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Iyaaláwo or Iyalawo (Iyalao or Iyalaô in Latin America; literally meaning 'mother of the secrets' in the Yoruba language), also known as Iyanifa (meaning 'mother of Ifá') is a spiritual title that denotes a Priestess of Ifá. Its male counterpart is called Babalawo (meaning 'father of the secrets'). Ifá is a divination system that represents the teachings of the Orisha Orunmila, the Orisha of Wisdom, who in turn serves as the oracular representative of Olodumare. The Iyalawo 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.

Iyalawo in an Ifá community

Iyalawos 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. The Iyalawos are, however, generally trained in the determination of problems, or to divine how good fortune can be maintained, and the application of both spiritual and related secular diagnosis and solutions. Their primary function is to assist people in finding, understanding, and being in alignment with one's individual destiny, Ori of life until they experience spiritual wisdom as a part of their daily experience. The Awo is charged with helping people develop the discipline and character that supports such spiritual growth called "Iwa Pele", or good character. This is done by identifying the client's spiritual destiny, or Ori, and developing a spiritual blueprint which can be used to support, cultivate, and live out that destiny.

History of Iyalawo / Iyanifa in Ifa

Women have initiated into Ifa since before written history. The first known Iyanifa noted in history is Agbaye Arabinrin Oluwa, who lived about 200 AD in West Africa, Nigeria.[1] The first woman noted to be initiated in the Ifa Literary Corpus was Orunmila's ( the prophet of Ifa)initiating his daughter in the Ifa Verse Eji Ogbe.[2] The verse is noted as follows: "The secret one of Jegbe' house Is Agbagiwo the chief priest of divination In the heavenly abode" Ifa said look at Orunmila on The day he was coming from Heaven to Earth. They told him he would marry a woman. They said the woman would deliver children—Two in a day. Just like Ifa predicted, Orunmila had a wife and she became pregnant. She delivered twins. One was male while the other one was female. From a tender age they both watched their father in the act of divination. Just as the male could divine, so could the female When human beings got to the earth, They said, "You, Awonlaseri." Why doesn't your child practice Ifa? He said, because she is female. They said that is not taboo. So long as Orunmila' first born child who is female initiated into Ifa and offered ebo, from then on Women have initiated in Ifa.[3] This ese Ifa only appeared after 2010 so it is considered suspect by many, especially as it contradicts other Yoruba ese Ifa which state explicitly that "No woman can look upon Odu" (Odu being a female manifestation of the Supreme Being who initiated this taboo and is considered absolutely essential to the initiation of an Ifá priest in most branches of the religion in Africa and Cuba).

The women initiated as Iyalawos or Iyanifas are almost exclusively from the United States and there are almost no Yoruba Iyanifas in Nigeria itself to this day. The first woman in the west initiated into Ifa is noted in the Nigerian Newspaper, The Guardian where it reported that Dr. D'Haifa Odufora Ifatogun was initiated in 1985 by the chief priest of Osogbo, Ifayemi Elebuibon.[4][5] This is the first documented case of an Iyanifa/Iyalawo being initiated in the Yoruba tradition although the initiation was actually performed in New York City. Her initiation caused a controversy particularly among the Lucumí community, and for a short period of time Elebuibon claimed D'Haifa hadn't actually been fully initiated. Later he recanted again stating women can indeed be initiated. The tradition was maintained in Cuba through the slave trade by Babalawos and when migrating to the United States, the assumption that women could not initiate has continued. The position of Iyalawo is now found in both West Africa and in the Americas.

Controversy

The title is denied in the Lucumí tradition as well as most of Yorubaland where women are still forbidden to initiate into Ifá. This is due to the traditional view based on the well-known ese Ifa from the odus Irete Ogbe and Oshe Oyekun which say respecively that "No woman may look upon Odu" and that "Ifa will not recognize (as a priest of Ifa) anyone who has not been initiated in the presence of Odu." In fact, the first babalawo brought to Cuba as a slave, Adechina, risked his life to journey back to Africa and return to Cuba with Odu so that babalawos could be initiated there. Lucumi babalawos are particularly offended by the initiation of women (and men initiated without Odu present as well) as it implies that the old slave Adechina's life has no value. As with the various lineages throughout Africa and the diaspora, the Lucumí lineage is distinct and separate as can be seen in an accord reached by a group of Lucumí Obá Oriatés, Babalaos, and Olorichás on June 2, 2010.[6] It is suggested that spiritual capital of Yorubaland, Ilé Ifé, did not begin to initiate women into Ifá until the 1990s. In the book, Orisa Devotion as World Religion, Dr. Eason recounts how in 1992 the King of Oyotunji Adefunmi, under pressure from women at Oyotunji to allow them to be initiated as Ifá priestesses, was forced to go to Benin to initiate them because Ilé Ifé still did not permit it at that time.[7]

There are a handful of women initiated in Iyanifa in Lucumi, but they are rare and not recognized.[8] It is noted that the Ifa Verse, Oshe Tura, requires that women and their power be recognized and specifically that it is forbidden to leave women out. Oshun, a female divinity Orisha, who is featured in that verse, when encountering men who would not recognize her began established a sect of women called Iyami Aje to counterbalance the injustice. The male Orisha divinities were rendered powerless and were not effective until Oshun was included, though this did not mention initiation in Ifa.[9] This odu is pivotal in Ifa Initiation because it expands the foundation the Ifa Oracle to 256 odus which is the basis of the Ifa literary corpus itself. In this the traditional Yorubas, the neo-traditionalists and the Lucumí traditionalists agree. In the Lucumi branch of the religion there is a long tradition of extremely powerful Orisha priestess such as Latuan, Efunché and Obatero who reigned over much of the religion in both Havana and Matanzas, Cuba. Also, in he Lucumí tradition, if a female Ifá initiate known as an apetebí has not performed certain ceremonies during the initiation of an Ifá priest, that person is not recognized as a babalawo. On the other hand, with the relatively new movement in Africa to place all the separate Orisha religions directly under the umbrella of Ifa, it appears the only upward path for women becomes being initiated as an Ifa priestess.

In addition, Ode Remo demonstrates a history to the contrary as noted in "Women in the Yoruba Religion"[10] by Ode Remo author Oluwo Olotunji Somorin and other sources.[11] Also noted is the Odu verse Oturupon Oyeku where Esu ( the divine messenger orisha) advises Orunmila's wife an Iyanifa to use the Opele( a divining chain reserved exclusively for Ifa Priests) to find out about her husband and to follow the requirements to bring him home.[12] This seems to be similar to the Lucumí apetebi ayafa, who has gone through a second initiation known as Adele Wa ni Ifá Tolú, and who is expected to become well-versed in the odus and is allowed to use the opele in the case of sickness or emergency on the part of her husband or son who is a babalawo.[13]

See also

Notes and references

  1. ^ Iyanfia: Women of Wisdom
  2. ^ Women in the Yoruba Religious Sphere, page 116
  3. ^ Women in the Yoruba Religious Sphere, page 116
  4. ^ Iyanifa: Women of Wisdom, Chapter Historical Notes, pg 352
  5. ^ http://eleda.org/blog/2002/10/27/the-guardian-conscience-nurtured-by-truth/
  6. ^ Ramos, Willie (2010). "Lucumi Oba Oriate Council Agreement".
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ http://cubarights.blogspot.com/2011/05/babalawos-womens-meeting-in-holguin.html
  9. ^ http://101.myyoruba.com/oshun-odu-ose-tura/
  10. ^ "Amazon".
  11. ^ "OdeRemo Iyanifa Corner".
  12. ^ Iwe Fun Odu Ifa
  13. ^ Baba Eyiogbe, Frank. Babalawo, Santería's High Priests. St. Paul, MN Llewellyn Worldwide 2015 pp. 164-165.

Oyeronke Olajubu, Women in the Yoruba Religious Sphere ISBN 978-0791458853

Ayele Fa'seguntunde Kumari, Iyanifa:Woman of Wisdom ISBN 978-1500492892

Oluwo Olotunji Somorin, Women in the Yoruba Religion, Teledase Publishing, Ode Remo, Nigeria 2009

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