Babalawo, Santeria's High Priests: Fathers of the Secrets in Afro-Cuban Ifa, Paperback/Frank Baba Eyiogbe

Cuban If From An Insider Hidden within the mysterious Afro-Cuban religion of Santer a, also known as Lucum , there is a deep body of secrets and rituals called If , divination practiced by priests whose title, babalawo, means "Father of the Secrets." This book pulls away the veil of secrecy to reveal exactly what If is and how it works, exploring its history, cosmology, Orichas, initiations, mythology, offerings, and sacrifices. Join Frank Baba Eyiogbe in this fascinating introduction that discusses the functions of the babalawo, the role of women, the future of If , and much more. Praise: "A wonderful and much needed addition to the literature on Afro-Cuban religion. Engagingly written, scholarly while remaining accessible... it presents an up-to-date exposition of both the history and contemporary philosophy of one of the world's most complex systems of divination."mdash;Stephan Palmi , Chair of the Department of Anthropology and Social Sciences at the University of Chicago and author of The Cooking of History: How Not to Study Afro-Cuban Religion About the Author: Frank Baba Eyiogbe has been practicing Santeria for over twenty-seven years: twenty-three years as a santero (Orisha priest) and eighteen years as a babalawo (initiated in Cuba). Frank has achieved the highest level of babalawo, "Olofista." He created the premier Santeria website www.orishanet.org, and has been a guest on NPR s All Things Considered and The Global Guru and was interviewed for LIFE magazine. He has guest lectured at the University of Washington as well as UC Berkeley.