Core Concepts
noun1 min readOdù Ifá
/OH-doo ee-FAH/
Definition
The 256 structural chapters of the Ifá literary corpus, containing the collected wisdom, stories, and prescriptions of the tradition.
The Living Corpus
Odù Ifá constitutes the vast canon of Yorùbá philosophy, encompassing 256 discrete matrices or 'chapters'. These are divided into the 16 primary Mẹjì (Twins) and 240 secondary Amúlù combinations. They map every conceivable eventuality of human existence.
Preservation of Knowledge
Through rigorous oral memorization, Babaláwos retain complex poems, mythic narratives, and herbal pharmacology linked directly to each Odù. They are considered not merely literature, but living spiritual forces.
Topics
Related Terms
Odù
Core Concepts
One of the 256 chapters of the Ifá literary corpus, each representing a specific configuration of the divination system and containing hundreds of sacred verses, stories, prescriptions, and proverbs.
→Ifá
Core Concepts
A divination system and literary corpus that forms the intellectual and spiritual backbone of Yorùbá civilization. Ifá encompasses a vast oral canon of sacred poetry, historical narratives, proverbs, and ethical teachings transmitted through trained diviners called Babaláwo.
→Yorùbá Version Available
Odù Ifá
Awọ̀n orí kíkà méjì-dín-lọ́ọ̀dúnrún (256) ti òde Ifá tó kówó ọgbọ́n, ìtàn titi ẹ̀kọ pẹ̀lù ogbédẹ igbòògùn Ifá gbogbo.