Iyalawo - Wikipedia
Iyalawo - Wikipedia
Iyalawo - Wikipedia
Differences between
terms
While Iyaláwo and Ìyánífá are often
used interchangeably, the terms
have different denotations and
connotations. The term Iyanífa
specifically relates to Ifá and could
indicate that a female undertakes
Ifa divination or is a custodian of Ifa
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 wisdom that
may include Ifa but goes beyond Ifá
. The significance of the Iyaláwo in
Yoruba cosmology is said to extend
to its creator, Odù. In The Architects
of Existence: Àjẹ́ in Yoruba
Cosmology, Ontology, and Orature,
Teresa N. Washington says of Odù:
“Odù, as the Àjẹ́, is the consummate
Iyaláwo: The mysteries of the
Cosmos swirl in the core of her
being.”[1] Another term, Apetibi , is
sometimes confused with Iyanifa or
Iyalawo but is not the same. 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.[2]
Historical accounts of
Iyalawo and Iyanifa
According to Babalawo K. Ositola
from Ijebu, Nigeria, it was a woman ,
Odu, who taught her husband
Orunmila how to divine so that he
could communicate with the
spiritual world. The history of
women casting Ifa is well-
documented in the ese Ifa.[4]
Oyeronke Olajubu's Women in the
Yoruba Religious Sphere analyzes an
ese Ifa of Eji Ogbe in which
Orunmila is asked why his daughter
is not practicing Ifa. When he replies
that she is female, he is informed
that that is no taboo. Following this,
Orunmila's daughter studied Ifa and
"From then on women have studied
Ifa / They prescribe sacrifice / They
are initiated into the Ifa corpus."[5] A
verse in Iwori Meji mentions that
Orunmila's daughter is named Alara
and that she underwent an
apprenticeship from Orunmila.
When he had a son, she was
responsible for a large part of her
younger brother's training.[6] The
Arugba Ifa, mother of Onibogi, the
8th Alaafin of Oyo, is documented
as introducing Ifa to Oyo .[7] Arugba
Ifa initiated the Alado of Ato into Ifa,
as well. The Alado later initiated the
priests of Oyo into Ifa. The sacred
odu Oturupon Irete cites a woman
named Oluwo being initiated into Ifa
after giving birth to a son by
Oduduwa. That son became known
as the Ooni.[8] The Ifa Odu Odi Ogbe
speaks of a woman divining and
performing ritual sacrifice for
Orunmila by the name Eruko-ya-
l'egan o d'Oosa also known as Orisa
Oke. The Odù Ifá describes how an
Ìyánífá called Ugbin Ejo divines for
Òfún Méji and also eventually
becomes the mother of Ògbóni.[9]
Training
Iyalawo undergo training in the
memorization and interpretation of
the 256 Odu or mysteries, as well as
in the numerous verses or Ese of
Ifá. Traditionally, the Iyalawo usually
have additional professional
specialties. For instance, several
would also be herbalists, while
others would specialize in
extinguishing the troubles caused
by Ajogun.
Lineage variations of
Iyanifa
The position of Iyalawo is found in
both West Africa and in the
Americas. Every town, country and
lineage has different customs,
although most towns in Yorubaland
initiate women at present. The
priesthood of women is denied by
many in the Lucumí tradition in
Cuba. As with the various lineages
throughout the Caribbean and the
Americas, the Lucumí lineage is
distinct from African lineages, as
can be seen in an accord reached by
a group of Lucumí Oba Oriatés,
Babalaos, and Olorichás on June 2,
2010.[18]
See also
Ifá
Babalawo
Iyami Aje
References
1. Washington, Teresa N. (2014). The
Architects of Existence: Aje in Yoruba
Cosmology, Ontology, and Orature .
Oya's Tornado. p. 43. ISBN 978-
0991073016.
2. Kumari, Ayele. Iyanifa Women of
Wisdom.
3. Quoted in: Washington, Teresa N.
(2005). Our Mothers, Our Powers, Our
Texts: Manifestations of Aje in
Africana Literature . Indiana
University Press. pp. 16–17.
ISBN 978-0991073054.
4. Drewal, Margaret and Henry (1990).
Gelede: Art And Female Power
Among the Yoruba . United States:
Indiana University Press. pp. 9 .
ISBN 0-253-32569-2.
5. Women in the Yoruba Religious
Sphere, page 116
6. Agele Fawesagu Agbovi (2011). Iwe
Fun Odu Ifa. Kilombo Productions.
p. 152.
7. Johnson, Samuel (1921). History of
the Yorubas from the Earliest of
Times to the British Protectorate.
Nigeria Bookshops.
8. Kumari, Ayele (2014). Iyanifa :
Women of Wisdom.
9. Ibie, C. Osamaro (1986). Ifism: The
Complete Works of Orunmila. Efehi.
pp. 247–248.
10. Washington, Teresa N. (2014). The
Architects of Existence: Aje In Yoruba
Cosmology, Ontology, and Orature .
Oya's Tornado. pp. 179–188.
ISBN 978-0991073016.
11. Quoted in: Washington, Teresa N.
(2014). The Architects of Existence:
Aje in Yoruba Cosmology, Ontology,
and Orature . Oya's Tornado. p. 182.
ISBN 978-0991073016.
12. Iyanfia: Women of Wisdom, page 362
13. "Babalawos Women's Meeting In
Holuguin" . Translating Cuba.
14. Fama, Chief (1990). Fundamentals to
the Yoruba Religion Orisha Worship.
Orunmila Publications.
ISBN 0971494908.
15. Iyanifa: Women of Wisdom, Chapter
Historical Notes, pg 352
16. Posted by Ilarí Obá at 11:38 am. "The
Guardian: Conscience Nurtured By
Truth" . Eleda.org. Retrieved
2020-01-16.
17. CITIZENSHIP, RELIGION AND
REVOLUTION IN CUBA by Carolyn E.
Watson, University of New Mexico,
December 2009
18. Ramos, Willie (2010). "Lucumi Oba
Oriate Council Agreement" .
19. Eason, Ikulomi Djisovi. “Historicizing
Ifá Culture in Oyotunji African
Village.” In Orisa Devotion as World
Religion: The Globalization of Yoruba
Religious Culture, edited by Jacob
Kehinde Olupona and Terry Rey, 278–
85. Madison: University of Wisconsin
Press, 2008.
20. "Amazon" .
21. "OdeRemo Iyanifa Corner" .
22. "Cuba Human Rights: Babalawos
Women's Meeting in Holguin / Dimas
Castellanos" .
Cubarights.blogspot.com. 2011-05-
28. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
23. El fenómeno Iyónifá en Cuba,”
Consenso 1 (2005), available from
www.consenso.org/01/articulos/02_
01.shtml, internet; accessed 8
February 2006.
24. Mirta Fernández, “Las mujeres
penetran en Ifá,” El Caiman Barbudo
345, 14 March 2009
25. Betancourt Estrada, “Respuestas a
Felipe Ifaláde,” 2
26. "Archived copy" . Archived from the
original on 2015-03-25. Retrieved
2015-03-17.
Bibliography …
Retrieved from
"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=Iyalawo&oldid=943318244"