orunmila

Orunmila, also known as Orúnmìlá or Orúnla, is a prominent orisha in the Yoruba religion and in many Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Brazilian traditions. He is the deity of wisdom, knowledge, and divination, regarded as the source of Ifá, the divination system that guides individuals and communities.

In the Ifá tradition, Orunmila is believed to have received the knowledge of Ifá directly from Olodumare (God) and to have transmitted it to humanity through the orishas and dedicated priests. The Ifá corpus consists of hundreds of verses, known as odù, used to interpret a client’s fate and provide guidance. Divination is typically performed by a trained priest, commonly called a babalawo (or iyanifa for women), who uses palm nuts and a divination tray to generate a set of signs that are interpreted as messages from Orunmila.

Orunmila is venerated across the Yoruba world and in Afro-diasporic traditions including Santería (Regla de Ocha), Candomblé, and Lukumi. Offerings and prayers to Orunmila seek wisdom, justice, and favorable outcomes in decisions, with rites often conducted at shrines or altars dedicated to him.

In iconography, Orunmila is sometimes depicted as an elder with a calm demeanor, symbolizing wisdom; his tools and symbols include the palm nuts and other Ifá divination implements. He is invoked for clarity in personal choices, community matters, and ethical conduct.