Odun lfa Festival - Paperback

by Abosede Emanuel (Author)

Ọdun Ifá Ifá Festival

by Dr. Abosede Emanuel is a seminal 680-page scholarly work documenting the richness of the Ifá divination system from an indigenous African perspective. First published in 2000, it is the result of 30 years of research by the author, a Western-trained medical doctor of Yoruba descent who sought to reclaim and preserve his cultural heritage.

• Noma Award Winner: The book won the prestigious Noma Award for Publishing in Africa in 2001.
• Cultural Document: The award jury described it as an "outstanding and significant cultural document" and a vital part of the movement for cultural reclamation within Africa.
• Intellectual Responsibility: It is noted for assuming direct intellectual responsibility by the Yoruba people for their own collective history and culture.

The work is organized into ten comprehensive parts that cover the philosophical, linguistic, and ritualistic aspects of Ifá

• Part I & II: Historical introduction and a deep dive into the fundamental question "What is Ifá?", including discussions on the language, religious, and philosophical ideas within the tradition.
• Part III: A detailed guide to the stages of rites in Ifá worship.
• Part IV: Presentation of the 16 Principal Paired Odù of Ifá in original Yoruba with accompanying English translations.
• Parts V-X: Detailed accounts of the Inaugural Odù, Conjuration Odù, the casting of kola nuts, sacrificial rites, sacred chants, and the practice of divination itself.