Opon Ifá
[1] The etymology of opon, literally meaning "to flatter", explains the artistic and embellished nature of the trays, as they are meant to praise and acknowledge the noble work of the Babalawo (diviners).
Conversely, some scholars have referred to Ifá merely as the "great consulting oracle" as opposed to a god or a deity, without any divine connotations.
[6] Opon Ifá are wooden, generally between 15 and 46 centimeters (6 and 18 inches) in diameter, and are flat and usually circular; however, rectangular, semi-circular, and approximately square specimens have also been observed.
[1] The trays exhibit a raised outer perimeter – often embellished with carved figures, objects, and abstract geometric designs.
In a divination reading, the babalowo sits facing east with the opon Ifá in front of them, such that the "feet" of the tray is closest to them.
[5][8] These sections come into play during consultations when the babalowo individually evokes the presence of Ifá and the nine ancient diviners before beginning the reading of the tray.
Such markings are believed by practitioners to allow the babalowo to harness the powers of the depicted animal, enhancing the general efficacy of the tray, or heightening the effectiveness of certain odu.
For instance, Opon Ifá may display carvings of bush rats, or okete, which in Yoruba mythology can take on human form to conduct nighttime mischief.
When abstract or crisscross markings are incorporated with zoomorphic imagery, they may offer a kinetic and sentient quality to the depicted animals, further enhancing the tray's divine potency.
[5] Historically, Yoruba carvers played an important role in their communities – many were specialists, creating an array of objects from the banal (e.g. stools, walking sticks, etc.)
[5] His legacy is continued by the opon Ifá carvers who are frequented by babalowo, and create trays with designs of their own discretion or by request of their patron diviners.
[9] There are variations in the structure of opon Ifá, particularly in regard to the number and location of depicted Esu faces and the geometric shape of the board.
Although the Ifá system of divination finds its roots among the Yoruba, its practise has spread amongst the African diaspora and is known by different names, with subtle to profound alterations.
[8] Beyond the foundational features of the opon Ifá outlined above, the functional nature of the structural enhancements cannot be generalized and are typically left to the artist's discretion.
The relationship between the two deities is outlined in the Yoruba canon – specifically from among the 256 odu, or verses, that the babalawo interprets from the opon Ifá – and provides an account for how Esu came to occupy his role.
Ifá obliged and performed the sacrifice, only to find Esu's monkey missing once he returned to the tree in front of his home.
Seeking a solution, Ifá once again consulted the oracle, who told him to return to the exact spot in the forest where the sacrifice of bananas had been performed.
He sits facing east, the direction from which Ifá is thought to have come from the spiritual plane, and allows light to illuminate the tray, being careful to prevent shadows from landing on the wood.
