object
Opon Ifá
Objects · Rituals · Traditions
The carved wooden tray of Yoruba Ifá divination. Not the Ifá tradition itself, and not a generic board-game.
Also known as Ifá tray
Yoruba Ifá
Opon Ifá is used in Yoruba Ifá.
Bascom describes the opon Ifá as the carved tray on which Ifá lots are cast. Instrument of that ethnography’s Ifá, not cowrie-as-lot and not a tarot table.
from William Bascom · Ifa Divination, 1969
used in · sourced · culturally specific
Opon Ifá is sacred to Eshu.
Bascom places the carved face of Eshu on the opon Ifá rim and orients the tray so Eshu looks at the diviner; Ifá communication requires Eshu’s opening. A named tray dedication to Eshu in that ethnography, not cowrie-as-lot and not a courtesy reverse onto the òrìṣà.
from William Bascom · Ifa Divination, 1969
sacred to · sourced · culturally specific
Opon Ifá represents Eshu.
Bascom’s trays carve the face of Eshu on the rim — a depiction that orients the board so the messenger faces the diviner. A named represent job of the tray’s carving in that ethnography, not sacred_to dedication alone and not identity of tray and òrìṣà.
from William Bascom · Ifa Divination, 1969
represents · sourced · culturally specific
Opon Ifá is used in Divination.
Bascom describes the opon Ifá as the carved tray on which figures are marked in powder during the cast — the board of that divination craft. A named tray use in divination in that ethnography, not used_in→yoruba-ifa already filed and not a tarot table.
from William Bascom · Ifa Divination, 1969
used in · sourced · culturally specific
Cowrie is historically related to Opon Ifá.
Bascom’s session setup places the seventeenth nut and related pieces on a ring of cowries called the money of Ifá (aje Ifá) beside the divining tray. A named cowrie–tray neighborhood in that ethnography, not cowrie-ifa lots use already filed and not Atlantic currency.
from William Bascom · Ifa Divination, 1969
historically related to · sourced · culturally specific
Cup is historically related to Opon Ifá.
Bascom’s morning invocation seats the divining cup on and beside the tray — nuts raised from the cup, powder on the board — as paired apparatus of one session. A named cup–tray neighborhood in that ethnography, not identity of vessel and board and not the bowl as a missing id.
from William Bascom · Ifa Divination, 1969
historically related to · sourced · culturally specific
Bell is historically related to Opon Ifá.
Bascom’s irọ Ifá is tapped against the divining tray to call Ifá — bell and board as paired sounding and marking furniture of the cast. A named bell–tray neighborhood in that ethnography, not identity and not agogo.
from William Bascom · Ifa Divination, 1969
historically related to · sourced · culturally specific
Staff is historically related to Opon Ifá.
Bascom’s diviners’ insignia seat the ọ̀rẹ̀rẹ̀ iron staff among Ifá compound and festival gear that stands with the tray-and-nuts craft without being the tray itself. A named staff–tray neighborhood in that ethnography, not oshe-shango and not claiming the staff is a casting instrument.
from William Bascom · Ifa Divination, 1969
historically related to · sourced · culturally specific
sources
- Ifa Divination · William Bascom
William Bascom, Ifa Divination: Communication between Gods and Men in West Africa.