I have been involved in Ifa/Orisa worship for over twenty years. During that time I have listened to an endless debate over the question of whether or not Spirit sanctions same gender relationships. I have heard Odu interpreted to support one position or another without being convinced that the quoted scripture remotely applies to the issue under discussion.

Given the lack of clear scriptural commentary I have relied on direct communication with Spirit for guidance on this question. Guidance from Spirit has come through both divination and directly from the ancestors and Orisa as spoken through the voice of mediums. Using divination and the voice of Spirit as the source of guidance in this matter as opposed to relying on personal bias and social pressure has led to a clear pattern of response from Spirit and divination. My experience as an elder providing guidance to those who are seeking honest answers to real questions of concern does not establish a universal policy on this subject. At best my experience provides information to consider. Hopefully it might shed a little light on a subject that has been plagued with prejudice, confusion, fear, hatred, shame and a sense of guilt that is inconsistent with the Ifa belief that we are all born as good and blessed people.
In hopes of providing some healing and clarity I share some of my thoughts and experiences on the subject of same gender intimate relationships. I am frequently saddened and burdened by the stories of childhood sexual abuse that are epidemic in our communities. There is no quick fix for the problems created by the denigration of children. As an elder I am very clear that the protection of children is a high priority. In Ode Remo, where I was initiated, the sexual abuse of a child is a capitol offense. Trial and punishment occurs quickly. It is an effective deterrent. I say this because in the past ten years I have noticed a significant trend within some Orisa communities across the country to sanction the sexual exploitation of children. A sexually abused child who does not have access to effective means of healing runs the risk of becoming a perpetrator of sexual abuse against children. The trend that I am seeing is a clear warning sign that as a community we have significant work to do to stop the tendency of this problem to become an inter-generational curse.

A child who has suffered sexual abuse can develop an aversion to the gender of the person who committed the abuse. In my experience the most common example is a woman who was abused by an adult male develops an aversion to men. The human need for intimacy will work its way around this aversion by seeking same gender gratification. There are two important points to consider as an elder in this situation. Clearly Ifa does not sanction relationships of any kind based on fear. However you cannot expect a person to rise above fear based on real experience until the source of that fear has been transformed in an effective way. What this means in practical terms is that the healing of the effects of the childhood sexual trauma is the first concern of the elder. In my experience once this healing has taken place the victim of childhood sexual abuse is in a position to make a healthy choice regarding sexual orientation. By making a healthy choice I mean making decisions based on feelings of attraction and not based on feelings of fear. My experience as elder dealing with these situations is this; those who are healed of sexual abuse trauma sometimes remain in same gender relationships and sometimes they change their preferences. I have seen both the oracle and Spirit sanction both choices. There is absolutely no way to effectively guide a person towards healing the effects of childhood sexual abuse if you start by making negative judgments concerning questions of sexual preference. Healing is based on trust and strong negative social judgments will negate that trust.

Americans as a culture are obsessed with the need to gossip about sexual relationships between other people. This obsession has infected the news, the political arena, and has become a source of entertainment on talk shows and "reality" based television programs. This obsession is rooted in conditioning. The conditioning is motivated by the desire to manipulate consciousness as a marketing tool. As long as you are not hurting children I have no need to know what you are doing in the bedroom. Some forms of sexual interaction between heterosexual couples are unhealthy and that will come up in divination. That is an issue of healing and guidance between elder and omo. In traditional Yoruba culture discussion about the sex life of other people is considered rude and inappropriate, it is taboo because it serves no healthy purpose.

Ifa teaches the belief in reincarnation (atunwa). Before reincarnation occurs the individual chooses a destiny. The task of Ifa is to assist those who come for divination to remember the chooses made prior to birth. Ifa is based on the idea that putting a person into alignment with their personal destiny brings that person good fortune. There is some persuasive evidence that suggests same gender attraction can be hereditary, meaning it is rooted in specific genetic configurations. It seems to me that if sexual preferences can be traced back to genetic sources we have to consider the very real possibility that those genetic manifestations of destiny are personal chooses made prior to birth.

This discussion is often countered by the comment that there are no gay couples in traditional Yoruba society. My experience is this; there is no gay life style evident in some traditional Yoruba communities, that does not mean there are no same gender intimate relationships. My experience suggests that those who are attracted to same gender relationships in traditional Yoruba communities are part of bisexual polygamous family arrangements. Yoruba culture places high value on children and it is my experience that Yoruba men and women embrace the need to procreate regardless of their sexual preference.

I have taken men to Ode Remo for initiation into Ifa because divination has indicated to me that initiation is an effective therapy for prolonging life for those who are infected with HIV. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that there was a significant health benefit for those who received Ifa to improve the condition of their immune system. Because this topic was so controversial I consulted with my elders before taking men to Ifa as a form of healing for this particular disease. The elder Awo in Nigeria are the Awoni the group of diviners who give guidance to the Oni of Ile Ifa. Within the religion of Ifa as it is practiced in Nigeria, the Awoni are the final arbitrators of disputes over interpretations of Odu. I asked members of the Awoni if there was in fact a taboo against a gay man receiving initiation into Ifa. Their answer surprised me. They said the only requirement for initiation into Ifa was a willingness to follow the guidance of Spirit through instructions from their ita and to follow the guidance of their elders.
Historically the notion that Ifa is taboo to gay men seems to have developed in Cuba as the result of social tensions and conflict related to homophobia, racism, and the unchallenged sexual exploitation of children by pedophile Catholic priests. The effect of this history is theological and social tension between the office of Ori Ate and Oluwo in some of our communities. This tension has degenerated into ridged and dogmatic positions that leave little room for informed, compassionate and potentially healing dialogue.

My point is this; taking a definitive dogmatic position on the question of sexual preference can only occur from a perspective of arrogance. It is the arrogance of assuming we can know God's will. If you believe God hates homosexuals there is no need for compassion or understanding. It is the same arrogance that supports sexism, racism, nationalism, and the insane belief that any particular group of people is somehow superior to another group of people. Ifa has no belief in "Original Sin." We are all good and blessed people looking for a better way to get a long and a better way to get through the day. Any denigration of that effort is, I believe, contrary to the Spirit of Ifa.

Ire
Awo Falokun Fatunmbi