Escola
superior de Ifá
Aos alunos
da Escola Superior de Ifá (ESI).
Hoje estamos
retornando para o Curso de Bàbáláwo e Iyanifa após as Festividades do Festival
de Osun.
Como todos
já sabem hoje eu sou o Ááre Awo of Àràbà Awodiran Agboola isso quer dizer que
eu sou o chefe de todos os Bàbáláwo da
família
Agboola.
Essa grande
honraria foi uma determinação de Orunmila, uma determinação de Baba Ajobi que
está comprovada em um vídeo com quase noventa minutos, além disso essa
determinação foi testemunhada por vários Bàbáláwos e Iyanifas.
Confesso que
eu nunca imaginei ocupar uma função de tanta grandeza e de tanta
responsabilidade.
Eu fico mais confortável como Diretor da
Escola Superior de Ifá, eu fico mais à vontade sendo o Oluwo Ifagbaiyin, fico
mais tranquilo sendo aquele que idealizou o Projeto Ifá é para todos. Mas quis
o destino escolhido por mim no Orun ou uma determinação de Orunmila que eu
fosse reconhecido como esse líder que representa essa família tradicional do
Ifá da Nigéria.
Ocupar essa
função, receber esse título, é uma grande responsabilidade, é carregar nos
ombros o peso de representar aquele que eu considero o maior Bàbáláwo da
atualidade (Àràbà Awodiran Agboola), por essa razão prometo honrar e defender a
herança de nossos ancestrais com honestidade,
dignidade e responsabilidade.
Hoje retomamos as aulas de nossa Escola que
atende pessoas de mais de dez países totalizando mais de seis mil alunos.
Hoje volto
ao trabalho que, talvez, tenha me levado a essa grande deferência por parte do
nosso Àràbà, foram muitos anos, muitas pessoas, um total que ultrapassa oito
mil pessoas.
São sessenta
e quatro anos de iniciado, é uma história, é uma vida dedicada ao orisa.
A emoção do último dia 26 de outubro ainda
toma o meu corpo e o meu pensar, insistindo em me lembrar a cada minuto a
responsabilidade que me foi atribuída.
Obrigado ao espírito que me acompanha todos os
dias, meu pai, meu exemplo de vida Araba Akano Fashina Agboola.
Obrigado ao
meu Oluwo Oloye Oyeniyi Awolola Agboola.
Obrigado ao
nosso Akoda Oloye Fatokun Fashina Agboola.
Obrigado ao nosso Aseda Oloye Oyeyefa Agboola.
Obrigado ao
meu querido amigo e professor, meu mestre Àràbà Awodiran Agboola.
Obrigado a
todos Orisas.
Obrigado
Orunmila!
Ááre Awo of
Àràbà Awodiran Agboola
Oloye Oluwo Ifagbaiyin Agboola
Tradução
Aboru aboye
abosise
Ifáand the
hierarchy.
Author:
Oluwo Ifagbaiyin Agboola
Much has
been said about the hierarchy in the cult of orisa in Brazil, this contributes
to the enrichment of information about the Afro-Brazilian religion, but
unfortunately it is very rare to find reliable information about the hierarchy
in the cult of Ifá, so in an attempt to contribute to the information available
in our country we are sharing the guidance we received in Yoruba territory.
- First
echelon, group known as Iwarefa.
ARABA (Oluawo)
The title of
Araba is the most important within the cult of Ifá. Normally, in Yoruba lands,
an Araba is chosen based on three criteria:
-Unquestionable
knowledge
-Immaculate
conduct
-Unanimous
support
The Araba
represents the group of Babalawos of a city or country. This leads us to the
following conclusion: cities with a larger population of Babalawos have a more
demanding selection criterion than cities with smaller populations.
In a large
city, for a Babalawo to become an Araba, he will be questioned by a larger
group of priests.
These
questions can last for days, and only when all the Babalawos are satisfied with
the answers will the date of the ceremony be set.
Note: in a
very small city with a very small group of Babalawos, the choice of an Araba
can be immediate, as long as there is support from the group.
There is also an affectionate way of titleing
the oldest Babalawo in an Ile Ifá that is often confused with the above, since
affectionately the oldest of the priests within the family can be called Araba,
it is important not to confuse this family title restricted to the family home
with the Araba of a city or country.
AKODA
Babalawo
Agbalagba prepared to replace the Araba in case of death, immediately assumes
the position of Araba, maintaining the rituals even during the period of
mourning.
ASEDA
Babalawo
Agbalagba, the third in the hierarchy, prepared to replace the Akódá.
ÁÁRE AWO
A babalawo
with unquestionable responsibility and honesty, leader of the babalawos in Ile
Ifá.
A babalawo
trusted by the Araba, he assists the Akoda, the Aseda and the Awise to
represent the Araba in religious ceremonies and events.
AGBONGBON
Babalawo
specialized in Oriki, considered the family memory, capable of reciting the
knowledge contained in the verses of Ifá for days and nights.
ERINMI
Babalawo
with unquestionable knowledge of the secret rituals in Ile Ifá.
AGIRI
Experienced
babalawo with deep knowledge of odu.
AWISE
In Brazil,
the title of Awise was incorrectly publicized. An Awise speaks on behalf of the
family, authorized by his Oluwo or Araba. Therefore, he must be a very
experienced Babalawo.
- Second
echelon in Egbe Ifá.
ALAKEJI
This title
can only be used by a very experienced Babalawo. He replaces the Oluwo within
Ile Ifá in all situations, except initiations.
ALARA
Experienced
Babalawo, specialist in the relationship with initiates and initiations in
general.
OKUNMERI
Babalawo
specialist in internal ceremonies.
AGUNSIN
Experienced
Babalawo who accompanies the first echelon in external rituals or celebrations,
responsible for the movement of the members of Egbe Ifá.
ARANISAN
Experienced
Babalawo who guides the ceremony before Osun, in the itefa ritual.
AMUKINRO
Experienced
Babalawo who guides initiates within Ile Ifá in ceremonies where ikin is
consulted.
KAWOLEHIN
Experienced
Babalawo who guides initiates in internal and external rituals and
celebrations.
OLUWO
There are
two different titles described by the word Oluwo, one within Ifá and another
within Ogboni society immediately superior to the title of Apenna in the
hierarchy.
In this
approach we will analyze the title restricted to the cult of Orunmila.
The Oluwo
may or may not be chosen from among the positions mentioned above.
The Oluwo is
a Babalawo who has authorization to initiate other Babalawos, we should not
confuse him with Olodu, (Babalawo who has the settlement of Iya Odu), the
isolated fact of having Iya Odu does not make him an Oluwo.
The Oluwo is the priest who is responsible for
the itefa and Ìtélodú ceremonies, so all the situations that I will describe
must have the authorization of the Oluwo:
-Consulting
Ifá with opele or ikin.
-Submitting
to ebó or etutu.
-Participating
in initiations or celebrations related to the cult of Orunmila and Orisa.
-Performing
initiations and consultations.
OJUGBONA
The Ojugbona
is the Babalawo who participated in the initiation and whose function is to
train, but does not have the power to authorize the new awo to perform initiations
or consultations.
BALOGUN
Balogun is a
very important title; the Babalawo chosen for this role must be very
experienced in dealing with issues involving rituals and the internal and
external relationships of the family, with regard to the protection of Ile Ifá
and its members.
SOKINLOJU
This title
should be given to an old Babalawo within the Egbe, a kind of observer with the
authority to correct errors and procedures in the day-to-day running of Ile
Ifa.
AKOGUN
This title
can only be given to an experienced Babalawo, normally the Akogun assists or
replaces the Balogun.
SUREPAWO
This title
can be held by a young Babalawo, the Surepawo is in charge of payments,
purchases and tasks outside of Ile Ifa.
ASAWO
A young
Babalawo or Awo kekere who assists the Surepawo.
IYANIFA
The name
Iyanifa is often confused, considering that it can be used in two different
situations.
-Iyanifa
(the one who possesses ifá, priestess), also known as Iyaonifa.
-Iyanifa
(any woman subjected to itefa).
IYA APETEBI
- In the
traditional Yoruba religion, Iya Apetebi is the wife of the Babalawo.
Note:
normally, the Iya Apetebis must be initiated in Osun.
IYANIFA IYA
APETEBI
In the case
of Iyanifa Iya Apetebi (Aiya), wife of the Oluwo of the Egbe Ifá, the
requirements are greater due to the change in hierarchy, considering that the
title is superior to the others, immediately referring to Iya Apetebi and
Iyanifa to the second position within the Egbe Ifá.
IYALODE AWO
Iyanifa,
leader of the women in the Egbe Ifá
AJIGBEDA AWO
Iyanifa,
experienced assistant to the Iyalode.
In each family the hierarchy may undergo
changes but in general the process is similar, so we must clarify that the
expression first and second echelon in our text was used because we could not
think of a more appropriate word at the time, at no time with the intention of
diminishing or belittling the.Yes the text is correct though in some towns,
they have different hierarchy. For your question, your position in the family
will be No 3 That is as follows
1.Araba-Oloye
Awodiran Agboola
2.Awise-
Oloye Oyeniyi Agboola, your Oluwo
3.Aare Awo--
Olúwo Ifagbaiyin
4.Akoda-
Oloye Fatokun Fashina
5.Aseda-
Oloye Oyeyefa Agboola
This is my
creation and it's not binding on other families /groups /towns
But you can
claim to be the head as Ààre Awo of your groups worldwide
ÀRÀBÀ -
OLÓYÈ AWÓDÌRAN Ọ̀KÁNLÀWỌ́N AGBOỌLÁ
ÀWÍṢẸ -
OLÓYÈ OYÈNÍYÌ AWOLỌLÁ AGBOỌLÁ
AKỌ́DÁ -
OLÓYÈ IFÁTÓKUN FÁṢÍNÀ
AṢẸ̀DÁ -
OLÓYÈ OYÈYẸFÁ AGBOỌLÁ
Stay blessed
(ÀRÀBÀ -
OLÓYÈ AWÓDÌRAN Ọ̀KÁNLÀWỌ́N AGBOỌLÁ).
Autor: Oluwo
Ifagbaiyin Agboola