DE LSTUDOS N.° 21, J a n e ir o - J u n h o 2011 I f a D iv in a tio n Trays fro m Isale-O yo Traum a e L im peza R itual de Veteran o s em M o zam biq u e U ma H isto r ia de V io len c ia sob as B rum as d e s V ir u n g a . M o rte e Po d er no Ruanda M ishake M uyongo , e n t r e l a P o l it ic a y l a T r i b u : U na R eflexao sobre la D o ble L eg itim id a d en A fric a en el Panorama de la G lobalizacion E n tre D eu x D r apeaux : L es O u v r ier s Ca pv er d ien s au Portugal pen d an t la P er io d e R ev o lu tio n n a ire (1974-1976) O E s t a d o d e S a u d e d a I l h a d e M o z a m b iq u e : U ma A nalise C omparativa dos In d icad o res de Saud e da Populazao A yi Kw ei A rm ah ' s In tellectuals of th e A frican R enaissance C e n t r o d e E s t u d o s A f r i c a n o s ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ I D ir e c t o r a Teresa Cruz e Silva Ana Benard da Costa Ruy Duarte de Carvalho f Jose Fialho Feliciano C o m issa o E d it o r ia l Franz Heimer Ana Benard da Costa Mamadu Jao Institute) Universitario de Lisboa (ISCTE Paul Jenkins IUL), Centro de Estudos Africanos - IUL Maria C'onceicao Neto Clara Carvalho Jochen Oppenheimer Institute) Universitario de Lisboa (ISCTE IUL), Centro de Estudos Africanos - Rui Pereira IUL Cristina Rodrigues Omar R. Thomaz Institute Universitario de Lisboa Ramon Sarro (ISCTE IUL), Centro de Estudos Africanos - IUL Kathleen Sheldon Fernando Florencio Wilson Trajano Filho Departamento de Ciencias da Vida - FCTUC - Universidade de Coimbra D ir e c i âo d o C e n t r o de E s t u d o s Gerhard Seibert A f r ic a n o s Institute) Universitario de Lisboa (ISCTE Clara Carvalho (Presidente) IUL), Centro de Estudos Africanos - IUL Rogerio Roque Amaro (Vice-Presidente) Joao Vasconcelos Manuel Joao Ramos (Vogal) Institute) de Ciencias Sociais - Universidade de Lisboa Vitor Alexandre Lourenco (Vogal) Paulo Granjo Emanuel Gamelas (Tesoureiro) Institute) de Ciencias Sociais - Antonia Barreto Universidade de Lisboa V"se Fialho FelicianoPhilip J. Havik Institute) de Investigagao Cientifica Tropical s j Joana Barros Moura Amaral Vitor Alexandre Lourenco Pa gin a<;ao Institute) Universitario de Lisbo. IUL), Centro de Estudos Africani Elly M. Opazo R E P r e - I m p r e s sa o , I m p r e ssa o e A c a ba m en to sevisa o d it o r ia l A Jordi Tomas Gerpress Comunica^ao Empresarial e Marketing LTD Instituto Universitario de Lisboa (ISCTE - IUL), Centro de Estudos Africanos - IUL ISSN Ana Luisa Teixeira 1645-3794 ISLA - Campus Lisboa, International Laureate Universities D e p o s it o L egal 178 466/02 S e c r et a r ia d o d e R ldaccao Joao Dias R ed a c^ao e A ssin a t u r a s Instituto Universitario de Lisboa (ISCTE - Centro de Estudos Africanos IUL), Centro de Estudos Africanos - IUL ISCTE, Av. das Formas Armadas C C I 1649-026 Lisboa, Portugal o m issa o ie n t if ic a n tern a c io n a l Jon Abbink Tel: 21 790 30 67 Chris Alden Fax: 21 795 53 61 David Birmingham e-mail: cea@iscte.pt; asbbc@iscte.pt Michel Cahen website: http://cea.iscte.pt Carlos Cardoso Joao Paulo Borges Coelho S e m e st r a l Virgilio Coelho P r e ^o p o r n u m e r o : 10 € (duplo 15 €) Patrick Chabal ©Centro de Estudos Africanos do ISCTE - Instituto Eduardo Costa Dias Universitario de Lisboa Revista Cadernos de Estudos Africanos 7 Journal Cadernos de Estudos Africanos 11 Ifa divination trays from Isale-Oyo 15 O. I. Pogoson e A. O. Akaude S&J Trauma e limpeza ritual de veteranos em Mozambique 43 Paido Granjo O' Uma historia de violencia sob as brumas des Virunga. Morte e poder no Ruanda 71 Fernando Florencio , . Mishake Muyongo, entre la politico y la tribu: Una reflexion sobre la doble legitimidad en Africa en el panorama de la globalizacion 99 Ester Masso Guijarro Entre deux drapeaux: Les ouvriers Capverdiens au Portugal pendant la periode revolutionnaire (1974-1976) 123 Antoine Acker O estado de saude da Ilha de Mozambique: Uma analise comparativa dos indicadores de saude da popula^ao 147 Ana Luisa Patrdo e Jose Vasconcelos-Raposo Ayi Kwei Armah's intellectuals of the African renaissance 163 Found Mami Normas editoriais 192 Publishing standards 194 cadernos de estudos africanos • janelro-juntio de 2011 • 21,15-41 O. I. Pogoson Institute of African Studies University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria tellohio@yahoo.com A. O. Akande Department of Fine and Applied Arts Emmanuel Alayande College of Education Oyo, Oyo State, Nigeria symphowonder@yahoo.com IFA DIVINATION TRAYS FROM ISALE-OYO Abstract This paper is a study of the images and patterns on ifa divination trays from Isale-Oyo. The paper also explains some ifa paraphernalia. The paper establishes that ifa trays from Isale-Oyo bear distinctive features when compared with other ifa trays in Yorubaland such as those of Ijebu and Osogbo. Central to this study is the iconographic descrip­ tion and interpretations o f Isale-Oyo divination trays. Data were collected through direct interviews with divination tray owners. Photographs of the trays were also taken. The investigation revealed that: • Divination trays from Isale-Oyo combine features found on both Ijebu and Osogbo trays. • The Esu figure continues to occupy the top central position on Oyo divination trays, even though with representational variations elsewhere in Yorubaland. • Some divination trays in Oyo carry no decorations on their borders, and in some recent cases, ceramic plates are now used for divination. Keywords: opon ifa (divination tray), ifa, esu, South Western Nigeria, Oyo Resumo Este artigo trata dos padrdes e imagens dos tabuleiros de adivinhagdo ifa usados em Isale-Oyo (Nigeria), bem como de outros objectos religiosos associados. Argumenta-se que os tabuleiros ifa de Isale-Oyo tern caracteristicas que os distinguem de outros tabu­ leiros ifa da regiao yoruba, como os de Ijebu e Osogbo. A descrigdo e a interpretaqdo da iconografia dos tabuleiros de adivinhagdo constituent ofoco deste estudo. Os dados discu- tidos forani recolhidos atraves de entrevistas a proprietaries de tabuleiros de adivinhagdo e fotografias de tabuleiros. Conclui-se que: • Os tabuleiros de adivinhagdo de Isale-Oyo combinam tragos dos tabuleiros de Ijebu e dos tabuleiros de Osogbo. • A figura de Esu continua a ocupar a posigao central superior nos tabuleiros de adivinhagdo de Oyo, embora se registem variagdes na sua representagao noutras zonas do territorio yoruba. • Alguns tabuleiros de adivinhagdo de Oyo nao possuem qualquer decoragao nos frisos, e nalguns casos recentes vem sendo utilizados na adivinhagdo pratos de cerdmica. Palavras-chave: opon ifa (tabuleiro de adivinhagao), ifa, esu, Sudoeste da Nigeria, Oyo cadcmos de estudos africanos • janeiro-juriho de 2011 • 21,15-41 0. !. POGOSON & A. O. AKANDE 17 Introduction A sizeable number of studies have been carried out on Yoruba ifa divination and its arts, especially the divination trays. Wande Abimbola has shed significant light on ifa in Yoruba religion (1967 and 1969). He has written extensively on the position occupied by ifa divination in Yoruba pantheon. Abimbola has continu­ ally pursued the use of ifa divination poetry and literature as sources of histori­ cal evidence (Abimbola, 1969). His focus is on ifa prose, poetry, mythology and divination. Bascom (1969), another enthusiastic writer on ifa divination and its religious implications, submits that indeed, ifa divination is a means of commu­ nication between man and god among the Yoruba. / - S ' Rowland Abiodun (2000, p. 182) sought to find contextual meaning to the recurring image of the equestrian figures in Yoruba woodcarvings. He therefore interrogated ifa divination poems to find a deeper meaning of the representation of horses in traditional Yoruba arts. He observed that several representations of horses/riders in Yoruba art and the use of horses by the military, a crucial factor in the determination of the strength of armies, is also a symbol of royalty, leader­ ship, power and success. Studies directly concerned with ifa divination trays include those of Drewal (1983, pp. 136-56), Drewal and Drewal (1983, p. 66) and Drewal, Pemberton and Abiodun (1989). Henry and Margaret Drewal (1987, p. 233) explained two com­ positional decorative patterns on divination trays. These are the "serial" and "se­ riate" arrangements of images on the borders of divination trays. The "serial" compositional technique according to them, refer to compositions where its units of design have individual interpretations different from others, yet all the units tell one story. The "seriate" arrangement on the other hand refers to representa­ tion of the myriad autonomous forces operating in the Yoruba cosmos and those affecting the diviner and his clients. This means the representation of any objects or animals that have one thing or the other to do with divination and the di- viner. V v According to Drewal et al. (1989, p. 23) the decorative patterns on the borders of Yoruba ifa divination trays can be divided into nine sections - eight sections on the border and a centre section. The most important of these sections is the oju opon (face of the tray) located directly opposite the diviner. In all cases, the head of esu is usually depicted on the oju opon. The section directly opposite the oju opon and nearest to the diviner is called ese opon (foot of the tray). Half way up the right hand side is ona oganran (the straight path) and opposite this on the left hand side is ona munu (the direct path). The other four sections are between 18 IFA DIVINATION TRAYS FROM ISALE-OYO the mentioned sections, from the upper right to the lower left (see Figure 1). They also pointed out that representations of esu head on the Ijebu trays, protrude slightly into the centre of the tray. OJU OPON IntervcuMr {WIgBngB&tSe.erval ON A MUNU ARIN OPON ONA 6 Inte1rval$ rterval wESElOPON Figure 1: Sections on divination tray Recent studies on divination by Ezio Bassani (1994, p. 79), Manuel Jordan (2000), Louis Brenner (2000) and Pemberton (2000 and 2007) have enriched the scholarship of Yoruba ifa divination. This is in spite of the fact that their focus is not on the divination trays per se, and they were more interested in divination processes of cultures other than the Yoruba. Figure 2: A map showing Oyo, Ijebu and Osogbo located in the South Western Nigeria This is a study of divination trays in Isale-Oyo, a quarter in Oyo town (Figure 2) in South Western Nigeria. Isale-Oyo is a core area of Oyo town and it is popu- cactemos de estudos africanos • janeiro-junhu de 2011 * 21,15-41 0. I. POGOSON & A. O, AKANDE 19 lated by a large number of diviners. Ifa divination is still widely practiced by the people of Oyo. For this reason Oyo perhaps more than elsewhere in Yorubaland, still boasts of a large number of both young and old diviners. This study also identifies peculiarities of divination trays from Isale-Oyo. It compares the trays from Isale-Oyo with those of some other Yoruba towns that have been studied by other scholars. Theoretical framework The archetypal theoretical model is employed in this study. The theory claims that image, idea, or pattern can become and be considered a universal model. Archetypes are found in mythology, literature, and the arts, and are important aspects of both philosophical and psychological thought. Since carving of ifa trays and decorations has formats to which they tend to conform, it is imperative that they be studied in line with the prescribed formats. This standard format is however not totally rigid and this accounts for variety and individuality found in some Yoruba ifa trays. The basic shape of a divination tray is circular, rectangular or square, except for the Ulm opon ifa discussed by Bassa^(1994, p. 79), which combines a circle in the centre and a rectangle. As mentioned earlier, common to divination trays is the representation of the head of esu at its top central position. There could be patterns all around the borders of the tray. Usually the centre of the tray is left bare, because this is where the divination proper is done. Because divination trays have certain common features, this paper will attempt an in-depth study of selected divination trays from Isale-Oyo based on these common features. J r Isale-Oyo Isaile-Oyo (Figure 3), the quarter in Oyo from which the trays in this study are got, is encompassed by the borders of Akesan market, the palace walls of the Alaafin (King of Oyo), Lagbondoko, Aatan and Oroki. A total of ten divin­ ers (babalawo) of the first grade and ten diviners of the second grade were inter­ viewed. Diviners are considered first, second, third or amateur grade based on their knowledge of the odu (divination poetry) of ifa. Structured questions were administered during the interview. The questions were open ended, allowing for flexibilities in the answers of the different diviners. Photographs of divination trays were taken. Other ifa divination materials were also photographed. 20 IFA DIVINATION TRAYS FROM ISALE-OYO ----------------------------------Ijf.-a-- --d--i-v--i--n--a--t-i--o--n-- --a-n---d-- -t--h--e-- -Y---o--r-u---b--a-- -w---o--r--l-d--- -v--i-e--w--- The history of ifa divination among the Yoruba can be said to be as old as the people themselves. According to Abimbola, authority on ifa (1977, p. 1), the Yoruba believed that Ifa (otherwise known as Orunmila) was one of the four hundred divinities who came from orun (heaven) to aye (earth). Olodumare (the Supreme Being) had charged each one of the divinities with particular function to be performed on earth. Idowu (1962, p. 19) records that Esu, one of the Yoruba divinities, was the universal 'police' and keeper of the ase (divine power) with which Oludumare created the universe and maintained its physical laws. Ifa was put in charge of divination because of his great wisdom which he acquired as a result of his presence when Olodumare created the universe. Ifa therefore knew all the hidden secrets of the universe. This is why his praise name is Akerefinusogbon, the small one whose mind is full of wisdom (Abimbola, 1977, p. 1). From account of view, ifa divination is as old as the Yoruba race itself and its origin perhaps too far back in history to be exact. Johnson (1921, p. 33) recorded that Oduduwa, a Prince of Mecca and the pro­ genitor of the Yoruba, met Shetilu, the founder of ifa divination, in Ile-Ife. In an­ other variant of the tradition, also by Johnson, Shetilu a Nupe (also known as Agboniregun) is credited with introducing ifa divination to Yorubaland. Shetilu, cademos de e sta te africanos • janeiro-junho de 2011 • 21,15-41 0. I. POGOSON & A. O. AKANDE 21 born blind, grew up with extra ordinary powers of divination. At the age of five, he was reputed to have started to accurately foretell events. According to Johnson, the Muslims who inhabited the Nupe area disliked Shetilu's powers and so they forced him to flee across the Niger River and relocated to lle-Ite. The plausibility of this story is in doubt, because the Nupe country mentioned in the story might have been mistaken for Old Oyo, but even then, Old Oyo was never beyond the River Niger. Old Oyo is the original name of Oyo people. The same author also recorded another tradition that claims that ifa worship was introduced by a king of Oyo, Alaafin Onigbogi, who became unpopular for his actions. Onigbogi was said to have been dethroned because of his introduction of ifa divination. Interestingly however, ifa divination is not unique to the Yoruba people; it has in fact diffused all over the Yoruba diasporas. It is found among the Fon of the Benin Republic. There, it is referred to as fa (Bascom, 1969, p. 10). The practice of ifa was also taken to the Americas during the mid to late eighteenth century by slaves from West Africa. Brenner records that the casting of sixteen palm nuts or cowry shells (ifa divination) is widely practiced today by Africans of West African descent in the diaspora. He observed that it is the most popular of all of Africa's divination systems. Pemberton (2007) corroborated this by noting that ifa divination is the best known in Africa. Pemberton pointed out that while the different versions of the "sixteen signs" can be found in so many cultures, they have certain basic elements in common, but their interpretations vary and are often determined by cultural values, oral traditions, and social experiences of the people who practice the divination. Brenner (2000, p. 119) studied divination in Mali, Madagascar and among the Shona in South Africa and observed that sixteen, as a number, also has signifi­ cance to their divination systems. Brenner (ibid., p. 125) traced the origin of the "sixteen signs" type of divination of Islamic Sand Writing (Khatt ar-raml). The interpretation of Yoruba ifa divination is based on a set of established signs and accounts known as odu ifa. Odu ifa is a vast body of literary prose and poetry that encapsulates the experiences and wisdom of the Yoruba. There are sixteen major odu, each with its identification sign and name and each of the sixteen have their own sixteen subordinate odu. Altogether therefore, there are (sixteen times sixteen) two hundred and fifty six odu. Each of the two hundred and fifty six odu has extensive narratives (prose or poem) about the lives of gods, human and/or animals in Yoruba cosmology (Abimbola, 1976). 22 IFA DIVINATION TRAYS FROM ISALE-OYO ________________________ Overview of a divination session In a divination session, the client is asked to whisper their problem to a coin, cowry shell or any legal tender. He then drops it on the divination tray. The di­ viner, called babalaivo, literarily interpreted to mean father of secrets, salutes Ifa and urges Ifa to provide the appropriate answer to the client's problems without delay. He calls on Orunmila, a deity believed to have been present with Ifa at the time of creation, and who is believed to know the prenatal destiny (ayanmo) of every human being. He offers iba (salute in acknowledgment of supremacy) to lie (the earth) Olodumare (the Almighty God). The diviner also calls on ancestor diviners to witness the proceeding before he then casts the palm nuts eight times; he marks the result of each cast on the iyerosun (dust on the diviner's tray). The result must match one of the two hundred and fifty six possible odu signs. A shorter version of casting ifa is done by using divination chain (opele ifa, Plate 4). This tool consists of eight seed pods or small copper-alloy plates with concave or convex surfaces linked together by a metal or bead chain. The diviner holds the chain at its centre point and casts it so that it falls on an already laid cloth before him to reveal a pattern of the odu sign. On sighting the revelation of the cast, the diviner recalls the associated sto­ ryline or poem revealed in the odu sign. The client of the diviner must be atten­ tive at this point, because the solution to the problem will be revealed in the odu chant. In the chants of the diviner, the party concerned hears of others who have suffered various problems, some perhaps greater than those that brought the suppliant to ifa and the joy they knew after performing the sacrifices that ifa had asked them to make. At intervals, the diviner taps the divination tray with iroke ifa (divination tapper). The person consulting ifa is afterwards expected to per­ form the prescribed sacrifices. The chants, many at times, end with lines revealing that after the person in the odu of ifa had performed the required sacrifice, things became better for him. The lines often run thus: Igbn ti o dnfn Won ni ebo ni o waa ru. 0 si ru u. Igba o rubo ton.... Lo bn dipe ohun gbogbo nlo deede. Orin nwo wa bo si lenu... cademos de estudos africanos * janeiid-juflho 2011 • 21,15-41 0 . 1. POGOSON & A, 0 . AKANDE 33 lines. Generally, their forms are bold and sharp, in characteristic Yoruba wood- carvings style. The images depicted on the entire border, including the face of esu are embedded within the border line. The only difference between the esu figures in Plates 8 and 9 is that the face on Plate 8 wears a vertical face mark on both cheeks. In terms of their countenance, the esu faces represented are neither sad nor calm nor with any discernible countenance. The representations on Plate 10 do not follow any particular pattern; however the heavy zigzag snake on the left-hand side balances the weight of the divina­ tion chain depicted on the left-hand side. On the lower part of the tray (ese opon) directly opposite the esu face, are same reptilian animals. On the lower right- hand side of the tray is depicted a small gourd (ado). Such gourds are used in storing curative medicines in Yorubaland. Then the figure of an animal sits in the upper left-hand side of the tray. This animal may perhaps be a bush rat because of its long tail. v V The face of esu in this tray extends beyond the demarcated borders of the tray into a part of the centre of the tray (arin opon). The mouth, cheeks and chin of esu jot out of the border. The face is realistically rendered with robust cheeks. The eyebrows and lips are simply depicted. The face is not characterised by the deep and sharp cuts common to Yoruba woodcarvings. Plate 10 (from Fagbenro family, Oroki, Isale-Oyo) The carvings on the edges of the tray depicted in Plate 11 are simple. The decorations occupy only the four major areas on the border of the tray. The head 34 IFA DIVINATION TRAYS FROM ISALE-OYO of esu is on the oju opon, while two arrow-like triangles are on the ese opon. On the onn oganran and ona munu are simple embossed horizontal lines. Unlike the other trays discussed earlier, the tray in Plate 12 is rectangular in shape. It is bordered by intricately embellished patterns rather than with ani­ mal forms. The geometrically decorative pattern is incised rather than in relief. The patterns used include ziz-zags, criss-crosses, and chequered patterns. The esu face on this plate also extends slightly into the centre of the tray. There are facial marks on its cheeks and forehead. There are four horizontal marks on its cheeks, while on the forehead are three short vertical lines. The eyeballs are large and bulging. The marks on the cheeks are typical nbaja of Yorubaland. The one on the forehead is called pele even though pele may also be worn on the cheeks by the Yoruba. These two facial marks are common all over Oyo Yoruba towns, especially in Oyo and Iseyin, according to Babalola (2009). cademos de estudos africanos • janeiro-junho de 2011 • 21,15-41 O. I. POGOSON & A. 0. AKANDE 35 Plate 12 (from Ojebode family, Oroki, Isale-Oyo) Ojebode Fabiyi (age 55) traced the representation of animals like horses and tigers to ogundawonrin and oyeku meji respectively. He traced the representation of horses to the odu of ifa called ogundawonrin, also called ogundanlare. It runs thus: Emi ko ri eni ti nrele Alara Ko bn mi ki gbogbo omo loon nile Alara Emi o ri eni tin lo si ode Ejigbo Ko bn mi ki Orisntnlnbi am ode Ejigbo To ba ki Orisatalabi ara ode Ejigbo Ki o ki Egunbiyi Oloponda, omo Abuda Omo kerekere ntile rode Awon ngbnlngba tode wole Ifa e rowo mi dogbodomku, owo mi niyi E pe ki oluknluku mn yoioo tire lobe nso Ifn ise re ni mo je kiri, n go je ngo mu Ti mo fi dele Olu, Ifa ise re ni mo je kiri, n go je ngo mu 36 IFA DIVINATION TRAYS FROM ISALE-OYO Ti mo fi de Oke Ora Ifa ise re ni mo je kiri, n go je ngo mu Ti mo fi de Oke Ijeti He Agboniregun Mo gbo, o ta si mi leti Won ni iwo lo se fun Olu ti Olu fi lozuo Ifa ire ni ko se fun mi ki nloioo Ifa mo gbo, o ta si mi leti Won ni omi tutu ni obufun Igbora Ti ohun gbogbofi tutu fun Igbora Ifa mo gbo o ta si mi leti Won ni o se fun Owarangun Aga ti Amota Ido Omo oloburo omoba Agufo Olabnye tetete Ojo ti Owarangun Aga ku Esin ni won fi ru oku Owarangun Aga wale s Ti mo ba gbogbogbo, ti mo bn tototo Esin ni ki omo o fi ru oku mi dan dan dan $ Whoever is going to Alara $ Should salute inhabitants of Alar&a Whoever is going to Ejigbo Should salute Orisatalabi the son of Ejigbo After greeting Orisatalabi an indigene of Ejigbo He should also extend salutations to Egunbiyi Oluponda a son of Abuda The young ones are moving from courtyards into die house T he elders are moving from inside into the courtyard Ifa look at my hand, its crumpled Let all show their hands Ifa it is your instructions that I am carrying out, that made me not eat nor drink Till I got to Olu Ifa it is your assignments that undertaking, that made me not eat nor drink Till I got to Oke Ora Ifa it is your assignments that I am carrying out, that made me not eat nor drink Till I got to Oke Ijeti die abode of Agboniregun (die founder of ifa divination) I overheard that you (Ifa) Helped Olu to make plenty money Ifa favour me also to make money cademos de estudos africanos • janeiro-junho de 2011 • 21,15-41 O. I. POGOSON & A. 0. AKANDE 37 I overheard that you (lfa) Gave Igbora cold water Life became comfortable for Igbora I overheard that you (lfa) Helped Owarangun Aga of Amota Ido Tire son of Oloburo, prince of Agufo Olabaye The day Owarangun died His corpse was transported home on a horse lfa, when I am old and aged Let my children carry my corpse with horses This ifa verse brings out the importance of horses. Horses/ as^ forund in this verse are dignifying animals and are a mark of royalty. According to Pogoson and Akande (2011, p. 1), the horse rider is not an unusual imagery in Yoruba woodcarving. Indeed, it is an abundantly used one in Yoruba art. Among the Yoruba, carved wooden figures of horsemen honouring warriors are kept in the house of veterans of military exploits. Ojebode pointed out that in oyeku meji, tiger was made mention of. Oni ni won roko leti opon Ola ni won sakaa lagbe . t s > Oni la o kun Ifa Olukorokorobojo Ola 1a o kun Ifa Olukorokorobojo Ani won o kun, Won ktm Won pa Ekun kan minijo-minijo Ti nbe ni abe iti Won gbe ori re fun Oba Ido Omo Ejiworogbe lie Ido Won gbe yegese am re fun Oba Eleyo Geji Omo ajoju ebo gbara Ina abara wusa Ojo palami omo atuyeriyeri Eni to bn peri Oba Ido nibi Ori gbogbo a maafo won iwere iwere Eni ba peri Oba Eleyo Geji Ay a a ma lawon Igarara igarara Togun Oba Ido ni ina.... 38 IFA DIVINATION TRAYS FROM ISALE-OYO Today we shall clear the forest on the edges of the tray Tomorrow we shall fry bean cake in a gourd (impossibilities) Today we will divide it, a divination of Olukorokorobojo Tomorrow we will cut it to pieces, a divination of Olukorokorobojo We asked them to butcher it, they did They killed a big tiger They cover it and kept it under the plantain trees They gave its head to the king of Ido The son of Ejiworogbe of Ido Another part was given to King Eleyo Geji The one that thrives on sacrifice The fire that hurts Tire rain that sprinkles Whoever attempts to attack the king of Ido They will have their heads aching Whoever attempts to attack King E ep Their hearts will pound with fear On the whole, divination trays from Isale-Oyo combine two features found on trays from Osogbo and Ijebu. These features pointed out by Witte (1994, p. 59) indicate that divination trays from Ijebu have a part of the face of esu extending slightly into the centre of the tray, and that the trays from Osogbo have the face of esu contained within the borders of the tray. This may indicate a stylistic and cultural affinity between both places and Oyo. Bassani (1994, p. 79) discussed a particular divination tray (Plate 13) belong­ ing to a German merchant, Christoph Weickmann, in the middle of the 17th centu­ ry. This divination tray, in our own opinion, exemplifies the variety of styles and forms in Yoruba divination trays. The overall shape of the tray is rectangular but embedded in the rectangle is a circle. The depictions on this tray encompass a lot of activities and patterns found on many Yoruba divination trays. Interestingly also, the shape can be said to be two in one. This is one of the most representative trays we had ever seen. cademos de estudos africanos • janeiro-junho'de 2011 • 21,15-41 O, I. POGOSON & A. O. AKANDE 39 Plate 13: Divination tray collected by Christoph Weickmann in the middle of the 17“' century The stylistic affinity between trays from Isale-Oyo and trays from elsewhere in Yorubaland supports the belief that some Yoruba settlements were established from Old Oyo. The sack of the Old Oyo by the Fulani's and consequent spread of the Yoruba towards the Bight of Benin might also have resulted in the spread of the Yoruba carvers and carving patterns just as with their cosmology. According to Aremu (2001, p. 16), almost all Yoruba carvers trace their an­ cestry to Are Lagbayi (sometimes called Abogunde, or Ajibogunde) of Old Oyo. Lagbayi was a legendary palace wood carver of an Alafin of Oyo. He was said to have come from Ojowo, a satellite town of Old Oyo. It is therefore possible to as­ sume that many Yoruba wood carvers may have descended ancestrally from Old Oyo. The similarities in the carvings may therefore be because of descent from the same source, Old Oyo. Old Oyo is also the centre of ifa culture from where it spread to other parts of Yorubaland. Woodcarvings are not as popular in Ife as they are in Oyo and elsewhere in Yorubaland. Looking at the fixed use of the esu figure in all divination trays in Yorubaland, it is safe to assume that this is the most significant figure in the tray. The deco­ rations, undoubtedly left to the discretion of the artist, allows the use of repre­ sentations of all types of animals, humans and other ifa paraphernalia and all forms relating to ifa to decorate the tray. Indeed the decorative patterns found on the borders of many divination trays in Yorubaland are similar to those found on Yoruba calabash carving, wood carving, adire eleko and other Yoruba artistic 40 IFA DIVINATION TRAYS FROM ISALE-OYO genre. This is an indication that the carvers might have had the freehand to ex­ temporize but not with the central esu figure in the upper part of the tray. References Abimbola, W. (1967). If a divination poems as sources for historical evidence. Lagos: Personal notes and records. Abimbola, W. (1969a). An exposition o f Ifa literary corpus. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, University of Lagos. Abimbola, W. (1969b). Ijinle ohun enu Ifa, Apn kiini. Glasgow: Collins. Abimbola, W. (1976). Ifa: An exposition of Ifa literary corpus. Ibadan: Nigeria Oxford University Press. < ? - Abimbola, W. (1977). Ifa divination poetry. New York: NOK Publishers Limited. Aremu, G. B. (2001). Are Lagbayi: The legendary wood carver chieftain of Old Oyo in tradition from Ogun and Ifa divination corpus. Symphony: Journal o f Arts and Aesthetics, 1 (2), 14-21. Babalola, S. A. (2009). Body decoration in Yoruba land: Iseyin as a case study. Symphony: Journal o f Arts and Aesthetics, 4,14-21. Bascom, W. (1969). Ifa divination: Communication between God and men in West Africa. Bloomington and London: Indiana University Press. Bassani, E. (1994). Tire Ulm opon Ifa (ca 1650): A model for later iconography. In Abiodun, R., Dreawl, H. J., & Pemberton III, J. (Eds.), The Yoruba artist: New theoretical perspectives on African art (pp. 79-89). Washington and London: Smithsonian Institution Press. Brenner, L. (2000). Muslim divination and the history of religion in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Pemberton III, J. (Ed.), Insight and artistry in African divination: A cross-cultural study (pp. 115-130). Washington D. C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. Drewal, H. J. (1983). Art and divination among the Yoruba: Design and myth. Africana Journal, 14 (2-3), 139-156. Drewal, H. J., Pemberton III, J., & Abiodun, R. (1989). Yoruba: Nine centuries o f African art and thought. Exhibition Catalogue. New York: Centre for African Art. Drewal, M. T., & Drewal, H. J. (1983). An Ifa diviner in Ijebuland. African Arts, 16 (2), 60-67, 99-100. Drewal, M. T., & Drewal, H. J. (1987). Composing time and space in Yoruba art. Word and Image: A Journal ofVerbal/Visual Enquiry, 3 (3), 225-251. Idowu, B. (1962). Olodumare: God in Yoruba belief. London: Longmans. Johnson, S. (1921). The history o f the Yorulm. Lagos: CMS. Jordan, Manuel (2000). Art and divination among Chokwe, Lunda, Luvale and related peoples of North West Zambia. In Pemberton III, J. (Ed.), Insight and artistry in African divination: A cross-cultural study (pp. 142-156). Washington D. C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. Pemberton, J. (2007). African arts and rituals of divination: A scholarly resource from the Metropolitan Museum of Arts. Retrieved from http://www.metmuseum.org/exlore/ ore/oracle/art (para. 12). Pogoson, O. I., & Akande, A. O. (2011). Syntheses of cultures and sensibilities: The expressions of Moyo Ogundipe. In Pogoson, O. I. (Ed.), Soliloquy: Life's fragile fictions. Ibadan: Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan. cademos de estudos africanos • janeiro-jtmho de 2011 4 21,1541 O. I. POGOSON & A. 0. AKANDE Rowland, A. (2000). Riding the horse of praise. The mounted figure motif in Ifa divination sculpture. In Pemberton III, J. (Ed.), Insight mid artistry in African divination (pp. 182­ 192). Washington and London: Smithsonian Press. Witte, H. (1994). Ifa trays from the Osogbo and Ijebu regions. In Abiodun, R., Dreawal, H. J., & Pemberton III, J. (Eds.), The Yoruba artist: New theoretical perspectives on African art (pp. 59-77). Washington and London: Smithsonian Institution Press. 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