The Yoruba oracles, the man's need to foreshadow the future

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The Yoruba oracles have been used by man, in his generic sense when he has felt the need to foreshadow the future, to predict what might happen, present in the Yoruba Religion.

The Ifa divination system and the Dilogun are the two oracles most widespread in Cuba, coming from Africa, are the direct predecessors of the Cuban divination system of snails or Cuban dilogún, currently known and used in many countries of America.

It is worth remembering that the slaves, in their majority, were brought from Africa, and among these West African ethnic groups towards south of the Sahara were the Yoruba, made up of subgroups with variations in customs and institutions; but with linguistic and cultural unity, which led to being considered as a single ethnic group.

Lucumi was called in Cuba the Yoruba and their descendants and according to various explanations about its origin, it is claimed that although different versions of the origin of the word lucumí have been spread, the most accepted nowadays is the one that states that the word comes from the Yoruba greeting oluku mi, which means "my friend".

The deities of the Yoruba pantheon are called in Cuba, Santeria or Ruler of Ocha, most extended Yoruba Oracles in Cuba. The festive ritual celebrations in the Rule of Ocha, by the author Bárbara Balbuena Gutiérrez, Havana: Center for Research and Development of Cuban Culture "Juan Marinello"; 2001, states in his text: Dilogun: system of divination of the Osha Rule using the snails or cauris. Dilogúns means 16, which is the amount of snails that are manipulated in the oracular consultation.

Biague: divinatory system of the Osha or Santeria Rule by the use of four pieces of coconut. According to the position in which these fall, you get answers to the questions you ask the deities.

The positions are: Alafia (four pieces with the white face up) (means a resounding yes); Eyepiece (two pieces towards down and two up) (meaning also a resounding yes); Itawo or Stage (three pieces with white face up and one with lacquer down) (means a dubious yes), although there are orishas like Olokun, whose strongest response is that; in some houses of saint leaves there and does not ask again; in others the coconut is thrown away again and if Itawo comes out again, that means that "what is known is not known question".

Okewa (three pieces with the white face down and one with the white face up) (means a resounding no); Eyekun ( all pieces of coconut with the white face down) (means a no and a dead man is talking).

There is another more complex way of "reading" this oracle, through the apere-ti or positions formed by the coconut on the ground and that identify with each of the Orisha. Ifá: the most complex divination system of the Rule of Osha governed by Orula or Ifa, the orisha of divination This oracle is manipulated by the babalawo and it has two forms: The Okuelé or Ifa chain and the Ikines. These are Yoruba oracles to foretell the future and predict what can happen.