Divination
Yoruba. Divination Board (Pako Ifa), late 19th century. Wood, 3/4 x 9 5/8 x 9 5/8 in. (1.9 x 24.4 x 24.4 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Museum Expedition 1922, Robert B. Woodward Memorial Fund , 22.237. Creative Commons-BY-NC
(http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/12710/Divination_Board_Pako_I)
The Yoruba people use this beautifully carved tray to divine as to what the will of the spirits are for people wishing to know their fates. Flour is poured upon the tray along with sacred palm nuts. Designs are drawn in the tray, symbols that relate to the spirits and the stories that go along with them. One could see how this could have been inspiration for the Veve's of Vodou. Songs and chants are sung as the diviner goes through the process of drawing designs and tossing the palm nuts. One could relate these stories being sung as being somewhat of a parallel to Catholic hymns, and bible stories being read in order to extract the desired inspiration and guidance from them. The face that we see at the top of the tray is that of the Yoruba trickster god who is known as the god of the crossroads in that he is the one who transports messages back and forth between the spirit and earthly worlds. His wide staring eyes describe his ability to see into the world of the spirits.