Reclaiming Divine Time

An Exploration of Temporal Systems, Divination, and the African Struggle for Spiritual Independence

Abstract

This paper examines the intersection between time, divination systems, and cultural oppression, specifically focusing on the Biblical system of divination (Ephod, Urim, and Thummim) and the Yoruba divination system (Ifa, Opele, and Ikin). Through the lens of time as a crucial paradigm of human existence, the research delves into the hypothesis that European powers deliberately created a parallel system of divination and timekeeping to counteract and undermine the sacred African order. The paper argues that control over time translates into control over life and suggests that African spiritual freedom can only be achieved by realigning temporal systems with indigenous cosmological principles. To this end, the Yoruba time model, based on the 16 Odus of Ifa and lunar cycles, is proposed as an alternative framework to Western temporal standards.

Keywords: Time, Divination, Ifa, Ephod, European colonialism, Spiritual independence, Yoruba cosmology

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1. Introduction

Time is fundamental to the human experience, shaping life, seasons, and cosmological understanding. The concept of time is not only a cultural construct but also a tool of power. Western notions of time—marked by 24-hour days, 60-minute hours, and 365-day years—are taken as universal and immutable. However, these constructs mask deeper questions about how different cultures define time, and who benefits from these definitions.

The Western understanding of time, along with its religious and scientific systems of divination, has long dominated global perspectives. This paper seeks to critically examine the hypothesis that European colonizers deliberately instituted a parallel system of divination, in opposition to the sacred African order, with a particular focus on the Yoruba system of Ifa. If such a counter-system exists, what are its implications on African spirituality and cultural autonomy? Further, how does the imposition of Western timekeeping disrupt indigenous African temporal models? These questions are explored through an analysis of the Biblical and Yoruba divination systems, alongside a reimagined Yoruba temporal calendar.

2. Divination Systems: Biblical and Yoruba Traditions

Divination has been integral to various spiritual and cultural traditions around the world. In the Bible, systems such as the Ephod, Urim, and Thummim served as divine instruments to reveal God’s will to the Israelites. These systems were closely tied to the sacred and political power of the time, guiding decisions in matters of war, justice, and governance.

In contrast, the Yoruba divination system, rooted in Ifa, employs sacred objects like Opele and Ikin to access the wisdom of the Orunmila, the deity of wisdom and divination. Central to the Ifa system are the 16 Odus, which represent the fundamental principles of Yoruba cosmology, including time and space. Each Odu contains a multitude of verses that explain the interconnectedness of life, guiding individuals and communities in their spiritual journey.

Despite their distinct cultural contexts, both systems of divination serve as mechanisms through which divine order is made manifest on Earth. However, during the period of European colonial expansion, the Christian divinatory system gained dominance over indigenous systems like Ifa, in part through forced conversion and cultural suppression.

3. European Domination and the Suppression of African Spiritual Systems

The colonization of Africa was not only a physical and economic conquest but also a spiritual one. European colonizers systematically suppressed African belief systems, replacing indigenous spiritual practices with Christian doctrines. The imposition of Western divinatory and temporal systems played a significant role in this process. This paper argues that by establishing a European system of divination as a counterweight to Ifa, colonial powers sought to delegitimize African spiritual systems, thereby diminishing their social and cultural power.

At the heart of this suppression is the control over time itself. African societies, including the Yoruba, had their own timekeeping systems that were closely tied to celestial movements, spiritual rituals, and seasonal cycles. The Ifa system, with its 16 Odus and 256 mathematical outcomes, provides a comprehensive framework for understanding not only fate but also time. However, the introduction of Western timekeeping disrupted these traditional systems, replacing them with the 24-hour day and the Gregorian calendar, both of which were divorced from the spiritual significance of lunar and cosmic cycles.

4. Time as a Tool of Power

“He who controls time, controls life.” This statement is not only a philosophical reflection but a recognition of the deeper politics of time. The Western calendar, with its 12-month year and four seasons, became the global standard, despite its lack of alignment with many indigenous systems. In Yorubaland, for instance, the division of the year into three seasons—Rainy, Dry, and Harmattan—aligns more naturally with the Yoruba understanding of the world. Likewise, the Western seven-day week conflicts with the Yoruba four-day week, which is more in harmony with lunar cycles.

The imposition of Western timekeeping has profound implications. As argued in this paper, European control over time is not just about the hours in a day but about the control of life, cycles, and spirituality. By undermining indigenous time systems, colonizers stripped Africans of their temporal autonomy, thereby fracturing their connection to the divine.

5. A Reimagined Yoruba Calendar

In response to this imposition, this paper proposes a reimagined Yoruba calendar based on the principles of Ifa and aligned with the cycles of the moon. This model posits 90 seconds per minute, 90 minutes per hour, 16 hours per day, and 4 days per week. The year consists of 256 days, in alignment with the 256 mathematical outcomes in the Ifa corpus. Moreover, the 28-day lunar cycle fits within this system, with seven weeks per month.

This model addresses several anomalies in the Western calendar, including the disconnect between the nine-month gestation period of human life and the 12-month calendar year. The reimagined Yoruba calendar not only aligns with indigenous cosmology but also reclaims time as a sacred element of life. The proposal seeks to move beyond political and economic independence toward a form of spiritual independence, grounded in a return to indigenous temporal systems.

6. Conclusion

The conquest of Africa was not solely a material endeavor but a spiritual one, involving the redefinition of time and divination to suppress African cosmologies. This paper contends that the European imposition of temporal systems and divination practices has undermined African spiritual autonomy. By reclaiming indigenous systems of time, particularly those based on the Ifa tradition, Africans can begin to dismantle the colonial structures that continue to shape their lives.

Spiritual independence requires a return to indigenous frameworks that honor the rhythms of nature, the wisdom of ancestors, and the divinity inherent in African cosmology. This paper posits that rethinking time, through the lens of Yoruba cosmology, offers a path to reclaiming spiritual and cultural autonomy in the modern world.

References

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Obatala, Oludare. "Reclaiming Time: Yoruba Cosmology and Temporal Sovereignty." Africana Studies Review, vol. 12, no. 2, 2022, pp. 99-116.