|
Ọrunmila
Ọrunmila (, also Ọrúnla or Orúla in Latin America) is the Orisha of Wisdom, knowledge, and Divination, is the creator of Ifá and Babalawo concept. He is a high priest of Ifá. Historical and literary sources Following the categories developed by the Nigerian scholar Peju Yemaje, Orunmila is recognized as a primordial Orisha, an ''ara orun'', one that existed before the creation of humanity and resides in Heaven, as opposed to ''irun-male'' or ''irunmole'', sacred beings living on Earth. Equivocally, he is praise named "''Igbákejì Olódùmarè''" (second in command to Olodumare). In truth, he is Ibikeji Olodumare and "''Ẹlẹ́rìí ìpín''" (witness of fate). Priests of Ifá are known as babalawos and Priestesses of Ifá are known as iyanifas. Orunmila is considered a sage, recognizing that Olodumare placed Ori (intuitive knowledge) in him as a prime Orisha. It is Ori who can intercede and affect the reality of a person much more than any other Orisha.William R ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Opele
An opele (spelled opuele or ocuele in Latin America) is a divination chain used in traditional African and Afro-American religions, notably in Ifá and Yoruba tradition. A babalawo Babaalawo or babaláwo in West Africa (babalao in Caribbean and South American Spanish and babalaô in Brazilian Portuguese), literally means "father of secrets" (or “father of mysteries”) in the Yoruba language. It is a spiritual title tha ... (diviner) uses the opele in order to communicate with the deity of wisdom/knowledge in the Yoruba tradition ( Ọrunmila), who is able to identify the causes and solutions to personal and collective problems and restore harmony in the person's life through re-balancing of the person's destiny and/or ori (personal deity). The opele is the minor divination tool used by babalawos for Ifá divination; it is believed to be an "assistant" or "slave" of Ọrunmila, who communicates Ọrunmila's desires to the babalawo and from the babalawo back to Ọrunmila. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Babalawo
Babaalawo or babaláwo in West Africa (babalao in Caribbean and South American Spanish and babalaô in Brazilian Portuguese), literally means "father of secrets" (or “father of mysteries”) in the Yoruba language. It is a spiritual title that denotes a high priest of the Ifá oracle. Ifá is a divination system that represents the teachings of the òrìṣà Ọrunmila, the òrìṣà of wisdom, who in turn serves as the oracular representative of Olodumare. The babalawo serves not only as a religious figure but also as a cultural bridge, helping to preserve language, proverbs, and ritual customs that are foundational to Yoruba identity. History of babalawo The term "babalawo" typically refers to a Yoruba religious figure, often considered a priest or diviner, within the Ifá system of the Yoruba people in West Africa. The Ifá system is a complex and ancient divination and religious practice that has its roots in Yoruba mythology and culture and is deeply rooted in Yo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Orisha
Orishas (singular: orisha) are divine spirits 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 Haitian Vaudou, Cuban Santería and Brazilian Candomblé. The preferred spelling varies depending on the language in question: òrìṣà is the spelling in the Yoruba language, orixá in Portuguese, and orisha, oricha, orichá or orixá in Spanish-speaking countries. In the Lucumí tradition, which evolved in Cuba, the orishas are synchronized with Catholic saints, forming a syncretic system of worship where African deities are hidden behind Christian iconography. This allowed enslaved Africans to preserve their traditions under colonial religious persecution. According to the teachings of these religions, the orishas are spirits sent by the supreme creator, Olodumare, to assist humanity and to teach them to be successful on ''Ayé'' (Earth). Rooted in the native religion of the Yoruba people, mos ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yoruba Religion
The Yorùbá religion (Yoruba language, Yoruba: Ìṣẹ̀ṣe), West African Orisa (Òrìṣà), or Isese (Ìṣẹ̀ṣe), comprises the traditional religious and spiritual concepts and practice of the Yoruba people. Its homeland is in present-day Southwestern Nigeria and Southern Benin, which comprises the majority of the States of Nigeria, states of; Oyo State, Oyo, Ogun State, Ogun, Osun State, Osun, Ondo State, Ondo, Ekiti State, Ekiti, Kwara State, Kwara, Lagos State, Lagos and parts of Kogi State, Kogi in Nigeria, the Departments of Benin, Departments of; Collines Department, Collines, Ouémé Department, Oueme, Plateau Department, Plateau in Benin, and the adjoining parts of central Togo, commonly known as Yorubaland (). It has become the largest indigenous African tradition / belief system in the world with several million adherents worldwide. It shares some parallels with the Vodun practised by the neighbouring Fon people, Fon and Ewe people, Ewe peoples to its west ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Opon Ifá
An ọpọ́n Ifá is a divination tray used in Traditional African religion, traditional African and Afro-American religions, notably in the system known as Ifá and in Yoruba religion, Yoruba tradition more broadly. The etymology of ''opon'', literally meaning "to flatter", explains the artistic and embellished nature of the trays, as they are meant to praise and acknowledge the noble work of the babalawo (diviners). The etymology of the term ''Ifá,'' however'','' has been a subject of debate. Ifá may be considered an orisha, or a Yoruba god — specifically, the god of divination Ọrunmila, Orula. Conversely, some scholars have referred to Ifá merely as the "great consulting oracle" as opposed to a god or a deity, without any divine connotations. Opon Ifá are typically made by Wood carving, wood carvers who specialize in the trays, and are made with designs per request of the patron babalawo or by the carver's own accord. The emphasis on the tray's design is not only du ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yoruba People
The Yoruba people ( ; , , ) are a West African ethnic group who inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo, which are collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute more than 50 million people in Africa, are over a million outside the continent, and bear further representation among the African diaspora. The vast majority of Yoruba are within Nigeria, where they make up 20.7% of the country's population according to Ethnologue estimations, making them one of the largest List of ethnic groups of Africa, ethnic groups in Africa. Most Yoruba people speak the Yoruba language, which is the Niger–Congo languages, Niger-Congo language with the largest number of native or L1 speakers. Geography In Africa, the Yoruba culture, Yoruba are contiguous with the Yoruboid languages, Yoruboid Itsekiri to the south-east in the northwest Niger Delta, Bariba people, Bariba to the northwest in Benin and Nigeria, the Nupe people, Nupe to the north, and the Ebira to the northeast in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yorubaland
Yorubaland () is the homeland and cultural region of the Yoruba people in West Africa. It spans the modern-day countries of Nigeria, Togo and Benin, and covers a total land area of . Of this land area, 106,016 km2 (74.6%) lies within Nigeria, 18.9% in Benin, and the remaining 6.5% is in Togo. Prior to European colonization of Africa, European colonization, a portion of this area was known as Yoruba country. The geo-cultural space contains an estimated 55 million people, the majority of this population being ethnic Yoruba people, Yoruba. Geography Geo-physically, Yorubaland spreads north from the Gulf of Guinea and west from the Niger River into Benin and Togo. In the northern section, Yorubaland begins in the suburbs just west of Lokoja and continues unbroken up to the Ogooué River tributary of the Mono River in Togo, a distance of around 610 km. In the south, it begins in an area just west of the Benin and Osse River (Nigeria), Osse (Ovia) river occupied by the Ilaj ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Symbol
A symbol is a mark, Sign (semiotics), sign, or word that indicates, signifies, or is understood as representing an idea, physical object, object, or wikt:relationship, relationship. Symbols allow people to go beyond what is known or seen by creating linkages between otherwise different concepts and experiences. All communication is achieved through the use of symbols: for example, a red octagon is a common symbol for "Stop sign, STOP"; on maps, blue lines often represent rivers; and a red rose often symbolizes love and compassion. Numerical digit, Numerals are symbols for numbers; Letter (alphabet), letters of an alphabet may be symbols for certain phonemes; and personal names are symbols representing individuals. The academic study of symbols is called semiotics. In the arts, Artistic symbol, symbolism is the use of a abstract and concrete, concrete element to represent a more abstract idea. In cartography, an organized collection of symbols forms a map layout, legend for a ma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ori (Yoruba)
Orí is a Yoruba metaphysical concept. Orí, literally meaning "head," refers to one's spiritual intuition and destiny. It is the reflective spark of human consciousness embedded into the human essence, and therefore is often personified as an Orisha in its own right. It is believed by the Yoruba religion that human beings Humans (''Homo sapiens'') or modern humans are the most common and widespread species of primate, and the last surviving species of the genus ''Homo''. They are great apes characterized by their hairlessness, bipedalism, and high intellige ... are able to heal themselves both spiritually and physically by working with the Orishas to achieve a balanced character, or ''iwa-pele''. When one has a balanced character, one obtains an alignment with one's Orí or ''divine self''. It is also believed that Orí be worshiped like Orisha. When things are not going right, Orí should be consulted, to make things right Orí should be appeased. This is because wh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Senex
The wise old man (also called senex, sage or sophos) is an archetype as described by Carl Jung, as well as a classic literary figure, and may be seen as a stock character. The wise old man can be a profound philosopher distinguished for wisdom and sound judgment. Traits This character is typically represented as a kind and wise elderly father figure who uses personal knowledge of people and the world to help tell stories and offer guidance that may in a mystical way impress upon his audience a sense of who they are and who they might become, thereby acting as a mentor. He may occasionally appear as an absent-minded professor, seeming absent-minded due to a predilection for contemplative pursuits. The wise old man is often seen to be from a different culture, nation, or occasionally time, from those he advises. In extreme cases, he may be a liminal being, such as Merlin, who was only half human. In medieval chivalric romance and modern fantasy literature, he is often pre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Iyanifa
is a term in the Lucumi religion that literally means "mother of mysteries" or "mother of wisdom" (''iyá'': “mother”; ''awó'' “mysteries"). Some adherents use the term "mamalawo," which is a partially African diaspora version of the Lucumi term, iyaláwo and yeyelawo are two more versions of mother of mysteries. ìyánífá is a Yoruba word that can be translated as "mother (''ìyá'') has or of (''ní'') Ifá" or "mother in Ifá" and is the Yoruba title for mother of mysteries and the female equivalent of a babalawo. Differences between terms While iyaláwo and ìyánífá are often used interchangeably, the terms have different denotations and connotations. The term ìyánífá specifically relates to Ifá and could indicate that a female undertakes Ifá divination or is a custodian of Ifá in a personal or professional capacity; the term may also indicate that a woman has had Itefa or itelodu initiation. The term iyaláwo indicates a woman who has knowledge of sacred w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
