An Apetibi is considered a wife of Orunmila or a Babalawo. An apetibi is not initiated into the mysteries of Ifa and has not received Itefa or itelodu levels of initiation. Iyanifa have titles and ranks in Ile Ife, Nigeria.
What is the female version of a babalawo?
Kumari defines Iyalawo as the “female equivalent” of babalawo, 21 which is significant because the more traditional Yoruba term iyanifa is simply the counterpart of the male Ifa priest, demonstrating a subtle difference in orientation toward gender roles and norms.
What is an Iyanifa?
Iyanifa means Mother of Wisdom or Mother of Ifa. It is the position of the High Priestess in the Ifa Orisha tradition . The Ifa Orisha tradition of Africa is thousands of years old and was so strong, it was able to survive the slave trade to go on in the new world.
What is a Yoruba priestess called?
A Yemoja priestess in Ọ̀yọ́, Nigeria. Yoruba divination board Opon Ifá
What is an AWO in Ifa?
What is the meaning of Awo? Awo means sacredness and honesty, having an agreement not to reveal to the public the sanctity of a pact made between two or more people, peoples, community, nation, continent and the universe.
What is a Bembe in Yoruba?
A bembé is a party for the orishas. During a bembé the orishas are praised, saluted and entreated to join the party through `mounting’ one of the priests or priestesses in attendance.
What is a Ifa priest called?
babalawo
Yoruba priests of ifa are known as babalawo (fathers of secrets). Trained from their youth in the rituals of divination, they are masters of a vast corpus of oral literature known as ese ifa often referred to as containing the wisdom of ifa.
Can a woman be initiated in Ifa?
It is noted that women have always received Ifa initiations in West Africa through Ifa, Afa, or Fa, as it is known in various lineages.
How many orisha are there?
Yoruba tradition often says that there are 400 + 1 orishas, which is associated with a sacred number. Other sources suggest that the number is “as many as you can think of, plus one more – an innumerable number”. Different oral traditions refer to 400, 700, or 1,440 orishas.
Who is Obatala?
Obatala or “Orisa Nla” (known as Obatalá in Yorubaland and in Caribbean and South American Spanish and Oxalá in Brazil) is an orisha. He is believed, according to Yoruba cosmology, to be the Sky Father and the creator of human bodies, which were brought to life by the smooth breath of Olodumare.
Does Ifa believe in God?
Ifa has many gods called Orishas. Scott has two gods that he prays to: Oshun and Eleggua. In the religion, your god chooses you. “When you first become Ifa, you have to do a reading, and that’s when your god chooses you based on your mindset,” Scott said.
Who is Yemoja?
Yemonja, also spelled Yemoja or Yemaja, Yoruban deity celebrated as the giver of life and as the metaphysical mother of all orisha (deities) within the Yoruba spiritual pantheon.
How does a babalawo work?
Functions in society. The Babalawos are believed to ascertain the future of their clients through communication with Ifá. This is done through the interpretation of either the patterns of the divining chain known as Opele, or the sacred palm nuts called Ikin, on the traditionally wooden divination tray called Opon Ifá.
What is the Babalao religion?
A priest of the highest order belonging to the Santería religion, similar to vodoun, with magic powers, including the ability to heal the sick, divine the future and punish wrongdoers.
What is AWO English?
The Yoruba term “awo.” matches the English term “skin“
What is the Bembe instrument?
Bembe (membranophone), a Trinidadian drum more commonly known as “bemba”
What is Bembe drum?
Bembe Drum Style is the eighth in the series: Essential Latin Drum Set Beats. The challenge is to try and duplicate the patterns traditionally played by 3 drummers (bateristas): Timbales (timbalero), Congas (conguero) and Bongos (bongocero).
What is a Cuban Bembe?
In Cuba, “Bembe” is also defined as: A classification of percussion instruments. A religious celebration or gathering. The toques, changes, and/or dances used at these religiouscelebrations and gatherings. To communicate, as with the Orisha.
Is Santeria and Ifa the same?
Ifa gives greater access to all the Orisha; Santeria links a follower predominantly with one. Santeria is rife with Catholic influences; Ifa makes no such concessions. Many view Ifa as the deepest form of divination in Santeria, and the highest form of expression within Orisha worship.
What does ASE mean in Yoruba?
Ase or ashe (from Yoruba àṣẹ) is a Yoruba philosophical concept through which the Yoruba of Nigeria conceive the power to make things happen and produce change.
What does ODU mean in Yoruba?
for God
Odu is a term that is seen in the Yoruba name for God, and Oduduwa, who happen to be the progenitor of Yoruba race.
