Sixteen Cowries: Yoruba Divination from Africa to the New World – William Bascom – 1969, Third Edition
Sixteen Cowries: A Deep Dive into Yoruba Divination
William Bascom’s Sixteen Cowries offers a detailed examination of the Ifá divination system of the Yoruba people of West Africa, and its subsequent adaptations and presence in the African diaspora, particularly in Brazil, Cuba, and Haiti. The book meticulously documents the process of divination, the symbolic meanings of the 256 Odu (divinatory verses), and the social roles of the babalawo (diviners). Bascom doesn’t simply present Ifá as a method of predicting the future; he emphasizes its function as a comprehensive ethical system, a body of knowledge, and a means of maintaining social order.
Historical / Cultural Context
Published in 1969, Sixteen Cowries emerged during a period of increasing scholarly interest in African cultures and religions, and a growing awareness of the African roots of Afro-American religious traditions. Bascom’s work was groundbreaking in its detailed, ethnographic approach to Ifá. Prior to this, much of the available knowledge was filtered through colonial perspectives or limited in scope. Bascom’s research, conducted primarily in the 1950s and 60s, involved extensive fieldwork among Yoruba communities in Nigeria and among Yoruba communities in the Americas. The timing is significant, as it captures the system before widespread modernization drastically altered traditional practices. The book contributes to a broader understanding of how religious beliefs and practices travel and transform when transplanted to new cultural contexts.
Who This Book Is For
This book is primarily intended for academic audiences—anthropologists, religious studies scholars, historians, and linguists—interested in African religions, divination systems, and the African diaspora. However, its clear and methodical presentation also makes it accessible to informed general readers with an interest in Yoruba culture or the history of religion. The level of detail regarding the Odu and their interpretations requires a commitment to study, yet the broader discussion of the cultural context and social function of Ifá is engaging for anyone curious about non-Western belief systems.
Further Reading
- Raymond Schechner, Popular Culture and Performance: Provides a broader context for understanding the performative aspects of divination.
- Pierre Verger, Orixás: Offers a comparative study of Yoruba deities and their manifestations in Brazil.
- John Murphy, Working the Spirit: Explores the role of spirit possession in Yoruba-derived religions in the Americas.
Disclaimer.
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Content is provided for informational and reflective purposes only and does not promote specific beliefs, spiritual practices, or ideological positions. Interpretations presented reflect scholarly, cultural, or symbolic analysis rather than factual claims about the natural world.