Fascinating Forms of Divination
by Verona Spence-Adofo
Publish Date: Mon 22nd Jan 2024
Exploring African cosmologies has been a passion of mine for some time now, but one thing that has always stood out and continues to captivate me, is the extreme diversity of how divination is carried out and the unusual techniques that are used.
Divination is a vital practice in many African cultures, which connects individuals with the spiritual realm, ancestors, and divine forces. It is a way of communicating with the spiritual world to gain guidance and understanding in various aspects of life, such as relationships, health and business. There are various methods such as throwing bones, reading patterns in nature and interpreting dreams.
Divination is commonly performed by skilled practitioners who have undergone rigorous training and possess deep knowledge of the cultural and spiritual traditions. These practitioners are known by different names across Africa, including Sangoma, Dibia & Babalawo. They serve as intermediaries between the physical and spiritual realms, using their expertise to interpret signs and symbols presented through divination tools or rituals.
Here are a few methods which are found across Africa which I find truly fascinating:
Dogon Fox Divination
The Dogon are an ancient people situated in Mali, West Africa. They have a complex divination system. The Hogon (Spiritual Elder) performs a ritual, which involves drawing grids and symbols in the sand at dusk. The Hogon leaves an offering of millet, milk and peanuts for the sacred sand fox. They return in the morning to see if the offerings are accepted and that the ritual has been carried out successfully. If so, they can interpret the answer to their questions from the fox’s footprints left behind from the night before.
Image credit: ResearchGate
Mambila Spider Divination
Amongst various groups in Cameroon, such as the Mambila & Yamba people, ŋgam is a general term for divination and ŋgam dù meaning ground divination, which is binary system that can be practised using both spiders or crabs.
For a question to be answered, the diviner puts a pot over a spider hole and the then places a stick and a stone inside, with one either side. Divination leaf cards, which have symbols on them are then added near the whole. The diviner then taps the outside of the pot with a stone, prompting the spider to respond. The pot is covered and left for around 10-15mins. Upon return the diviner checks the pot and carefully examines the placements of the cards, stick and stone that have been moved by the spider. By observing these movements, the diviner is then able to provide a reading.
Image credit: School of Anthropology & Museum Ethnography
I’ve decided to include this one, even though it is not considered an official form of divination, however it still serves as a wonderful example of the ways information can be obtained.
Bwiti Iboga Tradition
The Bwiti tradition is an ancient spiritual and cultural practice that originated with the Bwiti people of Gabon, Central Africa. The tradition centres around the ceremonial use of the hallucinogenic iboga plant and is known for its healing, spiritual and transformative properties. The Bwiti tradition incorporates various rituals, ceremonies and teachings that play a crucial role in the journey towards self-discovery, healing and connection with the divine.
By ingesting the iboga root, participants enter a deep journey. During this process, individuals may experience physical purging, such as vomiting, as a means of releasing emotional and spiritual energy.
In the Bwiti tradition, vomit is considered to be a physical manifestation of negative energies or entities that are being expelled from the body. It is believed that the vomit contains valuable information about the participant’s journey, including any spiritual attachments or unresolved emotional traumas. By carefully examining the contents of the vomit, the the Nganga (healer/diviner) can provide insightful interpretations and guidance, helping the participant gain a deeper understanding of their experience and facilitating their healing process.
Image source: Wikipedia Creative Commons
No doubt I’ll continue to come across more fascinating divination techniques. If you have any feel free to share in the comments below!
In our event titled DIVINATION, we explore this area in depth as we speak with Iyalode Yeyefini Efunbolade, initiated priestess and experienced diviner, who shares her knowledge of divination and its role in the Yoruba Ifa system.
Verona Spence-Adofo (Ancestral Voices Co-founder)
Verona offers one-to-one consultations, more information is available below.