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1. AWO YORUBA THE LANGUAGE OF IFÁ GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN IFÁ DIVINATION Awo Fa’lokun Fatunmbi Egbe Iwa Pele

2. Introduction In order to understand the oral tradition of Ifa it is necessary to have some grasp of the language of Ifa. The rituals, invocations, incantations and recitations of traditional Yoruba religion are not expressed through conversational Yoruba. The language of Ifa is liturgical Yoruba (ofo ase), a language used among diviners to express transcendant ideas. Many of the words used in Ifa have a tonal resonance used to access the power of Spirit. Physics teaches the idea that all power in the universe is part of a sign wave which is the full spectrum of light. Every segment of the sign wave manifests as both color and pitch. The tonal quality of words used in liturgical Yoruba places the diviner in harmonic resonance with the tonal essence of a wide range of Spiritual Forces (Orisa). The remarkable quality of liturgical Yoruba is that the words used for invocation also carry meaning that reveals the inner essense of the Spiritual Force itself. For example, the word Obatala is used to describe the Force in Nature science calls white light. Ifa teaches that everything in the universe has some form of consciousness (ori). Saying the word Obatala places human consciousness in alighnment with the consciousness of white light. It does while telling us something about the quality of white light. The word Obatala is an eliysian of the phrase; O (Spirit) ba (power of expansion or male energy ie; Baba) ota (stone) ala (light). The word


3. Obatala in the context of Odu Ifa (Yoruba Scripture) means; the Spirit of the expansive quality of light that comes from the eternal stone of Creation (center point of the universe). Olatunde Sproye in his book Yoruba without Tears states there are one hundred and twenty-six combinations of vowels and consonants used as the basis for the Yoruba Language. ba be be bi bo bo bu da de de di do do du fa fe fe fi fo fo fu ga ge ge gi go go gu gba gbe gbe gbi gbo gbo gbu ha he he hi ho ho hu ja je je ji jo jo ju ka ke ke ki ko ko ku la le le li lo lo lu ma me me mi mo mo mo mu na ne ne ni no no nu pa pe pe pi po po pu ra re re ri ro ro ru sa se se si so so su ta te te ti to to tu wa we we wi wo wo wu ya ye ye yi yo yo yu All Yoruba words are a combination of these fundamental sounds. One of the rules of Yourba language construction is that portions of a word can be doubled for a change in emphasis, for example; ba (expansive power) baba (father) babagba or baba baba (grandfather). Doubling a word refers to its source or parent, for example Dada (Spirit of Vegitation) would be the parent of da (create). Repeating the word da (create) suggests recreation or the power of vegitation to continiously go throw the process of birth, growth, death and rebirth.


4. If we double each of the one hundred and twenty-six combinations used as the basis for Yoruba language we get two hundred and fifty-two fundamental linguistic buiding blocks. Ifa scripture is based on two hundred and fifty six fundamental principles. The first four principles represent the cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. These four principles support the rest of Creation. The rest of Creation comes into being through the manifestation of two hundred and fifty two Forces in Nature. This suggests to me the foundation of Yoruba language has been linked to Odu Ifa from it’s inception. The first Yoruba English dictionaries were prepared by Christian missionaries who had no understanding or desire to learn the spiritual mysteries preserved in the Yoruba language. When Ifa and Orisa spread through the Diaspora it was influenced by non African religions concepts. I believe the best way to uncover the fundamental principles of Ifa as it was originally invisioned is through a study of the liturgical language.

When I wrote the book Iwa-pele I looked up the word Ifayabale in the Yoruba English dictionary in an effort to better understand a metaphysical concept. To me the word Ifayabale is an eliysian of Ifa (wisdom) iya (mother) baba (father) ile (earth), meaning; the wisdom of the fathers and mothers found on earth.

5. This glossary is a preliminary attempt to understand Ifa theology through an understanding of Yoruba language. The words were taken from Odu Ifa as it is recited in Ile Ife and most of the vocabulary reflects the dialect of that particular region. I am sure many of my definitions will change as my understanding of Ifa and Yoruba language grows. This should not be considered a definitive study. Hopefully it will serve as a point of departure for theological linquistic analysis. Bit by bit we eat the head of the rat. Ase o Awo Fa’lokun Fatunmbi


6. A a Him, her, we and it, depending on context. a Used as a prefix to a verb in the formation of nouns. ààbò Half. ààfin Palace, home of a king (Oba). ààjà Whirlwind, the Spirit of the Whirlwind, depending on context. ààjò Care, treatment. àáké Ax. ààlà Boundary, border. ààrè Illness, fatigue. àárín Middle, center. àasà Female Spirit, female Force in Nature. ààsè Door carved from the Iroko tree. Àáyán – awo – inú – igbó Praise name for the Spirit of Destiny (Òrúnmìlà), meaning: “Ayan Tree is the Mystery of the Inner Sanctum of the Sacred Grove.” ààyè Life. abà A portion, a piece of something larger, farm hut depending on context. abá Mat. The mat is used to create sacred space in Ifá and Òrìsà ritual and divination. àba Ladder. The ladder is sacred to the Spirit of the Divine Messenger (Èsù)


7. abádà Eternal, something that comes directly from the Source of Creation (Olórún). abáfù Fate in all of its manifestations, both creative and destructive. abàmi An unusual occurrence, something that is perceived as strange, frequently associated with intervention from the Spirit Realm. abámò Feelings of regret, being sorry about past actions. A – bá – mò – ó – tán – ìbá – se Praise name for the Spirit of Destiny (Òrúnmìlà), meaning: “To Have Full Knowledge of You is to be Successful.” Abanigbele The Spirit of Fire, this is a reference to the animating consciousness that exists inside a burning flame. Abánigbèro Advisor, one who gives advice, a wise elder. abanijé Detractor. àbáse Cooperation. Abata Mud. Mud is sacred to the female aspect of the Spirit of White Cloth (Oduduwa/Yemo). Abaya Queen Mother. abe Small knife, also used to refer to a razor. abé Bottom, behind a reference to the human buttux. When Ifá scripture is refering to reproductive organs it is usually expressed as either the male or female bottom. abèbe Fan, used to cool mediums in ritual, sacred to the Spirit of the River (Òsun). Abélà Candle. abéré Needle. Abesè Chief messenger of a religious society or extended family. àbètélè Bribe. abi I or you.


8. àbí Or. abigba Four chains with nuts attached, used in some regions of Nigeria to perform divination. Each chain has four nuts representing one leg of the marks used to represent the verses (Odù) of Ifá scripture. When the abigba is thrown two complete verses (Odù) of Ifá scripture are marked. Abíkehin The youngest child in a family. àbíku A child who dies at a young age and reincarnates through the same mother. The word refers to the spiritual cause behind a sequence of deaths among children in the same family. When this occurs, Ifá can perform rituals that will induce the spirit of the child to remain on Earth to become an adult. abiléko Wife or widow. abo Female. abo Arrival, return. àbo Expression used to greet someone who has returned to the place of their departure. Abògán Those who worship the ant hill, the ant hill represents the Spirit of hard work and cooperation. Abògún Those who worship the Spirit of Iron (Ògún). abókulò One who works with the spirit of ancestors (Egún) to invoke transformation. Abomalè Those who worship the ancestors and the deified ancestors (Egúngún). Abòpa Member of a society that gives reverence to the memory of the ancestors through the use of mediums. Abòrìsà Those who worship Forces in Nature (Òrìsà). aboyún Woman who is pregnant. aborí The elevation of consciousness through the use of invocation and spiritual cleansing. It is the process of placing the physical self and the higher self in perfect alignment.


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