IFA DIVINATION, Communication Between Gods and Men in West Africa,
William Bascom, Indiana University Press, Bloomington, London, 1967

The first part of this classic text begins with the introduction
(pp. 3-12), presenting the system in brief, informing the reader
that the focus will be on divination, rather than other aspects of
the cult of Ifa, mentioning the extent of Ifa divination in
Yorubaland, in Dahomey, Iboland, etc. and among Yoruba descendants
in the Americas, and underlining the significance of the numerous
verses accompanying the determination and meaning of the specific
figures.

The second chapter, "Previous Studies" (pp. 13-25), begins with mid
Nineteenth Century works by Tucker, Irving, Bowing, Campbell and
Burton. Details, such as Bowen's reference to Banga being the name
of the god Ifa, may be questioned, but, in general, the system
described is recognizably Ifa. then come later Victorians. Frobenius
in 1913 is cited as first to transmit to the Western reader the
figures in order and in Yoruba. Other post World War I authors are
listed for method of divination and for the impressive memory
containing so many verses.

Chapter Three, "Apparatus and Preliminary Invocations" (pp. 26-39),
describes the four-eyed palm nuts, the divining chain, cups, bowls,
trays, powder iyerson, and bell or tapper. Two sets of palm nuts are
mentioned, or even more, for each diviner, and an extra palm nut or
two to watch the bag while the set is being used. The more involved
method of palm nut calculation is considered more accurate than a
simple toss of the divining chain. Artistically, the best divining
cups are those produced by wood carvers, though any cup or container
used is considered adequate. The powder sprinkled on the tray comes
from camwood. The bell or tapper strikes the divining tray to
attract the attention of Ifa. There are a few pages about the daily
invocations requesting the presence of Ifa.

Chapter Four, "The Figures of Ifa" (pp. 40-50), begins with the
grabbing of the palm nuts, and the assertion that if more than two
are missed one tries again, rather than proceed with a binary
calculation. It mentions the casting of a pair of quadragrams
beginning on the right, the greater weight of the right hand
quadragram, and the greater importance of the sixteen duplicate
figures, as well as the value and precedence of each of the two
hundred and fifty six figures.

There is reference to the favourable and unfavourable possibilities
of each figure, as evidenced from the applicable verses. There is
also the local and regional nature of the deities corresponding to
each figure.

Chapter Five, "Specific Alternatives: Ibo and Adimu" (pp. 51-59),
begins with paired alternative questions resolved by a cast for each
and the value of the reply to each. There are figures stated to take
precedence if appearing on the first of alternate throws:

   The figures that are final in this sense, and thus select the
   first alternative immediately are Ofrun Meji, Iwori Ofun, Obara
   Ika, Owonrin Ika, Ogunda Ogbe, Ogunde Iwori, Irete Ose, Irete
   Otura, and Ose Otura. To this list one diviner added Ogbe Oyeku,
   and another added Otura Ogbe, Otura Okanran, and Ose Irete. p. 52

There is reference to the five kinds of good fortune (long life,
money, wives, children and victory) and the five kinds of misfortune
(death, sickness, conflict, poverty and loss), objects sybolically
representing them, to the determination of the deity to whom the
sacrifice should be made, and the simpler procedure for the more
potent palm nut method as contrasted with the divining chain method:

   The general outline of the procedure in divination is as follows.
   (1) The first cast is made to determine the figure for which the
   verses are recited. (2) Two casts are made to determine whether
   the prognostication is for good or for evil. (3) Two casts are
   made to find out what kind of good or evil is indicated. (4) A
   succession of double casts may be made to find out in more detail
   about the evil. (5) Two casts are made to find out whether a
   sacrifice (ebo) is sufficient, or whether adimu is required in
   addition. (6) If adimu is indicated, five casts are made to learn
   to whom it should be offered. (7) If adimu is to be made to a
   "white deity," it is identified by a succession of double casts.
   (8) Five casts are made to determine what is required as adimu.
   (9) If a live animal is required, a succession of double casts
   may be made to find out what kind. (10) The verses of the figure
   of the initial cast are recited, and the appropriate verse is
   selected. (11) The correct sacrifice is determined by a
   succession of double casts. If at point 5 ebo is indicated, steps
   6 through 9 are omitted; and if the client wishes, steps 2
   through 9 may be skipped; and if palm nuts are used, the process
   may be reduced to steps 1 and 10 only. p. 59

Chapter Six, "The Sacrifices and Medicines" (pp. 60-67), begins with
the importance of sacrifice to ensure realization of predicted good
fortune and aversion of prophecized misfortune. It is usually a good
idea to offer sacrifices without undue delay. Sacrifices are offered
to the shrines of deities as specified in the verses or, if
unspecified, to Eshu, messenger of Olorun.

Chapter Seven, "The Predictions" (pp. 68-75), begins with restating
the procedure of ascertaining the appropriate figure, reciting the
relevant verses for that figure and performing the required
sacrifices. There is reference to the client's whispering the
question to a coin, to the client's selection of the applicable
verse and the value of Ifa in resolving a client's uncertainty.

   It must be stressed, however, that the diviner earns his
   reputation not by the number of verses he can recite, but by his
   success in securing favorable solutions to his client's problems.
   His reputation and his business depend on satisfied clients, who
   recommend him to their friends and relatives. pp. 71-72

Chapter Eight, "Prophessional Ethics" (pp. 76-80), mentions the
awareness by diviners of the economic capacity of their clients and
their efforts to arrive at reasonable sacrifices, even of a feather
as a substitute for a chicken from an impoverished person. It also
states that while diviners may err from lack of complete knowledge,
generally they strive to abide within the principles of their craft.
Nevertheless, various opportunities for deceit are mentioned.

Chapter Nine, "The Diviners" (pp. 81-90), begins by stating that
babalawo means "father has secrets." It mentions memorization of
verses, initiation, the four grades, paraphernalia, apprenticeship
to one's father or other diviner and continuing life-long study of
Ifa by diviners. There are stories of diviners, including of one
born to be a diviner but taking time getting around to it. A chief
intercepted him depressed at the deaths his children and seven wives
and despondently walking to the bush to die, and brought him to a
babalawo who told him again his destiny was to become a diviner.
When he accepted his destiny he became a great diviner with some two
hundred wives, though he really only loved about twenty of them.

Chapter Ten, "The King's Diviners" (pp. 91-102), begins with a
mention of the sixteen positions and their titles in order of
current precedence, with the note that with the exception of the
first two, precedence changes according to the varying seniority of
the incumbants. the red tail feather of the grey parrot was worn in
the hair by royal diviners, and now is worn in a hat. the royal
diviners may be summoned at any time to divine at the palace shrine
of Ifa. They conduct the festival of first yams. This festival is
described. There are taboos against poisoning each other, seducing
each other's wives, conspiring against each other, back biting each
other, abandoning each other in peril and violating the secrecy of
their meetings.

Chapter Eleven, "The System of Belief" (pp. 103-119), begins with
three deities: Ifa, god of divination, Olorun, the great sky god,
and Eshu, messenger of Olorun. It notes the influence of Islam and
Christianity, as well as modernisms in some verses, but stresses the
pre-contact origin of the vast majority of the tradition. There are
many gods.

Eshu, messenger, trickster, "divine enforcer" (p. 105), close friend
of Ifa, as described in the tale of Ifa putting out the word of
Ifa's death and finding Eshu alone grieved without using the wake as
an opportunity to seek collection of bogus debts from Ifa's family.

Ifa, or Orunmila, is scholar, interpreter, elucidater of divine
knowledge, inventor of writing, etc.

Beliefs include multiple souls, including ancestral located in the
head, reincarnation of the deserving, one's selection before birth
of one's destiny, including a fixed death date.

   An individual's destiny is chosen by the ancestral guardian soul
   which is reincarnated in him, and which watches over him
   throughout life and protects him unless it is offended. Except
   for the appointed day upon which an individual's several souls
   must return to heaven, destiny is not fixed an unalterable. It
   sets a chart for one's life which can bring many blessings if it
   is followed, but in order to achieve his destiny and to live out
   his allotted span, one must offer the proper prayers and
   sacrifices, employ protective medicines, and behave correctly in
   other ways. pp. 117-118

Chapter Twelve, "The Divination Verses" (pp. 120-137), begins by
mentioning how relatively few are contained in this volume compared
to the likely four thousand plus in the corpus, that most figures
are not represented in this volume, and that generally one is
expected to know four verses per figure to begin divining.

There follows the trifold structure of most verses: mythological
correspondence, its outcome, its application. There is reference to
diviners named in verses and proverbs often contained in verses.
Myths told often star the best known deities, including Ifa. The
verses include some in which the mythical characters decline to
follow the advice given with expected unpleasant consequences. As
expected in an oral society, there is a very skillful use of
language and artful wordplay. Some tales and tale types and their
prevalence beyond Yorubaland.

The second part of this volume (pp. 140-563) contains a sample in
Yoruba, interlinear English translation and more literary English
translation of the verses of Ifa.

Michael McKenny October 24-29, 2002 C.E.



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