Monday, November 26, 2018
LUCUMI IFA INDEPENDENT STUDY: Internet and Facebook November, 2018
#Lucumi #Ifa #Orishas #Santeria
PREFACE:
Today we’ll look at IFA Independent study and its positives and negatives as it relates to the internet and Facebook Groups. This is a monograph that is longer than a standard article and more in depth. Understand that my writings almost always target those outside our culture and those new to it. This monograph is also for those of you who are new or on the outside looking in and are curious. Before we start though, let’s start with a few basics and myths. Our culture called IFA comes from West Africa and primarily from the indigenous peoples the colonists called Yoruba. MT mapping and
The free peoples of Western Africa were stolen by pirates or sold by the Kings of Western Africa before colonization. 600 years before and until the westerners came, these Kings sold their peoples to civilizations that were geographically closer than the new world. These included the Egyptians and by the tenth century mostly Islamic cultures. In the Western Diaspora the majority of slaves went to slave markets in various colonies largely on plantations throughout the New World. The Spanish brought their captives mainly through Havana, Cuba and these practiced what became Lucumi IFA. The Portuguese slaves went mostly to Brazil where several forms of IfA flourish, but are dominated by Candomble. The French favored the slaves from the Congo and these went to Haiti, New Orleans, French Guiana, Martinique, Guadalupe and Saint Lucia where what we know as Voodoo is practiced to this day. The Dutch and American ships also dealt in slave trade, yet it theirs was less regionally specific as the Spanish, Portuguese and French.
Our focus today is the Lucumi IFA culture and in the next paragraph I will generalize the basics of it. All of the IFA cultures are related and you probably are wondering why not just choose the Nigerian IFA culture? There are several reasons, such as it is conservative and not progressive. Politics enters it where politics does not in the other branches. There is a substantial Islamic influence and Christian influence as opposed to those in the Diaspora where there is only one branch of Christianity (Catholicism). Others insist their line was broken and the chain remade. Most legitimate ceremonies must be performed in Nigeria, thus it is not a simple as it seems. I for instance practice my beloved Lucumi without Christianity, yet others in Lucumi and even my ile mi the two. Lucumi or any IFA tradition can be combined with any tolerant spirituality.
Like many indigenous cultures IFA is Nature based. There is no Hell, Purgatory or even the devil in IFA culture. The two principal themes of IFA culture are 1) What some call soul and IFA culture calls ori moves on after this body expires. Ori in our culture is more than just the soul, it is our relationship with the divine spirit and in many cases is the divine spirit or our access to it. 2) A’che (also ase, ashe, axe) is the energy of the divine spirit that exists in all natural things be they alive or dead. Therefore a rock or dead branch has a’che as does a tree or human, while plastic does not. This energy of nature is acquirable and in some cases transferable. Our ori typically acquires temporal a’che while the body lives, but can also acquire permanent a’che that goes on with ori after the body expires. Of course permanent a’che is more difficult to acquire and I’ve never heard of it being transferable.
There are four roads to the divine spirit and each has unlimited power, knowledge to be acquired and protection. They are illustrated in the following chart that I made for you to consider:
Briefly explaining these, I have already spoken to the two at the base (ori and a’che). The easiest way to be concise is to look at the Ancestors first. Ancestor worship and reverence is by far the largest spirituality in our world today. Ase or a’che ancestors are those we receive through ceremony, the leader of the ceremony shares his with us and these go all the way back generationally. Blood and
I’m guessing you have already heard something about our Orisha (also Orisa, Orixa). They are the rock stars of our spirituality and most are tied to Nature. They are not the actual element of Nature, but more like a guardian who can manipulate the element of Nature that they guard. They are also immortal and we humans are made in their image, not in the image of the deities. Each human (whether they know it or not) has Orisha parents and this is determined through divination. Finishing up the illustration we have Olorun and Olofin on the next level and both are deities. The top is Olodumare who we compare to God, the almighty. Olodumare is the creator and Olorun and Olofin are his two avatars. Olorun rules the sky and decides where and when ori moves on. Olorun does not visit earth as he once did. Olofin does visit earth and interacts with all things. These three are deities and the Orishas serve the deities. This is the very concise, oversimplified version.
THE INTERNET:
Independent study is not a substitute for a qualified mentor, yet the reality is people are curious and the wise understand this and tolerate it. The mentor – student or godparent -godchild relationship is historically the preferred method of study in Yorubaland and in the Diaspora. However the IFA tradition is historically an oral tradition. Four centuries ago when the IFA culture started writing knowledge down, this too was shunned by the majority. With the Internet, the Traditionalists are still shunning, yet there is an excellent reason for this. Misinformation (innocent and malicious), poorly presented information, fabricated information and misunderstood information are why. There is also the fact that information alone is not sufficient without intense supervised training. The vast majority of this supervision must be face to face, not over the phone, or on a video call, but face to face. We can look as something as basic as Wikipedia and there is plenty of poor information about our culture on this site. Search engines will lead those who are curious to a web of misinformation some innocent and others malicious.
Consider this fact if you will, credible practitioners do not chase clients, because clients chase them. Anyone contacting you out of the blue you should run from. It does not matter if they are hooking you by offering something free, because that is simply the hook and once you bite, you will be paying later. ANY website that offers services such as ceremonies, divination, study, consultations, etc. has an ulterior motive. Some of these are more obvious than others, one even has a 501c corporation (tax free non -profit) and calls itself IFA College. They are selling a wide array of goods and services. There are many societies that look valid and some of them are, yet if they are selling anything, they have an ulterior motive. Iya Brenda Vice and I wrote the only book in our culture that exposes fraud, scams and cons, so I know what I am talking about. The other thing is that every credible practitioner is proud of their bona fide credentials, just as we are with our educational diplomas. Lucumi demands that when asked any and every practitioner produces or states his or her credentials. These include their ile or ocha house, their rank, who they trained with and even who attended their ceremonies. When anyone tells you they will not or cannot, they are in violation of Lucumi law and you should run fast and far from them.
There is nothing wrong with selling goods or services provided that those selling them are credible, qualified and honest. Unfortunately many are not. The wise know that the most successful cons and scams are the ones that shroud themselves in truth. Making the con or scam believable is a key element of a successful con or scam and to achieve this malicious practitioner’s use the truth. The reason scams and cons are called confidence schemes, is their objective is to gain your confidence. Finding a principled practitioner can be an expensive time consuming and frustrating road. If you follow these simple rules, you will improve your chances greatly, because it is a mine field out there. The same is true with any religion or spirituality. Many Christian churches now require or demand a percentage of your earnings and a percentage of your will when you die. Spirituality is big business and it does have great value, but only IF you receive the quality of the goods or services you pay for. All Religious and spirituality fraud are very difficult and expensive to successfully prosecute in US courts.
My personal opinion is that the time for independent study is at the beginning when you are nosing around and at the door knocking to get in. Your goal should be to find a qualified, credentialed and gifted honest mentor. Mentors minimally frown on independent study on the Internet. The reason is that the more polluted your glass becomes, the more time they have to spend purifying it. An empty vessel is ideal, but rarely happens these days because of the Internet and to a lesser extent some books. The less polluted your glass is, the quicker your mentor will be able to help you build your foundation. How quickly you build your foundation is instrumental to your growth. I divide students into two categories: 1) Those who wish to use IFA culture and spirituality for themselves and their immediate families and 2) Those who wish to go into business or practice for others. The reality is an early fork in the road where the two become significantly different in a student’s educational needs and requirements. I do not help those interested in helping those outside of themselves and their immediate family.
Personally I do occasionally help, but my time is valuable because I am writing for the masses and consultations take away from that. This is not a business for me, if it were I would market my books. People who need to find my books and wrtings do find them or often an ancestor, dead friend or an Orisha gives them a nudge in my direction. The most important advice the curious receive is the how to or where to. It is a wise investment to make because getting on the wrong path will cost you plenty of time, money and frustration. I charge 150.00 USD for an hour. Almost always I can share a roadmap in an hour of less. The fact is that having a correct road map is the best way to proceed at the beginning. The other times I personally help people is when they get to a fork in the road that is unexpected or not on the map. This sometimes happens as life does not always go according to even the best laid plans. I also help people once in a great while when and if a very complex situation arises, sort of crisis management. To be honest a challenging situation stimulates me and the wisdom I have acquired. Ceremonies, becoming your godfather, doing Ifa consultations, ebbo, I am just not interested in, it is too rudimentary for me and to be honest I am easily bored. My specialty is The Dead and Ancestors and this is a path to wisdom that is largely free. It is by far the biggest bang for the buck in our culture and it is also the road less traveled. This is mostly because there is little financial profit in it for the practitioner.
Understand that independent study coincidently occurs at exactly the same places where I help people. Is that odd, no not at all, I have been a dedicated and ardent student of IFA culture for many years and have identified the points where need exists. My ile is one of (if not the) strongest in Havana and we unlike the vast majority, we study and teach like a university. We specialize after we have built our foundations. When any practitioner tells you they are an expert you should run away. All experts are students until the last breath, sure they may teach, but the wise are always students. No, I am not the leader of our ile, just an elder who teaches on occasion. People calling me Baba is a nice compliment, but I certainly do not call myself Baba, and never will. When you see any practitioner telling you they can do all things, remember to run. These are the Jack of all trades, and the master of none. Just like seeing a doctor, the credible will recommend you to a specialist. They won’t try to do brain surgery on their own mothers, unless they are the best brain surgeon. This is the great thing about out ile, when someone has a complex problem with the dead or ancestors they come to me. When I want to best divination, ebbo or other advice, I go to them, we work together.
FACEBOOK GROUPS:
Maybe the biggest minefield of misinformation is Facebook groups. Here is where you’ll find yourself in quicksand. There are a few groups about our culture that are somewhat credible such as those that teach you how to speak Yoruba. However you’ll still find shysters trolling for clients there, contacting you rather than you contacting them. Very few qualified and credible elders respond on Facebook groups, because it is an invitation for a fight. There are huge amounts of ego in Facebook groups and plenty of misinformation, greed, and the unqualified trying to seem qualified. People like to challenge the wise to make a name for themselves and credible and qualified elders avoid giving them the opportunity, usually. There is also a lack of respect in the groups to the elders who are used to being heard and not peppered with questions and disagreements.
I’m sure anyone reading this is in a group or a few; I’m even in a few where I post my FREE articles occasionally. Let me point out what should be obvious to you. The first thing is very few groups are specialized, most are general, right? How many times do you see someone ask a question and identify themselves and the tradition they practice? We see Nigerian Ifa answer questions about Candomble, Lucumi, Voodoo, etc, or we see these answer questions about Nigerian Ifa! How many of the responders identify themselves and their tradition? The only answer so far is almost none. Then there is the regurgitating of odu and other information from the Internet and other Facebook groups. People ask about an odu and they do not even bother to ask if it came with ire or osogbo (big difference). We almost never see anyone cite a source in these groups, most are huff and puff despite the good intentions of those who started them. We’ve all heard when we get free advice; we often get what we paid for (not much). Being a mentor or a godparent requires copious amounts of time and time has value. The wise understand that their time is valuable and they understand that those who try to guilt shame them or squeeze them are a waste of time. Those who try to circumvent the process with their thumbs online get what they paid for too (not much).
I wish you all a’che and all things ire, nature’s blessings and luck.
Lucumi Baba Awo, ogbe osa (Charles Spencer King)
Most of my free articles are found on academia.edu https://independent.academia.edu/CharlesSpencerKing/Books-~-Libros-+-Capitulos-~chapter-teases
I can be found on Facebook also
My books can be found in most US libraries or ou can have them order one for you or you can find both paperbacks and electronic versions on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Charles-Spencer-King/e/B002ELIWKI/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_3?qid=1472687137&sr=8-3
Friday, April 29, 2016
Pizza 450 a La Lena: The Best Pizza in Nogales, Sonora
Nogales has more to offer than carne asada when it comes to food. Tourist's often flock to La Roca for fine cuisine, but locals, the more adventurous and those on a budget explore other options. Nogales does have a few of the same chain pizza parlors we have in the US, but it also has a convenient location for gourmet brick oven pizza. Are you shocked; well I was when I walked into 450. The first thing I noticed walking across the ample outside deck was the contemporary design. 450 has a minimalist style that is almost Japanese, I immediately noticed the pizzas of those dining Al fresco (outside), and it not only looked great, but slowing down I smelled a great aroma. Passing through the door I paused and took in that the brick oven and all ingredients were open and visible, this is something that almost all appreciate and in fact at 450 the customer is welcome to be as much of the process as they want to be, it's encouraged! I also liked the fact all those involved in the process not only wore gloves, but changed them regularly. Cleanliness is a big deal for me with anything I am putting into my mouth and 450 obviously understands this. I sauntered into the gentleman's room and was pleased to find the same cleanness, contemporary design and it even smelled fresh. I chose a table and promptly a cute server offered me a beverage, I decided to try a glass of their home brewed ice tea and it was tasty.
I then went up to choose my pizza. First they asked what thickness I wanted and I chose thin. Next I supervised exactly how much tomato sauce and cheese and I asked for a fresh lime, because I like a bit of lime with the tomato sauce. There was a plethora of ingredients to choose from including my favorite, artichoke hearts. I decided on Italian sausage and Pepperoni with fresh mushrooms and artichoke hearts. The handsome young man preparing my pizza grinned each time I motioned for more artichoke hearts and sausage. Finally after some garlic to top off our masterpiece it was ready for the oven. Another young man asked me how I liked the pizza and I explained I like my pizza crisp and dark golden on the top, another grin and into the brick oven. I watched several other pizzas being prepared and cooked as I flirted with the pretty cashier. The pizza took about five minutes to cook in the mesquite filled brick oven and I was shown not just the top but the bottom before we removed it. I like my pizza in rectangles, sure, no problem and I retreated to my table to sample the pizza. I'd guess the pizza was 12" and gosh, my mouth had been watering for the last five minutes I realized. My first bite and I actually leap up and applauded the team, yes I am a crazy gringo. I could not finish the pizza, but I savored each bite and had three pieces for later. When the bill came and I saw the pizza was 795 pesos ($5.00) I almost jumped up and applauded a second time, but I restrained myself and left an exorbitant tip. Not to be missed is Pizza 450!
***** Rating 5 of 5
Altar no 5 e/ calle hermosillo Y calle tecnologico, Nogales, Son.
Tel: (52) 631 314 5818
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/450GradosPizza/?fref=ts
Website: http://www.450grados.com/
Hours: SU-TH 12:00 -10:00, F-S 12:00 -11:00
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
American IFA lll
American IFA part lll
This is the third and final part of my analysis of American IFA and the shady characters promoting it. Parts one and two can be found by following the links provided:
https://www.academia.edu/15973845/American_IFA
https://www.academia.edu/16209384/American_IFA_part_2
This paper will have two sections (A & B) with the first discussing the shady dishonorable characters we discussed fleetingly in parts one and two. Part B will offer tangible and constructive suggestions for American IFA.
Part A:
There is no doubt who has been promoting the concept of American IFA over the last two years. However it would be a mistake to assume that the two women who are the face of American IFA and their minions are the body as well as the face. I have already shared in parts one and two who the other shady characters are that quietly make up the body that remains cloaked. I will not focus on these additional shady characters because three parts would not adequately discuss the assorted shady characters. Therefore, we will focus on the two women who are the face today: “Ayaba” -Oloye Erelu-Abiye Unsi-Tassinon (also known as O’fae O’fae and Melba Farrell NT) and “Ayaba”- OchaBi Ifabuluje –Ifaseye (also known as Phd IyaNifa Yaya Ayalosha-aje).
Ayaba OchaBi is supposedly well educated; according to her she holds numerous academic credentials as well as significant religious and Yoruba titles. OchaBi has spoken not as a novice but an expert on many things in my own Lucumi (where she also claims credentials) and in recent years many things in Yoruba Land and West Africa. She writes extensively on the ifa corpus, egbe, ori, ancestors, plants and herbs (ewe), patakin (legendary stories) ese (ifa corpus verse), ancestor veneration, music, art and Yoruba culture. She writes as an authority, hosts a Blog radio show with O’fae and offers advice frequently to anyone who asks. Academically, she lists Florida Institute of Technology as where she earned a MBA (in Finance) and Northcentral University where she attended more recently (2008 -2011). Northcentral I was surprised to learn describes themselves in their Mission Statement as: “North Central University is a Christ-centered, Bible-based, Pentecostal school with a commitment to academic excellence that prepares students to fulfill biblical models of leadership and ministry throughout the world. (Ephesians 4:11-12). Northcentral offers one graduate degree, but no PhD’s.
Not only was I surprised to learn that Northcentral had nothing to do with African or Caribbean studies but not offering a PhD was a shocker. Academics with PhD’s usually do not try to hide them or the university where they earned these lofty titles. More troubling to me is the use of the title “Ayaba” that both OchaBi and O’fae are using. Yoruba titles are complex and come in various credible and non-credible guises. Chiefs for example can be honorary, functional or hereditary; most religious titles are the same. The lofty title of Ayaba however is a very specific title (like PhD). Ayaba is the title used for a current wife of a King (oba) or Prince with royal bloodlines. Additionally the title could be used if the woman is the biological mother of a King or Prince’s children.
The fact both of these women are using the Ayaba title is not only an insult to our intelligence, but it is a crime in Nigeria. It is an insult and a crime to masquerade as a Queen all over the world. In the past when I have challenged both of these women to produce their religious credentials they have refused (in both Cuban Lucumi and traditional Yoruba Land YTR). Today I am repeating my challenge formally and adding OchaBi’s MBA, PhD and Ayaba title as well as the Ayaba title O’fae began using in September of 2015. I suggest everyone also demand them to produce proof of these titles. Should they claim they were unaware these titles were sacred and using them illegal and unethical, we must seriously consider that the pair really knows very little about Yoruba culture and protocols and are far from being experts.
I fully expect this pair and their minions to scream “Iwa Pele, Iwa Pele, Iwa Pele! It is taboo for an Ifa priest (which I am… and a well-documented one at that) to judge others. My ardent response is IFA first and foremost demands truth from its priests and being silent and allowing fraud to run rampant is not showing iwa pele (in fact quite the reverse). I am not a judge, nor have I ever claimed to be a judge. I am a journalist, author and Lucumi Baba Awo. I am also born in the USA and have an interest in anything calling itself American IFA. When I speak of shady characters, I do refer to this pair, because it is not only their fraudulent credentials that concerns me. This pair has systematically attacked numerous real and verifiable luminaries in IFA worldwide. Respected leaders of IFA such as Baba Olosun, Chief Fama, Chief Popoola and scores of other respected priests who disagree with or challenge this pair are targeted. The pair has aligned themselves with other well-known scurrilous frauds and abusers and are simply the wrong people to be promoting such an ambitious concept as American IFA.
In an effort for some balance in the article let me add that I do not believe OchaBi or O’fae are completely evil or have only malicious intentions. I’m reasonably sure they have made contributions to the Yoruba culture and IFA. OchaBi for example has interpreted many odu in the ifa corpus. I do not personally follow their Blog radio show, yet I’m fairly confident it is not all hate and character assassinations. Oloun, Eshu and society judge, I do not. Sure, I have my opinions based on evidence, facts and logic but I report, speculate, probe, research, investigate, discuss and debate. In the end it is simply my opinion. I try not to judge because sometimes facts appear after an article. My goal is to guide my readers and in the end remind them I am not the judge; just one of many presenters.
The bottom line here is no one would want a doctor operating on them or a loved one who was not a doctor. Anyone caught lying or misrepresenting themselves is simply not honorable or trustworthy. Priests and specifically Ifa priests with clients cannot be considered credible who lie. Fabricating credentials is childish, but also it is incredibly naïve to assume that a client, colleague or regulatory body would not check the voracity of a title or credentials. This shows poor judgement at the very least. I have been warning these two for the last two years or more about credentials. The pair has twisted my words at each juncture and ignored my friendly advice. The time has come to stop this nonsense. I get no warm fuzzy feeling or pleasure exposing fraud. It is disappointing and sad for our entire culture, not just me.
Part B
American IFA sure is a catchy title that many seemingly would be proud to be associated with. However for the many reasons I identified in the first two parts of this article it is not viable at least under this shady leadership and not without being clearly identified. Under different leadership and with clearly defined goals and practices there may come a time when it makes sense; but that is not now. The title as we discussed in part two is inaccurate and misleading, yet that could be changed to be more USA specific.
This is the third and final part of my analysis of American IFA and the shady characters promoting it. Parts one and two can be found by following the links provided:
https://www.academia.edu/15973845/American_IFA
https://www.academia.edu/16209384/American_IFA_part_2
This paper will have two sections (A & B) with the first discussing the shady dishonorable characters we discussed fleetingly in parts one and two. Part B will offer tangible and constructive suggestions for American IFA.
Part A:
There is no doubt who has been promoting the concept of American IFA over the last two years. However it would be a mistake to assume that the two women who are the face of American IFA and their minions are the body as well as the face. I have already shared in parts one and two who the other shady characters are that quietly make up the body that remains cloaked. I will not focus on these additional shady characters because three parts would not adequately discuss the assorted shady characters. Therefore, we will focus on the two women who are the face today: “Ayaba” -Oloye Erelu-Abiye Unsi-Tassinon (also known as O’fae O’fae and Melba Farrell NT) and “Ayaba”- OchaBi Ifabuluje –Ifaseye (also known as Phd IyaNifa Yaya Ayalosha-aje).
Ayaba OchaBi is supposedly well educated; according to her she holds numerous academic credentials as well as significant religious and Yoruba titles. OchaBi has spoken not as a novice but an expert on many things in my own Lucumi (where she also claims credentials) and in recent years many things in Yoruba Land and West Africa. She writes extensively on the ifa corpus, egbe, ori, ancestors, plants and herbs (ewe), patakin (legendary stories) ese (ifa corpus verse), ancestor veneration, music, art and Yoruba culture. She writes as an authority, hosts a Blog radio show with O’fae and offers advice frequently to anyone who asks. Academically, she lists Florida Institute of Technology as where she earned a MBA (in Finance) and Northcentral University where she attended more recently (2008 -2011). Northcentral I was surprised to learn describes themselves in their Mission Statement as: “North Central University is a Christ-centered, Bible-based, Pentecostal school with a commitment to academic excellence that prepares students to fulfill biblical models of leadership and ministry throughout the world. (Ephesians 4:11-12). Northcentral offers one graduate degree, but no PhD’s.
Not only was I surprised to learn that Northcentral had nothing to do with African or Caribbean studies but not offering a PhD was a shocker. Academics with PhD’s usually do not try to hide them or the university where they earned these lofty titles. More troubling to me is the use of the title “Ayaba” that both OchaBi and O’fae are using. Yoruba titles are complex and come in various credible and non-credible guises. Chiefs for example can be honorary, functional or hereditary; most religious titles are the same. The lofty title of Ayaba however is a very specific title (like PhD). Ayaba is the title used for a current wife of a King (oba) or Prince with royal bloodlines. Additionally the title could be used if the woman is the biological mother of a King or Prince’s children.
The fact both of these women are using the Ayaba title is not only an insult to our intelligence, but it is a crime in Nigeria. It is an insult and a crime to masquerade as a Queen all over the world. In the past when I have challenged both of these women to produce their religious credentials they have refused (in both Cuban Lucumi and traditional Yoruba Land YTR). Today I am repeating my challenge formally and adding OchaBi’s MBA, PhD and Ayaba title as well as the Ayaba title O’fae began using in September of 2015. I suggest everyone also demand them to produce proof of these titles. Should they claim they were unaware these titles were sacred and using them illegal and unethical, we must seriously consider that the pair really knows very little about Yoruba culture and protocols and are far from being experts.
I fully expect this pair and their minions to scream “Iwa Pele, Iwa Pele, Iwa Pele! It is taboo for an Ifa priest (which I am… and a well-documented one at that) to judge others. My ardent response is IFA first and foremost demands truth from its priests and being silent and allowing fraud to run rampant is not showing iwa pele (in fact quite the reverse). I am not a judge, nor have I ever claimed to be a judge. I am a journalist, author and Lucumi Baba Awo. I am also born in the USA and have an interest in anything calling itself American IFA. When I speak of shady characters, I do refer to this pair, because it is not only their fraudulent credentials that concerns me. This pair has systematically attacked numerous real and verifiable luminaries in IFA worldwide. Respected leaders of IFA such as Baba Olosun, Chief Fama, Chief Popoola and scores of other respected priests who disagree with or challenge this pair are targeted. The pair has aligned themselves with other well-known scurrilous frauds and abusers and are simply the wrong people to be promoting such an ambitious concept as American IFA.
In an effort for some balance in the article let me add that I do not believe OchaBi or O’fae are completely evil or have only malicious intentions. I’m reasonably sure they have made contributions to the Yoruba culture and IFA. OchaBi for example has interpreted many odu in the ifa corpus. I do not personally follow their Blog radio show, yet I’m fairly confident it is not all hate and character assassinations. Oloun, Eshu and society judge, I do not. Sure, I have my opinions based on evidence, facts and logic but I report, speculate, probe, research, investigate, discuss and debate. In the end it is simply my opinion. I try not to judge because sometimes facts appear after an article. My goal is to guide my readers and in the end remind them I am not the judge; just one of many presenters.
The bottom line here is no one would want a doctor operating on them or a loved one who was not a doctor. Anyone caught lying or misrepresenting themselves is simply not honorable or trustworthy. Priests and specifically Ifa priests with clients cannot be considered credible who lie. Fabricating credentials is childish, but also it is incredibly naïve to assume that a client, colleague or regulatory body would not check the voracity of a title or credentials. This shows poor judgement at the very least. I have been warning these two for the last two years or more about credentials. The pair has twisted my words at each juncture and ignored my friendly advice. The time has come to stop this nonsense. I get no warm fuzzy feeling or pleasure exposing fraud. It is disappointing and sad for our entire culture, not just me.
Part B
American IFA sure is a catchy title that many seemingly would be proud to be associated with. However for the many reasons I identified in the first two parts of this article it is not viable at least under this shady leadership and not without being clearly identified. Under different leadership and with clearly defined goals and practices there may come a time when it makes sense; but that is not now. The title as we discussed in part two is inaccurate and misleading, yet that could be changed to be more USA specific.
Friday, July 24, 2015
Alliances, Detractors and Enemies in IFA Culture
Alliances, Detractors and Enemies in
IFA Culture
Who better than me to write about this? Obviously if you are not a personality you can fly under the radar; those who fall into this category include many of the wise. “One hand clapping makes no noise”, this is a sound strategy, but do not expect it only on the osogbo side “because silence is golden” the wise apply to the ire side as well. Those who think they only comment positives will ultimately attract those who do not agree, it happens. We are also judged by who our friends are and in the virtual world and this can be a significant factor. Our alliances firmly place us in the middle of all types of feuds and wars. This could be as simple as being affiliated with Ife vs Oyo in Nigerian Yoruba Land. This is like the marrying into the Hatfield or McCoy clan, it is a deep feud and if you think it is not then you don’t follow history or current events. Chief Solagbade Popoola and I were recently attacked, we laughed together because we are friends and respect each other, nope we do not agree on many things, for example I am critical of of certain aspects of the IFA Council he leads and I am Lucumi; he is Traditional Nigerian. Yet we are still friends, but understand his alliance and friendship with me probably gets him in trouble; just as mine with him causes some to disapprove. In Lucumi we do not have a rift or various araba or oba with differences of opinions. What Lucumi does share with Nigeria (and the world) are frauds and abuse; it is a problem on both sides of the Atlantic and in every tradition and in fact in all religion.
I have more than my share of enemies mostly because I am outspoken, I am a personality in our culture and I have helped expose many frauds and abusers within our culture. However if you read me, I am not a judge; exposing fraud is different than judging fraud; neither do I punish, that is Eshu’s responsibility; just like it is Olorun’s, the ogboni, various councils, araba and oba to judge. Of course being white does not help me in our culture either; race is an ugly subject and Olodumare, Olorun and Olofin do not care what color we are and neither do the Orishas. Our ori has many colors and races as it grows from one life to the next; but the fact is many white men have poor reputations and some are criminals as well as my enemies. The other problem is two of these have built massive false pyramids of false ashe by giving false ceremony and ceremonies to others they are not qualified, don’t have ashe for or permissions to perform. Philip Neimark and Falokun are criminals and I have helped expose them for their crimes. What happens is their minions (followers) see me as their enemy too. (of course you probably would too if you were in denial that you paid for a false ceremony or received a false service!). Orunmila has protected me though because the wise know I do no consultas, I do no public ceremony (either lead or participate in), I have no godchildren or clients, and that makes me different because unlike most; I am not selling anything. Sure I have my book in English and Spanish but I make about 5:00 per copy and that is not going to buy much is it? Most of my articles are free and available to everyone free of charge. That is the huge difference between me and them.
Even though these two are the biggest criminals in IFA culture, they are not 100% evil, they do make contributions. Whether it is to fool people I do not know, because the most dangerous criminals are those who fool the public, a man may be a good father and still be an axe murderer. Or a man may give to charity and still be a rapist. Most of the crime in IFA seems small compared to these two because of their large networks. The followers of one Nigerian author who is dead accused me of killing him by my reporting on his dificulties with the ogboni... yeah, my words! It is laughable and this fellow I actually helped and he publically thanked me! His minions tried all kinds of brujeria (spells/juju) and guess what? None worked and they are welcome to keep trying my protections are strong and right is on my side. I am not even going to mention his name, because he is dead and sure he too was an author, wrote some pretty good books; but that did not excuse him for his abuses and the ogboni agreed and told him to cease and desist, not me, the ogboni. There are other frauds, small fries like Ofae (who we call Ofake) or Ayaba Ocha Bi. These women lack Lucumi credentials. Bi has academic credentials but not Lucumi or Nigerian ones of significance, they spout off on their little blog radio show and fool people, so they have a few minions too. Jaap (another whitey) is a leading independent, but independents lack ashe and power, still he fools a few and makes some contributions in between his attacks on me. There are other small fries throughout the culture like Apena Adam Peretz who gave several false tefa’s (making Awo) when he certainly was unqualified after a brief two years as an omo awo. There are plenty of self-serving sites like The Mystic Cup who have questionable credentials and sell bogus ashe and stuff but still occasionally produce a somewhat clean article, although most have serious issues, like circumventing Orunmila.
These small fries are really not even worth mentioning, but they all do damage to our culture even if they make a few contributions like the rapist or child molester who fools his wife and neighbors. Yep if you are a personality who is outspoken or aspire to be one you are going to have detractors, enemies and your alliances can have a negative effect on your persona. All the groups on Facebook will have an effect, especially if you are commenting or acting like you are an expert when you are not. Me, I prefer to let others call me an expert, I view myself as a perpetual student with much to learn. My focus is on helping educate those new and outside our culture, making the complex simple for them. Yep, I will continue to expose the frauds I find. My Lucumi credentials are available for all to see and easily verifiable. I am a senior, tenured, Lucumi Baba Awo and member # 247 on The Commission (Cuba’s ruling body for Lucumi); you can view the 2015 list on my page at Academia here: https://www.academia.edu/11683726/The_Commission_Cubas_list_of_Babalawo_2015_connected_to_Cuban_Lucumi_La_Comisi%C3%B3n_Lista_de_Cuba_de_Babalawo_2015_conectado_a_Lucum%C3%AD_cubano
If you wish, I invite you to ask me for references, I have these in every tradition from my own Lucumi to Nigeria to Brazil, luminaries like The araba of ode remo in Nigeria or Baba Adigun Olosun, Oba Pichardo in Florida, Chief Popoola I have already mentioned, I could go on, but you get the idea, so just ask. Yep being outspoken is a double edged sword and has a price; remember that the next time you rush to judgement or make a comment.
Blessings and Ashe,
Lucumi Baba Awo, ogbe osa
Charles Spencer King
Who better than me to write about this? Obviously if you are not a personality you can fly under the radar; those who fall into this category include many of the wise. “One hand clapping makes no noise”, this is a sound strategy, but do not expect it only on the osogbo side “because silence is golden” the wise apply to the ire side as well. Those who think they only comment positives will ultimately attract those who do not agree, it happens. We are also judged by who our friends are and in the virtual world and this can be a significant factor. Our alliances firmly place us in the middle of all types of feuds and wars. This could be as simple as being affiliated with Ife vs Oyo in Nigerian Yoruba Land. This is like the marrying into the Hatfield or McCoy clan, it is a deep feud and if you think it is not then you don’t follow history or current events. Chief Solagbade Popoola and I were recently attacked, we laughed together because we are friends and respect each other, nope we do not agree on many things, for example I am critical of of certain aspects of the IFA Council he leads and I am Lucumi; he is Traditional Nigerian. Yet we are still friends, but understand his alliance and friendship with me probably gets him in trouble; just as mine with him causes some to disapprove. In Lucumi we do not have a rift or various araba or oba with differences of opinions. What Lucumi does share with Nigeria (and the world) are frauds and abuse; it is a problem on both sides of the Atlantic and in every tradition and in fact in all religion.
I have more than my share of enemies mostly because I am outspoken, I am a personality in our culture and I have helped expose many frauds and abusers within our culture. However if you read me, I am not a judge; exposing fraud is different than judging fraud; neither do I punish, that is Eshu’s responsibility; just like it is Olorun’s, the ogboni, various councils, araba and oba to judge. Of course being white does not help me in our culture either; race is an ugly subject and Olodumare, Olorun and Olofin do not care what color we are and neither do the Orishas. Our ori has many colors and races as it grows from one life to the next; but the fact is many white men have poor reputations and some are criminals as well as my enemies. The other problem is two of these have built massive false pyramids of false ashe by giving false ceremony and ceremonies to others they are not qualified, don’t have ashe for or permissions to perform. Philip Neimark and Falokun are criminals and I have helped expose them for their crimes. What happens is their minions (followers) see me as their enemy too. (of course you probably would too if you were in denial that you paid for a false ceremony or received a false service!). Orunmila has protected me though because the wise know I do no consultas, I do no public ceremony (either lead or participate in), I have no godchildren or clients, and that makes me different because unlike most; I am not selling anything. Sure I have my book in English and Spanish but I make about 5:00 per copy and that is not going to buy much is it? Most of my articles are free and available to everyone free of charge. That is the huge difference between me and them.
Even though these two are the biggest criminals in IFA culture, they are not 100% evil, they do make contributions. Whether it is to fool people I do not know, because the most dangerous criminals are those who fool the public, a man may be a good father and still be an axe murderer. Or a man may give to charity and still be a rapist. Most of the crime in IFA seems small compared to these two because of their large networks. The followers of one Nigerian author who is dead accused me of killing him by my reporting on his dificulties with the ogboni... yeah, my words! It is laughable and this fellow I actually helped and he publically thanked me! His minions tried all kinds of brujeria (spells/juju) and guess what? None worked and they are welcome to keep trying my protections are strong and right is on my side. I am not even going to mention his name, because he is dead and sure he too was an author, wrote some pretty good books; but that did not excuse him for his abuses and the ogboni agreed and told him to cease and desist, not me, the ogboni. There are other frauds, small fries like Ofae (who we call Ofake) or Ayaba Ocha Bi. These women lack Lucumi credentials. Bi has academic credentials but not Lucumi or Nigerian ones of significance, they spout off on their little blog radio show and fool people, so they have a few minions too. Jaap (another whitey) is a leading independent, but independents lack ashe and power, still he fools a few and makes some contributions in between his attacks on me. There are other small fries throughout the culture like Apena Adam Peretz who gave several false tefa’s (making Awo) when he certainly was unqualified after a brief two years as an omo awo. There are plenty of self-serving sites like The Mystic Cup who have questionable credentials and sell bogus ashe and stuff but still occasionally produce a somewhat clean article, although most have serious issues, like circumventing Orunmila.
These small fries are really not even worth mentioning, but they all do damage to our culture even if they make a few contributions like the rapist or child molester who fools his wife and neighbors. Yep if you are a personality who is outspoken or aspire to be one you are going to have detractors, enemies and your alliances can have a negative effect on your persona. All the groups on Facebook will have an effect, especially if you are commenting or acting like you are an expert when you are not. Me, I prefer to let others call me an expert, I view myself as a perpetual student with much to learn. My focus is on helping educate those new and outside our culture, making the complex simple for them. Yep, I will continue to expose the frauds I find. My Lucumi credentials are available for all to see and easily verifiable. I am a senior, tenured, Lucumi Baba Awo and member # 247 on The Commission (Cuba’s ruling body for Lucumi); you can view the 2015 list on my page at Academia here: https://www.academia.edu/11683726/The_Commission_Cubas_list_of_Babalawo_2015_connected_to_Cuban_Lucumi_La_Comisi%C3%B3n_Lista_de_Cuba_de_Babalawo_2015_conectado_a_Lucum%C3%AD_cubano
If you wish, I invite you to ask me for references, I have these in every tradition from my own Lucumi to Nigeria to Brazil, luminaries like The araba of ode remo in Nigeria or Baba Adigun Olosun, Oba Pichardo in Florida, Chief Popoola I have already mentioned, I could go on, but you get the idea, so just ask. Yep being outspoken is a double edged sword and has a price; remember that the next time you rush to judgement or make a comment.
Blessings and Ashe,
Lucumi Baba Awo, ogbe osa
Charles Spencer King
Monday, October 27, 2014
Espanol Y English SOLAGBADE POPOOLA and the International Council for IFA Religion (ICIR)
Espanol Y English SOLAGBADE POPOOLA and the International Council for IFA Religion (ICIR)
Solagbade Popoola is a luminary in the IFA religion, author, teacher, he is a Baba Awo who I respect, have worked as a colleague on a project with, and someone I consider a friend. I listened to his recent interview and I have some opinions on his leadership in the ICIR and any other international councils, leadership, hierarchy or attempts to consolidate the many branches of the IFA religion.
Solagbade Popoola es una luminaria en la IFA religión, autor, maestro, él es un Awo Baba a quien respeto, he trabajado como un colega en un proyecto con, y alguien a quien considero un amigo. Escuché su reciente entrevista y tengo algunas opiniones sobre su liderazgo en el ICIR y cualquier otra consejos internacionales, el liderazgo, la jerarquía o los intentos por consolidar las muchas ramas de la religión IFA.
Before we start we must look at the history of each of the groups who have attempted to consolidate IFA, all have failed. The principal reason for this is that IFA is different in the many cultures, countries, regions, languages. Many in traditional IFA insist that IFA is universal, in some ways it is, yet in many others it is not. Even in Nigeria, there are major differences, for example Ode Remo does not recognize the female Iyanifa, while other States do. Most of Cuba does not, Brazil does. Many do not recognize the ogboni outside of Nigeria. In Cuba no ile ifa can be started unless the Baba Awo has received Olofin. Gays are accepted throughout the Diaspora in Orisha worship, but not as priests of Orunmila, nor are they accepted in most of Nigeria. There are many differences; the training is different throughout the world.
Antes de empezar hay que mirar la historia de cada uno de los grupos que han intentado consolidar IFA, todos han fracasado. La razón principal de esto es que la IFA es diferente en las diversas culturas, países, regiones, idiomas. Muchos en tradicional IFA IFA insisten en que es universal, en cierto modo, es, sin embargo, en muchos otros no lo es. Incluso en Nigeria, existen grandes diferencias, por ejemplo Ode Remo no reconoce la hembra Iyanifa, mientras que otros Estados lo hacen. La mayor parte de Cuba no lo hace, lo hace Brasil. Muchos no reconocen el exterior Ogboni de Nigeria. En Cuba hay ifa ile se puede iniciar a menos que el Baba Awo ha recibido Olofin. Los gays son aceptadas en toda la diáspora en el culto Orisha, pero no como sacerdotes de Orunmila, ni son aceptados en la mayoría de Nigeria. Hay muchas diferencias; la formación es diferente en todo el mundo.
For the newcomer, the fact is we call IFA the religion as a whole, yet there is also ifa divination, and Orunmila is sometimes called Ifa. In Lucumi for example we have several components that make up IFA, basically are there are two sides of IFA, Orunmila and Orisha worship. There are also the components of The Dead and Ancestor worship that do not require ceremony, rank, or an investment in money. These are just a few (of many) examples. Then there is the second component of education and the third of permissions (what defines if a practitioner is qualified and permitted to perform services and ceremony). Many of the concepts of the (ICIR) are desired, like a code of ethics. It is a sound idea to sanction temples and ile rather than individuals. This is a fresh idea and has merit. But despite these noble goals, here is the basic problem.
Para el recién llegado, el hecho es que llamamos IFA la religión en su conjunto, sin embargo, también hay adivinación IFA, y Orunmila es a veces llamado Ifá. En Lucumí, por ejemplo, tenemos varios componentes que conforman IFA, básicamente estamos allí son dos caras de la IFA, Orunmila y el culto Orisha. También están los componentes de los muertos y el culto a los antepasados que no requieren ceremonia, rango, o una inversión en dinero. Estos son sólo algunos (de los muchos) ejemplos. Luego está el segundo componente de la educación y la tercera parte de los permisos (lo que define si un médico está cualificado y autorizado a realizar servicios y ceremonia). Muchos de los conceptos de la (ICIR) se desean, como un código de ética. Es una buena idea para sancionar a los templos y ile en lugar de individuos. Esta es una idea fresca y tiene mérito. Pero a pesar de estos nobles objetivos, aquí es el problema de fondo.
It starts with the council itself, what is the makeup of the council? Women and traditions will want equal or proportional representation on the council. For example, the Diaspora has three times as many practitioners than Nigeria, or anywhere in West Africa, I would find it hard to believe the council will represent that. Many in The Diaspora will see anything less than three to one as a power grab, by Nigerians. Next I heard my friend Awo Popoola say that each ile or temple would be trained in Nigeria, this immediately suggests the Diaspora submitting to Traditional IFA and its teachings, and many will reject that. Many in the Diaspora will question who on this council knows the intimate procedures and mechanics or even core concepts of the many traditions that make up IFA. How can a council regulate and train individuals in the many traditions that make up IFA? For example, many in Lucumi and other Diaspora traditions worship combination religions like Santeria, or IFA with Hinduism, who are the experts who know the intricacies of every tradition? Who speaks all the languages? What about for example the Lucumi washing ceremony (llavado los santos) there is no such ceremony or entry for those in traditional IFA. Who on this council is immersed in the Latino culture?
Se inicia con el consejo en sí, ¿cuál es la composición del consejo? Las mujeres y las tradiciones querrán representación igual o proporcional en el consejo. Por ejemplo, la diáspora tiene tres veces más médicos que Nigeria, o en cualquier lugar en el África occidental, que iba a encontrar difícil de creer el consejo que representará. Muchos en la Diáspora verá nada menos de tres a uno como una toma de poder, por los nigerianos. Siguiente escuché a mi amigo Awo Popoola decir que cada ile o templo serían entrenados en Nigeria, esta sugiere inmediatamente la diáspora someterse a tradicional IFA y sus enseñanzas, y muchos que rechazará. Muchos en la Diáspora se pregunta que en este consejo conoce los procedimientos y mecanismos íntimos o incluso conceptos básicos de las muchas tradiciones que conforman IFA. ¿Cómo puede un consejo regular y formar a las personas en las muchas tradiciones que conforman la IFA? Por ejemplo, muchos en Lucumí y otras tradiciones de la diáspora adoran a religiones como la santería de combinación, o IFA con el hinduismo, que son los expertos que conocen los entresijos de todas las tradiciones? ¿Quién habla todos los idiomas? ¿Qué pasa, por ejemplo, la ceremonia de lavado Lucumí (llavado los santos) no hay tal ceremonia y la inclusión en los de tradicional IFA. ¿Quién en este consejo se encuentra inmersa en la cultura latino?
For me personally, I am very happy in Lucumi and have no interest in converting to traditional IFA, or submitting to their leadership. Of course I come from a very strong ile that promotes education, and has strong leadership and structure. Many in the Diaspora insist that Islam has infiltrated traditional IFA, while those in Nigeria insist that Christianity has infiltrated the Diaspora. I listened to the seven qualifications for omo awo and entry into the IFA priesthood; I was surprised that the tefa was not defined. In Lucumi we require 16 Awo minimum for the tefa entrance ceremony, it is at least 6 days (sequestered). Only Baba Awo with Olofin can lead the ceremony. In Nigeria I have seen this compressed and ceremonies preformed with less than the minimum we require in Lucumi. Some in traditional IFA insist the tefa can only be performed in Nigeria, more conflicts that need to be addressed. There are also the traditional two schools of IFA in Oyo and Ife than would need to be consolidated. There is also the ogboni’s role that needs to be defined. There is also the fact that there are many Oba (Kings) who influence the religion in Nigeria, of course we do not have Kings in the Diaspora. Each state in Nigeria has a King and an Araba and an Ogboni, as I explained earlier with the example of women and Ode Remo, there is not universal agreement. Recently the Araba of the state of Osun has been promoting subservient Araba in various countries including the USA and Cuba as well as other countries in Latin America. While this is supposedly only for the Osun lineage, I see and expect other states in Nigeria to soon be establishing their own hierarchy throughout the Diaspora. This has met with considerable resistance (and laughter) from the many respective traditions in the Diaspora and is also seen as a power grab.
Para mí, personalmente, me siento muy feliz en Lucumí y no tienen ningún interés en convertir a la tradicional IFA, o someterse a su liderazgo. Por supuesto que vengo de una muy fuerte ile que promueve la educación, y tiene un fuerte liderazgo y estructura. Muchos en la Diáspora insisten en que el Islam se ha infiltrado tradicional IFA, mientras que los de Nigeria insisten en que el cristianismo se ha infiltrado en la diáspora. He escuchado a los siete requisitos para AWO Omo y la entrada en el sacerdocio IFA; Me sorprendió que el tefa no se definió. En Lucumí requerimos 16 Awo mínimo para la ceremonia de entrada tefa, es al menos 6 días (secuestrado). Sólo Baba Awo con Olofin puede conducir la ceremonia. En Nigeria He visto este comprime y ceremonias preformado con menos del mínimo que requerimos en Lucumí. Algunos en la tradicional IFA insisten tefa sólo puede llevarse a cabo en Nigeria, más conflictos que deben ser abordados. También están los tradicionales dos escuelas de IFA en Oyo e Ife que tendría que ser consolidado. También es el papel de la Ogboni que necesita ser definido. También está el hecho de que hay muchos Oba (Reyes) que influyen en la religión en Nigeria, por supuesto que no tenemos reyes en la diáspora. Cada estado en Nigeria tiene un rey y una Araba y un Ogboni, como he explicado antes, con el ejemplo de las mujeres y Ode Remo, no hay un acuerdo universal. Recientemente, el Araba del estado de Osun ha estado promoviendo Araba servil en varios países, incluyendo los EE.UU. y Cuba, así como otros países de América Latina. Si bien esto es supuestamente sólo para el linaje de Osun, veo y espero otros estados en Nigeria a ser pronto el establecimiento de su propia jerarquía en la diáspora. Esto se ha reunido con la resistencia considerable (y la risa) de las muchas tradiciones respectivas en la diáspora y también es visto como una toma de poder.
My habit is to offer advice and at least partial solutions. My first suggestion would be to limit this council to ethics and education. Attempting to be a governing body of IFA worldwide is overly ambitious and not feasible (in my opinion). Neither is consolidating all the many branches of IFA into one religion, there are too many cultures, languages, mechanical differences, etcetera. Frankly, to insist that all priests of Orunmila outside of Nigeria are omo awo or students is going to be a monumental obstacle. Pursuing this course of strategy is death to any council. Exactly no one outside of Traditional Nigeria IFA will submit to this insult. It would be a wiser to not cast out and insult priests of Orunmila who have earned their credentials and are respected in their communities. In ancient times Nigeria operated like a university with specialists in the in the many disciplines of IFA and Orisha worship. Personally my opinion is this is logical and Nigeria needs to return to it. Not every Baba is an expert diviner, nor is every Baba an expert in the astral planes of dreams, nor is every Baba an expert healer, drummer, dancer, judge, investigator, expert on nature. Speaking of nature, I was disappointed it was not mentioned in the conversation, because it is a central theme of IFA. The reality and wisdom of ancient IFA is that the collective of the ile is greater than any of its members. If we truly wish to address education, we must recognize that no priest knows all specialties in Nigeria or in the Diaspora, not every Baba is an expert at education, or politics, these are specialties. Just as IFA cannot be complete without divination, it is not complete without The Dead. Just as Orisha worship is a strong component of IFA, without ancestor veneration it is incomplete. An odu is not complete unless it is a set of ese, Patakin, message and ebbo. All these massive differences need to be addressed and solved before Awo Popoola and the council (whoever they are) start naming six regions and term members to this council. To say this is all going to be built and ready in three months for nominations to the six regions is at best naïve (in my opinion).
Mi costumbre es ofrecer asesoramiento y soluciones, al menos parciales. Mi primera sugerencia sería la de limitar este Consejo con la ética y la educación. El intento de ser un órgano de gobierno de IFA en todo el mundo es demasiado ambicioso y no es factible (en mi opinión). Ninguno de los dos está consolidando todas las muchas ramas de la IFA en una religión, hay demasiadas culturas, los idiomas, las diferencias mecánicas, etcétera. Francamente, para insistir en que todos los sacerdotes de Orunmila fuera de Nigeria son AWO omo o estudiantes va a ser un obstáculo monumental. Siguiendo esta línea de la estrategia es la muerte para cualquier consejo. Exactamente nadie fuera de la tradicional Nigeria IFA presentará a este insulto. Sería una más prudente no echar fuera y sacerdotes de desacato de Orunmila que se han ganado sus credenciales y son respetados en sus comunidades. En la antigüedad Nigeria operado como una universidad con especialistas en el de las muchas disciplinas de la IFA y Orisha adoración. Personalmente mi opinión es que esto es lógico y Nigeria tiene que volver a ella. No todos Baba es un adivino experto, ni es cada Baba en un experto en los planos astrales de los sueños, ni es cada Baba un experto sanador, el baterista, bailarín, juez, investigador, experto en la naturaleza. Hablando de la naturaleza, me decepcionó que no fue mencionado en la conversación, ya que es un tema central de la IFA. La realidad y la sabiduría de la antigua IFA es que el colectivo de la ile es mayor que cualquiera de sus miembros. Si realmente queremos hacer frente a la educación, hay que reconocer que ningún sacerdote conoce todas las especialidades en Nigeria o en la diáspora, no todos Baba es un experto en la educación, o la política, se trata de especialidades. Así como IFA no puede estar completa sin la adivinación, no está completa sin los muertos. Del mismo modo que el culto Orisha es un fuerte componente de IFA, sin veneración de los ancestros es incompleta. Un odu no está completa a menos que sea un conjunto de ese, Patakin, mensaje y Ebbo. Todas estas diferencias masivas deben ser abordados y resueltos antes de Awo Popoola y el consejo (sean quienes sean) comenzar nombrando regiones y miembros plazo de seis a este consejo. Decir esto es todo lo que va a ser construido y listo en tres meses para presentar candidaturas a las seis regiones es en el mejor de tonto (en mi opinión).
Some may say I am a naysayer, a destroyer and not a builder, but I can tell you this historically many religions have grown from the same seed and prospered. The Abrahamic branch came from Judaism, this spawned Christianity, Rome and Constantinople divided, Martin Luther started Protestantism and it’s many branches. Islam was also birthed by the Jews and divided into Sunni and Shi’a. each of these has many sects. Hinduism was the mother to Sikhism, Jainism, Buddhism and all are thriving and each believes it is superior to the mother, an improvement. Exactly none of these would cast aside their culture and improvements to return to either Judaism or Hinduism, indeed they respect each other and recognize their connection, but abandoning a culture or religion just does not and will not happen. No one besides traditional IFA in the Diaspora is willing to have their individual traditions ruled by Nigeria and that is why this merger will never happen. I love my brother Awo Popoola, and other leaders like Baba Olosun and many Araba in traditional IFA, but the more my friends push, the more resistance they will encounter. For many Awo and Baba Awo in Lucumi we have now seen the lack of mutual respect that in the past we have given freely, now be not returned. All priests of Orunmila not made in Nigeria are omo awo? That my friend was their first mistake and confirms their lack of respect for us. Finally, I would like to thank Iya Ofae Ofae for hosting a stimulating discussion.
Algunos pueden decir que soy un negativista, un destructor y no un constructor, pero yo puedo decir esto históricamente muchas religiones han crecido de la misma semilla y prosperado. La rama de Abraham vino del judaísmo, el cristianismo dio lugar a esta, Roma y Constantinopla divididos, Martín Lutero comenzó el Protestantismo y sus muchas ramificaciones. El Islam también fue dado a luz por los Judios y se divide en suní y chií. cada uno de ellos tiene muchas sectas. Hinduismo era la madre para el sijismo, el jainismo, el budismo y todos están prosperando y cada uno cree que es superior a la madre, una mejora. Exactamente ninguno de ellos habría hecho a un lado su cultura y mejoras para volver al judaísmo o el hinduismo, el hecho de que se respetan mutuamente y reconocer su conexión, pero el abandono de una cultura o religión simplemente no y no sucederá. Nadie además de tradicional IFA en la diáspora está dispuesto a que sus tradiciones individuales regidos por Nigeria y es por eso que esta fusión nunca va a suceder. Yo amo a mi hermano Awo Popoola, y otros líderes como Baba Olosun y muchos Araba en el tradicional IFA, pero cuanto más mis amigos empujan, más resistencia que encontrarán. Para muchos Awo y Baba Awo en Lucumí ahora hemos visto la falta de respeto mutuo que en el pasado nos hemos dado libremente, ahora no se devolverán. Todos los sacerdotes de Orunmila no realizadas en Nigeria son AWO omo? Que mi amigo fue su primer error, y confirma su falta de respeto hacia nosotros. Por último, me gustaría dar las gracias a Iya Ofae Ofae por acoger una discusión estimulante.
Lucumi Cuban Baba Awo Ogbe Osa
Charles Spencer King
