Ifá

Ifá is a system of divination and a major component of the Yoruba religious tradition in West Africa. It centers on Orunmila (also called Orunla), the deity of wisdom, who is believed to know the fate of all beings. Ifá provides guidance on decisions, relationships, health, and other life matters through oracular consultations that connect the human and spiritual worlds. The practice is carried out by trained priests known as babalawo (and by iyanifa, female diviners), who preserve the sacred verses and rituals for communities.

During a consultation, a divination tool such as the opele chain or palm nuts is used to generate a sign called an Odú Ifá. Each Odú corresponds to a corpus of verses, myths, and counsel stored in the Ifá oracle as Ese Ifá. The babalawo interprets the sign, recites the verses, and prescribes actions, offerings, or rituals to Orunmila or other Orisha to restore balance or avert misfortune.

The Ifá corpus comprises a large collection of verses and a structured system of 256 Odú Ifá, organized around 16 principal signs. The interpretation emphasizes personal responsibility, ethical conduct, and the harmony between fate and human action.

In practice, Ifá has influenced Yoruba religious life across the region and the African diaspora, notably in Candomblé in Brazil and Santería in Cuba, where it remains a central method of consultation and divination within syncretic traditions.