled before that causes us to wander here and there

Ifa ki ko nii mu ni mo Ifa
Ona sisi nii mu ni mo ona
Ona ti a ko rin ri
Nii se ni sibasibo

Further, this excerpt from the Odu Ogbe Ate supports this idea :

…
Orunmila was the person who initiated Akoda
He also initiated Asheda
He equally initiated Araba
Only Orunmila Abonniregun
Was the person we do not know who initiated
Now, after I have been initiated
I will complement it with self-initiation
All those things that are my taboos
I will surely avoid them
I had been initiated
I will re-initiate myself, by myself...

Besides the clear support given to our earlier analysis, Ogbe ate takes things one step further by stating, “I will re-initiate myself, by myself...”. It’s in this statement that Ifa reminds us of one of the most important truths of them all, understanding of truth, is a solitary act. While others can help guide us along the way, in the end we face truth on our own. The solitary act of insight into the true nature of life is why we must travel the final road to realization alone.

It’s this epiphany that leads me to my next important, but potentially controversial statement.

Ifa is the path for everyone and no one.

The seemingly zen contradiction in this statement is an understanding that Ifa can provide universal truths to all those who seek it, while simultaneously acknowledging the solitary and unique nature of the epiphanies of truth. Truth reveals itself to each person in the way that person will understand it, and Ifa is but one path to Truth.

Self-realization

In order for any follower of Ifa, Awo and adherent alike, to benefit from the wisdom of Ifa, they must each have smaller revelations of truth. During each session of Ifa divination (D’afa), Ifa reveals an Odu which is drawn on the Opon Ifa. This process is meant to provide a mirror through which the devotee can recognize themselves and the truth of their situation in a given moment in time. As noted in earlier writings, D’afa (with the exception of major initiations such as Itelodu) is meant to provide a momentary glimpse into the true nature of a person’s life situation. This includes their actions, the actions of others, and the nature of people.

Owonrin Obara is a perfect example or our need to use Ifa as a mirror:

She sees me. I don’t see her.
This was the teaching of Ifa for Owa
They said that which we are looking for is near us
But we do not recognize it
Orunmila, Witness to Destiny, said:
The very thing we are looking for is near us
But our lack of knowledge prevents our seeing it

O ri mi. N ko rii
A difa fun Owa
Won ni: ohun ti a nwa nbe nitosi eni
Afi aimo eni
Orunmila, Eleri ipin, o ni:
Ohun ti a nwa nbe nitosi eni
Afi aimo eni ni kii je ka rii

Ifa is knowledge that provides us with the key to unlocking the door to that which we seek. If only we use it, we can recognize what we are looking for, and fulfill our destinies.

Ifa will enlighten us, if we take the time to reflect on, and apply the wisdom which it gives to us…

Aboru, Aboye Aboshishe
Marcos Ifalola Sanchez

"Eshu often brings opposition into our lives to force us to make a decision, to help us to grow, to reveal to us who we really are, to humble us, and to open our minds to bigger possibilities. To be humble is not to be weak, but to be open-minded and flexible in our thinking where no situation can unbalance us or make us lose our integrity. It was with this mindset of humility, openness, and patience, firmly rooted in the principles of Ifa, that Ifa traditional scientist used tolerance in their interactions with those different than themselves."


This is a key component to "Capoeira Angola principles".

Call to Ifa: The Challenge of Destiny
By Awo Imodoye

Mo ji loni mo ji re ( I wake up, I wake up to ire) Each of us has incarnated in this lifetime to fulfill our life's mission; which is to solve or to help solve a particular problem and in the process realize and know our true self. Simultaneously we must modify and complete our original but immature self by developing and maturing by seeking to understand and tolerate others and their unique gifts that complement or challenge our perceptions. Despite what the authorities may say in mainstream religions, we are not here to gain the same insights. We are not all here with the same questions, and the same answers will not satisfy everyone. Maybe the most difficult step is to discover the right path for ourselves. In the past, most people would simply follow the path that their families decreed. But with today's freedom, society allows each person to find their own way, this can be liberating or a nightmare of confusion. So, we set out on a journey to seek, to know our identity, purpose, and direction in life, in a word our essen ce, as opposed to only our personality or how we appear. If our intention is pure enough and our desire to know is strong enough, we can make our way to the path of Ifa where our potential character traits, assets and liabilities can be revealed to us. And remember the path is the way to reach your goal and not the goal itself. Many people who join religions agree with the truth those religions state. But to agree with the truth does not make you right, but to live from the truth and grow from it like the flowers grow from the sun is the goal. This journey many times will take us out of our familiar surroundings, and out of our comfort zone away from our familiar language. All this will demand resourcefulness and flexibility from us. By intentionally placing ourselves in frustrating situations, we will force ourselves to become the person we are supposed to be. As we give up old habits and discover new ways of doing things, we will be growing. We must build good character wh ile going through life's experiences. Even though we may have many challenges in these modern times, we can minimize our challenges by (a) identifying and practicing the basic fundamental principles of Ifa, (b) becoming aware of our religious history to become informed and inspired by our elders' examples of overcoming opposition and resolving problems under great stress, and assisting our Teachers whenever possible to maximize the collective Ashe of our Ifa families. Also, we must understand the position of Yoruba culture as the container and protector of Ifa providing ways and folk traditions for everyday persons to feel a part of Ifa even though they are not Ifa initiates. The central position of Yoruba language has to be acknowledged in communicating with the Orisha, in maintaining the definitions of our belief system, and the ability of the language to bond together non-Yoruba speaking Ifa worshipers with those who speak Yoruba in line with our core values. Ifa has the power to unify the collective members of its worship practice by revealing the root knowledge of the laws of the universe allowing unity of purpose and collective Ashe of the Ifa community to manifest. A dupe. O di abo.
Babake
Ifaseeyin@ileorunmila.com

OMI NÍ M'BE LÁBÉ'LÉ OMI LO MOKÚN ILE.
Water submerges under the earth.

All the Òrìsà that appear in the oracle of Ifá are the personification of Spiritual forces that exist in Nature. Four Natural fundamental Forces in the cosmology of Ifá are Earth, Air, Fire and Water. According to Ifá, each of these forces has a direct impact on the process of spiritual transformation. This idea is based on the belief of that all that exists in Nature is interconnected and interrelated. The cosmology of Ifá is not linear; it is cyclical and a spiral a snail shell. This means that the Forces that guide evolution reappear across time and the space and exist in multi-dimensions of reality. In other words, the Forces of Earth, Air, Fire and Water have similar properties in all the domains of Being. Said simply, the Òrìsà are qualities of power that are the manifestation of the original forces of creation. At the personal level, the Earth represents the physical body, the Air represents the intellect, Fire represents the individual spirit and Water represents the emotions. At the planetary level, these elements are clearly material Forces in Nature. In a subatomic universe, these elements represent the quality of interaction between particles. These fundamental elements interact and create new levels of complexity. The Fire of Creation cools down to form the stars, the Fire of the stars cools down to form the planets, the Fire in center of the Earth cools down to form the firm ground, and the firm ground makes use of the Fire in the process of rejuvenation and transformation.
To say that the water submerges under the earth, is to express the obvious truth that while water runs upon the ground in all directions, it eventually returns to the Earth. In Nigeria, the water table is very near to the surface and there is a complicated chain of underground water channels that are invisible at the level of the soil. Superficially, this proverb is a simple observation on the thermodynamics of moisture.
Water represents the emotions in the majority of indigenous American belif systems and the image of water is used often by Taoism to represent the Tao. In Ifá, the water is a symbol to time of the emotion and of the power of intuition that generate the strong feelings. The spiritual meaning of the proverb is related to the secret influence of the emotions on the physical body. In yorùbá, the word for " emotion " is "ègbè". In accordance with Ifá, the ègbè, or the emotional center of any human body, has a tremendous influence on the general physical and mental health of the individual. In the same way that water submerges under the ground to form underground currents, the emotions are absorbed by the body, affecting the self in ways that remain invisible, or that are not completely understood.
A key element in all the forms of spiritual transformation is the illumination of unknown influences that affect behavior. Ifá refers to these influences as " omi l'enia " that means "Humanity is water ". One of the first stages of the initiation to the Òrìsà it is to carry out a funeral for the soul of the initiated one. The intention of this funeral is to completely clean the negative influences of the invisible emotional currents that unconsciously flow through the body. On having invoked the death on the initiated one, the novice is returned to the state of innocence that accompanies a new baby in the world. Along with the hardware and skills provided by initiation to the Òrìsà, the renewal of the initiate includes the possibility of seeing, acknowledging, understanding and guiding these emotional currents that sink
below the skin.

oops, forgot the reference.
this is an excerpt from the book, "Iba'se Orisa"
by baba Falokun

It is a must have for those interested in the spiritual path of the Yoruba.

The Yoruba religion
is the science of allowing God to flow through you,
so that each breath becomes a prayer,
and as God breathes, you breathe.

---John Mason

Silva and Gold
By Chief FAMA

A verse of an Odu Ifa says in part:
Ti oju o ba ri ohun bi okùn
Ki i ri ohun bi ide
Difa fun Ofuntola
Ti aguntan re o ma fohun bi eniyan….

English
If one has not encountered silva
One may be unable to identify gold
Divined for Ofuntopola
Whose ram would speak like a person….

Joy, happiness, contentment—with the three words meaning almost the same thing—signify certain state of equilibrium that we all desire, and that we all wish we can have all the time. Good (!muy bien)! Of course, we should have joy; of course, we should be happy; of course, contentment should be the ceiling of our achieved goals. However, the master designer wants us to toil first, then, reap the rewards of our toil (hard work) later. If we look around us, we will see evidence of these divine orders. For instance, everyone is involved with one thing or the other early mornings: students getting ready for school to toil in classrooms for their futures; workers, business operators, business owners, (and everyone in general regardless of our different callings), preparing and rushing to toil for rewards of our immediate and distant future comforts; immediate reward being pay-checks at the end of the month and distant reward being the foreseeable eventual, comfortable retirement from Odumare's ordained daily survival chores we call work.

Ofuntola of mythological era went through the same routine one morning. By the evening, his luck had changed from rocky to greatness. So it is in our real daily life situations as there have been instances of similar occurrences. We probably know of somebody or heard of somebody or read about somebody whose life had been likewise dramatically changed for the best. As humans, we all have the divine luck for greatness; therefore, we should claim the ordained greatness after our daily toils, week after week, month after month, every time, and all the time. In addition to wishing you greatness this morning, may Odumare, via Ifa and the Orisas, crown your efforts with success, ase. Claim the silva and gold, that is the fortune that has been divinely bestowed upon you! A ji ire ni oni o (Good morning).

Chief FAMA
Ile Orunmila.com.
Electronic correspondence may be sent to fsorunmila@aol.com.

:toast:

DISCOURSE ON
MEANING AND SYMBOLOGY
IN THE IFA
DIVINATION SYSTEM


BY MARCOS
IFALOLA SANCHEZ

Ifa yesterday, Ifa today, Ifa tomorrow: November 2007
ifalola.blogspot.com

I would like to start this discourse with a few simple questions:If one practices Ifa, does one have to believe in the creation stories and stories of Odu Ifa?My answers is quite simply, yes . . . but more often as metaphor then as literal. ...

http://ifalola.blogspot.com/2007_11_01_archive.html

there you are. i be stalking you lol