SACRED TRADITIONS: LA LETRA DEL AÑO (ODU OF THE YEAR)

Alafia - Bienvenidos - Welcome On behalf of the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute we want to thank you for joining us this evening. It is our sincere hope that you enjoyed a peaceful and healthy holiday and that you are doing everything possible to keep yourself and those around you healthy and safe as we continue to face the challenges of Covid. I am Melody Capote, the Center’s executive director. Tonight we present La Letra del Año which is an annual Lucumi, Yoruba based divination ceremony performed at the start of the year, that provides a forecast and predictions for the coming year. We have brought together the collective wisdom of Orisha practitioners for a multi-generational conversation in response to what has been advised for the year 2022. It is not intended to replace the guidance of Lucumi elders and practitioners throughout the Diaspora that have also divined on behalf of their countries, their temples and religious houses known to many of us as ILES. In fact, as we have done each year, we have brought together leaders of our sacred Orisha tradition to not only provide us with the interpretations and understanding of La Letra but to provide a platform for a respectful discussion on the various perspectives that arise from readings that occur globally. It gives me great pleasure to be joined once again this year by this evening’s trusted leaders who include: Oba Oriate Frank Bell Oluwo Raymond Crawford Oba Oriate Danny Rodriguez Oluwo Ramin Khorassani Oluwo Dr. Joseph Carroll Miranda And the panel will be moderated by Olo Obatala Marinieves Alba Please enjoy La Letra del Año. Ashe. ________ La Letra del Año or Odu of the Year is an annual Lucumí (Yoruba) divination ceremony conducted by a council of babalawos (Ifa priests) in Cuba, which is announced on January 1st each year. This "reading" for the world provides a sacred blueprint and predictions for the year ahead. In Yorubaland, the ceremony is usually conducted during the Odun Ifa Festival later in the Gregorian Calendar. Annually, CCCADI hosts a panel of Lucumi priests to discuss the year's forecast. You are invited to join us for this Sacred Traditions panel discussion. Bringing together the voices of oluwos, oba oriates, and oloshas, the panel is designed to foster a multi-generational dialogue which centers the collective wisdom of the Lucumi community in the U.S. in response to this annual tradition. This dialogue is not meant to replace the wisdom and guidance of Lucumi elders and practitioners across the globe who also divine on behalf of their countries, regions, and iles (religious houses and temples). To receive the link to the virtual program on ZOOM, you must register in advance at: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_X... Este programa contará con un intérprete de español por ZOOM. Registré Aqui: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_X... Guest Speakers: Oba Oriate Frank Bell Oluwo Ramin Khorassani Oba Oriate Danny Rodriguez Oluwo Dr. Joseph Carroll-Miranda Oluwo Raymond Crawford Moderator: Olo-Obatala Marinieves Alba