ANTHROPOLOGY OF IFA: A STUDY OF TRADITIONAL EPISTEMOLOGY, ETHICS AND WISDOM

Résumé

Ethics, wisdom and folk science are integral parts of traditional African knowledge of which Ifa is the greatest manifestation among the Yoruba. However, these traditional integral parts of African anthropological realities have come under the assaults of foreign influence. This paper examines the concept of Ifa and its relevance as a medium of knowledge and ethics, wisdom and science in traditional African society using the Yoruba as a case study. It uses ethnography, which is acclaimed as most suited for the study of traditional communities. Methodologically, the paper employs anthropological paradigms of participatoryobservation, field notes and contextualisation. Data obtained from the study indicate the prevalence of Ifa practices among the people despite the influence of foreign religions, Western education and modernization. Findings reveal that Ifa is a veritable medium of general knowledge, morality and science for the people. The field report shows that the physical, psychophysical and metaphysical realms of traditional Yoruba people are saturated with Ifa. The people value it and see it as an authentic means of traditional knowledge. The paper concludes that Ifa portends real value if harnessed with modernization because of its valuable usage in traditional epistemology, science and wisdom.