I peruse the forum for a Lukumi church every once in awhile, and I found out that Florida International University recently held a conference on the release of a set of Cuban texts from the 1940s called "The Book of Diagnosis in Ifa Divination". Originally these books were put together specifically for Babalawo (priests) of the Yoruba and Lukumi tradition. I have mixed feelings about these texts being released. On the one hand, it will be wonderful to have this information, on the other hand, maybe this was intended just for the priests for a reason. I'm apprehensive when it comes to "dabbling" with the sacred. I think you should have a strong understanding of what you're doing first. Releasing this book to the general public is opening a whole lot of people up to a whole lot of things they might not have the knowledge to deal with properly. What does everyone think? Is the publication of texts such as these a good idea or a bad one?
I've also included the article:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Original Afro-Cuban Sacred Texts Will Be Revealed at the Inauguration of Africana Knowledge Working Group of South Florida (AKWoG)
Miami, FL (January 17, 2008)- Two original copies of a sacred book of Yoruba-Lukumi religion (aka Cuban Santeria) titled The Book of Diagnosis in Ifa Divination will be made public for the first time by Oba Ernesto Pichardo, founder of Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye, at the one-day meeting of scholars and members of Africana and African Diaspora knowledge community in South Florida on January 18, 2008. The meeting, convened and hosted by African-New World Studies program (ANWS), will mark the inauguration of Africana Knowledge Working Group of South Florida (AKWoG), a consortium of institutions and organizations committed to the advancement of intellectual traditions of Africa and their manifestations in the Americas.
The Book of Diagnosis in Ifa Divination, a rich document of Yoruba and Afro-Cuban history, culture, philosophy, metaphysics, worldview, religion, and spiritual knowledge, was initially published in Cuba in the 1940s. It was the first book ever published in the Americas specifically for the use of Babalawo, priests of Ifa divination in Yoruba-Lukumi religion, and has been kept away from the public for more than 50 years. That practitioners of the religion are now willing to share their original sacred texts with the public shows a significant shift in position. It is a realization of the global dimension of the religion, and the strength of its intellectual traditions and knowledge system. This pending announcement will refute the stereotype of Yoruba-Lukumi religion as a religion without texts or books. The two Ifa texts are immensely valuable to the practice of the religion and are also rich goldmines for the scientific study of an enduring African civilization and knowledge system.
Ifa divination system is a significant component of Yoruba religion in West Africa and it was introduced to Cuba during the era of the Atlantic Slave Trade. Since the Cuban Revolution, the religion, the divination system, and its vast corpus of knowledge system have expanded across the United States. Recognizing the significant contribution of Ifa to world civilization, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in its 2005 Proclamation, identified Ifa divination as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
The inaugural meeting of Africana Knowledge Working Group of South Florida (AKWoG), where the two original documents will be unveiled, will take place at Biscayne Bay Campus (North Miami) of Florida International University (FIU) from 12:00noon through 5:00pm and will attract delegates from academic institutions in the state of Florida, the Smithsonian, as well as business (e.g., botanicas) owners, leaders of cultural organizations, priests, artists, healers, spiritualists, performers, among others. The meeting is expected to mark the birth of an hemispheric think-tank that promotes Africana knowledge systems in the areas of spirituality, health, healing, religion, and the arts; to optimize the benefits of diverse Africana communities in the region for advancing the strategic mission and vision of FIU and other academic institutions in the state of Florida, and for empowering the knowledge communities themselves.
Media Contact: Dr. Akin Ogundiran. Director, African-New World Studies. Florida International University. Ph. 305-919-5521, 5529; ogundira@fiu.edu --Obá Ernesto Pichardo olukumi@hotmail.com
yep
Someone on the forum I got this from mentioned that certain things had already been reinterpreted and commentary added without footnotes or anything to say where the editor had changed things. Now their interpretation becomes part of this text.
Wary
I too am apprehensive. A BOOK! A written guideline that can be taken and reinterpreted just like the many BOOKS that belong to other world religion. It is amazing that this religion lasted so long without a BOOK. I am just afraid it will be turned into BOOK like all the others, something that people can reference to tell you what you SHOULD or should NOT be doing based on their own interpretation.