they must establish there an oracle of Jupiter. The
other dove flew to the temple of Jupiter Ammon
in the Libyan Oasis and delivered a similar com-
mand there. Other Grecian oracles include the
oracleofApolloatDelphi,saidtobethemostcel-
ebrated Greek oracle, the oracle of Trophonius in
Boeotia, and the oracle of Apis, in Memphis.
When people consulted the sacred bull Apis, he
gave answers to them by the manner in which he
received or rejected what was presented to him.
If the bull refused food from the hand of the
inquirer, it was considered an unfavorable sign,
but when he received the food, this was deemed a
favorable omen.
The Diviner as OracleThe termoraclecan also refer to the priests or
priestesses who interpret the divine responses to
questions asked of God or the deities; that is,
people considered to be the source of prophetic
interpretations and opinions. In Things Fall
Apart, Chielo, the priestess of Agbala, is consid-
ered an oracle. Likewise, the priest of the Vodun
Fa or theBokonon, also calledAwonon(he who
decodes divine or secret messages), is regarded as
an oracle as well; hence, the interchangeable use
of the phrasesconsult the Fa,consult the oracle,
and consult the Bokonon. Actually, the use of
oracle to denote a diviner, an Awonon (or a
Babalawo in Yoruba), has taken precedence in
today’s African traditional religion communities.
In fact, when Africans say “consult the oracle,”
they mean “consult the Bokonon, the diviner, the
Babalawo,” the same way one would consult a
medical doctor in modern days.
In African traditional religion, particularly in
theDahomeanVodunreligion,theBokononholds
a particular place in terms of oracular practices.
The Bokonon is an exceptional diviner who, after
several years of arduous and sustained training,
is initiated to the Fá rituals and language. In his
capacity as a noble practitioner of the Fá divina-
tion, the Bokonon is highly respected, almost
deified.Beforeeveryimportantceremonyorfunc-
tion, he is consulted. He is the most important
person in the king’s cabinet. The king always
refers to the Bokonon for all significant matters
pertaining to the stability of the kingdom, and
his recommendations are strictly heeded. The
Bokonon is consulted for all major decisions. For
example, a chief cannot be appointed without
consulting the Bokonon; the king must consult
the Bokonon before sending troops to war. In
marriage, the Bokonon is consulted to determine
whether the union is a good one. Even in child-
birth, from pregnancy through delivery, the life of
achildisannouncedandorientedbytheFá,who,
through the Bokonon, predicts the fate of the
child and recommends sacrifices to be performed
for the child’s well-being.
The Bokonon begins his divination by invoking
the names of divine ancestors, the gods of the sky,
and the Earth and sea deities to receive their bless-
ingandguidancetocarryouthisworksuccessfully.
AsthelegitimateinterpreteroftheFá,theBokonon
goes through a complex and ritualistic procedure,
talks in parables, and uses allegories, which may
appear like rigmarole to a nonhabituated person.
Throughout the consultation, the Bokonon sings
propheticsongsinhonorofthedeities.Atthecon-
clusion of his consultation, the Bokonon pays due
homagetotheFáthroughlitanieswhilebeatingout
the rhythm of the tune either on the ground or
on the edge of hisfátê (slate that bears the Fá
signs) with his baton, calledlonflin. Indeed, the
Bokonon’stoolsincludethefátê,houé(kaolinpow-
der to sprinkle over the slate),akpélè(traditional
chaplet), adjikouin (special dried nuts), lonflin,
akwêkoun (cowrie shells), 36 dékoun(36 dried
palm kernels), fá dôkpó(cloth bag holding all
accessoriesbuttheslate),andzan(sleepingmat).
Anall-roundBokononisversatile.Hehasagood
command of all three stages of the Fá divination—
Fá titêorFá kikan(consultationoftheFá),Vô dide
(explication of the prophecy), andVô sisáoradra
(performance of appropriate sacrifices for satisfac-
toryresults). Whereas theprofessionofBokonon is
consideredsolelytheprovinceofmen,oraclesareof
both genders. There are women, known in Greece
as Sibyls (or clairvoyants), and men soothsay-
ers, augurs, diviners, or oracles, who, through the
mediumoftrance,divinedthefuturebyreadingthe
stars,interpretingdreams,examiningtheentrailsof
animals,orobservingtheflightofbirds.The Sacred Site as Oracle
The wordoraclecan also be used to denote the
temples of the divinities, that is, the sacred sitesOracles 497