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Babalawo
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<p>Babaalawo or babaláwo in <a href="/facts/West_Africa/oV8Dk0kp">West Africa</a> (babalao in Caribbean and South American Spanish and babalaô in Brazilian Portuguese), literally means "father of secrets" (or “father of mysteries”) in the <a href="/facts/Yoruba_language/q5osdFqR">Yoruba language</a>. It is a spiritual title that denotes a high <a href="/facts/Priest/fDMmV2wN">priest</a> of the <a href="/facts/If%25C3%25A1/HcHzfohf">Ifá</a> <a href="/facts/Oracle/f8TB6BcQ">oracle</a>. Ifá is a <a href="/facts/Divination/b8gLkFfv">divination</a> system that represents the teachings of the <a href="/facts/Orisha/kxqsBxRg">òrìṣà</a> <a href="/facts/%25E1%25BB%258Crunmila/NkwW0p2B">Ọrunmila</a>, the òrìṣà of wisdom, who in turn serves as the <a href="/facts/List_of_oral_repositories/C8Tfjvpo">oracular representative</a> of <a href="/facts/Olodumare/A2g22NgF">Olodumare</a>. </p>