HOLY SCRIPTURES OF VODU : FA/IFA

NOTE : I AM A FRENCH-SPEAKING STUDENT IN ECONOMICS. ENGLISH IS OUR SECOND LANGUAGE. I DO MY BEST TO TRANSLATE THIS TEXT FROM FRENCH TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE FOR ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES.

(You can send corrections to vozkoffi@gmail.com)

Searching knowledge
(VozzPhoto,2011)

French 

In the memory of my uncle FIONYON AGUEVODOU II.

THE HOLY SCRIPTURES OF VODUISM

    The common feature of voduism and abrahamic religions  is the existence of a language of the sacred to the human beings. Some religions have "holy books" that stores messages attributed to God: this mode of communication is one-way (we forget the theological considerations) because it does not have a feed back from the divine. In voduism however, the communication is two-way and is the work of specialists trained for a minimum of 3 to 4 years. The coded language that allows a human to communicate with the divine in the voduism is called the FA. We understand by this that the FA IS NOT A VODU!! It is a double direction human-divine language.

What is the nature of the FA?

Written Fa                                                     Real Fa 

The FA is a language that allows a human being to communicate with one or more vodus. A specialist of Fa is called  Bokon or Bokonon. The Fa is an interpreted language and requires years of training. The Fa has 16 major or basic signs  (Figure 1) written with I and II in 4 rows. So to get to the basic signs, it was a work by counting all possible combinations: 2 power 4 => (2^4) = 16 possibilities. A basic sign  is read vertically. See names ofbasic signs in different languages in the following figure.

Figure 1 (Zanklibevi)

The combination of two basic signs gives a dou or kponli. This kponli is considered a theme or universe that will be interpreted by many experts. And as a kponli is composed of two signs, there will be a total of 16 ² = 256 kponlis or themes to interpret. The kponli is read from right to left. We can write Fa in the conventional binary language by postulating I=0 and II = 1. You can view the possible 256 kponli on the following figure.

The 256 universes of FA.

Origin of Fa:

The origin generally known of Fa is the city of Ife in Nigeria. But Professor Kakpo Mawunyon goes further by finding orgins of Fa in ancient Egypt and the city of Ife is where the Fa was the most worked before spreading in West Africa . But Yoruba influence on the current Fa in the Gulf of Benin is indisputable.

Mr. Zanklibevi gives us a nature of the Fa and his relationship with God in the Yoruba cosmology.

"When Oloddumare, Yoruba pantheon of Supreme God created the universe, there was only Orunmila as witness, and becomes by this fact, the latter knower of all fates. First Prophet Orunmila was sent to earth to assist men in a development that will bring the end of their reincarnations become pure spirits in the kingdom of Orun (heaven). To do so, Orunmila must address his advice and warning notice to humans and tell them that throughout their existence it is through the Ifa He communicates.

The Ifa divination system is an integral part of Yoruba traditions that only a Babalawo, priest who undergoes a long initiation, can practice. The word Ifa refers to both the priesthood and worship Orisha Orunumila itself. The practice called ifa Idafa is based on the use of sacred 18 nuts and the board of Ifa (big game) or divining rosary: the Opele (small game). Using one of these two methods the Babalawo will select among the 256 Odus possible that Orunmila transmits, the response to the issue that prompted the meeting. Each Odu has an expressed so lyrical and poetic story of a sacred Yoruba people (Pataki or thesis). In fact the 256 odus encompass and embody all the universal archetypes and their mode of development. Consultation of Ifa can take place on a regular basis or during particular events. However, the use of the board of Ifa is reserved for very special occasions such as the opening of the "hand of Orunmila" by which the new initiate will receive the sign and the name of his patron. The ritual of Ifa that Mecca is the city of Ile-Ife in Nigeria is practiced among the Fon of Benin as the Fa and under the name of Afa in Adja-Ewe-Guin-Mina of Togo. "on-Aneho togo.net.

Initiation to Fa

The Fa is not a work of profane or adventurer. It needs a long initiation as specified by Mr Zanklibevi. This tutorial is done in two phases: the taking of Fa and  Fa study.

-Taking of Fa:

Taking of Fa is essential for anyone who wants to know his fate. Many wonder why things do not work for me as they work for the other? Others say that I'm in the wrong way. There are those who have money or property and are not happy, others get angry without good reason or realize that their life has not gone the way they wanted. Others lose all the wealth they have amassed without understanding why .... many misunderstandings which clears up when the individual takes Fa. He can understand his purpose in life and take better decisions. He will make his choices in life and understand any event of his life. Taking Fa is necessary for everyone because it is a capital element in the life of every individual.

 Fa taking
VozzPhoto,2011

Taking Fa allows any individual to know his or her dou ie its "star." and have a new name. Depending on the dou, he will have requirements or rules to live better. If you have a dou of a great leader, it is likely that you are prohibited drinking alcohol as a leader needs to be sober and awake. If you have a dou of someone who arouses the jealousy, you will be prohibited from wearing gold or wear red .... thus making Fa is an open door on your whole life, a director line allowing you to be the master of your destiny.

-The study or work of Fa:

This is for those who want to become specialists of  Fa called Bokon or Bokonon. This is the work of Fa or the general study of all 256 dou of Fa . Any aspiring Bokon is supposed to know all these signs on fingertips, know their meanings and history. He is supposed to know all vodus that are expressed through a particular dou and what to prescribe to any individual who comes to see the Fa. Whoever finishes his training becomes a "Bokon gan" ie a big Bokon or a specialist of Fa. The Bokon is a diagnostician and prescriber. It has the same function as a doctor, a psychologist or a psychiatrist except that he is assisted by the vodus. So the study of psychology and even medicine can be a great asset to the exercise of this function as being a Bokon  requests picky abductive reasoning. An unintelligent person cannot aspire to such a position and it is not all of those who start the Fa training who end as it is a very difficult job. Just 12 to 13% of insiders get to reach the stage of Bokon Gan. Being a voodoo priest is often subject to control this condition of Fa.

Usefulness of FA:

The usefulness of Fa goes beyond the benefits of taking a Fa. This is about the power of the Fa to lighten the events of life. You get up one morning and your company goes bankrupt; your spouse dies without any detected disease; women leave you with no good reason; men dump you after a few months of living together; you are a remarkable woman but nobody wants of you. Your boss just fired you for no reason, you feel that your father wants to harm you but you're not sure, you have a presentiment that your spouse  is infidel to you but you still doubt .... Contact a Bokonon! He will tell you what happens to you with the information you give him and the dou that will reveal Fa. It should be noted that in a case of diagnosis of Fa, there are at least three Bokonons to the interpretation of the dou. This eliminates any subjectivity or reduce the risk: it is like giving a diagnosis o three doctors at the same time. The Bokonons, a principal and assistants, will search deeply to tell you what is wrong with you.

AN EXAMPLE OF CONSULTATION FA (Video in Ewe for now):

Important Notes on video

0-The patient seeks to have a child

1-Note that the patient has in front of her 3 Bokons to use the dou and his life to diagnose the problem.
 2- At 1mn47 Bokon the assistant said, "You give to Vodu a sheep plus a dove, and GOD will do everything to keep you alive.

3 - The three bokons arrived at the same conclusion: Jealousy towards the patient; threats of wizards in her life.

Interpretaion:

   The Fa is able to solve complex problems such as difficulties in having children. The diagnosis is made with 3 Bokonons to avoid the risk of subjectivity. The fact that the bokon alludes to God in his speech shows that Vodu draws its power in the power of God, that voodoo obeys God's command, also shows that it is the voodoo that needs worship while God does not need that in all. Finally, we note that, whatever the concerned bokon , the general idea of ​​the interpretation remains unchanged.

Egyptology:

 We can notice that the Fa , because it came to Ewe through Yoruba culture, gave derivable Yoruba names in  Ewe:

Yoruba ----------------------------> Ewé

Ifa       -----------------------------> Fa

Odou ------------------------------> dou

Opele ------------------------------> Kpele

Babalawo--------------------------->Bokon

Ogbé ------------------------------> Gbe

Ogounda -------------------------> Gouda

Irete ------------------------------> Lete

Irosun----------------------------> Losso

Ose-------------------------------> Tse

Otura-----------------------------> Tula

Obara-----------------------------> Abla

Odi-------------------------------->Di

Osa------------------------------->Sa

Owori------------------------------->WOli

Ofun ------------------------------> Fu

Ika------------------------------->Ka

Oworin ---------------------------->Wlin

Oturupon----------------------------> Trukpè

Okaran ----------------------------> Aklan

Oyekou   ---------------------------> Yekou

        LET US COMPARE FA TO ABRAHAMIC BOOKS

Critères	FA		Livres Abrahamiques
Direction of  communication Identify a CRIMINAL? Capacity to dig the  past of  a patient ? Identify a THIEF? Does divinity choose the verses (Dou)? Identify INFIDELITY? Capable to help the  Court of a Country? Specialist (s) involved in the interpretation of the message? Capacity to predict? In the scope of profane?	DOUBLE                  YES                 YES                  YES                 YES  with  probability    p= 1/256     YES      YES      3 or more    YES  NO		UNIQUE NO NO NO NO depends on the appreciation of pastor, imam or father NO NO 1 NO YES
CONCLUSION ?	CONCLUDE!		CONCLUDE!

My conclusion is simple: A group of individuals have decided that the first was satanic and that the others were either divine or satanic according to the chosen religion.

A PERSON FAMILIAR WITH THE FA WILL NOT EXCHANGE IT WITH AN ABRAHAMIC BOOK.

The day will come invade light
Darkness will be engulfed by night
The wind will displace air
No Hurricane will make a baobab jump in the air

Tsetula TSAGLI