PARADISE CHRISTIAN CHURCH : Compilations of Different Ifa Works, post by Admin

Efforts are made in this work to compile different Ifa sacred work from various source for the reader who want to have a peep into estoreric knowledge of Ifa .

Orisa Osun - Prayer To Orisa Osun (Iwure Nidi Orisa osun) by babalawo Obanifa

Prayer To Orisa Osun (Iwure Nidi Orisa osun) by babalawo

In this work babalawo Obanifa will explain extensively how to pray to orisa osun, either by osun devotee or babalawo who won't to do prayer on behalf of clients to osun or individual who have osun elements who want to pray with it. The steps of the prayer is essential too during adimu.
Osun area of specialisation is is purely in the aspects of fertility healing. Children healing, she is a female deity who can be regarded as spiritual paediatric. She only allow the use of cold water for healing with ritual. The use of Medicine and herbs and soap by some people who claim to be osun devotee or iya osun today for healing is an aberration from normal standard of worshiping orisa osun. Osun only allow the use of
omi tutu (cold water in ritualise way for healing and praying). If you are a women or man if you want to pray to osun you must be pure and not hypocritical in your sexual or relationship life. So person who have extra marital sexual affairs especially women can not pray to osun, because such prayer will go unanswered.
If you want to pray to osun, one or more of the following items can be use depending on your capabilities or instructions given. Efo yanrin (wind lettuce with scientific name Lactuca taraxacifolia) Omuluku (cooked beans) obi oloju merin (kolanut with four lobes) asaro (mashed cook yam with palm oil) obidiye (hen) abo ewure (she - goat). One or more of the following items can be use to pray to orisa Osun.
After homage has been pay as necessary. The the osun devotee or babalawo in question or individual who want to pray to the Osun Elements will proceed to say the following

Iba re Osun Oyeeyee nimon
Awede ko to we omo
Yeye mi olowo aro
Yeye mi elese osun
Yeye mi ajimo roro
Yeye mi abimon ma yan ku
Yeye mi alagbo awoye
Eleti gbaroye
Ogbagba ti n gba omo re lojo ija
Ari bani gbo nipa ti omo
Oore yeye,ooo
Omi ooo
Osun oooo
Kabiyesi omi arin m sun
Oyeeyee nimon, abideremon
Adupe oro ateyiin wa titi doni yii
Abideremon obi re ree o
Ki o bi iku sehin
Ki o bi Arun sehin
Ki o bi ofo sehin fun wa oo
Kile wa ko ma gboona
Ki ona wa ki o ma gbo na
Ki oko wa ma gboona
Ki aaya wa ma gboona
Ki omo wa ma gboona
Yeye abideremon
Yeye Oso Pele o
Je ki gbogbo ona wa tutu, ko toro
Ki a ma teri gba aso lojo aipe

Kabiyesi omi arin ma sun
Adun re ree oo
Je ki aye wa dun di ojo ale
Fi Adun si aye wa
Ina ki ba omi se ota
Kina ma jo wa
Ki aye tutu bi omi ajipon lowuro

Epo ati iyo re ree oo
Epo lero ki aye wa di ero
Yeye olomi tutu maje ki a je aye ele
Abideremon owo ero oo
Je ki aye wa derun
Ko si ni iyo
Ki a ma se ri ija ota ati ogun Aisan oo

Omi arin ma sun
Ero, owo ero oo
Yeye abideremon
Ma je ki ara ni wa oo
Je ki a Segun ota
Ewure re oo
Ko mu iku kuro lona
Ki o mu Arun kuro lona
Je ki a sowo, ki a jere, ki a ba ode pade
Ki Aboyun Ile bi tibi tire
Ki agan ti owo ala bo osun
Ki ajinde ara ki o Je ti gbogbo wa

Kabiyesi, omi arin ma sun
Mo rire, mo rire ni akere n keep leti odo
Ko si Eni ti o mo ohun ti akere fi n pe ojo
A ki ri Idi okun
A ki ri Idi osa
A ki ri Idi omonigelegele
Ki omo araye ma ri Idi wa oo
Ki Oso ma ri Idi wa
Ki aje ma ri Idi wa
Keleebo logun ma ti okere wo omo re
Ki omo araye o ma le mu wa

Oore Yeye oo, Kabiyesi omi arin ma sun
Ire omo la wu, ire alafia la n so
Eyin olubi e deyin
Eyin eleye e peyinda
Ere omo la n se
Oso Ile e peyinda
Oke omo la n re
Elebologun e deyin
Ile olomo yoyo la n lo
Eyin eleye e peyinda
Abinu Eni e Bila sehin

Abideremon
Oyeeyee nimon
Omi arin ma sun
Gba ire oni oo
Ta ala sori mi
Ki o Ta ala sori ebi ati ara

Osun a ti bo e loni oo
Ki o Je ki ire gbogbo Je tiwa
Nitro ifa ni
Siyin keke, Siyin keke
Ti Afinju ba ji
A si eyin keke si oko
Awon obun ni won ji ni kutukutu yonfa
Ise apon o lori
Ti abiyamon lo San die
Awon lodifa fun Onijumu inaki
Omo Aroodo ide gun iyan Je
Nijo ti o n sunkun alaini ire gbogbo
Won ni a ni ire lopo lopo
Osun ni ki o ma bo
Oni ase ti o ba bini
Yeye wa otoro Efon
Osun Ewuji ni won n bo nibe
Ti won ba ni
Onijumu inaki se be o bo osun
O di onire gbogbo
Emi babalawo Obanifa ke pe iwo osun loni Je ki emi naa di onire gbogbo.
Ase

Translation
I pay homage to you Osun who is vast in wisdom
You that wash brass, before bathing for the child
My mother whose hand is coloured by dye
My mother whose leg is beautiful with camwood
My extremely neat and tidy mother
My mother whose child neve die prematurely
My mother with great healing decoction
One with listening hear
One who always deliver her children in the day of trouble
One who show care for one, in children related issues
Oore Yeye o
Omi ooo
Ota ooo
Osun ooo
Unchallengeable ever flowing water without sleep
Abideremon, one with vast wisdom
We thanks you for everything you have done in the past up till today
Abideremon, this is your obi (kolanut)
Please push death away from us
Help us push away sickness
Push loss away from us
Let our house be peaceful
Let our path be peaceful
Don't let sickness befall our husbands
Don't let sickness befall our wives
Don't let our children suffer ill health
My mother Abideremon
Oso's mother I greet you
Let all our way be peaceful and successful
Don't let us die untimely death

Unchallengeable ever flowing water without sleep
This is your Adun
Let our life be sweet and prosperous till the end of our live
Bless our lives with happiness
Fire never engage in enimity with water
Let our life be immune against dangerous or harmful fire
Let our life be cool and clear from trouble like a water fetch early in the morning

This is your Epo and iyo
Epo is an antidote
Let our life be protected from trouble
My mother owner of Cold water
Don't let our life be difficult
Abideremon,
Abideremon, stretch your peaceful hand to us
Let our live be purposeful and useful like salt
Don't let our life be afflicted by enemies and sickness

Ever flowing water without sleep
Peace, stretch your peaceful hand to us
My mother, Abideremon
Let our life to be free difficulties
Let us to be Victorious over the enemies
This is your goat
Let it removes death from our path
Let it removes sickness from our path
Let us make profit and be successful in our business adventures
Let the pregnant women in the household deliver safely
Let the barren women conceive and give birth to babies
Let sound health be the portion of everyone of us

Kabiyesi, the ever flowing water without sleep
I am blessed, I am blessed is the sound of Akere at the stream
No one no what akere do use to invoke rain
No one can unravel the mystery of the olokun
No one can unravel the mystery of Olosa
No one can unravel the mystery of omonigelegele
Don't let anyone know the secret that can lead to my success
No witches should be able to unravel my secret
No wizards should be able to unravel my secret
No evil person with evil intention should be able to unravel my secret
Protect us from the trap or snare of the enemies

Oore Yeye, Kabiyesi th ever flowing water
We are praying for children, we are praying for sounds health
All people with evil intention should turn back from us
All the witches should depart from us
We are praying for children
All the wizards in the household should departed from us
We are climbing the mountains of children
Wicked people should depart from us
We are going to the household with plenty children
Witches and ill will individual should depart from us
Abideremon
One with vast wisdom
The ever flowing water that never sleeps
Let our prayer today be accepted
Protect me and my love ones with your white garment.

Osun we have appease you today
Let all lucks and blessings be our portion
Because ifa said
The incessant beaming of teeth
When a responsible neat and tidy woman wake up
She will beam her teeth to her husband
An irresponsible unneat and untidy only wake up to cause strife
The bachelor lackness conditions is unreasonable
That of a parent is still reasonable to hear
Cast ifa divination reading for Onijumu Inaki
One who is privileged to use Brass mortal to pound pounded yam for eating
On the day he was crying of not having all the good things of life
He was advise to appease osun
He obliged
He said if the odu appear to one
Our mother Otoro Efon
It is Osun Ewuji that one should appease
If the odu appear to one
I babalawo Obanifa call upon you osun today
Let me have all the blessing of life
Ase
Copyright :Babalawo Pele Obasa Obanifa, phone and whatsapp contact :+2348166343145, location Ile Ife osun state Nigeria.

IMPORTANT NOTICE : As regards the article above, all rights reserved, no part of this article may be reproduced or duplicated in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying and recording or by any information storage or retrieval system without prior written permission from the copyright holder and the author Babalawo Obanifa, doing so is considered unlawful and will attract legal consequences..

Sango Ritual For Overcoming Any Kind of Enemies

In this work babalawo Obanifa will reveal one of the ancient sango ritual use to overcome any kind of enemies and it can be use as well to seek vengeance on unidentified enemies who steal one properties. The rituals is highly effective although it may be tedious and expensive to carry out.To conduct this ritual. You will need to get Igba edun ara to muna (200 piece of Edun ara stone) get Ewe ina tutu edegberin (700 pieces of fresh Horned Cucumber leaves with scientific name Cucumismetuliferus). Ewe esinsin funfun lopo (plenty leave of
Tragia tenufolia) idaro alagbede Igba (200 pieces of melted iron that is by products from black Smith fire) igo schnapps kan (One bottle of gin) the bottle of gin should be use to squeeze the leaves mention. The 200 pieces of idaro and edun ara should be place inside liquid obtained from the leaves., place it in a clean pot and insert one Ose sango inside. Put Igba orogbo (200 pieces of bitter kola inside). The shrine or temple so set for the purpose of the rituals been discuss will be clothe in red. It is instructive that you must be in red cloth when offering this ritual.

So get all items that is been use to venerate sango for your purpose. But Eran agbo (ram is compulsory) .theses are the list of items needed for the rituals.:

Emu (palmwine), atare (Alligator pepper) orogbo (bitter kola) agbo (ram) akukodiye (cock), adiye pupa tabi adiye ororo (red fowl) Ako ewure (he-goat) amala (yam flour food) guguru(roasted corn). One or more of the following can be use to feed sango during the rituals.

After every homege have been pay to Olodumare and Irumonle as necessary.

Take the ram cover it face with red cloth, mentioned the name of the person whose ritual is been conduct for to the ram. Explain the reason for the rituals either as a result of enemies or to take vengeance because of stolen property. But if the person is present he or she will hold the ram horn with the assistant of people around. He will use his or her head to touch the ram head and explain all his intentions

All the rituals item will be taking one by one. As prayer is offer.
Then invoke sango with his praises to bring home your request. You invoke sango thus :

Oranfe onile ina
Sango onibon Orun
Arabambi arigba ota Segun
Afiri wowo ojo sete olote
Aara waa
Aara woo
Sangiri
Lagiri
Olagiri kakaka figba edun bo ibe
Ako olongbo ti wo ewu ododo
Aji feje agbo bo oju
Aromologun bomo lo
Ajagbe masebi ko to pa asebi
Oloogun ikiya
Oloogun ilaya
Onigbetugbetu
Egungun Nla ti yo ina lenu
Sango olowo eyo
Ekun oko Oya
Aara bo wo ija lala
Ina gori Ile feju toto
Iku ti pani ti enikan ki ke
Afose yoni loju
Afedun yo ifun
Afi efiin seni Pele
Afinna fohun bi o soro
Oloju olorogbo
Elereke obi
Oba koso oo
Dakun dabo ro wa
Ki o wa mu ibere omo awo se
AseBU

Translation

Oranfe the store house of fire
Sango the owner of the gun in heaven
Arabambi, one who possess the two hundred pieces of stones to conquer enemies
One who use minor rain to destroy the rebels
The thunder that sounds intimidately
The thunder that sounds to create fear
The thunder that sounds to create arw
One who cracking wall
One split wall
One who split wall and insert two hundred thunder stone inside it
He who uses blood of ram to wash his face early in the morning.
He who send some one to war a stand with the person in battle field
He who shout at evil people before killing them
The owner of spiritual power that gives extra ordinary courage
One in possession of the spiritual power that put fears in people mind.
One who is in possession of spiritual power to control people
The big masquerade that emit fire
Sango the owner of cowries
Big leopard, the husband of Oya
The thunder with stretch of long hand of fight
The fire that spread on the roof
The deaths that kill that one can not weep
One who use axe to remove eyes
One who use his thunder stone to remove intestine
One who greet people with flames
The one who speak with fire
The king who did not hanged
Please
Descend to accede to my request
Ase.

Copyright :Babalawo Pele Obasa Obanifa, phone and whatsapp contact :+2348166343145, location Ile Ife osun state Nigeria.
IMPORTANT NOTICE :As regards the article above no part of this article may be reproduced or duplicated in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying and recording or by any information storage or retrieval system without prior written permission from the copyright holder and the author Babalawo Obanifa, doing so will be deem unlawful and will attract legal consequences.

ESU ELEGBARA – SACRED CHILD OF HEAVEN – ESU IS NOT SATAN
In the Yoruba pantheon of elemental deities called orisa, there is one who remains a mystery to most people in spite of mans’ inquisitiveness and desire to understand him. Reviled, respected, misunderstood, revered, maligned, praised, trusted, feared, railed against by Christian preachers, supplicated on bended knee by Yoruba Babalawo priests of Ifa and traditional believers seeking his aid, Esu has the last laugh as all humans and creation dance to his beat of life.

The worship of Esu originated with the Yoruba people in the region now called Nigeria. Taking center stage in the Yoruba creation stories, Esu is also referred to as Elegbara by the Yoruba who populate the coastal region. Translated to English, Elegbara, one of Esu’s many praise names, means “the mighty and powerful one”, or, “the mighty one of wonders”. These praise names, called oriki by the Yoruba, are used to describe the qualities and powers of Elegbara. They can also be found in the lyrics of his songs and in the sacred verses called ese, recited much like poetry, which are gathered under odus. These odus are arranged as chapters, as divination signatures which comprise the 256 marks of the Ifa corpus, the oral bible of the Yoruba.There are dozens of names, as there are dozens of manifestations of Elegbara. He is also known as Dagunro, Goroso, Lukuluku and Apagbe. Elegbara can be difficult to describe. As Papawara, “the quickest and fastest one”, he slips in and out of definitions with alarming speed, quickly concealing what was thought to be concrete, open and fixed, then, with absolute glee, reveals himself in a completely new and baffling transformation.

The adjectives and phrases that can be used to describe Elegbara are varied but are used consistently among West African traditional cultures that have an Elegbara figure among their gods. He can be described as a disruptor of order, ironic, a master linguist, ambiguous, a conciliatory peacemaker, the possessor of a huge phallus with a ferocious appetite, a satirical mimicker who finds our “hot buttons” and pushes them with childlike insistence, and as one who both hides and reveals secrets. Elegbara is a master of change, of chance, a divine alchemist who only needs to blink his eyes or speak and it will be so. His name of Esu Odara translates as “Esu the magician”, or, “One who can do and undo”, and adds weight to his reputation as a performer of magical feats.

In the odu of Osetura we are shown how slippery and difficult Elegbara is to pin down:
Peri-pokun,
Pokun-peri
Esu bambi
A dia f’Akon omo oluwara oje….

Pursue him here
He is over there
Follow him there
He is back here
So revels Esu the Trickster
In confusing detour
Thus declared the Ifa oracle to Crab
Who hides from hole to hole in marshes.

It is not just in West Africa but in every culture of the world that one finds a similar deity or god like Elegbara, many times referred to as a “trickster” due to his sense of humor, command of all languages, love of mischief, ability to shape-shift and his tendency to play tricks on unsuspecting humans.

In West Africa, the worship of Elegbara spread from the Yoruba to the Fon who populate parts of Benin, Togo, Cameroon, and southwestern Nigeria. He is known as Legba to the Fon, as Ananse to the Ashanti people in Ghana and as Ogo-Yurugu to the Dogon living in the central plateau of Mali. In Brazil, Exu, as his name is spelled there, goes by many names that describe his qualities and the manner in which he works. Some of these are Exu Tranca-ruas ( Esu close/lock-the-roads), Exu da Meia-noite (Esu of Midnight) and Exu Caveira (Esu Skull i.e. of the Tombs). Brazilian devotees of Exu also work with his female counterpart (since every orisa has male and female qualities), known as Pomba-Gira, which is a complex mix of a female egun linked with Exu, popular in the Xango (Sango) cult of northeastern Brazil. These female Exus, predominantly manifested by women, are known for their powerful expertise in the love affairs of men and women and are unparalleled seductresses who offer their help, advice and recipes to the faithful. Santeria and Lucumi devotees in Cuba use the name Elegua for Elegbara, while New World Voudun practitioners call him Papa Legba or Legba Atibon and another manifestation of Elegbara, Kalfou, in Haiti, and Papa La Bas in North American Hoodoo. Europeans were no strangers to “trickster” gods and the Greeks had the god Hermes, while the Romans had Mercury, a messenger of the gods with winged sandals on his feet. A great number of Native Americans in the United States worshiped or still do worship the coyote, a type of jackal, as their trickster deity. Other tribes worshiped the wily rabbit, crow or raven.

Professor Byrd Gibbens, University of Arkansas, U.S., states that, “Many native traditions held clowns and tricksters as essential to any contact with the sacred. People could not pray until they had laughed, because laughter opens and frees from rigid preconception. Humans had to have tricksters within the most sacred ceremonies for fear that they forget the sacred comes through upset, reversal, surprise. The trickster in most native traditions is essential to creation, to birth.”

Indeed, Elegbara is the life force pumping in our veins, he is the electrical spark in our hearts which gives us life, he is the stream of semen which impregnates, he is impetus, he is forward movement, and all along that forward movement of life he dances circles around us, laughing when we take things too seriously, warning us of our weaknesses and infractions, poking fun at us, but always looking to combat darkness and bring about balance and harmony after we have stumbled, fallen, scraped our knees and risen again to face another day. Elegbara has existed since the beginning of time. Bearing the name Lagemo Orun, meaning “sacred child of heaven”, he was created by Olodumare, the Supreme Creator, and holds a position of unchallenged importance and authority. Though having divine origins, many of the ese of Ifa divination speak of Elegbara as having lived on earth.

There are many localities where Elegbara supposedly walked the sacred land of the Yoruba. The first of these is the spiritual cradle of the Yoruba race called Ile-Ife in current southwestern Nigeria. This is the area where Orunmila and the orisas first descended to earth to take up residence and populate the world which had been created by Olodumare and Orunmila. Ese of Ifa also place him on a mountaintop near Igbeti, close to the Niger River. Other ese take him to Ketu of the Dahomey kingdom, now the present day Republic of Benin. There are also reports that he was worshiped or lived in a village called Iworo near Badagry on the coast of what is now Lagos State, Nigeria. Researcher Peter McKenzie identifies a sacred grove in Iworo as the most famous site of Elegbara worship, but claims that this shrine was destroyed in 1863 by Governor Glover of Lagos. Present day worship of Elegbara in Nigeria is strong in Osun and Ondo State but he is worshiped throughout Yoruba land.

As Olodumare’s loyal and faithful servant, Elegbara works under him and alongside Orunmila, punishing anyone who does not carry out the wishes of Olodumare, who does not make the prescribed sacrifices, or who does not live within the godly principles laid out by Olodumare. He is the most powerful and important deity amongst the orisa as he must be acknowledged first in all rituals by humans and all orisa alike. His praise name Alajiki tells us that he is “the one to be addressed first” and his name Akeregbaye tells us that he is “small but in control of the whole world”. He is a force to be respected and no one should ever think they are clever enough to get the upper hand with Elegbara.

Elegbara and Orunmila are inseparable friends, and of all the orisas, Orunmila is the one who knows how to handle the dynamic power, energy and uncertain temperament of Elegbara. Orunmila is the embodiment of the wisdom of Ifa and head of the Ifa priesthood. It was Orunmila who was sent to earth by Olodumare to aid in the creation and development of earth and foster the human beings living there. Olodumare gave to Orunmila the ability to divine his will by using the sixteen sacred palm nuts, so that man would not suffer anymore.

Ese of the odus speak of Elegbara tagging alongside Orunmila as a kind of learner priest as he walked the land divining, but it is safe to say that Elegbara was created out of necessity by Olodumare. He arrived already possessing his great destiny to fight for anyone who has offered the appropriate sacrifice against the powerful Ajogun Orun. These negative forces are Death, Disease, Loss, Destruction and Lawsuit, who wreak havoc in humans’ lives. The praise names of Alaakalu, “one whose greatness is manifested everywhere”, and Amonisegun Mapo, “he who is all-knowing and has powerful medicine”, attest to his capabilities and superiority over the Ajogun. It is this incomprehensible ability to be both big and small at the same time that confounds normal human sensibilities. Elegbara thumbs his nose at physics and makes us rub our eyes more than once as we try to accurately perceive him. The following praise chant attempts to explain his size:

Esu sleeps in the house
But the house is too small for him
Esu sleeps on the front yard
But the yard is too constricting for him
Esu sleeps in the palm nut shell
Now he has enough room to stretch at large….

Carved statues and ese describe Elegbara as a short man with a beard, pointed teeth, polished skin black as night, and with the curious habit of walking with a limp, due to his having one foot in the world of the humans and one foot in the spiritual realm. His statues sometimes portray him as holding a calabash in his left hand in which the divine ase of Olodumare rests. This ase, pronounced ah-shay, is the power of divine command and he has the discretion to use it as he sees fit. At other times he is seen with a magic bag or gourd, or a type of wand in hand. This takes the name of Ado Asure which contains fortunes or magic inside. In some verses it is said that he points his wand and whatever he wishes comes to pass. Elegbara is said to have eyes in the front and back of his head as shown in his carved statues, by the hook-like outgrowth attached at the back of his head. It is here where his other eyes are said to be. This can be thought of as having the ability to see into the future or the past, and also as having foresight and hindsight, something we need in our daily lives as we make split-second decisions which can have far reaching consequences. Clearly, this is Elegbara’s territory.
He is sometimes depicted in statues as having a huge, over-sized, erect phallus, linking him with fertility and also the potentially dangerous relations between men and women. In Brazil, one of the many names for the African-based religions is Candomble and there is a terreiro (sacred house where the orisas are called down), of Candomble in Itapoa, Bahia State, Brazil, that has a wooden phallus carved from a fairly large tree trunk. Those possessed by Exu can be seen sitting with it between their legs, smoking, drinking and giving advice to the people seated around him and seeking his favor. There are risqué comments, laughter and clever joking in between the serious words.

There is a common saying amongst the Fon of West Africa, who imported Elegbara from the Yoruba: “Legba everywhere dances in the manner of a man copulating.” Anthropologist Melville J. Herskovits (1895-1963) was a pioneer in research on African cultures and saw Legba dance in the flesh. American born, he traveled to most of the countries with an African presence in the New World and produced ground breaking ethnographic research while in Africa. He was an advocate of African self-determination and he devoted his life trying to destroy the myths that the beliefs and cultures of Africans were primitive and that Africans had not made a contribution to world history.

His research on the Fons’ Legba and his peculiar dance was documented by later researcher Robert Pelton, whose quoted work follows: “On the next day “Legba” makes his first appearance. He is represented by a young girl dressed in a purple raffia skirt and a purple straw hat, and on the final days of the emergence ritual this “Legba” leads the dancing of the novices.” Herskovitz wrote about Legba in the body of the young girl: “dancing toward the drums. When she reached the drummer, she put her hand under the fringe of raffia about her waist… and brought out a wooden phallus…This was apparently attached in such a way that it would remain in the horizontal position of the erect male organ, and as she danced…toward a large tree where many women were sitting watching the ceremony, … they ran from her, shrieking with laughter, and they were made the butt of many jokes by the spectators.”
It is certain that these kinds of antics were looked upon with horror by the first European missionaries who arrived in West Africa and who dared witness such “primitive” and “heathen” gatherings. In his book, A History of the Yorubas from the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the British Protectorate, Samuel Johnson, an Anglican priest and missionary who claimed descent from the Alaafin Abiodun of Oyo, depicted the worship of Elegbara in the early to mid 1800’s as thus: “… Esu or Eleghara. — Satan, the Evil One, the author of all evil is often and specially propitiated. Offerings are made to it. The representing image is a rough lateritic stone upon which libations of palm oil are poured. It is superstitiously believed that the vengeance of this god could be successfully invoked upon an offender by the name of the person being called before the image while nut oil is being poured on it. The image of a man, with a horn on its head curving backwards, carved in wood and ornamented with cowries, is often carried by its devotees to beg with on public highways. Passers-by who are so disposed may give each a cowry or two, or handfuls of corn, beans, or any product of the field at hand, as he or she may choose. This curved headed figure is called ” Ogo Eliggbara “—the devil’s club.”

Contrary to the Euro-Christian view defaming him as the ruler of hell and bearing the name of Satan, or, Devil, the translation of Esu means “the divine messenger” while his name Elegba translates to “spirit of good character”. Both names are hardly reminiscent of the evil deeds and qualities attributed to Satan throughout the ages. Christian missionaries have loudly denounced Elegbara and all who worship or profess belief in his kind as pagan or “fetish” for almost 200 years. Missionaries already had a foot in the country in the early 1800’s and the Christian Missionary Society pushed further in to the hinterlands in 1841 when Sir Thomas Fowell, accompanied by Yoruba born preacher and linguist Samuel Ajayi Crowther, made an investigative trip called the Niger Expedition that was to prepare a “…religious, economic, and civilizing mission…” along the Niger.

The pendulum has now started to swing back in the other direction with noted scholars and important public figures defending traditional Yoruba culture, and more importantly, the peoples’ right to worship the gods of their ancestors in peace, asking for a more enlightened and civil attitude from modern-day “preachers of the cloth”.

Funso Aiyejina, Professor of Literature at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago, gave an interesting lecture at the National Theatre in Lagos in 2009, organized by the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC). The title of his lecture was ‘Esu Elegbara: A Source of an Alter/Native Theory of African Literature’ and in it he blamed the late Bishop Ajayi Crowther for having chosen to translate the word Satan as the Christian meaning for Esu when he translated the Bible into Yoruba. A more appropriate use of words would have been to use Awon Aye, evil powers, to describe Satan. Aiyejina also pointed fingers at Africans for allowing him to translate the word erroneously. He said, “If Africans had been less trusting and more cynical and suspicious, they would have wondered why the same translators of the Bible who saw nothing wrong with equating Satan with Esu, did not find a near-equivalent Yoruba deity for Jesus Christ, instead of Yorubanizing his name into Jesu Kristi…If Satan translates into Esu because of some perceived incidental similarities between the two, how come Jesus does not translate into Orunmila, given the fact that Orunmila is as proverbial, wise, calm, peaceful and forbearing as Jesus?” he asked. He raises an important question, central to all people who call themselves Yoruba and who now in modern times find themselves at odds with their family ancestors’ past and with the imported Western cultures and value
Character

which have been steadily eroding the traditions of this land since the first Europeans set foot on the African continent.

It has reached such proportions that UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization), has had to step in and offer protection to the Ifa divination oral tradition under the umbrella of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. In Convention 2005, the Ifa Divination System entered the protected list as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Measures are being taken to ensure that the tradition is kept alive along with the Yoruba language.

The heart of the Yoruba Ifa tradition and theology is the act of divination with the sixteen sacred palm nuts of Ifa, the casting of the opele and of the sixteen cowrie shells. Olodunmare and Elegbara are called upon to open every divination session, before the other orisa are named. Elegbara’s face is depicted on almost every wooden opon used for Ifa divination, with his eyes and mouth being the central focus carved into the wood. He takes the central position at the top of the board which lies opposite the seated Babalawo, the Ifa priest, reminding us that it is he that travels between orun and aiye, heaven and earth, possessing the divine ase that will allow any sacrifice or work carried out to come to fruition. Elegbara is the eyes and mouthpiece which carries to Orunmila the vision of the past, present and future and Orunmila in turn makes sure that Elegbara is always given his share of every sacrifice offered, no matter how big or small, and he is served first of any food or drink being offered. Failure to comply and make sacrifice after divination ensures that Elegbara will simply stand by and watch impassively as a perhaps negative fate, of which the Ifa oracle warned, comes to pass. Conversely, we will also not attract the positive blessings which Ifa predicts for us due to non-compliance. Elegbara both sympathizes and at the same time disregards the human condition of man.

Without Elegbara, Orunmila would not be able to carry out the will of Olodumare through Ifa divination and ensure properly delivered sacrifices. The results would be disastrous for humans on earth. As the ultimate controller of our fate, Elegbara has a hand in our destiny, working in a type of mutually beneficial partnership. We can either use Elegbara to our advantage to clear all evil and misfortune from our road of life, or ignore him and suddenly find we are stepping off into a bottomless abyss.

Praised as Osetura, the gatekeeper, we pray that he takes our wishes, requests and sacrifices to the invisible realm of heaven where they can be fulfilled, restoring harmony in our lives. One of his praise songs is Alare na ode orun, meaning “the middleman between heaven and earth“, which shows us that the intersecting lines of the material and spiritual planes are his natural home. Elegbara owns the crossroads, materially, spiritually and metaphorically. Each road leads to an exact center, a ground zero where our cosmic karma either comes in the form of Elegbara to club us on the head, or a new road appears to lead us to spiritual and material well-being and insight.

Esu Laalu Omokunrin Ode is “the noble man who dwells at the cross-roads” and a verse from the Odu Ika Meji states:

Igbori nile Eegun,
Iranje nile Oosa,
Ita gbangba Elegbara.

The departed ancestors were first revered in the city of Igbori,
Orisanla was first venerated in the city of Iranje;
The mighty one of wonders has his shrine
In any public place where three or more roads cross.
ESU ELEGBARA-SACRED CHILD OF HEAVEN

Historically, Elegbara is the protector of earthly crossroads, towns and homes. His various shrines of chunks of laterite or simple mounds of earth with scattered offerings can be found at city gates, outside domestic doorways and shrines and in public markets where the faithful offer palm oil, bits of bitter kola, kola nut or other pleasing offerings for Elegbara. He has an insatiable love of palm oil and if nothing else is available, this is the offering which pleases him most. He also accepts he-goat, cock, fried bean fritters, mashed yam, clean water, and catfish amongst others.

It is interesting to note that even in the New World, the foods and sacrificial preferences and names of the Old World orisas have remained overwhelmingly intact. This is not surprising as the transatlantic slave trade carried away millions of West Africans who took their belief systems, deities and their food preferences with them to the New World. Central to food offerings is the ever-flowing red palm oil, epo pupa, or azeite de dende, as it‘s known in Brazil. Brazil has an abundance of foods typical to Nigerian soil counting yam, cassava, the okro of Sango, various beans delectable to Oya and hot peppers amongst the orisas’ menu. The akara of Nigeria is spelled acaraje in Brazil and it has remained one of the preferred foods of Oya. Strong alcohol, bitter kola, kola nut, hen, cock, he-goat, she-goat, sheep, ram, and bull; all of these things are offered in the New World.

The sometimes lusty and abandoned manner in which Elegbara dances and the colors in which he is clothed are also intact when compared with West Africa, with the colors red and black or black and white making up his sacred wardrobe in the New World. In Brazil, Exu delights in being set free to roam the streets to dance in the crossroads, be it a road made of asphalt or of earth-under the full moon or the hot midday sun. Lucky is the person who witnesses Exu set loose to dance on the pounded red earth with rattles made of gourds clacking about the ankles, a leather cap affixed to his head. Some terreiros clothe Exu in a handsome satin cape covered in sacred symbols and slung about the shoulders, which adds to Exu’s striking presence on feast days. These feast parties, or giras (making reference to the circle of devotees dancing to the drums and awaiting possession), usually take place once a month honoring one or more orisa and they are no more remarkable in the eyes of society than a child’s birthday party. It is not uncommon to see young mothers breastfeeding babies, young men and people of all ages up to octogenarians enjoying the drumming and the spirited dancing of the orisa. There are also large communities of orisa worshipers in the United States with a huge presence in the states of Florida, New York, California, and Louisiana. The coastal islands off Georgia and South Carolina have sheltered the descendants of slaves for centuries with strong African traditions surviving there.

Though there are many regional differences in how Elegbara is worshiped in ritual form, there is a common thread that runs through all sacred houses of worship, no matter their location on the planet. This tells us that belief in the orisa is very much alive and well in spite of the faithful sons and daughters having been forcefully carried away across the waters from the birthplace of the orisas.

From the years 1650 to 1900, almost nine million slaves were taken from the Gold Coast, the Bight of Benin, the Bight of Biafra, and West Central Africa. The great majority landed in BBrazil, with the rest going to the United States and the islands of the West Indies in the Caribbean such as Cuba, Jamaica, present day Haiti and Puerto Rico, Trinidad-Tobago, Curacao and Antigua. A small number of captives were taken to Mexico and to Columbia in South America. Later migrations led to orisa worship and syncretism with the Catholic church in various countries such as Honduras, Venezuela, and French Guinea amongst others. During the twentieth century, orisa, and principally Ifa worship, spread to Argentina, Canada, the United States, Mexico, Russia, Japan, Denmark, Finland and many other countries, showing that so-called advanced and literate societies have found spiritual value and meaning in African-based religious traditions, specifically the Yoruba traditions, while so many Africans have tried to purge these from their family lineages and their own modern day lives.

For lack of a better or more creative phrase, a global village best describes the world we are living in today, with religious adherents of many skin colors, languages and nationalities praising the names of Olodumare, Elegbara and the orisa. In just a few hundred years humanity witnessed a huge migration, with a resultant subtle shifting of thought, as the slaves of the Middle Passage disseminated what can only be called a non-rational and “electro-dynamic” approach to spirituality and of place in the order of the universe. That universe is a flexible, gossamer web which shimmers like the night sky. Within the streams of living energy that make up the web are all the elements, the planets, stars, galaxies, orisa, humans, plants, animals, minerals and vegetative life. We are all inter-connected and the Ifa divination system accesses the plant, animal and mineral wisdom that Olodumare, all the orisa and the elders handed down orally to relieve our suffering. For every problem known to man, there is a solution within the chanted ese of Ifa. By manipulating the cosmic strings of the web through the power of Elegbara, the Ifa priests, who embody Orunmila, align us with the universe, bringing about order, harmony and victory for us on earth. Happiness and peace enter our hearts and it is there in the human heart where Elegbara resides.

He teaches us how to behave, how to make proper choices with our heart that knows, or should know, the difference between right and wrong, good and evil. He reflects the positive and negative forces which exist in the world and within all humankind. He is the ultimate tempter, offering us everything we selfishly desire with one hand, and with the other he makes ready to club us on the head. He will give us just enough rope so that we can either tie a noose and hang ourselves, or we can use the rope to help lift ourselves up out of our troubles. These are the lessons Elegbara gives us as we live out our days on earth.

Our blue planet is spinning at 1,000 miles an hour, rotating around the sun in a dance of 67,000 miles an hour, nestled in a twinkling galaxy called the Milky Way that contains about 100 billion stars. As we move within the solar system, our galaxy is also drifting through the darkness of intergalactic space where an estimated 100 billion galaxies are scattered throughout the visible universe. In the face of this incomprehensible and limitless enormity, man must find a way to rectify himself, to justify his presence in the order of the universe and as he stands staring up at the night sky, somewhere on the planet Elegbara is dancing barefoot on red earth, laughing.
Odu Ifa (THE ETHICAL TEACHINGS OF IFA)
Gentle character (Ìwà pẹ̀lẹ), Good Character (Ìwà rere), Calmness (Ìwà jẹ́jẹ́), To be born by character (Ìwà ọmọ lú wà bí).

One of the emphases of the Yorùbá is good character. Yoruba believe that in order to have success in life, one must have good character. It said in Ifa that all one can be or possess can be lost to someone else without good character.

Good Character (Ìwà rere)

Ogbètúrá said ;

Bí a lowo bi a ko ni’wà. If we have money and don’t have character,
Owó olówó ni. the money belongs to someone else.
Bi a bi ‘mọ bi a kò ni’wa If we have children and do not have character,
Ọmọ ọlọmọ ni. the children belong to some one else.

Ifá said in Ọsáméj̀i that:
Ọgbọ́n inu awo alárá. Inner wisdom is the babalawo of Alárá.
Ìm̀ọ̀ràn awo Ajero.̀̀ Knowledge was the babalawo of Ajerò.
Èjìọsá amu
rin kan dọ́gbọ̀n agogo. Èjìọ̀sá uses one metal to make 30 bells.
Ẹ sa ma wùwà rere. Ìwà. We should have good character.
Ìwà là nwá. Ìwà. Good character is what we are looking for.
Ìwà rere n lẹ̀ṣọ́ ènìyan.̀ Good character is a treasure for humanity.
Ìwà nib a ni de Saree. It is good character that follows one to the grave.

A prominent professor of sociology, Professor Akinsọla Akiwọwọ, explained in his article “Alasuwada” that, of all the creations, humans are the ones who do not have Iwa. On April 12, 2008, I had the privilege of discussing this paragraph with the professor. He said that things that we desire (Ewù), love (Ìfẹ́) and our lacking (Àìní́) are the three main reasons why human try to live together and form a bond. What we need might not be available or around us. It is the thoughts of living together that brought the character of living together. His research revealed that in the beginning of existence, Iwa (character) was the one who brought all prosperities. It was found that Iwa is the one who brings prosperity to neighbors and relatives. It is the same Ìwà who can chase away prosperity from a person. So therefore the best way to go is to mold Iwa together and try to have Iwa. The Odù of Ọ̀sá guńdá called alásùwàdà was used to explain how Ìwà (character) was molded together to create the heaven and earth.

Síkan ni mògún. We headed to the shrine of Ò̧guń.
Àgiri Ìyà ni mọ̀ọ̀rẹ̀ eerun. A lot of footsteps towards More.
Àsùwà ni mọọrẹ eniyan. Humans were molded.
Asùwà da‘ye. To be created, the world was molded.
Àsùwà da ọrun. To be created, the heaven was molded.
À̀̀sù̀wà da sìlẹ̀. The ground was molded.
Asekún sùwàdà nigbati Ìwá sẹ̀. We added to the mold in the beginning.
Asekú́n suwada ni gba iwa gun. We added to the mold to make it perfect.
Asùwàdà nigba iwa rọ̀. We added to the mold when the mold
Manifested on earth.
We have to mold our character.

Asuwa is rebirth. It is the perfection that we seek. Asuwada eniyan is someone who has recreated or reformed themselves. It is character. It can be molded. The professor explained that character is an element or quality substance that was put together and molded together. He continues to explain that it is passed down from one generation to the next. It is the divine law of the order of evolution. It is what makes it possible for human to live together and create family. Without Iwa, all these would have not been possible. Let us ask ourselves, What is character? What is behavior? The answers to these questions could take another book someone can write in the future. One thing that is certain is that Iwa was one of the teachings of Ifa

. It says in Ogbe ate:

Ai lọ́gbọń ninu. The lack of wisdom,
Aimero. The lack of knowledge,
Ainiwà rere. The lack of good character,
Ni muni wọ igbodu lẹmẹta. That is why an awo gets initiated three times.
Ọran èṣù kọ. It is not the fault of Esu.
Baye ba ti ọwọ ẹni bajẹ. If the world spoiled in our hands,
Ai mọwa wu wa ni. it is because of our lack of good character.

Yoruba assumed that it is the duty of humans to seek knowledge and wisdom of the ancient times. Maybe we can still learn one or two things from them. There was an old concept in Yoruba called Igbá Ìwà (the Calabash of Character). It is an Òrìsà. After the ceremony is finished, the container is sealed up and it must never be opened again. If an elder chose to no longer live, he or she could go open the Igbá ̀Iwà and go to bed and die. That is why Yorùbá has the expression that says (Ọba sí gbá wò) Ọba has open the calabash. It means the Ọba has committed suicide. It is different from Babalawos Odu called Igbádù. The container of the Odù. ̀

K a ma’ fi kanju kanju j aye. K a ma fi wàràwàrà mokun oro. Ohun a ba fi s agba, K a ma fi se binu. Bi a ba de bi tó tutu, Kasimi-simi. K’ a wo’ waju ojo lo titi. K’atun bow a wehin oro wo. Nitori ati sun ara eni ni.
Let us not engage the world hurriedly. Let us not grasp at the rope of wealth impatiently. That which should be treated with mature judgment, let us not deal with in a state of uncontrolled passion. When we arrive at a cool place, Let us rest fully. Let us give continuous attention to the future. Let us give deep consideration to the consequences of things. And this because of our eventual passing.
Tura-
Eniti O ba nwa ire, L’omaa nse ebo. Eniti O basi feran iwa oore sise paapaa fun awon alaini, oun paapaa ko ni ye ni idunu
Anyone who wishes to have good fortune will constantly practice sacrifice. And anyone who cultivates the habits of doing good deeds, especially for the needy, this person, in particular, will never lack happiness.
happiness
Ofun Rosu-
Ofun nfun ire ka. Ofun kopariwo. Eniyan bi iru won yi sowon laye. Eni maa dasa ki o wo ise orun. Orun nile ola. Adifa f’awon eniyan. Ani iku a maa mu won o fun awon lo fun awon wo ise orun A niki won rubo ki o ma baa si okunkun ati ibanuje lona won. Won gbo won korubo.
Ofun is giving out goodness everywhere. Ofun does not make noise about it. People like this are difficult to find in the world. Anyone who wants to do wonderful things should observe the ways of heaven. Heaven is the home of honor. This was the teaching of Ifa for humans. It was said that death would bring them to see the ways of heaven they were asked to sacrifice, so that there would be no darkness and grief on their way. They heard but they did not sacrifice.

Balance
Osa Meji
Ha! Agbati o ba se aseju tite ni ite. Adifa fun Odu Nigbati Odu dele aye. Ha! Won ni “ iwo, Odu.” Won ni o ba soru re. Ki “o si se suuru. Ki o ma yaaju.” Won ni “o basora re. Ki o si se suuru. Ki o si se suuru. Ki o ma yaaju.” Odu ni eetiri?” Won ni nitori agba re Yi Olodumare fun o.
Ah, an elder who commits excess will be thoroughly disgraced. This was the teaching of Ifa for Odu when Odu arrived on the earth. Ah, they said, “O you, Odu;” They said “you must be careful. You Must be patient. And you must not be shamelessly disrespectful.” Odu ask “why?” They said “it is because of the Power which Olodumare has given you.”

Patience
Otura Wori
K’ a ma fi ponju iyan la obe gbigbona. Bi a ba fi ponju iyan la obe gbigbona, Daju daju a maa jo ni l’enu. Adifa fun Akinsuyi. Won ni: odunoro de, Ati ki o ma se laironu. Won ni: ki orubo. O gbo; o rubo
Even in the adversity of famine, we must not eat hot stew hastily. For if we eat hot stew hastily, It will surely burn our mouths. This was the teaching of Ifa for Akinsuyi. They said: the year of prosperity is coming, and that he should not act thoughtlessly. They said he should sacrifice. He heard and practiced sacrifice.
Irete Wori Determination
Our determination helps us manage sudden change. This odu contains the story of when Orunmila went to the town of the Iyami (olota) and did not die. It speaks of the need for balance between feminine/ masculine and protection. This odu assures victory over competition and of conspirators. Ebo to Ifa for all ire including a good job. Speaks of the need to show gratitude.

Forgiveness:
Oyeku Oturupon
Orunmila fihunjimi Ojiji fihunjimi. Bi Gbogbo ilu nii f’ oranji ojo.
Orunmila will forgive me. The forgiving one will forgive me. If water kills a person, people will forgive it. Orunmila, may people forgive me in the matter, Even as the entire town usually forgives rain.

Do no Evil
Okanran Rosu
Imo omo se ibiko sunwon. Eni tin se ibi, bi o ba bebe oran, Oran a tan. Gbogbo aye ni nfi ori ji aimo Adifa fun osoran, kin, Me belufe Gbogbo won ni nfi ejo re sun. Bi o babe be ora, won a ni: o tan O wa di nijo kan.
Knowingly doing evil is not good. If a person who does evil apologizes, the matter will be resolved. Everyone forgives those who do wrong unknowingly. This was the teaching of Ifa for the one who confronts matters, the courageous one, Mehelufe whose name means “I will not beg even the king.” Everyone was continually complaining about him. If he would just apologize, people would say the matter is finished. Then, one day it happened.
The chosen status of humans is a second major tenet of Ifa. Odu says we should do things with joy “for surely humans have been divinely chosen (yan) to bring good into the world” and that this is the fundamental mission and meaning of human life. And we are chosen not over and against anyone, but chosen with everyone to b
to bring good in the world. Thus, all of us are equally chosen. In fact, the word for human being is eniyan which literally means chosen one, and we are divinely chosen withoutdistinction of nation, race, gender, special religious relationship or promise. Surely this poses an ideal many other world religions are still striving to establish as a central moral doctrine.
Let us do things in Joy

Contention
Irosu Wori
Let us do things with joy. Those who want to go, let them go. Those who want to stay, let them stay. Surely, humans have been chosen to bring good into the world. The All-Knowing One. Priest of Orunmila, interpreted the teachings of Ifa for Orunmila. He said the people of the world would come to ask him a certain question. He said that Orunmila should sacrifice. Orunmila heard and complied, one day all kinds of people, good people and those who do not allow good in other people’s lives gathered together. They then went to Orunmila. They said: “Coming back and forth to earth tires us, Orunmila. Therefore, please allow us to rest in heaven.” Orunmila said: “You cannot avoid going back and forth to earth, Until you bring about the good condition that Olodumare has Ordained for every human being. After then, you, you may rest in heaven. They asked “What is the good condition?” Orunmila said: the good condition is a good world: A world in which there is full knowledge of all things; Happiness everywhere; Life without anxiety or fear of enemies; Without clashes with snakes or other dangerous animals; Without the fear of death, disease, litigation losses, wizards, witches or Eshu; Without fear of injury from water or fire; and without fear of poverty or misery. Because of your wisdom, your compelling desire for good character and your internal strength. The things needed to bring about the good condition in the world then are: Wisdom that is fully adequate to govern the world; Sacrifice; character; the love of doing good for all people, especially those who are in need. And those who seek assistance from us; and the eagerness and struggle to increase good in the world, and not let any good at all be lost. People will continue to go to heaven; And they will go back and forth to earth after their transfiguration. Until everyone has achieved the good condition. Thus, when the children of Oduduwa gather together. Those chosen to bring good into the world are called human beings or the chosen ones.

Reform/Rebirth
Ogbè waatẹ̀
Njẹ́ bí a bá tẹ̀ mi,
N o ́ tún’ra mi tẹ̀.
Èewọ̀ tí a bá kà fún mi,
N ó gbọ́.
Titè l’a tẹ̀ mí,
N yóò tún’ra mi tẹ̀.

Ogbè waatẹ̀
Now, if I have been made,
I should reconstruct myself.
The forbidden things which are enumerated for me,
I will comply with.
For I have been made,
And I must also remake myself.

Ogbè waatẹ̀

nwọ̀n.
A kìí ìkà di ẹrù kó gún gẹ́gẹ́.
Díá fún Òtitọ́-inú,
Ọmọ òtítẹ̀ afitẹlẹ̀ afitẹlẹ̀ tirẹlẹ̀.
Olódùmarè ló ní ilẹ̀.
Olódúmarè lọ́ ní ídájọ́.
Ẹ́san ní ti Olódúmarè.
Ọba yóò san-án fún oníkálukú
Gẹ́gẹ́ bí iṣẹ́ ọwọ́ wọn.

Ogbè waatẹ̀

Even if the beginning of wrong-doing is pleasant,
The end of wickedness will not be good.
We cannot use evil to secure goods and expect them to be anchored firmly.
These were the teachings of Ifa for the upright one.
The offspring of the initiated one who treads thee earth in humbleness.
Olodumare is the lord of the land.
Olodumare is the owner to Olodumare.
Retribution belongs to Olodumare.
The king of the world will reward everyone
Precisely according to the work of their hands.

Loyality
Ogbè waatẹ̀
K’a dijú k’á pé a kú,
K’a m’ẹniti yóó sunkún ẹni.
K’a bùrìn-bùrìn, k’a kọsẹ̀ dánwò,
K’a mọ̀ ẹnití yóò ṣeni pẹ̀lé.
Kò ní burúburú bí kó má kẹnìkan péré mọ́ ni.
Ṣugbọ́n ẹnití yóò kù l’a ò mọ̀.
Dífá fún Ọ̀rúnmìlà
Nígbàtí ó ńfi ikú tà wọ́n jẹ̀.
Kí ó mọ̀ ẹnití ńbẹ ọ̀rẹ́ olóòótọ́ rẹ̀.
Wọ́n níkí ó rúbọ.
Ó gbọ́; ó rúbọ.
Ọ̀rúnmìlà ní e pé a kú kò kú mọ́ o.
Ó wá rí pré ẹkún ara wọn ni wọ́n ńsun.
Pé àrùwè ara wọnni wọ́n ńgba.
Àwọn ọ̀rẹ́ olóòótọ́ rẹ́ ńikan àwọn ara rẹ lọ́wọ́.

Ogbè waatẹ̀
Let us close our eyes and pretend to be dead,
So that we may know who will mourn for us.
Let us walk unsteadily and pre tend to stumble,
So that we might see who will express concern.
It would not be a bad thing, even if we could count on only one person.
But who will remain is difficult to determine.
This was the teaching of Ifa for Orunmila
When he was going to make people think that he was dead,
So that he might know who were his true friends.
He was advised to sacrifice.
He heard and he complied.
Orunmila who was said to be dead was not dead after all.
He discovered that their mourning was a mourning for themselves.
And their fasting in sorrow was a fasting for themselves.
Only his true friends remained to mourn him and help his family.

Good / Helpful people
Ogbè waatẹ̀

Èniyàn lásan pọ́ bí ìgbẹ́.
Ẹnirere wọ́n ju ojú lọ.
K’a tó rí ẹnirere, ọ̀nà á jìn.
Dífá fún Ọ̀rúnmìlà
Nígbàtí ó ńlọ rèé ṣ’ọkọ ayé,
Ó ńlọ rèé bá olódùmarè pín ayé lọ́gbọọgba.
Wọn níkí ó rúbọ.
Ó gbọ́; ó rúbọ.

Ogbè atẹ̀
Unhelpful persons are as abundant as bushes in the forest.
A good person is as rare as another eye.
To find a good person, one must travel a long way.
These were the teachings of Ifa for Orunmila
When he was going to become husband of the world,
When he was going to share the world into two equal parts with Olodumare.
He was advised to practice sacrifice.
He heard and he practiced it.

Helpful /Caring

ÌWÒRÌ MÉJÌ ẸSẸ̀ KEJÌ
Ọwọ́ èwe kò tó pẹpẹ,
Ti àgbàlagbà kò wọ kèrègbè,
Iṣẹ́ èwe bẹ àgbà, kí í ó máṣe kọ̀;
Gbogbo wa ni a níṣẹ́, tí a jọ ń bẹ ara wa,
A dífá fún ọ̀rúnmìlà,
Èyí tí akápò rẹ̀ ó pè lẹ́jọ́ lọ́dọ̀ Olódùmarè
Olódùmarè wá ránsé sí Ọ̀rúnmìlà
Pé kí ó wá á sọ ìdí tí kò fi gbé akápò rẹ̀
Nígbà tí ọ̀rúnmìlà dé iwájú Olódùmarè,
Ó ní, òun sa ipá òun fún Akápò
Ó ní, ìpín, akápò ni kò gbọ́
Nígbà náà ni ọ̀rọ̀ náà tó wá yé Olódùmarè,
Inú rẹ̀ sì dùn wípé, òun kò dá ẹjọ́ ẹẹkùn kankan
Ni Ẹlẹ́dà bá ní láti ọjọ́ náà lọ
Ọmọ Ẹ̀dá kan kò gbọdọ̀ dá ẹjọ́ eekùn kan
Anìkàndájọ́, ò sèèyàn
Anìkàndájọ́, ò seun
Nígbà tí o kò gbọ́ tẹnu Ẹnìkejì
Kí lo dájọ́ ṣe

The hand of the youth cannot reach the shelf;
The hand of the adult cannot fit through the narrow neck of the gourd.
The adult should not refuse the favor a youth asks.
We all have something we can do for others.
Ifa divination was cast for Ọ̀rúnmìlà and he is sued in the Court of Olódùmarè.
Olódùmarè sends for Ọ̀rúnmìlà so that he may come and explain why he does not favor his cash keeper.
When Ọ̀rúnmìlà arrived to the presence of Olódùmarè, he said that he had tried his best to favor his Akápò or cash keeper.
It was the destiny of Akápò that prevented his success.
Olódùmarè understood, then, and was pleased not to have made a wrong judgment.
From that day on, Olódùmarè, the Creator decreed that no one should pass judgment on anyone without having first heard both sides of the story.
The person who makes a one-sided judgment does not honor justice.
Ẹbọ:
The babaláwo will ask for the offerings to be given.
Àlàyé:
One should not pass judgment without first examining the situation clearly. One must hear both sides of a story before deciding. Olódùmarè may punish such a person who makes an uninformed judgment..

Dedication / Consistency
WÒRÌ MÉJÌ
Ìwòrì worì worì
A dífá fún alágbẹ̀dẹ ìmògún
Tí ó máa fi irin jona
Nítorí pé ó ń wẹjuwẹmu
Tí kò sí lè kojú mọ́ṣẹ́ tí ń ṣe
Nígbà láéláé, bí alágbẹ̀dẹ bá ti ki irin bọná
Bi ọwọ́ wọn bá ti rírí
Wọn a fi ọwọ́ bomi
Wọn á fọ̀ ọ́ nù
Sùgbọ́n nígbà tí wọ́n bá ǹ ṣè éyi,
Irin á ti jóná bàjẹ́
Kò sì níí dára mọ́, fún ohun tí wọ́n fẹ́ẹ́ rọ,
Alágbẹ̀dẹ Ímògún wáá mú óókan pẹ̀lú èèjì
Ó kọrí sọ̀dọ̀ Ìwòrì
Láti lọ bèèrè ohun tí yóo ṣe,
Iwori ni ko si ohun ti yoo ṣe
Ju pé kó ma fi ọwọ́ bọ́jù àti ẹnu,
Lẹ́hìn ìgbà tí ó bá parí isẹ́ ẹ́ rẹ̀ ní alẹ́
Kí ó wá lọ ọ wẹ̀
Alágbẹ̀dẹ Ìmògún sí ṣe bẹ́ẹ̀, iṣẹ́ rẹ̀ sì dára
Nígbà tí wọ́n bíí pé, níbo ni ó ti rí ògùn rẹ̀ ṣe
Tí irin rẹ̀ kò fi jóná mọ́
Alágbẹ̀dẹ ìmògún ní, Bí ó sí Ìwòrì, tó ní kí n du lójú
Kíí n dú lẹ́nu, kí ó ẹe àgbọ̀n ìsàlẹ̀ wòrì wòrì
Gbogbo irin ìbá ti jóná tán.
ẸBỌ RÍRÚ:
(Eku méjì, Ẹja méjì, Obì, Epo, Ẹ̀kọ, Àyébọ̀ adìyẹ, àrúbofà)

Ìwòrì worí worí, the one that watches the head.
Ifa divination was cast for the Blacksmith at the shrine of Ògún;
The one that usually burns his metal work;
Because he was too busy cleaning and washing his face.
Because he was too busy washing his mouth and nose;
He was not paying attention to his work,
In the past times when a Blacksmith was making metal work ,
If his hands get dirty,

They usually put their hands in water and wash them.
But while they were cleaning and washing their hands, the metal work will start burning and damaging.
It will no longer be good, for what he needs it for.

The blacksmith of Ìmògún then added two plus three.
He went to Iwori to ask him what he should do.
Iwori told him that there is nothing he could do, other than to use his hands to wash his face and nose.

After he had finished his work in the evening, he went to take a bath.
The blacksmith of ìmògún listened to the advice.
Then his work began to look good.
When people asked him where he made his medicine that enhanced his work so, he said that if it had not been for Iwori who had asked him to stay black in the face and mouth, and stay dirty on the chin, all his work would have been burnt.
Humility / Respect for the Elders
ÌWÒRÌ MÉJÌ
Bí ọmọdé bá tẹríba fún àgbà
Ohun gbogbo tí ó bá dáwó lé,
Á má gún gérégé
Ìwà rẹ̀ á sí ma tutù pẹ̀sẹ̀pẹ̀sẹ̀;
A dífá fún ọmọ oníwà pẹ̀lẹ́,
Tí kò ṣe Àfojúdi sí ìyá tàbí bàbá
Tí ayé rẹ̀ dùn jọjọ.

If a youth gives respect to the elders everything that he or she embarks on will be a success.
The person who does not disrespect his mother or father will have a very calm character and peace of mind.
His or her life will be filled with joy.
Àlàyé:
Ifá advises the client to have a good and calm character. Ifá says that the client’s life will be good and he or she will have success in his or her life.
Ifá also advises that the client should have respect for his or her parents so that his or her life will be long and happy.
Don’t be Mr Know all
A ò mo orí afọ́jú lẹ́gbẹ́,
A ò mo ẹsẹ̀ òsìkà lọ́nà,
A ò mo orí olóyè láwùjọ
Ló dífáfún Èjì ẹ̀rìndìnlógún odù
Wọ́n ń lọ réé sẹbọ nílé ọlọ́fin
Wọ́n ní kí wọ́n ó rúbọ,
Tara ẹni ló tó
Ti ara ẹni ló jù
Dífá fún èjì ọ̀bàrà
Tí ń lọ réé ṣẹbọ nílé ọlọ́fin
Wọ́n ní kó rú ẹbọ,
Ó gbẹ́bọ, ó rúbọ,
Ïjẹ́ ọ̀bàrà gbẹ́sin dúdú gùn
Ẹsin dúdú
Ọ̀bàrà gbẹsin pupa gùn,
Ẹsin pupa,
Ọ̀bàrà gbẹsin funfun gùn
Ẹṣin funfun
Èjì ọ̀bàrà nìkan ni ń bẹ lẹ́yìn ẹni tó ń rúbọ
Ifá ní kí a rúbọ, kí a borí kí a lè di ọlọ́là.
One cannot differentiate the head of a blind person in a crowd of people.
Neither can one differentiate the footpath of a crazy person on the road.
Ifá divination was cast for the Sixteen Odùs (Ilé disciples of Ọ̀rúnmìlà)
They were told to make offerings;
One’s own matters in other words, are important.
One should take care of his own matters.
Ifá divination was cast for Èjì Ọ̀bàrà.
Ọ̀bàrà was going to make offerings at the house of Ọlọ́fin.
He heeded and made the offerings.
Ọ̀bàrà road the black horse .
He rode the red horse.
Ọ̀bàrà rode the black horse .
He rode the white horse.
Èjì Ọ̀bàrà is the only one that was left behind, making ẹbọ offerings for blessings.

Anger Manage
Ọ̀yẹ̀kú Méjì
Ọ̀yẹ̀ku. Ọ yẹ Ikú, in Yoruba literarily means to shift death. The Odu says not to betray each other
. The lesson of this Odù is not to be aggressive. One has to control anger.

The Odu say:
Inu bibi eru ni peru It is the anger of a slave that kills the slave
Ẹ̀dọ̀ fùfù Ìwọ̀fà ni p’awọfa. It is the aggression of the servant that kills
the servant
Ilẹ dida ni p’ọrẹ. It says betrayal kills friendship.
Alájọbí ni pa iyekan to ba se’bi. The ancestors take care of family member
that doing evil deeds.
Don’t be over confident.

Ifa says:

Ikú Ogun ni pa Akińkanjú It is the War that kills the braves.
Ikú Odò ni po’muwẹ. It is drowning in deep sea that kills the divers.
Ikú Obinrin ni p’Akińlàlú It is the love of women that kills the flirty guy
Live right so you can live long. There will be pleasure after pain if you can survive the pain.
Ọyẹku meji is an Odù in which the ancestor are remembered. It is the Odù where humans ask Olódùmarè for the permission to separate the dead from the living. Without death there was living dead. The dead and living can not coexist. Death (Ikú) helped to separate the living from the dead. Before death, (Ikú) people live and live without dying. People became weak and useless. But just because they are no longer with us in flesh doesn’t mean that they are not here in spirit. Children of Ọyèkú should always make effort to have a special place in life. If you have Ọ̀ỳẹkú in a reading, you must keep your eyes on your health. You must walk on the road in the light, thinking more positive. The Odù Ọ̀yẹ̀kùméjì stressed good health. Because (death) Ikú is mentioned in the Od̀ù, one must be aware of Ikú. You must prevent situations that can cause a sudden death for you
Ọkọ is the husband in the house, usually the provider and the protector of the whole family. Ancient Yoruba were predominantly farmers with several acres of land to farm, so they usually have a large family in order to work the land. Yoruba men were usually polygamous but the teaching of Ifà stresses that it is best to keep one wife. It said that:

Ọ̀kan péré lo ‘biǹrin duǹ mọ lọ́wọ́ ọkọ. It is best to only have one wife.
T óbá di méjì a dò jòwú. When they become two wives jealousy
comes in.
T’óbá di mẹ́ta adi ẹ̀ta ǹtúlé. When they becomes three wives she
can plan to disrupt the family.
T’ óbá di mẹrin a di Ìyá ọkọ ẹni ló ńrińni. When they become four there will
be gossip about the mother in-law.
T’óbá di marun a di runguń runguń. When they becomes five they become
destroyers of the inheritance.
T’oba di mẹ́fà a di ẹ ni ti nfa ọwọ ọkọ wa sẹ́yiǹ re. When they becomes six. It will be,
This is who is pulling our husband
Down.
T’óbá di méje a di eni ti ó j́ kí ọkọ wa jiǹ sin kòtò re. When they becomes seven it will be
this will be who dragged our husband
down into the hole.

T’óbá di mẹjọ adi ẹni ti kò jẹ́ kí ìmọ̀ wa jọ mọ́ re. When they become eight, it will
This is the person who prevented
us from thinking together.
T’ óbá di mẹsan adi ẹni ti ko ni sanjọ́ de. When they become nine, it will be
That here is the one our husband will
never benefit from.
T’óbá di mẹwa adi ẹwo ẹ ni ti o tun nwa ọkọ wawá. When they become ten, it will be
Look who is still after our husband
Ọkọ.È J Ì O G B È ORÍ KÍNNÍ
Olúmini jìnmini,
Ló dífáfún Ọ̀rúnmìlà
Níjọ́ tí tíkú àti àrùn ń kan ilé rẹ re
Tí gbogbo Ajogún ikú ń kán ilé bàbá lọ
Tí bàbá ń f’oojojúmó lá àlá kálàá
Tí ó ń fi ojojúmọ́ sùn orun ìsùn kúusùn,
Wọ́n ní kí Ọ̀rúnmìlà rú ẹbọ;
Bàbá gbé ẹbọ, ó rúbọ́,
Ïjẹ́ ikú wòlé, ikú o le fọhùn
Olúmini jìnmini;
Àrùn wọlé, àrùn kò lee fọhùn
Olúmini jìnmini;
Ibi gbogbo wọlé, wọ́n ò le fọhùn
Olúmini jìnmini,
Rírú ẹbọ ló maa ń gbeni
Kòrú kò tù kìí gbènìyàn
Kò pẹ́, kò jìnnà
Ifá yíò bá ní ní jẹ̀bútú ire
Ibi ire ni wọ́n yío bá ni lẹ́sẹ̀ Ọbàrìsà
I. ÈGÌOGBÈ

Chapter 1
Olúmini, Jìnmini, (owner of forgiveness)
Divine for Ọ̀rúnmìlà,
The day that Ikú (Death) and Àrùn (Sickness) were in his house;
when all negativity was going to the father’s house
when Bàbá was having nightmares

When he was having bad sleep;
Ọ̀rúnmìlà was asked to make sacrifice;
Father headed and made sacrifice
When Death enters his house, death became dumb;
Olúmini, Jìnmini
All negativity came into Ọ̀rúnmìlà’s house but couldn’t speak
Olúmini, Jìnmini (owner of forgiveness)
Making sacrifice befits and saves one from evil;
Making sacrifice does not pay one
Not to long; not too far
Ifa will find one in abundance of possibilities
In a good place we will be found at the foot of Ọbarìṣà
Àlàyé:
Ọ̀rúnmìlà was worried that Ikú, and Àrùn were coming to his house to
kill him. So he went to his Awos, Olúmini, Jìnmini, they divined for
him and cast Èjìogbè, and Ọ̀rúnmìlà was told to make a sacrifice.

Sacrifice:
Eku méjì (2 rats); Ẹja méjì (2 fish); Obì méjì (2 Kola nuts); Orógbó méjì (2
Bitter kola); Atare méjì (2 Guinea peppers); Epo pupa (2 tins of palm oil);
Egbèjì Owó (2000 cowries)

Explanations/Interpretation:
Olúmini,jìnmin is the Lord that forgives. In the Odù ; Ifá reveals that it is very important to forgive others when they do wrong to us. If One can lean to forgive ,the negativity of the world will forgive and spear the one that forgives others .Even in the Bible, It states in the Lord prayers that “Forgive us as we forgive those who sin against us.” Forgiveness is also a form of sacrifice. The client that consulted Ifa should try to forgive others ,so that his/her life will be peaceful.
Sacrifice to be made to Egúngún and Ọ̀rúnmìlà. The Babaláwo should
make the sacrifice with the clients with items of Ẹbọ. Client makes the
Ẹbọ
In Odù Èjìogbè, it is stated that when the client makes the
sacrifice, Death and Sickness, though they appear in his household, will
not be able to affect or harm him. The Babalawo explains that it is
worth the sacrifice. One should rather make the sacrifice at all costs.

fa says those that make the sacrifice will be found in abundance of
prosperity. It is in abundance of prosperity that you found us at the
foot of Ọbarìṣà (Ọbàtálá).

È J Ì O G B È
Olóòtọ́ tí n bẹ láyé kò pógún
Sìkàsìkà ibẹ̀ kò pẹ́gbẹ̀fà,
Ọjoọ́ lọ títí kò jọrọ̀ ó dunni;
A dífá fún Ọ̀rúnmìlà
Bẹẹni kò dun akápò,
Alágùnalà paradà
Ọ̀rúnmìlà paradà
Kó wá fún mi lájé
Ọ̀rúnmìlà paradà
Kó wá fún mi lọ́mọ
Alásùwàdà paradà
Ọ̀rúnmìlà paradè, kó wá fúnmi ní ire gbogbo;
Alásùwàdà paradà
Ọ̀rúnmìlà paradà, kí ó wá; ṣe oun gbogbo tí mo ń fẹ́,
Alásùwàdà paradà.

Chapter 2
The truthful people that are left in the world are not even 20.
The wicked ones are up to 1,200.
One nickname of a Babaláwo,
So much times has lapsed that any matter has been allowed to be healed. (nickname of Babaláwo)
Together they passed Ifa for Ọ̀rúnmìlà; when a matter was bothering (akápò) and not bothering Orunmila

ODÙ KÍNNÍ: È J Ì O G B È ẸSẸ̀ KẸTA

Ọ̀sán ní Ọ̀sán pẹ́,
Òru ní, òru pẹ́,
Òru ní kò kan bàbá mẹ̀ẹsìn lẹ́sẹ̀ pínpínpín,
A dífá fún orí ẹni,
Orí ẹni ǹ tọrùn bọ̀ wá sóde sálayé,
Wọ́n ní kí ó rubọ,
Ó gbẹbọ,
Yio wá gbeni báyí o,
Orí ẹni kíi gbe ní tì,
A dífá fún ìyá ẹni,
Wọ́n ní kí ó sàkálẹ̀ ẹbọ ní ṣíṣe;
Ó gbẹbọ, ó rubọ,
Yio wa gbeni báyí o;
Ìyá ẹni kii gbeni i tì
Ló dífá fún bàbá ẹni;
Bàbá ẹni ń ti ọ̀run kó wálé ayé
Wọ́n ní ẹbọ nì ki o rú,
Ó gbẹ́bo, ó rúbọ,
Kíó wá gbeni báyí o,
Bàbá ẹni kii gbeni i tì,
Ló dífá fún ikín ẹni,
Ikin ẹni ńtọ̀run bọ̀ wálé ayé,
Wọ́n ní kí ó rubọ,
Ó gbẹ́bọ, ó rúbọ,
Ó gbẹ̀bọ, ó rúbọ,
Ó gbẹ̀bọ, Yío wà gbé ni, a rúbọ bàyí o,
Ikín ẹni kii gbeni i tì
Kò pẹ́ kò jìnnà,
Ẹ wá bá wa ní jẹbútú ire;
Ibi ire laa bani lẹ́sẹ̀ ọbàrìsà
Chapter 3

The afternoon did not last for ever (alias of a Babaláwo)
The night did not last too long;
The night did not keep the huffs on the horse legs,
so tight for so long (alias of another Babaláwo)
All cast Ifá divination of one’s head
The head (Oríẹni): One’s own heading from Heaven to Earth;
They told Oríẹni (One’s head) to offer sacrifice
One’s head yielded to the advice to make sacrifice.
It will favor one’s life.
He cast Ifa divination for one’s mother
One mother was coming from Heaven to Earth.
She was told to be prepared to offer sacrifice;
She listened to the advice and offered the sacrifice.
This one will now be favored.

Explanation/Interpretation:
The Odù advise the client to have perseverance and hope. In time things will change for the better. Ifá had always being the energy that gives hope for people. Ones own head (Oríẹni) was told to make sacrifice from heaven. Orí became the element that the other parts of the body serve. The client should worship his/her head . Ifa says that Ones own mother is like a small god . Therefore the client should worship hi/her mother in order that the life of the client will be favorable.

ODÙ KẸTA ÌWÒRÌ MÉJÌ ẸSẸ̀ KỌKÀNDÍNLÓGÚN
Ẹni a bá wá òde,
Ni a bá lọ ilé,
Ẹni ajá bá wá,
Ni ajá bá lọ,
Dífá fún Èjìkoko ìwòrì
Níjọ́ tó ń tí ìkọ̀lé ọ̀run bọ̀ wá sí ilé ayé
Wọ́n ní kí ó sàkàlẹ̀ ẹbọ ní ṣíṣe
Wọ́n ní kí ó máa bọ ifá,
Wọ́n ní bí ó bá ti bọ ifá tó
Ni ifá yíò ṣe gbè tó
Ó gbẹbọ ó rúbọ
Ïjẹ́ ifá tẹjú mọ́mi
Kí ó wò mi ire,
Èjì kókó ìwòrì
Ifá tẹ ojú mọ́ mí, kí ó wòmí ire,
Bó bá tẹjú mọ́ mi
Màá lówó lọ́wọ́,
Èjì koko ìwòrì,
Ifá tẹjú mọ́mi, kí o wòmí ire;
Bí o bá tẹjú mọ́ mi
A ó bímọ lémọ
Èjìkoko ìwòrì, ifá tẹjú mọ́mi kí o wòmí ire
Bí o bá tẹjú mọ́ mi,
A ó rí ire gbogbo,
Èjì koko ìwòrì,
Ifá tẹjú mọ́ mi, kí o wòmí ire
Èjì koko ìwòrì

Chapter 19

The person that one came out with, is the person that one goes back home with;
It is the one that the dog comes with that he leaves with.
Ifa divination was cast for Èjì kókó Ìwòrì,
The day Èjìkókó Ìwòrì was coming from heaven into the world.

He was told to make offerings to Ifá;
They told him that the more he worshipped Ifá and made offerings to Ifá, the more Ifá will bless and favor him.
Èjìkoko Ìwòrì listened and made the offerings.

So Ifa watched over me and brought me prosperity, Èjìkoko Ìwòrì;
Ifá, if you look at me, I will have money in my hands;
Èjìkoko Ìwòrì, Ifá looks at me and sees me with positivity.

If you look after me, I will have more children;
Èjìkoko ìwòrì;
Ifá looks at me in goodness, if you look after me.

I will have much prosperity.
Èjìkoko Ìwòrì,
Ifá looks at me with positive ness,
Èjìkoko Ìwòrì.
Ifa teachyes loyalty in this Odu. As the dog is loyal to its owner people must be loyal to each other.
Ọ̀BÀRÀ MÉJÌ ẸSẸ̀ KEJE
A ò mo orí afọ́jú lẹ́gbẹ́,
A ò mo ẹsẹ̀ òsìkà lọ́nà,
A ò mo orí olóyè láwùjọ
Ló dífáfún Èjì ẹ̀rìndìnlógún odù
Wọ́n ń lọ réé sẹbọ nílé ọlọ́fin
Wọ́n ní kí wọ́n ó rúbọ,
Tara ẹni ló tó
Ti ara ẹni ló jù
Dífá fún èjì ọ̀bàrà
Tí ń lọ réé ṣẹbọ nílé ọlọ́fin
Wọ́n ní kó rú ẹbọ,
Ó gbẹ́bọ, ó rúbọ,
Ïjẹ́ ọ̀bàrà gbẹ́sin dúdú gùn
Ẹsin dúdú
Ọ̀bàrà gbẹsin pupa gùn,
Ẹsin pupa,
Ọ̀bàrà gbẹsin funfun gùn
Ẹṣin funfun
Èjì ọ̀bàrà nìkan ni ń bẹ lẹ́yìn ẹni tó ń rúbọ
Ifá ní kí a rúbọ, kí a borí kí a lè di ọlọ́là.

Chapter 7
One cannot differentiate the head of a blind person in a crowd of people.
Neither can one differentiate the footpath of a crazy person on the road.
Ifá divination was cast for the Sixteen Odùs (Ilé disciples of Ọ̀rúnmìlà)
They were told to make offerings;
One’s own matters in other words, are important.
One should take care of his own matters.
Ifá divination was cast for Èjì Ọ̀bàrà.
Ọ̀bàrà was going to make offerings at the house of Ọlọ́fin.
He heeded and made the offerings.
Ọ̀bàrà road the black horse .
He rode the red horse.
Ọ̀bàrà rode the black horse .
He rode the white horse.
Èjì Ọ̀bàrà is the only one that was left behind, making ẹbọ offerings for blessings.
INITIATION TO IFA
Here are categories of initiations and Babalawos/Iyanifas:

Awo Olódù
This is Ifá initiation in which the initiate witness the Odù. This initiation is the ultimate Ifá initiation. The initiate after training is given the permission and authority to perform Ifa work to the full extent.

Awo Elégań
Awo Elégań is when the initiate does not see or be introduced to the Odu. The Babaláwo or Iyánífá in these circumstances may not practice Ifá to its full extent because of the nature of their initiation. It takes at least between six to eight Babaláwos to initiate another awo. Receiving one hand of Ifá is much simpler and does not require a great number of awos. Some one with one hand of Ifá could not practice as a Babaláwo or Ìyánífá. One must be a fully initiated Ifa priest or priestess to practice Ifá. How ever any one that has one hand of Ifá can worship and pray to that Ifá for themselves and their families.

Ifá Ogun (Ifá in a War).
This Ifá initation that was done and finished the same day. This type of initiation started as a result of the incident that took place on the day the initiate was taken to the grove of Odù (Igbódù). War broke out in the town during the Ifá initiation, and the war drove everyone out of the Igbodu to the house. The ceremony was finished in the house. As from that time on, Ifá Ogun is been done. The Babalawos will come home to finish the ceremonies the same day.

Ifá Adó
Ifá Adó could be done in a room instead of going to the grove of Odù (Igbódù). The first time this Ifa initiation was done in Ado, ninety five people accompanied the initiate to the groove of Odù. In the ceremony the Ifa that came was Ìdènà, Òguńdá kosun that we also call Òguńdá perantań. The meaning of this Odù was that war is on its way. In a flash war broke in the town and killed twenty out of the 90 people. Since that day the initiation of that type is made in the room out of fear of the previous war. Before leaving the Igbódù, the Ifá priest or priestess are given their taboos. They may also be given the paraphernalia’s of Ifá and divination. Besides the Ikin, the Ọ̀pẹ̀lẹ̀ is another tool of divination. The ibos are the elements that represent good or bad in questions to Ifá in divination. The four cowries tied together represents Ire while the stone or the bone from the knee of a goat that was sacrificed to Èṣù represents Ibi. Sometimes Ibi are called the Ajoguns.

Here are few list of Ires and Ibis.
Ire:
Ire Àìkú, (blessing of longevity) Ire Owó, (blessing of money) Ire Omo, (blessing of children) Ire Ayọ̀ (blessing of happiness) Ire Igbega lenu Ise (blessings of promotion on the job). Ire Aya, (blessing of wives) Ire Olá, (blessing of wealth), ire Iyi, (blessing of dignity) and so on and so forth.

Ibi:
Ibi Ikú, (negativity of death). Ibi arun, (negativity of disease and sicknesses) Ibi ofo, (Negativity of losses), Ibi ẹjọ́ (negativity of court cases and the law), Ibi àkóbá (something that was brought upon the person) and so on. The Babaláwo can know which hand to ask for going by the seniority of the Odus. If Odù on the right side of the Babalawo is the senior the left hand of the client is chosen. If the left side is higher the right hand of the client is chosen. Ọ̀pẹ̀lẹ̀ is an easier tool to use for the ìbò. Although some Babaláwos prefer to use the Ikin all through the divination. The arrangement of the seniority of the Odùs in this book is based on the order of the original sixteen major Odùs from Ile Ife which is the same arrangement in Ekiti.. It is slightly different from the arrangement of the Odùs from Ọ̀yọ́ and ijebu.
ORUNMILA
Ọrunmila
The literal translation of Ọ̀ruńmìlà is (Ọ̀run ni o mọ ati la) only heaven knows the way to salvation. The history of Ọrunmila is very controversial. In one of the stories, according to the Yorùbá oral tradition from Ilé-Ifè, Ọrúnmìlà was the second of the Yorùbá supreme beings said to have been jointly responsible for the creation of the world. The other two supreme beings are, in order, Odùduwà and Òrìsànlà. Odùduwà was said to have been responsible for the general foundation of the earth and for furnishing the materials that were used in the creation of the earth, namely iron, clay and so on. Another story said that Ọ̀ruńmìlà was born of a Nupe tribe and he was a miraculous child. He used to display extraordinary and amazing powers that earned him recognition and respect. He later attracted many followers. All this attention and fame caused the Muslims to hate him, and they eventually conspired against him and drove him out of the tribe. Ọ̀ruńmìlà then crossed the Niger River and started walking southward. Ọ̀ruńmìlà stopped in many places along the way. Wherever he stopped, he established a group. He would teach them and practice Ifa with them. Some of the places where Ọ̀ruńmìlà stopped and practiced Ifa were, Adó Èkìtì, Ọ̀wọ̀, Benin, Ìjèṣà, Obòkun and so on. That is why we praise Ọ̀ruńmìlà (Erinmi nílé Adó) the Hippopotamus at the town of ado (Eriǹmì lóde Ọ̀wọ̀) the Hippopotamus at the town of Ọwọ (Sikisiki l ode Iṣẹri) the big element of the town of Iṣẹri.

Another story about Ọ̀ruńmìlà is that he was born at Òkè Ìgẹ̀tí in Ilé Ifè. He later had his residence at Òkèọlọ́bọ̀ now Òkè Ìtasẹ̀ in Ifẹ̀. The story said that in the beginning Ọ̀ruńmìlà was very poor and he had to beg for a leaving. One day in his sleep he was endowed by special wisdom and the knowledge of healing and divination and he woke up with a bracelet around his wrist. When he woke up he remembered everything from his dream, and as he began to practice he began to get good results. More people began to know about Ọ̀ruńmìlà. Kings and chiefs began to send for him and he became famous. Ọ̀ruńmìlà began to have a lot of followers and people who wanted to learn from him. They made him the head among them, called Olúwo; meaning the head of those who knows the secret of life.

Ọ̀ruńmìlà initiated many of his followers in to the mysteries of Ifá divination and the art of healing. Before his death he gave his followers the sixteen knots from the sacred palm tree at Òkètasẹ̰̀ called àgbọnmìrèguń. He taught them how to do divination and told them that if they ever wanted to consult and talk to him after he was gone, they must use the sixteen pal nuts called Ikiń to consults with him. When Ọ̀ruńmìlà died he was deified. Up until today the main Yorùbá divination system is based on Ifá and the whole of ancient Yorùbá culture is based on the guidance from Ifá. In the past every Yoruba consult Ifa before making any major decision.
ODU IFA
Odu Ifa as well as the Christian Bible or any other Scriptures of wisdom contain no definition for God, but contains much allusion and praises to his being and attributes. Many of the African scolars do not believe or even understand Ifa. May be because of how their educators who were mostly either Christinas or Muslims has presented or interpreted the knowledge in the Odu Ifa to them.

According to the Yoruba oral tradition from Ile-Ife, Orunmila was the second of the Yoruba supreme beings said to have been jointly reponsible for the creation of the world. Ifa was therefore praised as the witness of destiny. “Eleri ipin” The other two supreme beings are in order, Oduduwa, and Orisa nla. Oduduwa was said to have been responsible for the general foundation of the earth and for furnishing the materials with which the main creatiioin of the Unvierse were built from. In order to practice Ifa divination, one must be initated to Ifa priest hood. I hope the stories of the Odus in this book will help Ifa practitioners.

Ifa in itself is Truth, the living truth that is the Holy Breath of Olodumare, Almighty God. That eternal truth which was and is and ever more shall be the truth that cannot change nor pass away. Ifa is about thruthfulness, righteousness and peace on Earth. Ifa is the Truth as th Yorubas have received it from their Priest and Prophet, Orunmila. Ifa contains the five different kinds of truth: the scientific, the historical, the artistic, the theological and the logical. Ifa is the synthesis of Science, Religion, Philosophy, and Sociology. There is nothing under the sun that is not covered by Ifa.

Orunmila, the god of divination has several names. Baramiagbonniregun, which means the tall staight palm tree; Orunmila which replaces Orun mo eni ti yio la, meaning only heaven knows who will prevail; Amomotan which means the one that you can never know all of; Oyigiyigi, which means the immovable one; Ikuforiji which means the one that death forgives; Eni ajiki meaning the one that changes the day of your death; Ogbonileaye, meaning the wisdom of the world. Opitan Ile Ife which means the historian of the ancient Ife; Atererekaye, meaning the one that spread al over the world; Eleri pin meaning the witness of destiny; Olokun asorodayo meaning the owner of the sea that makes all matters become joy; Ope abi ewara meaning the one that when He says so it will be.

Orunmila is one of Olodumare’s principal representatives on Earth. Great wisdom and power was bestowed on Orunmila by Olodumare.
EGUNGUN
Some historians claim that Egungun was introduced to Oyo from Nupe. According to Babayemi, the people of Nupe are said to have been led by their Egungun when they invaded Oyo in the sixteenth century.

Egungun Suit.
Ogbomoso, Oyo and Modakeke are very famous for their Egungun masquerades. Some Egungun are very fierce and feared for the stories of their actions and the powerful charms they possess. The names of some of the Egungun at Mdakeke are Agbabu, Elebiti Kikika and Faola. Some of the famous Egungun in Ibadan includes Oloolu, Alapansanpa and Atipako. In Ile Ife there were Egungun names like Gbandu and Adegboro Egungun that have been brought out in times of wars to invoke the warriors during th Yoruba fratricidal wars. There are stories that some Alafin even wore Egungun masquerade in moment of crisis. An example of this is Alaafin Atiba at Oyo who was believed to have led his forces in Epo War wearing his mask, and Oluyole of Ibadan, who also used to wear his mask in wars. Some said that Egngun was invented in the old Oyo empire for religious control and to maintain political power. That may be the reason for the clashes between the Alagbaa, which is a groupof Egungun cults associated with the Alafin, and Alapini another Egungun cult associated with the Oyomesi in the old Oyo Empire. There are different types of Egungun, depending on their lineage. Layewu is the Egungun of hunters. Egungun alare are the ones who make music and dances to entertain the creowd. They are ususally very playful and dance around the village praying for the people. some of the decorations on the masquerades have horns and hides of very exotic animals on the masks. It demonstrates the fierceness of the egungun. There are also youthful Egungun who dimnostrate how much young adults can tolerate pain by flogging each other with sticks in the festivals. Sometimes that is how the stronger men are recruited for war and actions. Gelede and Epa Masquerades are common among the Egbas and the Ijebu, but they are not exactly like the Egungun Oyo. The origiin of Egungun is not really known because there are different versions of the story. The Egungun festival is one of the Orisa worships where you see a lot of women participating. Yoruba says that “Awo Egungun lo binrin lese awo gelede to binrin lemo Bo binrin fojo kan oro. Oro agbe” (Women can know the cult of Egungun, they can know the cult of Gelede but they can not know the cult of Oro because the ceremony is done in secret at night in the deep jungle). Only certain people are allowed to be around.

ORISA/IRUNMOLES
Apart from Orunmila there are several other Orisas. They are sometimes called Irunmoles. Mostly the people believe they are energies from the supreme energy that manifest in different elements such as the River, the Sea , the Ocean, the Hills, the Volcanoes the Sky, the Thunder and Lightning, the Sun, the Moon, the Earth, the Fire, the Wind, the Clouds and so on. They believe that there is the power of God in those elements, including all living forms. That is why it was easy for the people to adore and worship a river or a hill. Those who called the Yorubas idol worshippers misunderstood the people. In the old testaments, Prophet Moses was always going to the mountain to talk to God. God must be manifesting on the mountain in their time, too. Same way Yoruba believe that God dwells in several sacred sites. Here are some of the Orisas that are commonly worshiped in the New World:

Obaluaye

Obatala

Sango

Yemonja

Olokun

Oya

Ogun

Esu

Orunmila

Oshun

Osun

OsosiOBALUAYE
Obaluaye is the spiritof sickness and healing of the sick people. The Orisas also called him Soponno. He is considered a male energy. Obaluayé is the spirit that causes smallpox, a sickness that was once rampant among the Yorubas. Obaluayé was synchronized with Saint Lazarus among the Yorubas of the New World. Yoruba were afraid of the deadliness that was associated with Obaluayé. The worshippers of the Orisa are feared by everyone among the Yoruba.

Taking the "I" out of Ori ...
Aboru Aboye Aboshishe,

I should start by saying, that though I try to help others, I probably don't do enough, and I'm certainly not perfect. That said, after spending several years online in various chat rooms, list-servs and websites, to this day it is a rarity to see people talking about community service, charity, the role of the Orisa traditions in helping others, beyond those questions meant to help themselves directly or in-directly. Sure, we see the occasional talk about a sick child/person being helped, even an osha done for "free", or someone in need getting a free reading, but they are overshadowed by what I think of as the Botanica 'buy your solution' mentality.

Perhaps buying our salvation is a self fulfilling destiny in our Botanica consumer culture, which is just an extension of the larger multi-billion dollar self-help industry. Go to the botanica, buy a love candle to get a lover back, don't move on... take a wealth bath and feed Esu, don't work harder and educate yourself...wear an Oshun ileke and attraction perfume to bring new love, don't get yourself out to meet new people and care for your growth...Receive the guerreros and feed Oshoosi to stop that lawsuit/police conviction, don't own up to what you did and lead a good life...kill your enemy using sarabanda, don't press charges or mind your own business or avoid them...The list goes on.
Have we simply created our own multi-million dollar Orisa salvation industry? We'll make you feel good, and give you the answers you want to hear, but not base any of it in reality and tell you the hard things that you yourself need to do? (because then you might not come back to us for more work). Now, Botanica's fill a need as suppliers, but have you seen some of the "candles", "oils" and "baths"? These items create a aura of quick fixes that insidiously and subtly invade our thoughts. Sure there are those that won't accept anything but the mystical help of the "other" to do things for them, but can't that be tempered with sound advice from the oracle like. Get a job...Go for job training...find a different lover...move out...leave your enemy alone, and if they bug you, press charges...find a hobby...better yourself...give to your community...

Certainly not everyone is like this, there are wonderful people in this tradition, some of them own Botanica's. But, has this mentality pervaded our tradition in so many subtle ways that we no longer realize it. Even amongst the priestly ranks the "me" or "I" is prevalent. We see it in these conversations: "my godchild isn't listening to me"...You have to do Osha..Respect my "crown"...I'm "crowned" with XYZ Orisa...I "gave birth" to you...In "MY" ile, this is the right way to do it... So the question needs to be asked, where has the community gone? Where has charity gone? Why are we so focused simply on "crowning"/initiating? To what end does that truly serve? Why is it that we believe that Ebo solves everything? and the most difficult question of all:

Where did we lose focus on development of the self? And when did we forget that we are part of a community and have a responsibility to help others, priest and layperson alike?

Ifa says we are a community, and we have a responsibility to our community. We are not unlike so many of the other religious traditions of west and east, we have a communal calling, we re responsible for more then ourselves, we have simply forgotten it, and as is so easy in our consumer culture, we have focused on our own problems. As priests, we have even more responsibility, not only to help others, but to help others understand that they too are responsible to their greater community at large.

In Osa Ogunda Ifa says:

The anthill is the place of deliberations of the eerun ants.
Asuwa, a grouping together in harmony, is the place of deliberations of human beings.
It was through the principle of grouping together, that the earth was created.
It was through the principle of grouping together, that heaven was created.
And it was in the form of collectivities that beings descended on earth.
All inclusive was the grouping together when beings were first created.
All embracing was the grouping together when beings were completed.
Formed into collectivities were beings, when they rained down on earth.
All goodness became a grouping together in harmony.
The grouping together of the strands of hair covered the head.
The grouping together of hairs on the chin became an object of attention.
The grouping together of trees became a forest.
The grouping together of the eruwa grasses became a savannah.
The grouping together of beehives hold up the roof of the house.
And the grouping together of the Ita ants led to their covering the earth.
Alasuwada, Great Being who creates all beings in groups, we ask you humbly,
That you grant us things gathered in groups
So that they bring together all things good for us.
Bees for swarms
Eeran plants grow together on the farm.
Brooms are formed from bundles of twigs.
Eeran grass grows in bunches on the plains.
And the elegiri birds form flocks

It is as a grouping together that we encounter the grassland
It is as swarms that the locusts consume the farm
It is in several colonies that we find termites in their mounds
It is in groves that we encounter the ekunkun trees on the water's edge
It is in clusters we find oore grass at the riverside
It is in schools that we find egbele fish in the ocean
It is in groups we encounter the dragon fly
And the adosusu leaf is never found alone

Dews pouring lightly, pouring lightly
Were used to create the world
And likewise was done to create the earth.
So that goodness of togetherness could come forth at once.
Indeed all goodness took the form of a gathering together in harmony.

Now, if one Ori encounters good,
It will spread out and touch two hundred
If my Ori is good
It will spread out and touch you
And if your Ori is good,
It will spread out and touch me
For if just one Ori experiences good
It will spread out and touch two hundred.
Iyerosun = Opon-Ifa…

Asuwa ni toyin
Asuwa leeran nhu ninu oko
Asuwa ni to susu owo
Asuwa leeran nhu ninu aare
Asuwa ni ti elegiri

Asuwa laa bodan
Asuwa lesu nfiijoko
Asuwa opo suu laa ba ikan inu ogan
Asuwa laa ba ekunkun let omi
Asuwa oore lodo
Asuwa laa ba lanilani
Asuwa laa beja egbele lokun
Ewe adosusu kii duro loun nikan

Iri tu wili, tu wili
Lfi dale aye
la bu da ile
kire susu ko wa su piripiri
ire gbogbo d'asuma

Nje, bori kan ba sunwon
A ran igba
Ori mi to suwon
lo ran yin
Ori yin to sunwon
Lo ran mi
Bori kan ba sunwon
A ran igba

Certainly Ifa believes that all beings need to be in groups to survive, that was how they were created. Which means, we are not only responsible to ourselves, but to the group that allows us to survive in the world. So what does Ifa say is our responsibility? Ifa lays out for us in Irosun Iwori, not only our path to ending the cycle of re-incarnation, but what Olodumare sees as our goal in this world.

Irosun Iwori says:

Let us do things with joy.
Those who want to go, let them go.
Those who want to stay, let them stay.
Surely, humans have been chosen to bring good into the world.
The All-knowing One, priest of Orunmila, divined Ifa for Orunmila.
He said the people of the world would come to ask him a certain question.
He said that Orunmila should sacrifice.
Orunmila heard and complied.
One day all kinds of people, good and those who do not allow good in other people's lives gathered.
They then went to Orunmila
They said: "Coming back and forth to earth tires us, Orunmila.
Therefore, please allow us to rest in heaven."
Orunmila said: "You cannot avoid going back and forth to earth,
Until you bring about the good condition that Olodumare has ordained for every human.
After then you may rest in heaven."
They asked "What is the good condition?"
Orunmila said: "The good condition is a good world:
A world in which there is full knowledge of all things;
Happiness everywhere;
Life without anxiety or fear of enemies;
Without clashes with snakes and other dangerous animals;
Without fear of death, disease, litigation, losses, wizards, witches or Esu;
Without fear of injury from water or fire;
And without fear of poverty or misery.
Because of your wisdom, your compelling desire for good character and your internal strength.
The things needed to bring about the good condition in the world then are:
Wisdom that is fully adequate to govern the world;
Sacrifice; character; the love of doing good for all people, especially those who are in need,
And those who seek assistance from us;
And the eagerness and struggle to increase good in the world
And not let any good at all be lost.
People will continue to go to heaven;
And they will go back and forth to earth after their transfiguration,
Until everyone has achieved the good condition.
Thus, when the children of Oduduwa gather together,
Those chosen to bring good into the world are called human beings or the chosen ones

K'a fi'nudidun see
Eni maa lo ki o maa lo
Eni maa dehin ki o maa dehin
Dandan eniyan ni a yan ki won mu're lo saye
Morantan awo Orunmila l'o difa'f'Orunmila
O ni awon omo-aye nbowa bileere oro kan
A niki Orunmila rubo
Orunmila gbo; o rubo
Nijokan oniruru eniyan, awo eniyan rere ati awon eniyan ma jeki l'eniyan sunwon gbarajo
Won to Orunmila wa
Won ni ipaara aye yi su wa Orunmila
Nitorinaa ki o jowo jeki a simi si orun
Orunmila ni eyin ko le sai maa paara ode-aye
Titi eyin yoo gi de ipo rere naa ti Olodumare ti yan fun gbogbo eniyan
Lehinnaa ni eyin yoo simi si orun
Won ni: kini ipo rere?
Orunmila ni ipo rere naa li aye rere:
Aye amotan ohun gbogbo;
Ayo nibi-gbogbo;
Wiwa laisi ominu tabi iberu ota;
Laisi ija ejo tabi eranko buburu miran;
Laisi iberu iku arun, ejo, ofu, oso, aje tabi Esu;
Laisi iberu ifarapa omi tabi ina;
Ati laisi iberu aini tabi osi,
Nitori ogbon yun iwarere ati agbara inu.
Ogun ti yoo gbe wa de ipo rere naa
Ogbo ti o po to eyiti a le fise akoso aye
Irubo, iwa, iferan oore-sise fun gbogbo eniyan, ni pataki julo awon ti ise alaini,
Ati awon ti o nfe iranlowo lodo wa;
Itara fun ati sisa ipa lati fi kun ire ti o wa ni aye
laijeki ire eyikeyii ti a ti ni lo.
Awo eniyan yoo maa lo si orun.
Won yoo si maa pada wa s'ode aye lehin iparada won,
Titit enikookan yoo fi de ipo rere naa
Nitorinaa nigbati awon omo Oduduwa pe jo,
Awon ti o yan lati ko ire wa s'ode aye ni a npe ni: eniyan

Ifa is a communal experience. Ifa expects us to respect our community. Ifa expects us to help those around us in need as much as we help ourselves, if for no other reason so that we may reside in Orun with our ancestors, our celestial community.

Ifa has a message beyond money, beyond self-aborption, beyond power and beyond politics.

Ifa is a way of life.

If we choose to listen, Ifa can teach us how to live with ourselves as a part of a larger community for the betterment of all.loyalty and other claims...
Aboru aboye aboshishe,

In a recent conversation I had with a friend, I heard someone talk about one santero (olorisa) "stealing" godchildren from another person. I've even heard this said about me. In fact, in all the years of this tradition, I've heard this claim over and over again from a variety of people, some who surprised me. The reason I found this such an interesting, and almost absurd claim, was that "stealing" implies ownership. I would go one further, in that this same conversation is also heard not just about godchildren, but also about "clients" (which is also another word I've always found odd, as if we as priests are simply selling our religious services). Again, there seems to be some implied sense of ownership which I've always found uncomfortable. Are we as adherents simply some type of chattel to be held on to or collected by priests?

Further, there's the person who may do their Dosu/Kariosha ceremony with one godparent, and then leave for whatever reason and do other ceremonies in another Ile. Godparents get riled and appalled they may choose to leave, and get up in arms saying they must according to some "law" do their additional ceremonies with them. Perhaps it's tradition, but I see no theological foundation. It's as if they think the Orisa will be offended that they have left their godparent. We have our Ori, we have freewill, for good or for bad, but Orisa will never be upset with us if we choose to take a path that might separate us from our godparent, as long as it's done respectfully. I have yet to hear one person point out an Odu Ifa that says you have to do everything with one godparent, nor have I heard one decent logical argument for it. In fact, at least in the traditional yoruba experience I've had so far, it's common for Awo Ifa to travel to other cities even, to learn from Awo Ifa that are not their Oluwo or Ojugbona. But that is only traditional Yoruba Ifa.

I find all of this odd, and disconcerting, though certainly very human. As priests, it seems to me, our obligation is to caring for the Orisa, to give good counsel to those who seek it in the name of Orisa, and to our own health and welfare. It doesn't seem to me that there's anything in our initiations, theology, or life, that gives us any right to claim someone else. Whether that be as a "client" or as a "godchild", everything is based on freewill. Certainly we might hope that someone will continue to come to us for support. And if we extend our support to them beyond simple initiation and divination, to more personal areas in their time of need, we can hope that they will also support us as well. That doesn't, however, seem to me to imply that there is any requirement on their part except to be a good human being, and be respectful, even if that means leaving respectfully.

The other thing that concerns me is when I hear folks ranting about bad students who leave them, or aren't "loyal". Is wisdom meant to be passed only based on loyalty? or to people that will forever remain with one person? Certainly loyalty is a good and important trait, but you can be a loyal person, and also an evil one. Isn't it our obligation as priests to pass on our knowledge to those that will use it to do good? to service people in a charitable and fair way? with loyalty being only of secondary importance? What does that mean anyways, if they disagree with us, or decide they have different ideas, that doesn't make them less of a priest.

I guess I talk about all of this because this sense of ownership behind words like "stealing" the veiled implications of words like "loyal" and the sense that someone can only work with their godparent or they're bad, concern me. They seem to place the focus in the tradition on possession of assets. Aren't we as priests supposed to help others and give our knowledge and wisdom without expectations? To be very clear, I'm not suggesting we train people we think are unethical or evil. We also havseem to place the focus in the tradition on possession of assets. Aren't we as priests supposed to help others and give our knowledge and wisdom without expectations? To be very clear, I'm not suggesting we train people we think are unethical or evil. We also have a responsibility to train other priests to pass on that knowledge to others for good, and to help as many as possible. It just seems that people need to stay out of a sense of love, not out of a sense of obligation.

In the Odu Oturupon Obara Ifa says:

Ola silo n'ile; ola dehin s'ile
A difa fun Iyamooke
Won ni omo naa ti o bi ko nii ku ko nii lailalaafia
Sugbon omo naa ko nii gbe odo re nigbati o ba dagba
won niki o wa rubo ki omo naa baa ni aye rere
O gbo; o ru

Honor goes forth from the house, and honor returns to the house
This was the teaching of Ifa for Iyamooke, the mother who knows how to nurture
They said that the child she gave birth to would not die or be unhealthy
But the child would not stay with her after she grew up
They said she should practice sacrifice so that the child might have a good life
She heard and she complied

Ifa says, we don't even have the expectation our own child wil always stay with us, but we must sacrifice for them regardless, so why would a godchild be any different

The Divining Powder (Iyerosun)

Iyerosun is a powder used in the Yoruba Ifa tradition mainly by Diviners in Ifa divination practices to mark Odu Ifa. It is termite dust from the Irosun tree, the Irosun tree is a special tree that is said to have a connection to the spirit realm. Iyerosun is sprinkled on the Opon- Ifa (Divination tray) and scattered on its face to imprint the Odu Ifa. This powder is very important to Ifa and a competent Awo can use it to perform wonders. This powder has blessed by God and whatever a Diviner wishes to do with it shall come to pass as long as it is properly done. The position of Iyerosun in Ifa is such that Ikin cannot be used for consultation in the absence of this powder.

*** By implication, the most sacred aspect of Ifa cannot be carried out without the use of Iyerosun. Ifa tells us what led to the situation where Iyerosun choose never to part with Ifa forever…

*** The figure of Ifa are marked on the tray in a powder which is scattered on its surface. There are problems in botanical classification and apparently regional variations in the name of the tree, but Iyereosun as the name for the powder is widely recognized. Divining powder Iyerosun is often kept in a bottle or other container. Ifa Diviners bring home a piece of the trunk of the Irosun tree during the dry season and leave it on the ground so that termites can eat it. The termites, they explain eat only the whitish outer parts of the wood.
Initial Invocations: Before the first divination of the day, prayers and invocations are offered to Ifa and other Deities while the apparatus is being arranged. The Diviner sits on a mat with his tray in front of him. He spreads wood dust (Iyerosun) on the tray, and places the divining cup in the center of it. He draws a line clockwise with his finger in the wood dust (Iyerosun) around the base of the divining cup, saying, “I build a house around you, so you can build a house around me, so you can let children and money surround me.” He erases the line with his cow-tail switch, saying, “I pay homage oh..(3x) Homage come to pass…(3x) He takes a little wood dust (Iyerosun) from the tray and places it on the ground, saying “Ground I pay homage; homage come to pass.”

***Opon = Ifa Divination Board…

***Ifa is not merely a Collection of Verses, Proverbs, Parables and Anecdotes. Ifa is God’s Sacred Message to Mankind. It is the embodiment of the totality of human existence. It is also clear that Religion, Worship and Sacrifice are but few aspects of what constitutes the Divine Message known as Ifa. It constitutes what is also known as the Great Mystery System.

God gave the holy spirit Orunmila a flawless method of communication between himself and the Orishas. Sixteen is the number of Cosmos; it represents the primal order that issued from the unity of God. Sixteen is also a significant number in the world of computers. When the world was first created, it spread out from an original palm tree that stood at the center of the world at Ile-Ife. The palm tree had sixteen branches, which formed the four cardinal points and the sixteen original quarters of Ile-Ife. The number sixteen represents the variables of the human condition, the sixteen possible situations of human life. The sixteen principle signs are called Odu or Olodu, from each of which are drawn sixteen subordinate signs Omo-Odu, “Children of Odu”.
These are the universal energies that give birth to all given circumstances and situations, all the blessings and misfortunes of the universe are contained within them. It is through the knowledge of these energies, called Odù Ifá, that a Diviner is able to work with individuals to achieve the greatest potential of their destiny. The Odù Ifá are the blueprints to all the energies possible in the Universe. Each has verses of esoteric knowledge associated with it along with Medicines, Rituals, and Sacrifices…

A Diviner uses the Opon Ifá in order to communicate with the spirits who are able to identify the causes and solutions to personal and collective problems and restore harmony with the spirits. Opon Ifá are flat and usually circular, with a raised outer edge carved with figures, objects, or geometric designs. Opon Ifá may also be rectangular, semi-circular, or an approximate square. The top of the tray is called the head, and the bottom, the foot – the latter is typically placed closest to the diviner. The diviner, uses several art objects in communicating with the spirit world during divination.

At the beginning of a divination session, the Ifa diviner will draw a cross-roads pattern on the surface of the Opon Ifa as a sign that this is the place of meeting between human concerns – sickness, barrenness, fear of witchcraft and spiritual powers. It is the place of communication between humans and Orisha Orunmila, the God of wisdom who knows the prenatal destiny (Ori) chosen by each person. The diviner will then use his Iroke Ifa, Ifa tapper to invoke the presence of the Ancient Diviners. Tapping rhythmically, he will call upon Orunmila and Orisha Eshu, to be attentive to what he is doing. Eshu is the guardian of the ritual way, the messenger of the Gods and other spiritual powers, as well as the conveyor of the sacrifices of humans to such powers. Eshu’s face always appears at the top of an Opon Ifa.

must be done. Orunmila has so many ways to at his disposal to make an appearance to an individual’s consciousness that it boggles the mind. Conversely, simply because we’ve gone through all the hoops that the community of Ifa worshipers says are necessary in order to become a Diviner doesn’t automatically make us a Diviner. A person can study Odu verses and spiritual text from now until the end of time. However, if the individual s not right in his or her relationship with Orunmila, if they do not embrace social consciousness, if the person does not practice personal integrity, Orunmila would not trust that individual to be his manifestation of spiritual instruction. Only people with the fortitude to maintain their good Character will have his trust to guide others…

*** No Leaf can fall from the Tree without the Authority, Power and Knowledge of God…

Ogbo Edan *** Ogboni Society…

*** Good Character Is What Adorns A Man…

(( Ogboye, Ogboran, Ogbo Edan!))

Ogboni = known as Osugbo in Ijèbú is a fraternal institution indigenous to the Yoruba language-speaking polities of Nigeria, Republic of Bénin and Togo, as well as among the Edo/Benin people groups. The society performs a range of political and religious functions, including exercising a profound influence on regents and serving as high courts of jurisprudence in capital offenses. Its members are generally considered to be part of the nobility of the various Yoruba kingdoms of West Africa.
Though versions or lodges of this fraternal group are found among the various types of Yoruba polities – from highly centralized kingdoms and empires like Oyo, to the independent towns and villages of the Ègbá and the Èkiti. The Ogboni are recognizable for their veneration of the personified Earth (Ilè or Oduduwa) and their emphasis on both authority and benevolent service to the community. While membership in the Ogboni generally signified a high level of power and prestige, the society held pre-eminent political authority among decentralized groups like the Ègbá, where they were intimately involved in the selection of rulers that served as little other than figureheads in practice. In contemporary Yoruba land, Ogboni members still command great power and influence in the affairs of their societies, although this is largely due to the history of their respective chieftaincies and not to any official authority.

Ogboni lodges were one of the main commissioners of brass jewelry and sculpture in pre-colonial Yoruba land, using the metal’s rust-resistant qualities as an apt metaphor for the immortal functions and beliefs of Ogboni adepts. The most recognizable of these symbols was a pair of Ogboni initiates, one male and one female, attached by a chain and worn around the neck. The pair are thought to symbolize the attachment of the sexes in procreation and balanced society. Generally, one or both figures will hold a thumb in the grip of the opposite hand, demonstrating the paramount Ogboni handsign denoting initiation and membership.

Various fraternities in Nigeria have incorporated references and insignia from the original Ogboni, including the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity, the Indigenous Ogboni, and various others. Many of these contemporary societies combine elements of Ogboni’s historical functions with superficially similar institutions like Freemasonry and the Rotary Club.

Similar traditional institutions combining political, judicial, and sacred duties exist among the various ethnic nationalities of southern Nigeria, including Nze na Ozo in Igbo-speaking southeast Nigeria and Ekpe/Ngbe/Ugbe in the Cross River region of southeastern Nigeria and southwestern Cameroon. Initiatory secret societies are a common feature of pre-colonial government across much of West Africa and Central Africa.

History and Structure: With regard to how to describe the Ogboni, members of the Ogboni “society” would likely take offence at having their organization referred to as a “cult” or a “secret society” and would probably refer to themselves as a “lodge” similar to that of the Masons. In Nigeria the Ogboni are commonly referred to as a “secret society” by Nigerians, but that Ogboni members would likely self-identify the group as a social club whose members help each other in matters such as commerce, marriage. Consequently, in this Response the Ogboni will be referred to as a Society. There has been a lot of “cross-fertilization” between the Masons and groups such as the Ogboni, since there are many Masons in Nigeria and that they have been there since the 19th century.

The traditional Ogboni society was part of the checks and balances system of the Yoruba kingdoms. They were kingmakers, and disposed of both a religious as well as a judicial function. They had also the power to dethrone the Oba (the king) and could order him to kill himself. They are thought to still dispose of considerable local influence, forming part of the traditional power network to regulate societies and control resources. It is assumed that through their membership they also have strong connections to official state structures.

First we have the Osugbo gbede which is normally referred to as being owned by the Oba. This is for the Oba’s chiefs. There is Ogboni Aborigine fraternity of Nigeria, there is Iwule Ogboni and it is believed to be for the elderly four. Firstly we have Ogboni Out Ife, there is Ogboni Arapa Nika, this came from Akoko in Ondo State, there is Ogboni Ara Ife, there is Ogboni Akala, and there is Ogboni Agamasa, Ogboni Ogenete and also the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity which came out of Ogboni Aborigine.

The Osugbo’s being titled chief of the Oba can however attend functions of the Aborigine because they are respected members of the society. It is therefore not expressly possible for a member of one society to gatecrash into another’s. Asked to state when the traditional Ogboni was created, the Oluwo Ogboni Aborigine, Iledi Iyadamilola I, Imota Chief Emmanuel Olatunji Akinyemi said nobody could say when Ogboni started. “What is known about Ogboni is that they existed before the advent of colonialism, they ruled with the Oba, they governed and adjudicated matters in traditional ways and they were so meticulous that even when the colonialists came, they found the system so formidable that they coudn’t tamper with it,” he explained.

*** Ogboni society, including its history, structure, rituals and Sources indicate that information about the Ogboni society is limited. Several sources also indicate that they are referred to as a “secret” society or as a “cult”.

Historical Background: Ogboni society is an “assembly of elders” that created a cult based on the cosmology of Yoruba. The Ogboni considered themselves as the “privileged intermediaries between the Living and the Ancestors”. They venerated mother Earth or goddess Earth, Sources indicate that the Ogbonis acted as the “check and balance” against the power of the king to the point of having the authority to remove him if necessary. The Ogbonis had judicial functions, their primary role was the preservation of the “Ife oracle”. Priests of the Obgoni society are often called on to consult the oracle to determine a number of sensitive issues, such as Ancestral support for the King. In fact, members of the Obgoni society are Guardians and Protectors of the Divine Oracle and Laws. The Ogboni society was the highest court in Yorubaland, with the power to judge powerful individuals that did not face justice in the open judicial system.

The only Yoruba parts of Nigeria where they still have some real influence on the traditional administration of the cities are in the Egba, Egbado and Abeokuta parts of Nigeria. However, the Ogboni still have “quite significant” influence and power over the affairs of the nation. Nevertheless, the political integrity of both the Ogboni Society and the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity “has been called into question given their strong links with Freemasonry, the Rotary Club, or the Rosicrucian Brotherhood”. All Ogbonis are under the authority of the political leader, referred to as the Alafin, who has the authority to convoke the priests into “extraordinary sessions”. However, the structure of the Ogboni society is a “secret that only an Ogboni member can answer,” risking death by poisoning.

Rituals and Ceremonies: particularities about the rituals and ceremonies of the Ogboni society are a “Secret that Only an Ogboni Member can Answer,” risking his or her own death. Membership is open to Yorubas and other ethnicities, and that men and women are eligible for initiation within the society, although the “predominance of Male Elders is undeniable”.

The society is “potentially very dangerous for individuals who join them”. Even though positions within the Ogboni society are not inherited, if one person’s parent was a member of the Ogboni Society, and that person had been exposed to their activities meetings held at his or her parents’ house while the child was present so that over the years the child grew up knowing the identities of the Ogboni; or the parent deliberately pledged that his or her child would become a member. In most situations, individuals deliberately and voluntarily join these societies because they want power, financial rewards, and success….
*** The Apena was the spokesman of the Ogboni society which was a central and important institution in all Yoruba states. The Ogboni has been defined as a ‘secret and ritually united corporation of political and religious leaders and its special priest. The Egba Ogboni as the ‘real leaders of the town’. The Ogboni was once the civic court, the town council and the Electoral College… In principle the Ogboni stood between the King and his subjects, preventing the one from being despotic and ensuring the proper subordination of the other.

Ori = Destiny & Designator…

Head (Ori) = Inu “Inner Head – Destiny” *** Head (Ori) = Akoko “First Head – Designator”

Distinction between Heaven (Orun) & World (Aiye) * Heaven contains: Owner – Deities – Ancestors… * World contains: Human – Animals – Sorcerers…

The Heaven/World distinction is important in understanding Yoruba concepts of Life, Death, Destiny, Reincarnation & Soul. Firstly, Yoruba thought makes a distinction between the physical body & the spiritual elements which inhabit it and give it life & individuality. The characteristics of these two spiritual elements appear as the most important are Breath (Emi) & Head (Ori)

Breath (Emi) is generally thought of as the vital force, without which the body dies. In some accounts it is also thought of as the conscious self. It not only provides locomotion for the body, but can think independently of it, and can travel abroad on its own in dreams. Head (Ori) is more complex it rather than Breath is the seat of the intellect. It is also related to a person’s destiny, as the element which predetermines his success or failure in the world.

Head (Ori) is given to, or chosen by, an individual before his/her birth, creating limits within which success in the world can be expected and within which the Breath is able to act. In contrast to this rather fatalistic model, Head is also to be the Ancestral Guardian Soul – A spiritual entity which can be influenced by humans in efforts to improve life on earth. Each individual has two Ancestral guardians, one on the Head, and one in Heaven which is doing exactly the same things as the individual is doing on Earth. With the support of the Ancestral guardian in Heaven, an individual will live the allotted span of life.

Head (Ori) is believed to be the first and the most important Deity in Heaven. The spiritual and personal Head (Ori) or Divinity possessed by each and every individual. Each person and deity before coming to earth, must visit Ajala – maker of Heads in heaven. If one has the bad luck to choose a less than perfect Head, his/her life on earth will be severely affected. Head (Ori) refers to one’s spiritual intuition and destiny. It is the reflective spark of human consciousness embedded into the human essence, and therefore is often personified as an Orisha in its own right. It is believed that human beings are able to heal themselves both Spiritually and Physically by working with the Orishas to achieve a balanced character, Oriwa-Pele. When one has a balanced character, one obtains an alignment with one’s Head (Ori) or divine self. It is also believed that Head (Ori) be worshiped like Orisha. This is because whatever one becomes or whatever happens in one’s life is as destined by Head (Ori)

A person’s Head (Ori) is so crucial to a successful life that it is propitiated frequently, and its support and guidance is sought before undertaking any new task. Personal Head (Ori) shrines are indispensable and are present in most homes, irrespective of sex, religious belief, or cult affiliation. And in the performance of virtually all sacrifices, Ancestral worship, since it determines their favorable outcome.

As above, so below. Ifa offers the term Head (Ori) to explain the exact path from our “Origin” to us and between us and others. It is our portion of the divine spark that is encoded with our destiny. Its components are seated in certain chakra points within and above us. Above -Below or better yet, simply Without – Within” to describe the path by which the two are connected: Our original form of pure energy or true spirit body that manifested first, from our original energy source. Our Head (Ori) also resides in one of the first realms created by that source.

Physical Head: This may even refer to our brain. It houses the next three Ori portals. It is located at the crown of our head. This is the point where our silver cord or chain connects us to our original and true spirit self in Heaven (Orun). The Head (Ori) is vested with great importance in Yoruba art and thought. When portrayed in sculpture, the size of the head if often represented as four or five times its normal size in relation to the body in order to convey that it is the site of a person’s Power (Ashe) as well as his or her essential nature, or Character (Iwa). The Yoruba distinguish between the Exterior Head (Ori-Akoko) and Inner Head (Ori-Inu). Exterior Head (Ori-Akoko) is the physical appearance of a person, which may either mask or reveal one’s Inner Head (Ori-Inu) aspects. Inner qualities, such as patience and self-control, should dominate outer ones.

The head also links the person with the other-world. The Imori ceremony – Head (Ori) is the first rite that is performed after a Yoruba child is born. During Imori, a diviner determines whether the child comes from his or her mother’s or father’s lineages or from a particular Deity (Orisha). If the latter is the case, then the child will undergo Deity (Orisha) initiation during adulthood, during which the person’s Head (Ori) becomes the spiritual vessel for that Deity (Orisha). To prepare for these ceremonies, the person’s head is shaved, bathed and anointed.

Yoruba do not consider the Head (Ori) symbol really complete without an accompanying container to house, honour and beauty it. This is the most costly acts of honour an individual can do to any Deity. It is hard to imagine a more fitting residence for Head, the cause and essence of one’s being. During consultation or Propitiation, the devotee will place Ibori – House Of Head (Ori) on a well-swept & polished floor which has been covered with a white cloth. Devotee offers standard items of sacrifice to Head like water, kolanut, and is free to add other items of choice. Depending on the nature of the request, a corresponding symbolic sacrifice is made.

Coconut Water – Omi Agbon as Head softener (Ero), makes it work more in favour of the owner where that Head is found to be hard. Snails (Igbin) are offered to ask Head (Ori)to avert an impending disaster. Sugarcane – Ground Roasted Corn & Honey are offered to attract good fortune – happiness or joy…

Consequently the Yoruba Concept of Head (Ori), is always conscious of the duality of his being, namely the material mortal self, and the spiritual one. In actual life experience, the spiritual Head’s qualities such as immortality, ever-presence and insuperable power are employed where human efforts fail or appear inadequate. Thus, in extreme conditions of bad or good health, fortune or misfortune, the Yoruba resort to Head (Ori) for rectification or gratification.

***Because of the circumstances of their creation, all Deities have to pay homage to Head (Ori). Similarly, all cult heads & devotees have to touch the Earth with their forehead as an act of symbolic respect for the first Ori-Akoko in heaven who in turn will roll side to side in reverence to Owner of Heaven on behalf of the appellant on Earth. (Ofun-Irete)

Ori is the essence of a human being, Ori is the guide and guardian of our life with one specialty – Ori has been with us since before we were even born, he follows us through our whole lives until death and beyond. Consequently, all our accidents, mishaps we encounter, are all reflections of our Ori. We can consider Ori as the source of everything, the foundation of everything we experience in life. It is the energy that motivates us at everything; it is responsible for our dynamic energy, for our achievements, our mistakes, our consistency.

There are two types of Ori, namely – Ori Ire – good fate, good Ori Ori Buruku – bad fate, bad Ori. This is all very visible in our life. We can recognize the people who have good luck and certain pe
people with a bad luck or negative fate.

Ori is an individual choice of a human life. Everybody has the right to own choice, be it bad or good, from experience or without, with risk or without it. Sadly, that same Ori can turn against us. In fact, our most vital energy is what can let us down when we need it the most. When we work for ourselves, it is actually our intelligence that can fail us. Our life resources are also our experiences, our personal security and self-confidence – all the resources we need in order to survive. All this can collapse. That leads us to destruction, to negative experiences. Accidents happen because of this; we make wrong decisions, we get angry for no reason or we fall into a deep depression. We can regard this as failure of our Ori in a certain cycle of life.

This is beyond the concept of any religion. This is the concept of a human being. Ori is the nature of a human being, the power of fate. Ori is the personal guardian responsible for all our noble deeds, our vitality, our achievements and for our failures. It is our essence. Ori is the principle that serves the basic human needs in order to have a worthy life. The basic needs are: common sense, knowing our own restrictions, responsibility and fear. Fear is also needed because if we did not have it, we would go beyond our restrictions. Every time we go beyond our limitations, we expose ourselves to greater risks.

When people with this kind of energy expose themselves to extreme risks, it often leaves them with irreversible damage. That is when we tend to say: “This was his destiny“. However, fate is actually only an aftermath of irresponsibility towards oneself. Experiences that follow usually are not satisfying. Our Ori is responsible for all the energies that are needed in order for us to protect our lives, to ensure our survival and the possibility of another life. But our Ori is also responsible for all the energies that lead us to our deaths. If we do not use all our natural resources with adding positive things into our lives, we can encounter a large number of negative experiences. The paradox of life is that a lot of people actually do not even care whether they take risks, they do not care if they are protected or not, and that they are actually digging their own graves.

All requests must be sanctioned by Head (Ori) before any other Power, Force, or Divinity can act on them, favourably or otherwise. Head (Ori) is the channel of communication between individuals on Earth and the Deities.

Olokun = Keeper of Secrets

**Ancestral Waters of Life…

To understand Olokun nature we need to look at the nature of the bottom of the sea, a vast mostly unexplored dark habitat. The deep sea floor is a seemingly hostile environment and yet life thrives down there. In fact scientists believe that there is more life in the dark abyss of the Earth’s oceans than in all of the tropical rain forests put together.

Like her world, so is Olokun the Keeper of Secrets. Anything that falls to the bottom of the sea floor remains intact forever more, never to be laid eyes on by anyone other than herself and her underwater children. Olokun is believed to hold the secrets of the past, the present and the future. She knows all and guards that knowledge well. Olokun holds the key to the mystery of exactly what happened to their Ancestors on those fateful journeys across the Atlantic. Many didn’t make it and thus entered the Realm of Olokun. Olokun is all-knowing, She is the Keeper of Wisdom and Divination. She is the Goddess of the Unknown -Darkness – Realm of Dreams & Unconscious.

Olokun is the Goddess of Death: Her Domain is the Graveyard of the Earth, cold and dark nature being the perfect environment for the suspended animation of Spirits. Olokun is also the Goddess of Rebirth and Renewal: At the bottom of the deep sea from Her Dark Watery Womb new life springs forth every moment, contributing to a vast and incredibly adaptive ecosystem. Olokun is associated with great riches, She is said to be a Goddess of Wealth and Abundance. Women pray to Her to conceive a child as well as for good health and worldly possessions.

Olokun is often depicted as a beautiful black Mermaid. One of the animals that symbolize Olokun is the mudfish… The Goddess Olokun is also linked to the red coral, a beautiful red gem-like colony of tiny animals that are joined together through the skeletons of their dead ancestors. As corals grow they form reefs which purify the water, provide shelter for other sea creatures and encourage the growth of wildlife habitats beneath the sea.

***In the New World: Especially amongst the Lukumi people in Cuba, Olokun and Yemaya are seen as different aspects of the same Goddess. Yemonja at the surface of the ocean is exposed to sunlight and the pull of the Moon. She is the Goddess’s life-giving and nurturing side, while Olokun in Her impenetrable abyss is the Goddess’s mysterious, dark and unknowable aspect.

When we speak of the Ancestral Waters of Life , we speak of waters that has a form of Natural consciousness that flows and nourishes, that incubates and feeds and the essence of Maternal caring that relates to the protection of children.

Omi Orun – Ancestral Waters: The idea of heavenly waters may seem symbolic to us but yet holds the ring of truth since the most commonly found substance is hydrogen particles throughout the universe . Science agrees that the combination of earth and water is what created the womb of all living creatures on the earth in consequence of the union of these elements.

The Olokun was given the title and name of the combined words OloOkun – Owner of the Oceans of Ode Aye – Earth. As well is her representation of water and birth and in fact a principal part of the human spirit of consciousness as well as it makes up part of our bodies. Throughout time and most Ancient religions of the east a Female dominate deity took hold of the Title of the owner of the great oceans of earth.

When Olokun is angry she causes the sea to be rough and stirs up a raging surf upon the shore; and it is she who drowns men, upsets boats or canoes, and causes shipwrecks.

Olokun Sea Goddess – The owner of all the riches under the oceans, the greatest Bead maker, the most powerful Deity whose mantles are the rolling waves of sea water, is a most beautiful divinity to behold. Her long, braided hair flows with the waves of the undulating waters, her ebony dark skin glistening like priceless pearls under the motion of ceaseless seas.

Olokun heard about the plan to establish human abodes on earth, and became angry. She was fully prepared to turn down the request to use earth for the human project mainly because she was already using the space for her Bead-making studio. She made Beads of all colors and shapes, but her favorite Bead was the indigo colored, tubular shaped segi bead, so luminously dark that it seems to capture light within its luxurious entrails. It was her love for Bead making that caused her to move her seat to the depth of the ocean, which nobody wanted at that time. But after she succeeded in taming and ruling the vast ocean, after she salted it and stocked it with priceless jewels, after she had transformed the vast and empty space into a home for herself, they began to plot behind her back to take her space from her and turn it into a general home to lodge humans. She found the human project totally unacceptable if it would be at the expense of her own studio work of Bead making.

It was totally unacceptable for the divinities to take her sanctuary away from her, and populate it with strangers. She sat down in a reflective mood in the midst of her vast collection of Beads. She calmly picked up some of the most colorful and exquisite Beads ever made, and slowly rubs the warm gems against her dark brown skin. She would not give up her craft, she resolved. She would fight for every cup of water in the vast ocean of the earth. It was clear to Olokun that they chose earth because she had developed it so artistically that nobody could take their eyes away from it. But they also thought that she had no fighting power. It was only if the power of the others overwhelmed her that she was going to surrender.

Olokun & The Chameleon… Her secret contact in heaven informed her that they were sending the Chameleon to her. She considered that to be a sign of their contempt for her because they could not be sending a more inferior fellow as an emissary. She knew that every act is a sign of another thing. They were telling her that she was ugly, slow and contemptible, and the chameleon would be a clear deliverer of the message. They were telling her that she was beholding her own reflection in the mirror when she saw the Chameleon riding the Snail as a horse. Right before her eyes, she saw the Chameleon climb down from the back of the Snail. To her astonishment, the skin of the Chameleon glister with a lustrous light that radiated around it. Olokun, to her surprise, wanted to touch it, but she quickly checked her impulsive spirit.

She went into her chambers and began to attire herself in her gorgeous garments, woven in multicolored patterns, using different yarns and textures. She then looked for various combinations of Beads, both brilliant and dull Beads, large and slim, round and angular shaped gems, and she wore them. She then reappeared before the Chameleon, to show off herself, and display how beautiful she looked. “As usual, you are the most elegant and attractive being alive,” the Chameleon said to her, when she came out looking exceedingly beautiful in her attires. But even as the Chameleon spoke, it began to transform, and its skin began to reflect the splendor of the color of Olokun attires. The only exception is that the mirror even looked more splendid than the original, which puzzled Olokun.

Olokun thought about these things and decided that they were too bizarre for her to deal with. Certainly, things have changed in Heaven, and they were no longer as they used to be, if the ugly Chameleon could look so beautiful, and the Snail could be as swift as a horse… She decided that she had underestimated the power of the forces of Heaven. She told the chameleon “I want no trouble from those who sent you here. But you cannot take all of my space. Tell those who sent you that you can have some of the planet, which you may turn into solid ground for human habitation. But I will still continue to reign over the larger portion covered by the waters.”

***Olokun however remembered her word, because one’s word is what is most important. And her word remained that she consented to the establishment a human colony here on earth. So she has to honor and keep her word, for that is the nature of her own graceful character. At one time She was the Goddess of all Waters and all of the Oceans, for Her name means Owner of Oceans – Lord of the Sea. Today, especially amongst the New World Yorubas, Olokun is generally associated with the dark and cold bottom of the sea.

==Both Olokun & Mami Wata use mirrors which represent water and is used as a vehicle into the other world. White Kaolin (Efun) is used for the Olokun while Talcum powder is used for the Mami Wata.

The worship of Olokun deity in Benin may be because the land of the living is surrounded by limitless water into which all rivers flow and that human souls must cross these waters “Olokun realms” either to be born or depart on their way to the spirit world after death.

OBATALA = Owner Of All Heads…

OBATALA = ORISHANLA = OBATORISA: Father Of All Orishas & Humanity – The Orisha Of Wisdom, Knowledge & Pureness..Epa Oosha Obatala Alasho Funfun.

Known as an ancient energy, it embodies the patience, clarity of mind and wisdom that can only be attained through thoughtfulness and careful and sober consideration. Thus, Obatala is also associated with the concept of justice. Those operating in this Orisha’s field are often highly intelligent and extremely thoughtful, possessing lofty yet realistic ideals. They are the observers and intellectuals among us who strive for peace, truth and clarity above all else.

Father of humanity, the right hand of Olodumare, Obatala is the supreme deity of justice, wisdom and life. Obatala’s color is white, which is often accented with other colors, namely red, coral, green or purple, according to the road. His symbols are a single, solid silver bracelet, a white horsetail switch (Irukere), a cane and a silver bell or “Agogo-Oje,” which is used when saluting him.

Obatala is the the Orisha responsible for molding the physical form of humanity before Oludumare gives us life with his divine breath. He’s always perfectly clean and expresses himself with the presence of Efun (white chalk). Liquor and red palm oil are taboo to him and his followers. Obatala is the orisha of logic, thought, and clarity and as such children of Obatala are generally logical and “heady.” In fact, children of Obatala invariably require more “alone time” than most other people as their lives are often ruled by their ability to think quietly and process. Obatala is symbolized by the color white, white doves and the number 8 and Sunday is said to be his sacred day of the week.

Obatalá “King of the White Cloth” and he represents peace, sober decision making, creativity, purity, and divination. The social role associated with him is that of an Elder or Sage and his elements or natural stages are the mountains, clouds, and palm trees. Some of the most distinctive features of Obatalá are the myth of creation that has been linked to him, the traditional offerings presented to him and the location of his supposed home, his “claim over individuals”, and the many associations with others Saints and Gods that he has received through time.

As the myth points out, Obatalá enjoyed drinking palm wine and continued to do so although it had previously led to his shame and humiliation. Due to his weakness for alcohol, he would even drink while carrying out his duties of molding and creating human bodies. Due to his carelessness, some of the beings he created were born with deformities and malformations so he was ordered by Olodumare to abstain from drinking while creating humans. Therefore, people born with birthmarks, albinos, the handicapped, or other children born with deformities are recognized as “Obatalá’s children”. This originates from the belief among people that “Obatalá always marks his children”.

Traditionally, offerings to “King of the White Cloth” are comprised of coconut, cotton, cocoa butter, cornstarch, and bitter kola. This home of this deity is said to be the mountains, and for this reason gifts and food are carried to these specific regions. The metal of Obatalá is silver and his color is white, hence his name which means “King of the White Cloth”. His priests and priestesses always wear only white in his honor, and the vast majority of the offerings taken to Obatalá are white, such as white food, white clothes, white beads, and white flowers. Obatalá also tends to receive silver jewelry and coins.

Obatalá is said to be the Owner of all Ori, which means heads. This is an important concept because it is believed that the souls of people are located in their heads. It has been claimed that Obatalá is one of the oldest Orishas and that he is the “King of Kings”. For this reason, he is also recognized as the father of all Orishas. He is known to have Three wives,Oduduwa, Yemoo, and Igbin. Obatalá is known to be patient and to possess good judgment, he is also believed to cause earthquakes when he becomes infuriated.

Obatala is the father of all children on earth, is the creator of human beings and everything that inhabits the planet. As the creator is ruler of all human body parts, mainly the head, thoughts and human life, the white owner or where it participates essentially white to symbolize peace and purity. Obatala is the owner of the white metals, especially silver. Represents the creation that is not necessarily pristine, so magnanimous and above, also the pride, anger, despotism and those with defects and physical and mental difficulties.

Obatala embraces all her children with patience and love. Among its many qualities is that he brings intelligence, peace and calm to the world. He Intercede with any Orisha for any individual to have difficulty, because it is considered the father of mankind and owner of all heads. When we seek to Obatala, we looked at the top of the mountain. He’s in the snow covering the mountain peak and is seen as the wise old man of the hills. Obatala provide justice, renewal and new beginnings. Their children, “direct” are Albinos and those born with physical and or mental. The unique function of Obatala within the realm of Mysteries of Nature is to provide the spark of light that animates consciousness. To call an Orisha the Chief of the White Cloth is to make a symbolic reference to that substance which makes consciousness possible.

***An Altar Is A Symbolic Representation Of Communicating With Your Sub-Conscious Mind.

***The reference to White Cloth is not a reference to the material used to make the cloth, it is a reference to the fabric which binds the universe together. The threads of this fabric are the multi-leveled layers of consciousness which Ifa teaches exist in all things on all levels of Being. The ability of Forces of Nature to communicate with each other, and the ability of humans to communicate with Forces in Nature that gives the world a sense of spiritual unity. It is the understanding of this ability which gives substance to the Ifa concept of good character, and it is Obatala who guides us towards developing this understanding.

All Forces in Nature come into Being through the manifestation of energy patterns called Odu. Ifa has identified and labeled different Odu which can be thought of as different expressions of consciousness. But because consciousness itself is generated by Obatala, every Odu contains an element of Obatala’s spiritual power. In metaphysical terms, this means that all of Creation is linked to Obatala as the Source of Being. All forms of consciousness contain a spark of spiritual power from Obatala, and it is this spark that links everything that is, to its shared Beginning.

The name means “Lord of the White Cloth” (Oba-ti-ala.), and is explained by the fact that white is the color sacred to Obatala, whose temples, images, and paraphernalia are always painted white, and whose followers wear white cloths. The god is always represented as wearing a white cloth.

***Obatala likes dark places. Thus when we find ourselves placed on the altar cloth to keep it away from the light…

There are many incarnations of the deities who had lived before and who had translated to eternity. Ogiyan in Ejigbo, Ayelala in Ekiti and Ijebu may have been incarnations of Obatala as well as Oluorogbo in the city of Ile-Ife. This is evident in the feeding preference and dressing of the devotees of these deities. These incarnations may have been his children who migrated out of Ilé-Ifè, to resettle in these new locations. They were subsequently honored and later deified probably because of their father’s magnanimity and prowess.

***Baba arugbo temi ni obamise – Obatala temi ni o bamise
Bi eniyan soro fun e leyin monmongba o… Temi ni o bamise…

Obatala Uses Elephant Teeth….. (Otura-Odi)

The insignia of Obàtálá is ‘Opa’, the staff; and is consequently the word to which a suffix or prefix is added to make the name complete. In other places, Òrìsà is used instead of Opa to delineate Obàtálá as the king of all the Òrìsàs. It is to the same Opa that sacrifices are offered. It is taboo for it to lie by its sides.

There is a myth that speaks of a time when Heaven and Earth were side-by-side. And human beings could travel back-and-forth between Heaven-Orun and Earth-Aiye with little difficulty. But as with such things a man violated a temple regarding such travel that Obatala had put in place. When Obatala became aware of the situation, he became furious. He Took the Opa in hand and begin to pound furiously on the ground. He commanded that from thence fourth, human beings would no longer be able to travel into heaven. He decreed that only after death would man be able to enter the Orun. And at Obatala’s command, the Earth and Heaven became separated.

OBI ABATA = Mystical Divination

General Interpretation Of Obi Abata (Kola Nuts)

For proper use in divination, the Obi Abata must be of four segments, consisting of Two Males (Ako Meji), and Two Females (Abo Meji). These segments represent an equal balance in the forces of “light” corresponding to the masculine force and “darkness” corresponding to the feminine force. To get an accurate oracle in consultation, the four segments should be cast on a clean ground, flat bowl, plate, or tray. Water should be sprinkled on the ground as a means of offering libation to the various Orishas before casting the Obi Abata.

**One thousand and one questions can be asked in a day, but the same question must NEVER be asked twice, or else the questioner will be deceived. The subject of inquiry must be always stated before the Obi Abata kola nuts are cast.

The Obi Abata Oracle can be performed by either a Man or a Woman. Yoruba traditional customs indicate that the Obi Abata is favored among Women as a means of consulting, and assisting in the Ifa system of divination.

The Language of the Obi: When the Obi is to be used for divination either as a medium in her own right, or for asking procedural directives during the process of or after the completion of a sacrifice, or for asking questions in the presence of another Orisha. It is important that the Obi to be used must be very clean and a complete whole seed. The Obi that is meant for use should be selected from a pack and should be properly washed and placed in a clean container or piece of clean white cloth.

Casting The Obi Abata: The Obi for divination or asking questions should first be put into water, and the person to cast her must take a sip of the water in which the Obi is in three times before he/she picks out the Obi from inside the water. Before taking out the Obi from inside the water, the water should be sprinkled upon the Orisha or ebo three times or if it is meant for divination purpose the water should be sprinkled on the ground where the divination will be casted three times. The Obi should thereafter be carefully broken up into its constituent Lobes, allowing for no scratch or bodily damage.

***A knife or any metallic instrument should never be used to break the Obi open, so as not to interfere with her degree of accuracy, which could be altered say for example when she comes in contact with Ogun’s iron.

Reading the Obi: In Obi Abata Divination, about Nine (9) positions of the Obi’s Lobes formation after a throw are each a coded Signature loaded with meaning such as will answer or give explanations to questions asked in response to various and specific enquiries. When the Obi is cast for asking questions in the presence of a Female Orisha, Oshun, Yemoja, Olokun etc, the reading of the Male/ Female meaning is reversed. Then the Female Lobes are read as mostly positive, while the Male Lobes are read as may-be or less positive.

I. Idiwo/Oyeku: All Four Lobes Facing Downwards

Orisha says that this cast could either mean that you are about to come into an abundance of Good Luck or that a fight or quarrel is imminent. It is always presumed that the abundance of Good Luck is what the Orisha is talking about. Because of the double language of the Odu, a recast is always necessary for clarification. So make a second casting. The casting of the four Lobes facing down is also making reference to the possible birth of twins of the taking of special care for the twin children. It also talks about a pregnant woman who needs Orisha’s attention. She should give ebo to Obatala.

***Darkness, death and many obstacles. From it you derive unhappiness, sickness, and great fear. It may also sometimes offer protection, avert sudden death, and dangers.

II. Aje/Ija (Fight): One Female Lobe Facing Up

Orisha says that this is a may-be negative indicator calling you to give the Orisha what you are owing them, and that is why negative forces aare present or surrounding the inquiries. Watch out for sickness or trouble that might be ahead. A second casting is necessary to clarify if the first throw signifies sickness, accidents or bad luck.

***Good fortune, financial prosperity and comfort. It is said that this formation brings good news.

III. Ilera = Ifa Wa: One Male Lobe Facing Up

Orisha speaks of a reinforcement of the positive influences that are abound now. Orisha says one should make Sacrifice so that the favorable trend can continue. Orisha says that no charm nor medicine have been affected by negative vibrations. Orisha says that you should not put a curse or make negative wish for anyone so that it might not come to pass.

*** Good health, singleness of purpose, and good prospects. Those Lobes which are down may also add more emphasis depending on their positions.

IV. Ejiko = Ejire: One Male & One Female Lobe Facing Up

Orisha says that this is a may-be “Yes” indicator, a marriage of convenience. Ejiko is also called the “Twins” and regarded as an indicator of continuity. Whenever this figure appears, it is greeted with thus “Good Luck, & Continuity” Appease the ground with cold water before proceeding…

*** A good omen for all undertakings, also speak of friendship when one Male and one Female Lobe lay open together.

V. Akoran = Ire: Two Male Lobes Facing Up

Orisha speaks of a reinforcement of the positive influences that are abound now. Orisha says one should make Sacrifice so that the favorable trend can continue. Orisha says that no charm nor medication have been affected by negative vibrations. Orisha says that one should not put a curse or make negative wish for anyone so that it might not come to pass.

*** A quarrel or trouble, possibly relating to a court case. It is often described as a difficult problem.

VI. Ero = Odi: Two Female Lobes Facing Up

Orisha says that this is a negative indicator, Iya-Mogun (Witches) are showing displeasure with you. They disapprove of habit/food or interest in the question asked. A Sacrifice should be made for the Orisha on behalf of a sick person. Orisha says “No” to this question is final. Make Sacrifice to appease Iya-Mogun.

*** Everlasting and Peaceful rest…

VII. Akita = Ishegun: Two Male & One Female lobes Facing Up

Orisha says that this is a very positive indicator. if your inquiry is about love relation or marriage proposal..This position of the Obi is a sign of victory. the enquirer should neither fight nor put a curse upon anyone. He has overcome all his enemies.

*** Good health, controversy among enemies, joy. May predict the birth of a Male child.

VIII. Obita = Ota Iwa: Two Female & One Male Lobes Facing Up

Uncertainties and a very slow trend is abound. Sacrifice and propitiation for Ogun is the key to getting back on a smoother path. Avoid getting into a fight or unnecessary annoyance. Treat loved ones with care and be patient with work mates.

*** Brings peace, happiness, comfort, sometimes this can predict victory over enemies or court case.

IX. Alafia = Ogbe: All four Lobes Facing Up

The indicators are that good health and happiness will continue in abundance. Orisha says that traveling is in the air with possible rewarding and gainful outcome. For those who are connected with overseas trading, expected shipments are just arriving at the port. Orisha Ibeji (Twins) is about to look upon the enquirer.

*** Pure light, happiness, confidence, long-life and prosperity…

When examining the various patterns of formation in the Obi Abata (Kola-Nut), the reader must keep in mind that the direction of the Lobes plays an essential role in understanding hidden messages which are relevant to the ways in which the Masculine and Feminine forces are moving within the Signature cast.

Obi Abata Divination = Serves as a useful guide for decision making in day-to-day activities. Questions and matters affecting one’s destiny, health, love, marriage and wealth can accurately

be answered…

The person who desires to have his/her fortune told must first invoke the Obi. Ask The Question and cast The Obi Abata on a clean ground, a flat plate or a tray. This system of Obi Abata Divination can be used by either sex. The individual using the Obi Abata must therefore specify whether the question is personal or for His/Her mate or client. The answers may be altered to fit from husband to wife, children, society, a whole community or country etc…

Reactivating The Obi Abata (Kola-Nut): The Obi Abata like any Orisha sometimes refuses to function according to expectations. Various reasons may be insinuated for this primary of which could be perhaps unclean body of the caster or sometimes highly charged atmosphere. If after a few casting of the Obi Abata, particularly during the process or conclusion of a Sacrifice or in the presence of an Orisha, there is no positive response from the Obi Abata. Obi Abata might have to be pampered to reactivate…

*** When two Lobes of the Obi Abata stand over each other, it could signify the interest of the Iya-Mogun (Witches) in the matter. If the Female Lobe climbed over the Male Lobe, the reverse is the case, it could signify prosperity and Wealth.

Orin/Song: Ojodu Ode O…. Omo Arera (2x) Ifa Mo Dupe L’Owo…Obi To Yan O

Orishas are fond of the Obi Abata as a tool of communication within the Ifa system of Divination.The word “obi”, as it is used within this module, refers to the fresh kola nut native to Africa, specifically the Obi Abata. Obi Abata, also known as the kola nut, falls under the scientific classification cola acuminata. It ranges from white to dark red in color.

Two Males (Ako-Meji) Bottom Right *** Two Females (Abo-Meji) Upper Left
Obi Abata, the type of Obi used in divination, is made up of four and five lobes that are split open and used as both an Oracle and as offerings to the Ancestors and Orisha. It is the Obi Abata that is a staple ingredient in most sacred Ifa-Orisha rituals and celebrations. Though other configurations of the Obi may be used in various ways, it is the four lobed Obi, also known as Iya Obi (The Mother Obi). Two Males (Ako-Meji) Bottom Right *** Two Females (Abo-Meji) Upper Left.

Two Males (Ako-Meji) Bottom Right *** ( Olufua) Double Female Middle *** Two Females (Abo-Meji) Upper Left
Olufuwa / Five Lobes Obi – Said to belong to Oshun, the Deity for puberty, whiteness and cool serene water. It has the female lobe or the “Ofa” which have a double Female characteristic making her bottom ending look like a delta of a river. For divination purposes, the “Ofa” is always taken aside and given to Eshu from the lot and only two Males and two Females are used.

This is a 5 Lobes Olufua Obi-Abata top left are 2 females (delta) – center is a double female (belongs to Orisha Oshun)- far right are 2 males (straight lines).

OSHUN = Goddess Of Life…

Oshun Is The Energy Of Attraction On All Levels…

**Oshun Is Depicted As The Goddess Who Not Only Gives Life But Also Takes It. Oshun Saves Earth From Destruction By Calling Back The Waters.

Osun – Oshun, an Orisha (Deity) of the Yoruba people. Oshun is commonly called the river Orisha, or Goddess, in the Yoruba religion and is typically associated with water, purity, fertility, love, and sensuality. She is considered one of the most powerful of all Orishas, and, like other Gods, she possesses human attributes such as vanity, jealousy, and spite.

Several myths exist concerning Oshun and her significance as a Yoruba deity. In most Yoruba stories, Oshun is generally depicted as the protector, savior, or nurturer of humanity. Oshun has also been described as the maintainer of spiritual balance or mother of sweet things. One myth highlights Oshun as the central figure in the creation of human beings. The Yoruba people believe that the Orishas were sent by Olodumare, who is considered the Supreme God, to populate the Earth.

Oshun, being one of the original 17 heavenly beings (Irunmole)sent to Earth, was the only Female deity. The other Gods, all male, failed at their attempts to revive and populate the Earth. When they realized they were unable to complete the task given to them by Olodumare, they tried to persuade Oshun to help them. Oshun agreed and brought forth her sweet and powerful waters, bringing life back to Earth and humanity and other species into existence. As that Yoruba myth suggests, humanity would not exist if Oshun, the Goddess of life and fertility, had not acted.

She is commonly described as the favorite of all Orishas by Olodumare, because of her beauty and sensuality. In yet another Yoruba story, Oshun is depicted as the Goddess who not only gives life but also takes it. When angered, Oshun may flood Earth or destroy crops by withholding her waters, thereby causing massive droughts. In one myth, Oshun is incensed by her devotees and sends down rain, nearly flooding the world. Yet once she has been appeased, Oshun saves Earth from destruction by calling back the waters.

Tradition holds that the first interaction between Oshun and human beings took place in Osogbo, Yoruba land. That city is considered sacred, and it is believed to be fiercely protected by the water goddess. Oshun is said to have given the people who went to her river permission to build the city and promised to provide for them, protect them, and grant their prayers if they worshiped her dutifully, making the obligatory offerings, prayers, and other rituals.

Out of that first encounter between the people of Osogbo and Oshun evolved the Oshun festival, which is still practiced today by the Yoruba people. Every year Oshun devotees and other people of the Yoruba religious tradition go to the Oshun River to pay homage, make sacrifice, and ask for a variety of things such as wealth, children, and better health. Although other orishas are honored during the festival, the climax of the festival is centered on Oshun.

The festival begins with a lamp ceremony in the streets of Osogbo, Nigeria
Oshun is the energy of attraction on all levels. It is through this Orisha that abundance, fertility, laughter and lightness are called forth. Oshun attracts love, sexuality, joy and prosperity. It is the energy of harmony and song, as beauty in all its forms comes through this Orisha. It enables conception in any manifestation, from a child in the womb to the stroke of genius that sparks a fruitful business endeavor or partnership. Those in alignment with Oshun are often perceived to be open, happy, emotional and social beings.

Symbolized by the sweet waters, Oshun demonstrates the power of love itself. Just as a river traverses roots, boulders, curves, and miles of obstacles to reach its destination, love will let nothing stop it from achieving its purpose. Oshun is the river and she whispers to all living things, and animals naturally hear her, without any effort at all. Her favorite are birds like parrots, vultures and peacocks, but She also has command over fish, the water fowl, and the reptiles that come to her river banks. In fact, because we are all dawned to her sweet water to drink. She is the medium that connects all worlds, from the largest animal, to the arid climate vegetable, the smallest mineral, and we cannot resist her call.

According to the Yoruba elders, Oshun is the “unseen mother present at every gathering”, because, in Yoruba, Oshun is the cosmological forces of water, and attraction. Oshún represents the intensity of the feelings and the spirituality, the human sensuality, the gentleness, the refinement, the love and all related to women. She protects the pregnant; she is a beautiful woman, cheering and smiling but inside she’s very severe, suffered and sometimes sad. Therefore She is omnipresent and omnipotent. Yoruba scribes reminds us that “no one is an enemy to water” and therefore everyone has need of and should respect and revere Oshun , as well as Her followers.

** Our mother Oshun carries a mirror not because she is “vain” but because she represents your divine self-image. It is your self-image that determines how you engage the world and your success and failure. While many believe they have a positive self-image they folly because their self-image is still based on an imperfect human identity and not a divine perfect one.

OSUN The Source: Most people think of Osun as river goddess, or a fertility goddess. Her power is multidimensional, Osun (source) from the word “Orisun” the source of a river, a people, of children, of wealth, of life. Oshun represents the perpetually renewing source of life. As the elemental power of water, she makes life possible. Oshun the child giving and curative power of water. She is the birth canal where our Ori is developed.

Oshun: The Owner Of Erindilogun = (Sixteen Cowrie-Shells Divination System) She can be loquacious and beautiful who succeeds by killing you with kindness. or deadly serious old woman, owner of the spiritual eye (mystical power). She is the benevolent mother and fierce warrior. She heals with her cool waters and destroys indiscriminately with her raging floods. She is the creator and defender of her children. She cries when she is happy, and laughs when she is sad. To accentuate her dual natures, Oshun carries a brass cooling fan in one hand and a brass cutlass in the other.

Oshun Owner Of Birds… Osun leader of the Iyami – Is much involved in the politics of Kingship. The King’s crown is topped by a bird, symbol of the owners of birds (Aje) who are members of the “Iyami Osoronga cult”. The King rules at the discretion of the “Mothers” and under their watchful eyes.

Oshun Female & Male Principle – Fierce Warrior – Fertility Goddess…

Oshun is the embodiment of women’s mystical power, the ability to control physical & spiritual forces, to create life through procreation, and the sustenance of life are considered to be ultimate power. it is this secretive power, that men can never understand, that has driven men to try & control women throughout the ages. It is the power of the Mothers (Iyami). To understand Oshun is to know the intelligence, vitality, caring, and nourishing abilities of women. Long-suffering, cheats, overlooked, and overworked, but always committed to the survival of humanity. Besides signifying wealth, brass never rusts, it is eternal. In Oshun we have the embodiment of wealth, prosperity, love, beauty, elegance, sexuality , and a divinely sanctioned feminist…

** Our mother Oshun carries a mirror not because she is “vain” but because she represents your divine self-image. It is your self-image that determines how you engage the world and your success and failure. While many believe they have a positive self-image they folly because their self-image is still based on an imperfect human identity and not a divine perfect one.

OSUN The Source: Most people think of Osun as river goddess, or a fertility goddess. Her power is multidimensional, Osun (source) from the word “Orisun” the source of a river, a people, of children, of wealth, of life. Oshun represents the perpetually renewing source of life. As the elemental power of water, she makes life possible. Oshun the child giving and curative power of water. She is the birth canal where our Ori is developed.

Oshun: The Owner Of Erindilogun = (Sixteen Cowrie-Shells Divination System) She can be loquacious and beautiful who succeeds by killing you with kindness. or deadly serious old woman, owner of the spiritual eye (mystical power). She is the benevolent mother and fierce warrior. She heals with her cool waters and destroys indiscriminately with her raging floods. She is the creator and defender of her children. She cries when she is happy, and laughs when she is sad. To accentuate her dual natures, Oshun carries a brass cooling fan in one hand and a brass cutlass in the other.

Oshun Owner Of Birds… Osun leader of the Iyami – Is much involved in the politics of Kingship. The King’s crown is topped by a bird, symbol of the owners of birds (Aje) who are members of the “Iyami Osoronga cult”. The King rules at the discretion of the “Mothers” and under their watchful eyes.

Oshun Female & Male Principle – Fierce Warrior – Fertility Goddess…

Oshun is the embodiment of women’s mystical power, the ability to control physical & spiritual forces, to create life through procreation, and the sustenance of life are considered to be ultimate power. it is this secretive power, that men can never understand, that has driven men to try & control women throughout the ages. It is the power of the Mothers (Iyami). To understand Oshun is to know the intelligence, vitality, caring, and nourishing abilities of women. Long-suffering, cheats, overlooked, and overworked, but always committed to the survival of humanity. Besides signifying wealth, brass never rusts, it is eternal. In Oshun we have the embodiment of wealth, prosperity, love, beauty, elegance, sexuality , and a divinely sanctioned feminist…

OBALUAYE = SAKPATA…

** Sakpata – Obaluaye – Soponna – Omolu **

Babalú-Ayé = Father Lord Of The Earth…

The Deities-Orishas… It is the view of Orunmila-Ifa that all things on earth, and in our entire universe, are conscious and alive. Everything possesses its own awareness and energy. These infinite, natural energies that comprise the universe are called Orishas. Each has its own specific function and its own myriad aspects, as well as its own unique name.

All human beings are in continuous contact with the Orishas. Our bodies and senses are constantly conversing with energy, whether we realize it or not. Much can be learned from honoring this connection and paying attention to the way Orishas work in the universe. Each energy serves its own unique part while still maintaining perfect balance with the whole. Through observing and communicating with Orishas, we come to realize that human beings do play this same active and significant role in the universe. Orishas show us exactly how the energy of our actions and our thoughts affect not only our own lives, but the lives of everyone and everything around us.

Obaluaye-Sakpata God Of Smallpox – Apparently became an important god in the smallpox plagues that were transmitted by various inter-tribal wars. Priests of Obaluaye wielded immense power; it was believed that they could bring the plague down on their enemies, and in fact the priests sometimes made a potion from the powdered scabs and dry skin of those who died from smallpox. They would pour the potion in an enemy’s house or a neighboring village to spread the disease. Today, however, smallpox has been all but eradicated; the priests of Obaluaye have lost power and the cult has vanished.

When Obaluaye-Sakpata chooses to take a wife, the priest continues, it is something truly extraordinary. It doesn’t happen every day. Today, Sakpata has taken a wife here. Three days ago we showed the corpse of the girl to the whole village. Today, we’re going to bring the corpse out and resurrect her in front of everybody. Sometimes we try to resurrect, but the body doesn’t wake up and we call the family to come and bury it. But if Sakpata truly chose his wife and the priests do the resurrection, the person will come back to life. There is no other way…

An outside individual can only presume it is all fake, an illusion of the mind tricking one to believe the impossible. The community of Vodun believes otherwise and has gathered with the full force of their believe system to help resurrect this young woman. They will be concentrating the power of their belief to help her reawaken into the world of the living.

*** While she was working she was struck down. Sakpata took her as his royal wife.

In Vodun mythology, Sakpata is the God of well being for mind, body and spirit. He is also the God of disease. To honor Sakpata, one will remain healthy throughout life, and if one were to become ill, sick, contract AIDS or a virus, one’s sole survival tactic would rely on Sakpata, worshiping him in every waking hour until one’s last breath. Apparently this woman we’re here to see failed to honor Sakpata. She birthed a child. The child died. She visited a Vodun priest who told her to perform specific rituals for Sakpata. She ignored the prescription. This angered Sakpata and so he was out for payment, which happened to be her.

Obaluaye-Sakpata is most crucial among the Orishas that sent to the planet Earth by Olodumare. He is also known as Baba-Ode, Baba Oye, Oluaye or Olode. Obaluaye is a fantastic Orisha that gives riches, wealth, children, Wisdom, will power and other good things to people as well as conquering enemies for then.

Also Obaluaye has his favorite foods which include palm wine, snail, pounded yam, bearded matured he goat, corn pudding and cooked grounded beans. The cloth Obaluaye uses is cam wood cloth and anybody can be a devotee and get initiated but, he has his chosen mediums. Obaluaye dances to any kind of drum.

Obaluaye-Sakpata used the Ewon (chain) to come from heaven to earth, similar to the other Orishas. Obaluaye fights in the skies. Obaluaye attacks are characterized by small pricks that appear all over the victim’s body. When Obaluaye attacks, he will attack a person in their home. If someone is in a house that is being attacked by Obaluaye, they must use palm wine for protection. When fighting he cannot touch the ground. No one defeats Obaluaye, not even Ogun.

Obaluaye cannot give children but has the power to take them away and sometimes if he give you children they would be a strong one. There cannot be any smoke where he is fighting, corn (agbado), or whistling. He also cannot fight in the rain. Sapona eats alone. When feeding him he must be separated from all other Orisha. Obaluaye likes to eat Emu, Iyan Agbadu, obuko (male goat), asoro, adalu (beans and corn). His color is Red, he wears red clothes.

**Obaluaye taboo is that he cannot share his food**

He demands respect and even gratitude when he claims a victim, and so people sometimes honor him with the praise name Alápa-dúpé, meaning “One who kills and is thanked for it”. In one commonly recounted story, Obaluaye was old and lame. He attended a celebration at the palace of Obatala, the father of the Orishas. When Obaluaye tried to dance, he stumbled and fell. All the other Orishas laughed at him, and he in turn tried to infect them with smallpox. Obatala stopped him and drove him into the bush, where he has lived as an outcast ever since.

He owns the Earth and has strong associations with smallpox and other infections. His worship is very diverse in Fon communities, where many distinct manifestations of the spirit are venerated. Because the dead are buried in the Earth, the manifestation called Avimadye is considered the chief of the Ancestors.

Venerated by the Ewe, there is a similar figure with the praise name Anyigbato who is closely associated with sickness and displaced peoples. He is believed to wander the land at night, wearing a garment of rattling snail shells; the snail shells are also a key feature of his fetish.

In Santería, Babalúayé is among the most popular orishas. Syncretized with Saint Lazarus, and regarded as particularly miraculous, Babalúayé is publicly honored with a pilgrimage on December 17, when tens of thousands of devotees gather at the Church and Leprosorium of Saint Lazarus in El Rincón, in the outskirts of Santiago de Las Vegas, Havana. Arará communities in Cuba and its diaspora honor the spirit as Asojuano. Both traditions use sackcloth in rituals to evoke his humility. The spirit also appears in Palo as Pata en Llaga.

In Candomblé, Omolu face is thought to be so scarred by disease and so terrifying that he appears covered with a raffia masquerade that covers his whole body. He also manifests in Umbanda and Macumba. Some lineages of Candomblé relate myths that justify Obalúayé being the child Nana Burukú who abandons him to die of exposure on the beach where he is badly scarred by crabs. Yemoja discovers him there, takes him under her protection, nurses him back to health, and educates him in many secrets.

Because of his knowledge of the forest and the healing power of plants, Obalúayé is strongly associated with Osain, the deity of herbs. Obalúayé’s worship is frequently linked to the Earth itself, and even his name identifies him with the Earth itself.

Sakpata – The Ewe Fon Vodun of the earth. His power is feared and terrifying. His attributes are the arm of smallpox, scissors, a chain and black, white and red spots.

YEMOJA = Mother of Waters

“The Mother Whose Children Are The Fish.”

Yemoja is motherly and strongly protective, and cares deeply for all her children, comforting them and cleansing them of sorrow. She is said to be able to cure infertility in women, and cowrie shells represent her wealth. She does not easily lose her temper, but when angered she can be quite destructive and violent, as the flood waters of turbulent rivers. Yemoja is often depicted as a mermaid, and is associated with the moon, water, and feminine mysteries. She is the protector of women. She governs everything pertaining women; childbirth, conception, parenting, child safety, love, and healing. She oversees deep secrets, ancient wisdom, the moon, sea shells, and the collective unconscious. According to myth, when her waters broke, it caused a great flood creating rivers and streams and the first mortal humans were created from her womb.

In traditional Yoruba culture and spirituality, Yemoja is a mother spirit; patron spirit of women, especially pregnant women; She is the patron deity of the Ogun river but she is also worshiped at streams, creeks, springs in addition to wells and run-offs. This represents the vastness of her motherhood, her fecundity, and her reign over all living things. In West Africa, Yemoja is worshiped as a high-ranking river deity, but in Brazil and Cuba she is worshiped mainly as a sea/ocean goddess. River deities in Yoruba land include Yemoja, Oshun, Erinle, Ọbà, Yewa, etc. It is Olókun that fills the role of sea deity in Yoruba land, while Yemoja is a leader of the other river deities. The river deity Yemoja is often portrayed as a mermaid, even in West Africa, and she can visit all other bodies of water, including lakes, lagoons, and the sea, but her home and the realm she owns are the rivers and streams, especially the Ogun River in Nigeria.

In mythology, the West African and Caribbean Goddess of creation, the sea, moon, ocean and healing is Yemoja. She is considered to be a guardian of women and keeper of our mysteries. She is said to wear a dress with seven skirts that represent the seven seas. Sacred to Her are peacocks, with their beautiful blue-green iridescence, and ducks. The number seven is Hers, also for the seven seas.

Yemoja = Yemaya is one of the most powerful Orishas in Santeria. She is the mother of all living things, rules over motherhood and owns all the waters of the Earth. She gave birth to the stars, the moon, the sun and most of the Orishas. Yemaya makes her residence in life-giving portion of the ocean – although some of her roads can be found in lagoons or lakes in the forest. Yemaya’s Ashé is nurturing, protective and fruitful. Yemaya is just as much a loving mother Orisha as she is a fierce warrior that kills anyone who threatens her children.

Yemaya can be found in all the waters of the world, and because of this she has many aspects of roads, each reflecting the nature of different bodies of water. Contrary to popular belief she is not just a loving mother. Some of Yemaya’s roads are fierce warriors who fight with sabers or machetes and bathe in the blood of fallen enemies. Other roads are masterful diviners that have been through marriage, divorce and back again. Some roads of Yemaya have been rape survivors, while other roads betrayed her sisters out of jealousy and spite. No matter what road of Yemaya, all are powerful female Orishas and fiercely protective mothers.

Some followers of Santeria say Yemaya is Chango’s mother. The two of them eat together and Chango shares his wealth with Yemaya. She is one of the four pillars of the Santeria religion along with Obatala, Oshun and Chango. Therefore every initiated Olorisha will receive her mysteries at initiation. Yemoja energy is most present in people who are warm, giving, sensitive and kind. However, the Orisha also exudes a strong sense of mystery, as all of its secrets cannot be comprehended.

Goddess Yemoja domain is water, rivers, and what is often considered the birthplace of all of life on earth – the oceans and the seas. She is specifically associated with the upper part of the ocean, which contains the most life. Her first gift was a shell so that her people would always be able to hear her voice. Her name Mother Whose Children are the Fish, denotes that her children are countless and further relates her infinite and all encompassing life giving aspect. Yemoja also lovingly assists and supports the rebirth process, cleansing and purifying the old energy, releasing that which has served its purpose, allowing for renewal and new beginnings.

Yemoja-Mojelewi Ayaba Ogun-Okere
Most Yoruba myths of origin can be found in the divination narratives knows at Odu Ifa which contains a number of poems called Ese Ifa. An Ese Ifa explains the origins of Gelede as beginning with Yemoja, “The Mother of all the Deities and all living things.” Yewajobi – Yemoja could not have children and consulted an Ifa oracle, who advised her to offer sacrifices and to dance with wooden images on her head and metal anklets on her feet. After performing this ritual, she became pregnant. Her first child was a boy, nicknamed “Efe” (the humorist); the Efe mask emphasizes song and jests because of the personality of its namesake. Yewajobi – Yemoja’s second child was a girl, nicknamed “Gelede” because she was obese like her mother. Also like her mother, Gelede loved dancing.

YEMOJA: Goddess Of Beginnings, Mother of Waters…
After getting married themselves, neither Gelede or Efe’s partner could have children. The Ifa oracle suggested they try the same ritual that had worked for their mother. No sooner than Efe and Gelede performed these rituals- dancing with wooden images on their heads and metal anklets on their feet- they started having children. These rituals developed into the Gelede masked dance and was perpetuated by the descendants of Efe and Gelede.

The commonality between them all is relatively brief. She rules the waters and oceans. She takes the form of a woman with long, black hair, and appears either wearing a flowing blue dress, a flowing white dress, or a flowing blue and white dress. She wears a type of veil with beaded fringes that hide her face, and holds a mirror in one hand representing her beauty. Her colors are, as you might imagine, blue and white. She’s always represented as one of the superior divinities, and associated with femininity and fertility, but her exact station changes with the person talking about her.

At the same time though, she is seen as the loving and protective mother of mankind. She cares deeply for all her children, comforting them and cleansing them of sorrow. She does not easily lose her temper, but when angry she can be like the Sea in a storm—wildly and indiscriminately violent and destructive. However, this aspect of strength that she possesses is as much a part of her character as her role as a mother. In total, she is the main Feminine Principle of Candomblé, Yòrúbá, and Santería, and all that that entails.

Her dance movements represent the sea’s tumbling waves, these moves resemble the art of sewing nets, but also commonly represent a story line. Her ocean dancing represents the salty water cleansing the distressed soul, or a newborn. She usually dances with a silver blue dress and something which resembles a fishing net, so as to represent herself as both fetus and fish. Her metals are lead and silver, and her colors are blue hues and whites.

Reference Sources: Iya Ifabunmi Omo Yemi Akinyele Aworeni =

ERE IBEJI = Spirit Of The Twins

“Behold Twins, Children Of The Monkey Do Not Die”

Nothing embodies the spirit of cultural transcendence that is the legacy of the African Diaspora quite so poignantly as the exquisitely carved Twin figures, called Ibeji. These figures represent an African tradition that was so heartfelt and deeply ingrained that it was able to survive the Middle Passage.

For the Yoruba, a mother of Twins is indeed doubly blessed. With the birth of her Twins, comes the family’s ability to attain a better life through the aid of these special children who are considered close to the gods. As is often the case in Africa, and in life, good fortune can turn to disaster if it is not handled properly. The Yoruba believe that special ceremonies must be performed, praise songs sung, and special foods be served to Twins so that they can maintain their favor with the gods and hence that of their family.

The Yoruba people are widely known as having the highest naturally occurring rates of Twinning in the world. Unfortunately, the mortality rate for Twins is also high. If the birth of Twins is cause for great celebration, the passing of a Twin is cause for great mourning. If one or both of a pair of Twins dies, the family will consult a diviner who may say that a small wooden figure must be carved to contain the spirit of the lost child. The figure resembles what the child might have looked like in the prime of life had the full promise of its birth been realized.

Twins double the financial burden of the family; at the same time they are considered to be extremely beneficial in bringing about blessings to the family. Often, Twins of poor families were put to death to ease the family’s financial burdens. Through divination, Ifa discovered the killing of the Twins was offending Shango, the God of Thunder. The oracle informed Ifa that the mother of Twins must dance to Ibeji, the spirit of the Twins, every five days.

“You are the ones who open doors on Earth. You are the ones who open doors in Heaven. When you awaken, you provide money; You provide children; you provide long life; You, who are dual spirits.”

The Wonder Twins powers are activated when they touch each other and speak the phrase, “Wonder Twin powers activate!” Physical contact is required. If the two are out of reach of each other, they are unable to activate their powers. As they are about to transform, they would each announce their intended form.

The association of twins with health-giving powers is widespread in mythology, folklore, and religion. A characteristic set of attributes of twins recurs in different mythologies of wide distribution. In addition to healing, divine twins are often empowered with the ability to revive the dead, increase the fertility of man, animals, and crops, influence the weather, predict the future, and insure victory in battle. In some traditional societies these special attributes are thought to extend to all of the twins and their parents in the tribe.

Becky Ebanehita Madojemu
Ibeji re, omo edun ibeji re, omo edun kere-kere-yan “Behold twins, children of the monkey. They do not die”

The last line of the song above is true in that the Yoruba people believe Twins share the same Soul. Upon the death of a Twin, the mother commissions an ere figure. This figure is thought to provide a resting place for the deceased Twin’s Soul. If the ere figure is not provided, the Yoruba people believe the Soul of the deceased will seek vengeance by bringing terrible misfortune to the other Twin, or the entire family. Ere figures are carved as the same sex of the deceased Twin, but as an adult.

The Ere Ibeji are placed on the household altar. There they are fed and clothed just as the surviving twin is fed and clothed. This is thought to placate Shango. Ere Ibeji figures are dedicated to Shango by the application of cam powder. Shango is also known as Oko Ibeji, (husband of twins.)

The first born Twin, whether a boy or a girl, is always called Taiwo, meaning “having the first taste of the world”, whereas the second is named Kehinde, meaning “arriving after the other”. Although being born first Taiwo is considered as the younger Twin. His senior Kehinde is supposed to send out his partner to see what the outside world looks like. As soon as Taiwo has given a signal by crying, Kehinde will follow. Kehinde is supposed to be more careful, more intelligent and more reflective, while Taiwo is believed to be more curious and adventurous, but also more nonchalant.

In the event that one or both Twins dies in infancy, precautions must be taken immediately, to counteract the danger implicit in such an event. After consultation with the Ifa priest, the Ere Ibeji Twin figurine, is made. A commissioned sculptor carves the small wooden figurine which will serve as a symbolic substitute and dwelling place for the Soul of the departed. The Diviner will then perform the traditional ritual of transferring the Soul of the deceased to the ere Ibeji figurine.

Legend and Myth: Twins are also called Ejire, or “two who are one.” According to Yoruba tradition, everyone on earth has an Ancestral Guardian Spirit or Soul counterpart in the sky that duplicates his or her actions. This Soul is constantly and cyclically reborn. Twins are thought to have a double Soul. Because there is no way of distinguishing the Twin who is a divine being from the mortal Twin, both are treated as sacred.

*** The Ibeji are not simply the Yoruba “worship of twins.” It deals with the nature of Twins being born in pairs and how this Twin nature is the true nature of creation. Twins symbolize the pairing of two things from creation in order to perpetuate further dual creation. The Ibeji are depicted as Twins (usually Male and Female) because their symbolism transcends a married couple. They are Twin brother and sister. They reflect kinship, equality, and unity in accomplishment far beyond just marriage. This is why nothing we wish to achieve can be done alone. We must work in pairs. It is our true Twin nature. This is the metaphor behind the veneration of Ibeji and other West-Central African twinned divinities…

Ancient and primitive societies supposed that the birth of twins was associated with divine influence, the mother having been visited or otherwise affected by supernatural powers. A frequent explanation was that twins were the result of superfetation, a divine impregnation occurring along with that by the lawful husband. The specific powers of divine twins appear to be a reflection of the particular form of origin of twins through divine interference with the fertilization process. The twins thus share some of the powers of the divine parent, particularly those pertaining to fertility. Their dual paternity and its inherent competition is related to their martial interests as well as their ability to resolve ambivalent or ambiguous situations and predict outcomes.

Twins Do Not Have the Same Fingerprints. Identical twins share a lot of resemblance, and DNA. But one thing about them is always very different — their fingertips. Since fingertips are not only based on a person’s DNA, but on various factors such as nutrition, growth rate and hormonal levels in the womb, two identical twins will have unique sets of ridges and lines that construct their fingertips.

Ere Ibeji LaDonna = Sarita Lee
Twins Can Read Each Other’s Minds. Everyone knows that twins have a special connection between them, and can sometimes posses a supernatural bond. A twin can sense when their sibling is in pain, and they sometimes “share a brain” by reacting to the same situation in an identical way. Furthermore, twins can actually climb inside each other’s minds and gather information. So if twins are studying for the same exam, they can each learn only half of the material and simply share it with their minds afterwards to save time.

One Twin Is Always the Evil Twin of the Other Twin: The famous legend about everyone having an evil twin is not a completely fictional one. When a set of twins are born, one is always a meaner version of their twin. When an egg is fertilized, it always starts developing one single embryo. But sometimes the embryo starts having really dark thoughts that it, at such a young age, cannot contain. This dark mind separates itself from the embryo, to create a new, evil embryo. In early sonograms you can clearly tell one twin has horns and a pitchfork, which are absorbed into his body during the second trimester.

You might have noticed that if you have any friends who have twins, they usually rent or sublet their apartments. That’s because twins are afraid of the rumor that once twins legally own property, their siblings get the power to go through their walls. Much like vampires, who need to be invited in to get access to a house, twins have special abilities that require the permission of a legally binding contract.

If a Twin Dies, The Other Twin Gets His Life Force and Memories: Death is always tragic, but when it happens to someone who is completely similar to you in every way, it could be impossible to recover from. That’s why with twins, death is not the final chapter. If a twin dies prematurely, their soul will transform into the other twin, giving him dual souls. The living twin will gain all the knowledge and memories of their sibling, so that the dead twin could live on through them. Two souls could be a huge burden on one person, which is why most twins don’t die separately, but have a thoroughly planned out suicide pact.

During Sleep, Twins Roll Into Each Other’s Bodies and Merge Into One Kid, Who Is a Completely Different Being With Their Own Personality. You never see twins in a sleepover party, because that could traumatize the kids who wake up in the middle of the night to pee. A few hours after falling asleep, the twins will merge into one whole new person, that only lives for a few hours each night. Sadly, the twins never get to meet this being, as they can never be awake for it. But the being sometimes leaves them messages, so they’ll know to prepare its favorite midnight snack for it before they go to sleep. If you have a job where you work the night shift, or if you’re just a night-person, you might actually be that merged twins being.

OJO is a child that has his biblical cord tied around his neck, his female counterpart is called ‘AINA’ among Ijebus, Ijebus never bear ‘OJO’ it’s a taboo. The weight of the world is said to weight so much on the shoulder of this child, as a healer, the favorite of ‘Esu’ and distinctive creation of ‘Oosala’, a natural born leader with DNA of Orunmila, the cord around their neck is ‘Ide Ifa’ and ‘Oje Oosala’, that is why the cord is always in two folds, self enrichment and progress is not their path rather seeking solution with spiritual means, awakening mankind is the path heaven had chosen for them. This child has very strong personality that will distinct them from others.

Oke is a child wrapped in a thin membrane at birth, (The Amniotic sac), this child is born with Spiritual powers, Good luck, Psychic Abilities , Clairvoyance , Protection, Divinity of Prophecy, Spiritual Royalty, Born Initiated Priest, Seer and Prophets. The ‘Curl’ covering his/her face is known as ‘Awon'( Masquerade net) a symbol of Ancestral initiation and veneration, such baby had returned to carry the mantle of their Ancestor, to complete the task… Show them the path of their Ancestors, train them to tread the Ancient way, that’s how their lives will be meaningful…

Ibeji =Twin Altar “Soul Of Africa Museum”
Reference Sources: King Bolarinwa Olayemi Asa =

Women of the Calabash

SIMPLICITY IS THE KEY TO BRILLIANCE…

Mistakes Are The Portals Of Discovery * Play A Wrong Note = Insignificant * Play Without Passion = Inexcusable

” Ilu-Shekere Agbaye ” = ” El-Chekere Mundial “
Measure The Breath & The Length – The Hands Reaches Much Higher Than The Head – No Forest Is So Dense That The Iroko Tree Cannot Be Seen. May Your Life Be Clear & Pure Like Water Drawn Early In The Morning…

“The Goddess “Shekere” Invents Her Own Life & Lives According To…Her Own Vision. This Quality Requires = Imagination – Dedication & Practice.

*** Mother, with whom one enters into covenant for all good thing the Woman that supreme among other Women the mother that puts breast of wealth in her child’s mouth you are not up to a louse before an unbeliever you are not up to an egg of the louse before a fool you louse, the fire on head that burn them more than the real fire you are up to an egg of the louse and much more you are up to an egg of the louse and much more.

Existence Is Not About Learning To Accept Reality, But Rather Remembering Your Power To Create It…

*** The Calabash is a functional creation of nature with a wide variety of uses and traditions in cultures around the world. “Shekere” is a general name to describe the beaded calabash rattle. It comes in many shapes and sizes, is played in a variety of styles, and has many different names. In Africa it is found primarily, but not exclusively, in the countries of Nigeria, Togo, Ghana, Benin, Sierra Leone and Côte d’Ivoire. Different language groups in each country often have their own names, styles, techniques, and traditions associated with the Shekere.

Mother Shekere…. A Beautiful Face Will Age…A Perfect Body Will Change…But A Beautiful Soul Will Always Be A Beautiful Soul…

Calabash is the embodiment of Women’s Mystical Power, the ability to control physical & spiritual forces, to create life through procreation, and the sustenance of life are considered to be ultimate power. The Female being has been chosen by the creator to be the portal between the spiritual realm and this physical realm.

Be Strong Enough To Stand Alone = Be Yourself Enough To Stand Apart = But Be Wise Enough To Stand Together When The Time Comes.

All Women of the Calabash ever really needed was someone who holds a safe space for us. Someone who sees our gifts and magic, understands the incredible potential this kind of highly empathic presence is capable of and creates a safe place for it to unfold. You’re not complicated, you’re exquisitely created. You’re a unique gem waiting to be revealed from your raw form. Have you been touched by hands that don’t shake with the responsibility of revealing such extraordinary beauty? You deserve a confident touch and an experienced eye. If you’ve never felt fully seen, your beauty never fully revealed, know it’s not the perfection of your beauty that’s been missing, but the eye of one with the vision to see what’s been there all along. You’re more than enough. You always were.

There Is A Line Where Ignorance & Knowledge Merge As One. Everything That Can Be called Wisdom Happens On That Line.

The VAGINA is the 3rd dimensional portal to Mother Earth. In order for all souls to have a physical experience here on this planet, they must come through her divine portal. It’s no wonder that she is considered the – Gate of Heaven. The Intention Is To Offer Practical Guidance To Connect And Work With The Divine Mother Ancestral Wisdom, And To Use It To Empower Lives Today. The Calabash As Symbol For The Womb… Because Of Her Shape, Calabash also Symbolizes The “Womb”. In Both The Sense Of The Female Reproductive Organ As Well As In A Broader Creative Sense.

This Audio/Video presentation is dedicated to all the Players and Lovers of Shekere.

I look forward to your comments below!

“Has this guy got stories to tell. Yagbe Awolowo Onilu rightly deserves a place at the table of the Elders. The passion with which he has investigated and shared African spirituality with the rest of the planet has left us all richer.” Modupue Baba !!! Scott Wardinsky

West African, Afro-Cuban, Afro-Haitian Master Drummer/Educator/Ethnomusicologist/Living Repository of Folkloric Knowledge/Keeper of the Flame…My Brother…Yagbe Awolowo Onilu…I am honored to know you. Kamau Mensah

“Thanks for posting this Chief Yagbe Awolowo Onilu Sometimes it appears that the shekere gets dismissed as a “rattle .” Like anyone can just pick one up and just shake it. Good to see emphasis on technique and rhythm.”

“The Straight Stick” Chief Yagbe Awolowo Onilu, My Friend, My Brother, My Mentor and indeed Master of many disciplines. You have been an inspiration to me and to many whom have crossed your path. Although it is only a fragment of the many secrets that you possess, this music/video is truly a blessing to me. The world needs to see and hear more of your work. Thank You for your unwavering energy and for breaking me down when proper instruction was necessary. Joe PIlly Martinez

Nothing so funky and profound can ever be dismissed…. Thank you Yagbe for making this available to us all. I hope more will be coming in the near future. Gustavo Kayro

Me gusta mucho todo lo publicas me lo trámites se ve que eres apasionado en todo lo que quieres y en lo que haces verdaderamente toda mi admiración. Mar Tandy

Excellent information. The gourd is really the belly symbol that generates life – Container of Wisdom Supreme Orunmilá Baba Ifa, which introduced the principle of humanity. The magic is in the ability to generate weddings, continuing the human species. Ire, o! ( Juliana Arruda )

Your work is priceless my Brother! Thank you for sharing! Stan Corpus

Alafia! Adupe! Thank you for sharing the wisdom Yagbe. Ase’! Maria Medina

Gracias baba por todo su arduo trabajo y toda estas bellas enseñanzas. Yissell Diaz

Heart throbbing beat… Sekere lo n Oba jo. Great Vibes abound, around and colorful. Ire Awon Irunmole… Babatunde Kayode

I am hugely moved and humbled to be included in this photo tribute to the power of the Calabash Shekere to uplift and move people in both ancient and modern traditions! Thank you, Chief Yagbe Awolowo Onilu, for these very inspiring photos! And thank you for including me in this series! Blessings to you. Jim Greiner

Much appreciation for your efforts BABA needles to say that you’re constant dedication to the secrets of the CALABASH is second to none,I’m so blessed to have you as one of my closest Brother that I never had,I do really appreciate all that you do. Mosheh Milon Sr

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Posted on December 14, 2015Categories Instrument, WitchesTags Calabash, Instruments, Music, Shekere, video5 Comments on Women of the Calabash
IGBA ODU = Container of Existence

SPIRITUAL CONSECRATION: (((IGBA IWA-ODU)))

The Redemption process might be said to be
The Redemption process might be said to begin with the final episode in the saga of Witches. Odu the female principle imagined as a container, the fourth elemental being to issue forth from the Python’s egg, having grown “Too Old”, expresses her desire to go underground.

*** Seated on her mysterious cylinder box, she calls her four advisers: Obatala – Obaluaye – Ogun – Oduduwa gets them to agree on her departure by promising revelations to those of her children ( Awo Orunmila ) who come to solicit her properly in her house in the forest.

*** This house has become Sphere-Box containing a Calabash (Her Body) which contains in turn the four Calabashes given to her on that occasion by the four advisers.

*** Obatala gives a Calabash of chalk (Efun) – Obaluaye offers his favorite substance Cam-wood (Osun) – Ogun Offers charcoal (Eedu) – Oduduwa offers Mud (Eere).

*** These gifts imply four roads, four corners of the universe. They are the original four major signs. From one of them will be “born” another first principle, as once Odu from the Python’s egg.

Ofun, the Calabash of Chalk (Efun) who gives himself, produces Obatala the white divinity as: Orisha-nla, greater than, the beginning and the end, first and last, the container of them all. The egg within becomes the womb, passivity becomes creativity personified. Surely this is part of the meaning of the Orisha Obatala as Ofun. Igba Iwa-Odu becomes an Orisha, the divinity worshiped by Diviners (Olodu) who have attained the highest degree of self-knowledge ( Awo Orunmila ). Only such diviners may install the terribly powerful Calabash of existence.

“Symbol of the sky and earth in their fecund union, container of the supreme wisdom of Ifa. The Installation of which validates an esoteric principle of universe symbiosis”

= Egg Symbol of the Soul & Life = Holy Odu “Ofun Meji” teaches that in the Spiritual Egg, Divine Spirit stands before primordial matter and from their union springs the great Soul of the World. Often connected with the Spiritual Egg is the idea of a sacred bird that drops the Egg into the waters of space or chaos.

Universal Symbol = The Egg was incorporated as a sacred sign in the cosmogony of every people on the Earth, and was revered both on account of its form and its inner mystery. From the earliest mental conceptions of man, it was known as that which represented most successfully the origin and secret of being. The human egg is the female reproductive element. The egg contains within itself all the essentials for development, leaving the sperm the role of activating an already prepared system.

IGBA IWA-ODU (Calabash Of Existence) The Diviners of the house of Orunmila consulted Ifa in order to know the day that he would take Odu as his wife. The Awos of Orunmila said “Hee.” Odu that you wish to take for your wife. A power is in her hands.They said, because of this power Orunmila must make an offering to the earth. In the interest of all of his people. They said, so that with this power, she will not kill and eat him. Orunmila carried the offering outside. At the arrival of Odu, she found the offering in the street. She said, but she did not wish that they should fight with him. She said, she did not want to fight with Orunmila.

== She wish to tell him her taboo: She said, she did not want his other wives (Apetebi ) to see her face.

!!! From this day no Diviner is complete without possessing this Odu. One who does not have Odu will not be able to consult Ifa. The day that one comes into possession of Odu, On that day will he become a person that Odu will not allow to suffer.!!!

** The struggle for dominance between Male and Female that is a central component of life on earth is repeated over and over in the world. Central to this struggle is Man’s acknowledgement of Women’s superior spiritual power that cannot be taken from them, that is based in Women’s ability to create life.**

The VAGINA is the 3rd dimensional portal to Mother Earth. In order for all souls to have a physical experience here on this planet, they must come through her divine portal. It’s no wonder that she is considered the – Gate of Heaven. The Intention Is To Offer Practical Guidance To Connect And Work With The Divine Mother Ancestral Wisdom, And To Use It To Empower Lives Today. The Calabash As Symbol For The Womb… Because Of Her Shape, Calabash also Symbolizes The “Womb”. In Both The Sense Of The Female Reproductive Organ As Well As In A Broader Creative Sense.

*** Magical Calabash – Gourd Anthology Of Sacred Wisdom From The Ancestral Mothers And Magic Inside It We Add Ingredients To Direct Our Intentions To That Which We Want To Birth To Life.

The calabash shape is taken to represent heaven and earth with an extended meaning representing the entire universe. Within the Calabash there is a mystical zone in the form of an alternate universe or the entrance to another world, and Orisha – Vodun – Spirit immortals and practitioners can travel between these two worlds. The “marriage” of these two substances was a sexual metaphor for the union of semen and menstrual blood to create life.

The top half signifies Maleness as well as the sky/heaven–the realm of invisible spirits. The bottom half represents Femaleness and the primeval waters out of which the physical world was later created. A mysterious Power called Ashe is thought to hold the gourd in space, enabling the sun and moon to shine, wind to blow, fire to burn, rain to fall, rivers to flow, and both living and nonliving things to exist.

This power emanates from a Supreme Deity known as Alashe – Owner of Power Olorun- Lord of the Sky and Olodumare – Eternal One and Source of All That Exists. Assisting Olodumare in administering the universe is a host of deities or nature forces called Orisha-Vodun-Spirit. Said to number four hundred or more, each Deity (Orisha) personifies a Power (Ashe) associated with a natural or cultural phenomenon.

*** If an Egg is broken by an Outside force, life Ends. If an Egg is broken by an Inside force, then life Begins. Great things happens from the Inside.

Aje-Witches = Elders Of The Night

Witchcraft Territory of Malignant Women-Magic Words & Practices Territory of Wizards…

” Mysterious Mother Osoronga Who Kills Without Sharing. The Dominant Force At Midnight. One Who Devours Human Livers Without Vomiting. One Who Vacates Only When The Market Closes. One Who Terrifies In Dreams.”

The Aje – Witches On Earth Fall Into Two Categories: Osho – Male Aje & Eleiye – Female Aje.

“No one can choose to initiate Aje-Iyaami; they choose who they want to initiate.” No one can say they have initiated to Iyaami or say they can initiate you. No one can have or give a shrine to the Iyami or Aje. If someone claims to have an Iyaami shrine, can give a shrine, to have been initiated to Iyaami or wants to initiate you, they are speaking falsely. It is impossible to truthfully make these claims.There is no specific shrine to Aje. To feed the Aje one must either feed them through Eshu, Orita Meta-3 road junction or the Iroko tree.

No one knows the actual Aje shrine, however according to Elders and what Ifa says, we know that the name of their house is called Ota and the name of their shrine is called Idi. No one knows the actual place of the Idi and if they do they can never say…

** According to Ifa, the difference between Men and Women is that Women are born with Ofo – Ashe or the power of the word. This power is called Aje and is rooted in the concept of Female Ashe.

Witchcraft is a Feminine art and has its power from Eshu. This power is generally attributed to older women but young women or even girls can sometimes be involved. Witchcraft power is a kind of immaterial substance which may be kept in a calabash hidden in a hole in the wall of a witch’s house or in a hollow tree. The power itself may be lodged in the roots of a tree or even in a young child. In the latter case the witchcraft power will not harm the child but on the contrary will protect the child from other witches as the child is serving one of them as a refuge.

The red tail feather of the parrot is used as a sign of witchcraft power and may be placed in the calabash or in the tree containing witchcraft power.

Yoruba cosmology is heavy in duality and polarities that are constantly seeking balance in unity. Just as there exists the polarity of Male-Female energy, within female energy itself exists a polarity that is create and destroy. Many focus on the destructive power of the mothers, giving the impression that they are destructive. However, they are also needed for all creative pursuits. The mothers are believed to possess a spiritual life force (Ashe) equal or superior to that of the deities (Orisha).

A central figure that embodies the dual nature of the mothers, and arguably the most powerful Orisha, is Oshun (leader of the Iyaami cult). Knowing that she was the source of all good things as stated in the Ifa literary corpus, Oshun never needs to vie for position among her fellow Orisha. Compared with the other Orisha, Oshun represents a higher and more inclusive religio-aesthetic concept immediately relevant to the solution of human problems, regardless of their origin, nature, or severity.

Iroko – Oak Tree Is Sacred To Iyaami…

The trees are scattered throughout the rain forest and grow in isolation, meaning a single tree and not in clusters. In traditional Yoruba culture, villages were built around the Iroko tree. The Iroko tree is the Ifa tree of life because within the shadow of the Iroko tree there are over a 1000 species of living things living in perfect harmony. The effect of all these living things creating a balanced environment, is that the Iroko tree is an inter-dimensional portal. The tree is used both for the Ancestors and for Iyaami. In Ijebu-Ode on the full moon all the women of Iyaami meet in the Iroko tree in their astral bodies. It is taboo for men to walk past the tree on a full moon.

Witchcraft power is like a breeze, you can’t see it but it has effect. A woman can’t die possessing it. When she dies, she vomits out the invisible witchcraft and it passes to her daughter. A person can buy witchcraft power or may, as well, inherit it from another person. This mostly depends on the interest or love the witchcraft woman has in the person that is going to possess it. But it is necessary and matter of must, to give this witchcraft power to somebody before she should die. Witchcraft bought with money is not given directly, it can be given through foods such as baked beans Akara , Kola, Porridge, red Yam and many other native foods. When this is taken, the power will start to grow, until when the person will start to fly at night.

Old Saying: The witch bird chirped yesterday, the child dies today…

Witches take part in some obscure nocturnal orgies for which one member of the witch party must supply a human child. By drinking the life blood of numerous victims, the witch is able to prolong her own life and it is for this reason that old people are suspected of being witches. A pregnant woman will avoid visiting an old woman during her pregnancy and the birth of a baby will be kept a secret from a suspected old woman. In some areas the death of a young person or child is considered unnatural and all such deaths are attributed to the work of witches.

Hand Work Of Witches: One of the most common deeds attributed to witches is interference with reproduction. Impotence is common among males and it is the prevalent idea that this is the work of witches. A witch is capable of taking the penis of a man and having intercourse, using it with the man’s wife or some other woman. The witch will then return the man’s penis but it will be altered in some way and may not be able to function.

Witch Tree Kumasi Ghana
Witches Control The Menstrual Flow of Women: They may obstruct the expulsion of the child from the womb. There is some obscure fundamental relationship between witchcraft and menstrual blood. The menstruating woman and the witch both have power to render magic and the native doctor’s medicines powerless.

Most witches transform themselves into animals like Night Owl, Birds, Cats, Dogs, Rats, Bats, Snakes, Cockroaches…

“When a witch closes her eyes she can see everywhere and can observe all that is happening.”

!!!— Pledge of Allegiance to “Woman” —!!!

There’s more to me than the human eye can see. I’m a woman of purpose and destiny. A perfect design, I’m special and unique. I won’t be identified by the parts that make up my physique. My beauty is not defined by my skin or my hair and my soul has more value than the clothes that I wear. I’m not a symbol of pleasure or sex appeal; I have the natural ability to comfort and the power to heal. When God made me, It created a gem, because it fashioned me in the likeness of Her and Him. I refuse to do anything that will put myself to shame. I deserve to be treated with reverence and called by my name. I can’t be purchased or sold at any price. I Am divine, A Creator of life…

Awon Agba = Elders of the Night…
Those who eat from the intestines – Those whose have menstrual flow Made divination for the mother witches When they were coming from heaven to earth…. Aje – Witch simply refers to the use of extrasensory clairvoyance beyond normal human knowledge in other to accomplish an aim, be it positive or negative, and it also refers to the original power given by God to Iyami Osoronga who is the mother of witches.

CLASSIFICATION OF AWON AGBA…
In order to do the pact or harmonious relationship called Imule, it’s important to identify the following – Imule Aje-pact with witches – Imule Osho-pact with wizards – Imule Emere-pact with Egbe spirits and Abiku.
An Imule is usually done by burning or pounding some bones of birds, cats, tree bark, parrot feather, sometimes vultures, different leaves etc, it can be made as incision in the body or soaps after the necessary invocations and prayers are made and it will restore harmony to the user and it will act as a sign that when witches sees such a person they will grant he/she favors. Most Diviners in Nigeria often use this method.

EKPE = ABAKUA: The Voice Of The Leopard

***The Sacred Language of the Abakua…

“The goat that breaks the drum will pay for it with his hide”

Abakuá is an Afro-Cuban men’s initiatory fraternity, or secret society, which originated from fraternal associations in the Cross River region of southeastern Nigeria and southwestern Cameroon. Known generally as Ekpe, Egbo, Ngbe, or Ugbe among the multi-lingual groups in the region, these closed groups all used the leopard as a symbol of masculine prowess in war and political authority in their various communities. The term Ñáñigo has also been used for the organization’s members. The creolized Cuban term Abakuá is thought to refer to the Abakpa area in southeast Nigeria, where the society was active.

The first such societies were established by Africans in the town of Regla, Havana, in 1836. This remains the main area of Abakuá implantation, especially the district of Guanabacoa in eastern Havana, and in Matanzas where Afro-Cuban culture is vibrant.

Abakuá members derive their belief systems and traditional practices from the Igbo, Efik, Efut, and Ibibio spirits that lived in the forest. Ekpe and synonymous terms were names of both a forest spirit and a leopard related secret society. Members of this society came to be known as ñañigos, a word used to designate the street dancers of the society. The oaths of loyalty to the Abakuá society’s sacred objects, members, and secret knowledge taken by initiates are a lifelong pact which creates a sacred kinship among the members.

The duties of an Abakuá member to his ritual brothers at times surpass even the responsibilities of friendship, and the phrase “Friendship is one thing, and Abakuá is another” is often heard.

One of the oaths made during initiation is that one will not reveal the secrets of the Abakuá to non-members, which is why the Abakuá have remained hermetic for over 160 years. Aside from its activities as a mutual aid society, the Abakuá performs rituals and ceremonies, called Plantes, full of theatricality and drama which consists of drumming, dancing, and chanting activities using the secret Abakuá language.

Knowledge of the chants are restricted to members of the Abakuá but Cuban scholars have long thought that the Abakuá expresses their cultural history through their ceremonies. Other ceremonies such as initiations and funerals, are secret and take place in the sacred room of the Abakuá temple, called the Famba.

Prejudice about the Abakuá dates back to the colonial era, and stems from the negative propaganda associated with the fear of slave uprisings. It was compounded by the secretive nature and mysteries surrounding the culture… While Abakuá members do use some of the same phrases that their Ancestors did in Africa, it is only for religious purposes, not for everyday oral or written communication. Some of these expressions have become popular sayings, such as -Ekue mbori aborekin ñangue, which means “The goat that breaks the drum will pay for it with his hide.”

However, sometimes people use refrains from the Abakuá moral code that can cause misunderstandings. The concept of Manliness depends on a subjective interpretation, and that depends on one’s cultural education and on psychological and sociological factors such as a person’s family, school and community. Some Abakuás view it as being – a good father, son and brother.

The expression that refers to – cleansing honor with blood, advocates being ambia koneyó – sincere friends and solidarity among Ecobios – Brothers in religion. The Abakuá’s roots go back to the slave trade. The Carabalíes – people from the Calabar region of Africa who were brought to Cuba maintained their legends and their secret societies from Africa.

The rhythmic dance music of the Abakuá combined with Bantu traditions of the Congo contributed to the musical tradition the rumba.

The antecedents of the Abakuá or ñañiguismo are in the secret society that existed in Nigeria, Calabar. Its organization and content have the roots in the African legend that tells the story of the violation of a secret by a woman: the princess Sikan. She found the sacred fish Tanze and reproduced the roar in the sacred drum Eku. The ñañiguismo cannot be separated of the African believes about the existence of Ancestor (spirits), that’s why in all the ceremonies they are called to guaranty the development of the ritual according to rigorous liturgical norms. Its symbolic representation is the Ireme or Diablito.

All the activities of the cult are made in the temples. In all the rituals are used lines and graphics known as Ekeniyo which are an ideological graphical system of signs to immobilize and attach the representation of global events. These symbols are painted with yellow and with yeast and they are divided in three categories: the Gandos, the Signs or Anaforuanas and the Seals.

The ñañigismo has several hierarchies. The Indisime is the applicant to enter into a potencia, the Obonekué is an already initiated man. The Plaza is a everlasting hierarchy with a relevant position in the juego. This person is in charge to preserve and to make follow the norms and ritual and social principles. The Iyamba, Mokongo, Ekueñón, Nkrikamo and Nasako have the title of Plaza. Only men are admitted in the secret society Abakua.

Atare = Agbon = Odidere…

The Magic of Ataré..”Grains of Paradise = Alligator Pepper”

Guinea Pepper is so called because it is a native plant from the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa. Other common names for this spice are Guinea grains, melegueta pepper, and grains of paradise. Alligator pepper is a West African spice which corresponds to the seeds and seed pods of Aframomum Danielli. It is a close relative of grains of paradise, obtained from the closely related species, Aframomum Melegueta. However, unlike grains of paradise which are generally sold as only the seeds of the plant, alligator pepper is sold as the entire pod containing the seeds.

The plants which provide alligator pepper are herbaceous perennials of the ginger (Zingiberaceae) family of flowering plants, native to swampy habitats along the West African coast. Once the pod is open and the seeds are revealed, the reason for this spice’s common English name becomes apparent as the seeds have a papery skin enclosing them and the bumps of the seeds within this skin is reminiscent of an alligator’s back. It is a common ingredient in West African cuisine, where it imparts both pungency and a spicy aroma to classic West African soups (stews). Often, a single whole pod is pounded in a pestle and mortar before half of it is added as a flavoring to West African soups. The spice can also be substituted in any recipe using grains of paradise or black cardamom to provide a hotter and more pungent flavor.

Atare = Agbon = Odidere…

The Magic of Ataré..”Grains of Paradise = Alligator Pepper”

Guinea Pepper is so called because it is a native plant from the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa. Other common names for this spice are Guinea grains, melegueta pepper, and grains of paradise. Alligator pepper is a West African spice which corresponds to the seeds and seed pods of Aframomum Danielli. It is a close relative of grains of paradise, obtained from the closely related species, Aframomum Melegueta. However, unlike grains of paradise which are generally sold as only the seeds of the plant, alligator pepper is sold as the entire pod containing the seeds.

The plants which provide alligator pepper are herbaceous perennials of the ginger (Zingiberaceae) family of flowering plants, native to swampy habitats along the West African coast. Once the pod is open and the seeds are revealed, the reason for this spice’s common English name becomes apparent as the seeds have a papery skin enclosing them and the bumps of the seeds within this skin is reminiscent of an alligator’s back. It is a common ingredient in West African cuisine, where it imparts both pungency and a spicy aroma to classic West African soups (stews). Often, a single whole pod is pounded in a pestle and mortar before half of it is added as a flavoring to West African soups. The spice can also be substituted in any recipe using grains of paradise or black cardamom to provide a hotter and more pungent flavor.

It can open the way to communicate with the Orisha and Ancestors, it is the key ingredient in countless Sacrifices and literally there is no major initiation that can proceed without having a bit of its Ashé. It can also be used for protection and even to set wrong doings.In the Orisha community Ataré is also known as Pimienta de Guinea.

When babies are born in Yoruba culture, they are given a small taste of Alligator Pepper (Atare) shortly after birth as part of the routine baby-welcoming process, and it is also used as an ingredient at traditional meet-and-greets. Alligator Peppers and kola Nuts are presented to guests at the top of the agenda and prior to any other food or entertainment. Prayers and libations are made together with kola Nuts and Alligator Pepper.

Ataré is important because its energy awakes our bodies & spirit, it increases our Ashé, it makes our words carry the heat of creation and it opens doors to the realm of the Ancestors and Orisha. However, the value of Ataré goes beyond the spiritual reasons our bright Ancestors recognized centuries ago.

*** Agbon = The Coconut Oracle ***

Coconut Palm Tree = “Tree of Life from heaven”

There is no doubt that the ritual of breaking the Coconut has its origins in Hindu practice. There is no doubt that it is performed by people of all religions today in India. It is even performed in enterprises conducted by the state, which are supposed to be truly secular.

Smashing the coconut is symbolic of annihilating the Ego and Humbling oneself before God. Whenever a work of magnitude is undertaken it is natural for the persons involved to feel a sense of pride at what they are setting out to achieve or what they have achieved. This ritual indicates that the actual “doer” is God and humans are merely instruments in his hands. Coconuts are also broken before the deities in temples during normal worship. Again, the philosophy is the same – complete submission to God.

Coconut Palm Tree is called the ‘Tree of Life’, ‘The tree from heaven which gives all that you desire’ by those living in coastal areas. As a thanksgiving to God and a symbolic gesture, for the path to Self Realization which you tend to forget in the midst of the stress and strain of day to day living.

*** Coconut is a symbol of selfless service to the almighty. Each and every part of the coconut is of use to mankind. Nurturing a Coconut tree does not require much effort. It can grow all on its own and serves the mankind in many ways.

The Evolution of Obi Abata to Coconut: Divination is performed using four pieces of Coconut meat in Santería Lukumí. When the Lukumí people were abducted to Cuba, they found themselves in a different climate where many of their native plants did not grow. Kola Nuts do not grow on the island of Cuba, and yet the Lukumí people needed to perform Obí Abata divination to begin restoring their religious practices. They decided to innovate and used Coconut meat instead of kola Nut (Obí Abata). By cracking open a Coconut and extracting its meat then dividing it into four pieces, they developed a suitable alternative for Obí Abata divination. Over the years, and with the loss of fluency in the Lukumí dialect, Santeria adherents fell into the habit of referring to Coconuts as Obí since they were being used in the Obí Abata system of divination. But in the strictest sense, the Lukumí word obí actually refers to Obi Abata, and Agbon is the proper word for Coconut.

*** Coconut water is an essential spiritual item which stand for mystery and parity. We are require to apply Coconut water to this great bath ritual rites to purify ourselves. What we are suffering from is unknown to us, our enemy is known to us, items they used for the evil spells are unknown to us: mystery. For our deliverance to reach 100% purity, Coconut water must be involved. Remember, literary, coconut is been used to reduce or dilute the effectiveness of drug. The amount of injury, harm, pains, and suffer our enemies leveled against must be fight using mystic force of Coconut water.

*** The Coconut is an independent object of worship… A coconut The fruit of God, alone is also used to symbolize ‘God’ While worshiping any deity. The three eyes of the coconut represent the three eyes of unknowns. In India one of the most common offerings in a temple is a Coconut. It is also offered occasions like weddings, festivals, the use of a new vehicle, bridge, house etc. In traditional ritual done in all temples and many homes, several materials are poured over the deity like milk, curd, honey, tender coconut water, sandal paste, holy ash etc. Each material has a specific significance of bestowing certain benefits on worshipers. The Coconut also symbolizes selfless service. Every part of the tree -the trunk, leaves, fruit, coir etc, is used in innumerable ways like thatches, mats, tasty dishes, oil, soap etc.

Parrot = Odidere = Ayekooto : The World Reject Truth…

The Magic in a Feather: A Feather Found***A Gift From Spirit…The Birds are sacred and special in various ways and thus make them to be different from other Birds. One of these Birds is a Bird named Parrot = Odidere = Ayekooto which means = The World Reject Truth… because they believe the Bird is strictly a Bird that say nothing but the truth. This Bird is a special bird with many beautiful features and brilliant characteristics that makes it different from just any other Bird. Legend has it that during the Ancient times of myth, animals including Birds speaks and understand the human language. And it is believed till this day that Odidere = Ayekooto still retain this special mystical power to speak, hear, and understand the language of human.

Parrot spirit animal is the wise teacher of the power of your words, spoken or not spoken, for even the silent. Words in your mind are driving you forward, having dominion over your choices and the paths you take. Parrot reflects to us the immense power of our inner mind. Parrot spirit animal shares his wisdom; to take care in the words you speak and the secrets thoughts you carry.

In forest one can easily see other Birds like pigeon, sparrow, dove and even hawk. But to see this Bird named Parrot = Odidere you will have to go deep into the thick deep forest because it is not a common Bird, and even the nest of this sacred Bird is hardly seen by people. It is even the belief that the egg of Odidere is a sacred object that cannot be seen by a mortal, and thus make it so rare to be seen in open places. The feather of Odidere is used by royalty and it is a symbol of the elite. A symbolic special Bird that combines its beauty together with its mystical attributes… (Obatala Odidere-Crown Ogbe Ose)

Parrot is symbolic of truth telling = Speaking from the center of the heart. As Parrot speaks back to you the words you have spoken, you hear your own words with no filter. This is a powerful reflection of self, as you able to recognize the truth of your own words and what you are communicating or you will be reminded of the secrets that you are keeping, or the untruths that are being told. Parrot is a great teacher of communication and brings guidance and assistance in your ability to communicate that which you really feel.

Feathers come from Birds and so are thought to be magical by association. Birds have long been regarded as messengers to the Gods, as Ancient people believed they would carry messages to and from the heavens. Birds were the only animals who could defy gravity, and so they were sacred to many cultures around the world in old times. Because of this, their feathers were regarded as gifts from the Gods…and today if a feather is found it is said to be a gift from Spirit—be it a person’s spirit guide, angel, or deceased loved one. There is something special in every found feather, and feathers can be used to bring good things into one’s life. Every Bird’s feather contains the power of the Universe… Feathers are magically ruled by the element of Air. But each feather also can hold other special powers; depending on the bird it came from, its color and place of discovery and other factors.

The feather represents the element of air, of the intellect and the realm of thought, which is the first step toward creation. Bird feathers are symbols of the wind, the mind and new opportunities. Finding a feather can also be a sign that we are connecting to the divine and the creator God. Finding Bird feathers is a reflection of change and of reaching new levels of consciousness.

*** Orisha Worshiper practices open pathways to the sublime in all of us, and foster a deep and loving respect for all that lives through stones, crystals, trees, plants, animals and humans themselves. To the Worshiper, all is alive, all is sacred and all is connected in a cosmic web of beauty…

Reference Sources: Wikipedia =

GELEDE = Powerful Mothers…

Mothers * Ancestors * Deities…

The Gelede spectacle of the Yoruba & Fon is a public display by colorful masks which combines art and ritual dance to amuse, educate and inspire worship. Gelede Celebrates Mothers – Awon Iya Wa, a group that includes female Ancestors and Deities as well as the Elderly Women of the community, and the power and spiritual capacity these women have in society. However, this power may also be destructive and take the form of witchcraft; therefore, Gelede serves the function of appeasing this power, as well. The Gelede social agenda rests on – life is delicate and should be lived with caution and with an emphasis on diplomacy, consideration, respect and harmony.

Most Yoruba myths of origin can be found in the divination narratives knows at Odu Ifa which contains a number of poems called Ese Ifa. An Ese Ifa explains the origins of Gelede as beginning with Yemoja, “The Mother of all the Deities and all living things.”

Yewajobi – Yemoja could not have children and consulted an Ifa oracle, who advised her to offer sacrifices and to dance with wooden images on her head and metal anklets on her feet. After performing this ritual, she became pregnant. Her first child was a boy, nicknamed “Efe“- Humorist; the Efe mask emphasizes song and jests because of the personality of its namesake. Yewajobi – Yemoja second child was a girl, nicknamed “Gelede” – Obese like her mother Gelede loved dancing.

After getting married themselves, neither Gelede or Efe‘s partner could have children. The Ifa oracle suggested they try the same ritual that had worked for their mother. No sooner than Efe and Gelede performed these rituals- dancing with wooden images on their heads and metal anklets on their feet- they started having children. These rituals developed into the Gelede masked dance and was perpetuated by the descendants of Efe and Gelede.

Although Gelede ceremony may be staged at any time of the year to better the lot of an individual, to cleanse the society of pestilence, to induce rain, to enrich human fertility, to enlist the support of supernatural forces and the – Powerful Mothers in wartime, and to honor the dead, the most elaborate performance occurs during the annual festival.

Once the exact dates of the festival are fixed, usually through divination, the Chief Priestess – Iyalashe notifies the head of the community and the important chiefs. Messages then go out to all members of the Gelede society outside the town or working far away to return home for the celebration.

The festival begins with an all-night concert called Efe, which features the Efe male mask, who uses satire to entertain and educate. Given the concern of the Gelede society with peace and social stability, it is not surprising that didactic themes recur in Efe songs. After the Efe dance, most of the attendees spend the morning sleeping in preparation for the afternoon dance, which takes place in the marketplace and features pairs of male dancers who perform to fast-paced music with a vigorous beat.

The Gelede ceremony involves carefully choreographed dance, singing and music, and especially drumming. The performances are given by men, wearing masks that feature sculpted images of scenes including animals and people or sewing machines and drums. The pairs of men masquerade as women to amuse, please and placate the mothers who are considered very powerful, and who may use their powers for good or destructive purposes. These powers are especially linked to childbirth. The abilities they possess may be activated either consciously or unconsciously.

The Gelede “Mask” is more accurately a headdress, since it rests on top of the head and the wearer’s face is covered by a cloth veil. The headdress takes the form of a human head, on top of which are motifs that are intended to entertain onlookers but, in addition, usually address social concerns that may also be expressed in songs that are part of the masquerade. Individuals or families will usually go to any length to make their headdresses as attractive and humorous as possible.

Most of the headdresses have facial adornments, ranging from lineage marks to decorative tattoos, which are either incised or painted. The headdress is to the costume what the Head – Ori is to the human body. It is an index of identification and the essence of the masker’s personality as long as he is inside the mask. In spite of the comical representations that often appear on the headdress, the face below the superstructure remains serene, as if stressing the paradox that is life-and the need to live life with special care.

The Ketu-Yoruba people are credited with the invention of Gelede sometime in the latter part of the eighteenth century according to Oral traditions throughout the region. A popular Yoruba saying proclaims, oju to ba ri Gelede ti de opin iran – The eyes that have seen Gelede, have seen the ultimate spectacle. Gelede effective power and impact comes from its multi-media format in which the arts of song, dance, costume and music combine to create moving artistic experiences.

Gelede pays homage to the Spiritual Powers of Women, especially Elderly Women known affectionately as “Our Mothers,” Awon Iya Wa. The powers possessed by such Women, comparable to those of the Gods, Spirits, or Ancestors, may be used for the benefit or the destruction of society. When manifesting their destructive dimension such Elderly Women are termed Aje – Witches. If angered, they can bring down individuals and entire communities.

The Yoruba & Fon Markets Are Controlled By Women…To honor Women’s economic power and contributions, many Gelede headdresses depict Women’s heads carrying the goods they sell in the marketplace. Many Gelede masks depict animals that serve as metaphors for human actions and attributes as well as illustrations of popular proverbs and songs that often accompany the mask’s appearance. Animals in devouring motifs are an important means of conveying the concept of competing forces in social as well as spiritual realms.

This Gelede mask displays two snakes wrapped around gourd rattles at the sides of a peaked hairstyle. The rattles are the regalia of priestesses whose spiritual powers are evoked by the snakes. Notice that the face of the male performer is clearly seen through the thin veil of cloth. Unlike other Yoruba masking traditions where the performer’s identity must be hidden because they deal with spiritual forces, Gelede maskers can be seen since they focus on forces in the world.

As dusk approaches after a dazzling array of masqueraders imaging countless aspects of Yoruba life and thought, a final masker – one that synthesizes Goddess, Ancestress, and Priestess appears to conclude and bless the Gelede spectacle. Her white ensemble glowing in the growing darkness, Iya Odua (Mother Odua) moves with measured stride toward the marketplace accompanied by her priestess, her attire mirroring that of the masker visually to unite spiritual and earthly realms. Iya Odua slow, stately tread conveys her Age, Wisdom, and Sacred Power. Her whiteness symbolizes her cool, covert demeanor and her post-menopausal purity for she is the creative, protective, nurturing mother of the gathered crowd, her offspring. Iya Odua appearance assures the community that the lavish spectacle has pleased and placated her, and that the Mothers will use their power and influence for the benefit of all.

Gelede masquerades are spectacles performed by the Yoruba people in Nigeria and DanXome that celebrate the Mystical Power Of Women. Gelede refers to the concept of honoring women and their innate powers so that the entire community may reap the benefits of their life-giving forces. There are many different variations of the Gelede spectacle, which varies from region to region, but this concept remains consistent throughout all of them.

It is an incredible artistic manifestation of the power of Women which is evident in the concepts, costumes and masks, and location of the spectacle. The World is fragile, meaning that the Gelede celebration is warring with the evil of the world without killing. The preservation of the Gelede celebration and its significance and homage to Women is a critical foundation of a community in so far as its cultural and social identity.

The festival involves colorful masks, striking headdresses, festive music, and miraculous performances and importantly the celebration of Womanhood.

Reference Sources: Henry John Drewal = Margaret Thompson Dreway

Libation = Myth & Divinity…

A libation may be poured with any drinkable liquid, including water, milk, wine, beer, or strong spirits, though alcohol has been the dominant choice for some generations now, especially in West Africa and the West.

In African practice there is a sharp distinction between some things that are done with the right hand and other things that are to be done only with the left hand. Libation is poured with the right hand because this is the hand reserved by African tradition for such activity as offering, eating and drinking. A libation often accompanies offerings of food and other things considered good and worthy of the higher powers, but libation should not be confused with those other offerings or with entire ceremonies of which it may form a part. For example, from the earliest known times, libations are always poured as part of the rituals which mark the African cycle of life: Naming Ceremonies, Initiation Ceremonies, Marriage Ceremonies and Transition Ceremonies. Libation is also poured at other occasions, such as to mark the settlement of a dispute, before cutting down trees, at the Installment of Chiefs, at the many festivals in the African calendar, at the opening of Vodou, Candomblé and other African spiritual gatherings, and indeed in every ceremony and gathering in the African way of life.
The general purpose is to safeguard or make amends and seek forgiveness for infracting any of the relationships in the cosmic order, but the specific occasions and themes in libation may be many. If properly done, the person, the family, the clan, the community or those present and participating and or those on whose behalf the libation is poured may receive several benefits from a libation. They may benefit through being fortified by the renewal and or restoration which this ritual offers. They may also receive benefit through the security that comes from the knowledge of the spiritual connection and oneness with the Supreme One, with the divinities, with the Ancestors, among themselves singly and collectively, and with the physical environment. It is the preservation of these connections and the beneficial results of understanding and maintaining them that this ritual represents and promotes.

Libation, like any activity that is at once both sacred and communal, is useful and important because it helps to overcome fears, anxieties and frustrations. It promotes knowledge of and respect for Elders and the Ancestors, hope and healing, unity and harmony, all through the reinforcement of common bonds. It also lends itself towards the achievement of solidarity, which results from common participation in any such communal activity. Libation also functions beneficially by helping those present to be psychologically prepared for a task at hand, especially through the self-confidence that grows from the knowledge – not only that all is well in their relationships with the higher and lesser powers in the cosmic order, but also by becoming focused upon what is to be done during a specific forthcoming undertaking.

Libation is founded upon the oneness of the universe and the relation and interdependence of all beings and things therein. Its function is to maintain: the harmony, balance and unity of the cosmos through maintaining the optimum relations among the various beings and things, preventing any of these relations from being impaired, or nullifying the threat of such impairment. The significance of libation transcends the ritual itself…

The truth is that both people and culture have made this immensely long journey, for when a people migrate, or are made to migrate, they do not leave their culture behind. That is not possible, for culture is a defining characteristic of a people and inseparable from its agents. Libation is therefore, in the terms of, both ‘trans-generational and transcontinental’. Since libation defines the temporal and physical boundaries of the African world, it may therefore help to define the boundaries of African Studies, the study of the African world.

!!! On the matter of what to offer the Ancestor or Deities, we have the choice of Water, Wine and “Hard” Liquor. The choice of liquid depends on the nature of the libation and prayer and what your aim is in invoking (awakening) the Ancestors.

Water is for cooling and healing and creating or reconciling relationships. Liquor is fiery and is usually used to rouse, cement, ignite, protect and perform strong purification. Wine is mid-way between the two and is good for friendly relations, between man and spirit. This is an important matter as many of us do not realize that when you pour libation you are awakening the Ancestors.

Ideally, once you have poured libation you should be talking to the Ancestors like you talk to any other living person. You should converse and build the relationship. Over time, you will hear messages in distinct ways. Sometimes several people will hear the message or hear parts of the message that then can be pieced together to make one complete communication from the Ancestors.

Ejubona Ijebu Ogun State Nigeria Awo “Ogunda-Ogbe” Efuwape Olatunji
** The person officiating Libation must possess the spiritual force to open the way to Spiritual communication. We go with the safest route during this occasion and choose to allow those that are older, trained or more versed than us conduct such affairs. “Libation is a powerful spiritual science. Learn the steps

TREES = Rituals & Ceremonies…

“It is their belief that when a family member dies, their spirit resides in the natural environment to watch over their kin, relay messages to and from God, and grant blessings, wishes, and requests.”

In Africa the practice of Tree worship is based on the belief that Ancestor spirits live in the Trees and forests as well as any other natural formations that are considered peaceful.

Sacred Trees are highly manicured and sculpted so that they can provide a sheltered place for gatherings. In many villages they were the center of social activity—from community dances to court sessions, as well as metaphors for the strength of community bonds. And as the mythology goes, Sacred Trees represent a cosmic connection between Earth and the Heavens. The Trees helped people measure the passing of time through seasonal changes and became the centerpiece of local folklore.

In many cultures around the world, Trees are used in creation stories and myths to explain human, and spiritual, origins. Such trees frequently represent the axis of the universe that connects different realms of the cosmos. Its branches hold up the heavens, its trunk stands in the earthly realm, and its roots descend into the underworld.

The supernatural characters and powers of sacred trees…

In many religions, sacred places as well as Orishas were thought to possess supernatural characters and the power to carry out miracles or as having magical powers. The same attitude is found throughout history as an outcome of tree Worship-Adoration-Veneration.

Sacred Trees were sometimes described as possessing huge or unusual dimensions or miraculous physical characters. Frequently, sacred Trees were regarded as having omnipotent magic powers to punish, cure, or to carry out miracles and to confer unusual abilities.

In many cultures around the globe sacred Trees are strictly protected, and injuring the Tree in any way is regarded as sacrilege. This deep faith has been established in the course of generations by tradition and stories of actual punishment meted out by the Gods-Souls-Orishas to which the Trees are dedicated. Injuring the Tree, especially cutting it down may leave the resident spirit homeless and it would soon take its revenge.

In some communities fear of revenge by the spirits in response to any harm to the sacred Tree is so great that special ceremonies, which may include sacrifices, prayers, ceremonies, are held to pacify the angry spirit before a Tree is cut.

Not surprisingly, any kind of harm done to the sacred Tree-Grove-Forest is feared to cause a furious punitive response by a supernatural being. This fear is so deeply imprinted in human conscience of various Tribes*Communities that the people are afraid even to pick a leaf or to collect dead wood from below the Tree, which may carry an immediate sentence of death.

Throughout history, and in many cultures, sacred Trees were regarded as omens and oracles, as well as soothsayers that may speak in human voices. Punishment of whoever violates the Tree All over the world sacred Trees are protected by a system of taboos and ceremonies which were developed to prevent any damage. These Trees are regarded as the abode of supernatural beings, gods, souls and any harm to such abodes are to be heavily punished. Cutting down sacred Trees is regarded as a particularly serious offence against the supernatural element because such an act leaves the spirit homeless. There is thus a need to repatriate these supernatural beings by means of special ceremonies.

Not surprisingly, any kind of harm done to the sacred Tree-Grove-Forest is feared to cause a furious punitive response by a supernatural being. This fear is so deeply imprinted in human conscience of various Tribes*Communities that the people are afraid even to pick a leaf or to collect dead wood from below the Tree, which may carry an immediate sentence of death.

Throughout history, and in many cultures, sacred Trees were regarded as omens and oracles, as well as soothsayers that may speak in human voices. Punishment of whoever violates the Tree All over the world sacred Trees are protected by a system of taboos and ceremonies which were developed to prevent any damage. These Trees are regarded as the abode of supernatural beings, gods, souls and any harm to such abodes are to be heavily punished. Cutting down sacred Trees is regarded as a particularly serious offence against the supernatural element because such an act leaves the spirit homeless. There is thus a need to repatriate these supernatural beings by means of special ceremonies.

IROKO = Milicia Excelsa = African Teak : Iroko is a large hardwood Tree from the west coast of tropical Africa the Tree is known to the Yoruba as Irókò or loko and is believed to have supernatural properties. It is one of the woods sometimes referred to as African teak, although it is unrelated to the teak family. The Tree is feared in some cultures where it originates and hence is shunned or revered with offerings. Yoruba people believe that the Tree is inhabited by a spirit, and anybody who sees the Iroko-man face to face becomes insane and speedily dies. The spirit of the Iroko can be heard in houses which use Iroko wood, as the spirit of the Iroko is trapped in the wood. It is often protected when the surrounding bush is cleared, ritual sacrifices take place underneath it and gifts are given to it. Fertility and birth are associated with it and its timber is used to make ceremonial drums and coffins.

Benefits Of The Iroko Tree: With the tremendous increase in human population and the need for activities such as construction, cultivation, rearing of animals, and environmental development, there has been a tremendous rise on the loss of natural habitats, ecosystems, wild animals, vegetation etc. One important tree that has suffered this sort of habitat loss is the Iroko Tree. Despite its reduction in number, researchers have revealed that there are several incredible benefits of Iroko Tree that makes it stand out from other Trees in the ecosystem.

The Tree features in many myths and tales. It consistently reflects a few important symbolic images. The Tree stands between heaven and earth and is associated with creation as well as the underworld. The Tree is a maternal symbol: a protector and provider who gives fruit, other foods and medicines, provides a reservoir for water, protects against the elements and evil spirits. The Tree often symbolizes human fecundity. It may also be a phallic and paternal symbol, symbolically linking people with their ancestors while being a symbol of political unity.

Finally, the deciduous characteristic of the tree gives it an ambiguous image which reflects the tree’s power to give life and rebirth as well as to bring about death. In many African myths and stories, the tree is portrayed as an Ancestral symbol of wisdom, authority and custom, providing a bond between the dead and the living.

It Is Dark And The Trees In The Farm Are Silent. One Who Taps Palm Wine Must Pay Attention To His Climbing Rope.

Reference Sources: Blessing Okpala = Wikipedia =

Blood Sacrifices = To Make Sacred

Blood Is Not Just Blood, It Is A Sacred Essence. Blood That flows To The Breast To Give Mother’s Milk, blood That Flows To The Testicles To Bring The Sperm Of Life.

When there Is An Imbalance One Must Give Back To The Energy Of The Earth. The Idea Of Blood As Token Of Beliefs Is Powerful & For Many Is Disturbing. Blood Has A Role In many Religions: In A Catholic Worship Of Taking Communion Worshipers Drink The Blood Of Jesus Christ. Every Time You Take Holy Communion You Are Drinking Human Blood.

*** A “sacrifice” is defined as the offering up of something precious for a cause or a reason. Making atonement is satisfying someone or something for an offense committed. God said, “I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves. In other words, those who are covered by the blood sacrifice are set free from the consequences of sin.

All of the many, many blood sacrifices seen throughout the Old Testament were foreshadowing the true, once-for-all-time sacrifice to come so that, without the blood, there is no forgiveness. This shedding of blood is a substituting act. Therefore “the blood ‘makes atonement’ at the cost of the animal’s life or “makes atonement in the place of the life”

The symbolism of blood as life and applies blood sacrifices were temporary and only atoned for sin partially and for a short time, hence the need to repeat the sacrifices.

Blood Sacrifice – This intense ritual has been around forever and still exists today in many parts of the world. There has always been cultures throughout history that have made sacrifice to their God Deities or idols. All in order to please them and to gain favor from them.

There were many times throughout the Bible that sacrificial offerings were made to God. In most cases a virgin lamb was used. You will note that in most animal sacrifices the animal is to be virgin. This is because it is pure. You will also note that God only found blood sacrifice pleasing. We have the story of Cain and Abel where Abel used blood sacrifice and found the favor of God and Cain used vegetables and did not find favor with God so Cain got jealous and killed Abel. We have Abraham in the Bible who was asked to sacrifice his firstborn son to God. Replacing animal life for human life. But then God stopped him for he was only testing him.

Let’s face it, the Bible is full of Blood Sacrifice and killing all in the name of God. Makes you wonder doesn’t it…

We have the Aztecs who were very big on Human and animal sacrifice. It was an integral part of their Religion. They had many Blood thirsty Gods that needed to be pleased. As they saw it, the offering of blood through human sacrifice ensured the perpetuation of the universe. Spanish observers found the practice utterly revolting for Aztecs would take their victims… make them lay perfectly still while the High Priest took a stone knife and cut out their heart.

The Aztec priests were also into self mutilation. For instance, cutting their own genitalia and worst of all they would take a rope and embed it with large thorns. Then they would pierce their tongue and thread the thorn embedded rope through the tongue. The likes would have to be such an excruciating pain that they would leave their bodies and travel to other dimensions.

But the norm is to use that of an animal. For instance, using white doves or chickens. There are many different animals that can be used according to who you are conjuring up. Remember if they are virgin animals, it is all the more pleasing to the Entity. Because blood has an energy, a life force. Plus, it gives them some substance to take some form.

Remember… NEVER TORTURE AN ANIMAL!

**Blood sacrifice is very dangerous, especially for the inexperienced Diviner or Sorcerer. You will probably end up the victim yourself by the hands of the Entity that you conjured up.

BELLS = Points Of Passage

BELLS = SUPERNATURAL ENCHANTMENT….

From very early times, there has been a link in myths and legends between Bells, water and spirits. Water was seen as the element that joined the world of the living and the world of the dead. Spirits could make contact through water and the idea of spirits coming out of the sea would not have seemed strange. It was also believed that the spirits of people who died suddenly or violently, or who had not had a proper burial, would not rest and would wander the earth. This included the many sailors who were drowned in stormy seas; their bodies were often never found.

This may have come from their use in real life, to be rung for good or bad times. Bells were used in celebrations such as weddings or to call people to pray. From Celtic times, they were thought to contain magic. The Celtic priests would throw bells into rivers, streams or springs to get rid of bad spirits and make the water pure. Throughout history, bells have also been used to signal good or bad news. Bells were rung at funerals or as a warning of invaders or war. They were even rung in times of plague, to tell people to bring out their dead. There are many stories of ghostly bells heard at sea or near to the sea and they are nearly always a sign of bad luck or a warning of a storm or disaster.

Bells are used in a wide variety of contexts. You probably associate Bells with religious activity, and rightly so, because they’re often ordained for some spiritual purpose. While some Bells are merely decorative or serve some benign practical function, their appearance and use usually involves idolatry and magical enchantments. The value in this study is in helping you correctly interpret the influences of the familiar world around you. Bells, chimes, jingles, cymbals and gongs are commonly said to be good luck and are often used to ward off evil spirits. Could the ringing of bells really exercise spiritual power, enabling some supernatural influence in the natural realm.

Any spiritual significance of any Bell comes from the hearer of the Bell, rather than the Bell itself. A case in point is bells rung on Sunday morning, and other times of the week. To some, the Bells are calls to prayer, and sometimes for some people, a Bell at a specific time is a call to a specific prayer. To others hearing the same sounds, the Bells simply denote the time of day, and to still others, they sometimes are only a nuisance to be endured.

“BELLS GEOGRAPHICALLY widely distributed and usually possess a clearly defined cultural status. Legends surround them, and beliefs abound concerning their special powers to induce rain or to dissolve storm clouds; to thwart demons when worn as amulets or when placed on animals, buildings, or conveyances; or to invoke curses and lift spells. The concept of their purifying action is ancient, as is their use in ritual, especially in the religions of eastern and southern Asia. Chinese rang Bells to communicate directly with spirits. East Asia, the fading tone of the Bell is considered spiritually significant. Russian Orthodoxy, Bells directly addressed the deity–hence, huge ones were cast by both peoples to lend greater authority.

Bells are consecrated before being used liturgically. Bells symbolize paradise and the voice of God. Among the most basic and widespread uses of Bells is signaling–marking significant points of ritual, calling to worship, tolling the hours, announcing events, rejoicing, warning, and mourning. It’s common around the globe to find the belling of livestock and horses. “In folk-magic brass is used to effectively repel witches and evil spirits. The protection is thought to be similar to that given by iron. It is used to make various kinds of amulets. Brass bells are hung around the necks of horses, cows and other animals to protect them against the evil eye.” The Hebrews wore crescent moons to ward off the evil eye and they attached Bells to their garments to ward off evil spirits.

In the Middle Ages the supernatural world was believed to be very real and close. Special protective powers were desired by the superstitious and were attributed to certain objects, including Bells. The Church itself condoned the use of Bells to frighten away evil spirits and this ensured its survival and development. Bells were actually baptized, and once baptized had the power to ward off evil spells and spirits. The use of the dead Bell was typical of this belief, rung for the recently deceased to keep evil spirits from molesting the body.

The dead Bell was therefore originally rung for two reasons:
Firstly to seek the prayers of all Christians for a soul just departing; Secondly to drive away the evil spirits who stood at the bed’s foot and about the house, ready to seize their prey, or at least to molest and terrify the soul in its passage; but, by the ringing of the Bell evil spirits are afraid of the sounds of bells, they were kept away; and the soul, like a hunted hare, gained the head start.”

Passing Bell – The name given to the Bell which is rung in the church when a person is near to death; it is said to have the effect of frightening away the evil spirits which are ready to take the soul as it passes from the body. In the medieval period, Bells were sometimes rung to destroy witches, as it was supposed that the sound of Bells threw them off their night flight and rendered their diabolic magic ineffective. The ringing of Bells is also associated with funerals, so sounds mimicking bells were thought to forecast death. The ringing of a wine glass was such a sound, and had to be stopped before its reverberation ended. Ship’s bells were exempted from this superstition, because they signaled time and the changing of watch duties. But if they rang of their own accord, as in a storm, somebody was going to die.

Tones have a healing effect on our bodies, calm our minds and awaken our spirits. The resonance and vibration of sound releases stress and emotional blockages in the body and calms the mind. The calming of mind expands conscious awareness and connection with spirit. Wind chimes thereby help enhance the mind/body/spirit connection bringing us a sense of peace and well being.

A clock is an instrument for measuring, indicating and maintaining the time. The word “Clock” is derived ultimately from the Celtic words Clagan and Clocca meaning “bell”. For horologists and other specialists the term “Clock” continues to mean exclusively a device with a striking mechanism for announcing intervals of time acoustically, by ringing a Bell, a set of chimes, or a gong.

In the Middle Ages, however, members of religious orders were expected to pray at definite times. Failure to maintain godly habits because of cloudiness or variable flames was not acceptable. The monks and nuns were summoned to prayer by a bell. Soon someone realized that the elaborate astronomical model was not needed; a system of striking the hour with a series of rings of the Bell was sufficient. Sometime after that, people added a dial to show the hours with a pointer (hand). A similar pointer for minutes was not needed until clocks greatly improved in accuracy. Although the first clocks were installed for use in religion, within a few years people began to keep time by the hours, since the ringing of the Bell often could be heard or the dial seen all over a village.

The Agogo/ Gankogui is comprised of two conical-shaped flange Bells of differing size joined at their apexes. Each Bell is made from two arched pieces of sheet iron with a pronounced tapering so that when their edges are welded together a deep cone-shaped vessel results. The larger Bell is approximately twice as long as the smaller one. The apex of each Bell is welded to the flared end of an elongated piece of iron that serves as the Bell’s handle. A wood stick is used to strike the rims of theBells, which are what vibrates most energetically when the Bells are played. The Agogo/Gankogui player holds the handle of the Bell in one hand with the Bells facing either upwards or downwards. The wood beater used to strike the Bells near their rims is held in the player’s other hand. Each Bell produces one basic pitch, and the larger Bell is noticeably lower in pitch than the smaller one. When held facing downwards, a seated player can, in addition to allowing the larger Bell to ring at full volume, also press it against her/his thigh to achieve subtle timbres effects.

The Agogo/Gankogui is sometimes referred to as “forged iron carrying a child”. The larger Bell is considered to be the parent of the smaller one. The larger Bell of the Agogo/Gankogui is tuned approximately one octave (Tin) below the smaller one (Go) – The person playing Agogo/Gankogui must have excellent time and not be distracted easily.

The Atoke/Apitua Bell, also known as a banana Bell, is common throughout West Africa. It is made from hand-forged iron and resembles a small boat or, as its other name suggests, a banana. The Bell is held in the palm of one hand, and sound is produced by striking it with a metal stick. Think of the characteristics associated with Bells. They usually were associated with carrying messages through the air and over distances. Clearing the air…changing the frequency in the air…clear messages as associated with the prophetic…these are the main ones that I connect with when it comes to Bells.

In our dream we may see Bells, or hear them or both. Bells are important to many religions and cultures around the world. They may be deep and resonant, light and joyous, sad or celebration. Bells are not things we see or hear as often as we might have in previous generations, but their symbolic significance still holds a profound sway over many of us. And while we may not see actual Bells so often in day to day life, we still have more abstract Bells around us in many forms – door Bells, the “ring tones” on our phones, the alarm clock and so on.
The Meaning of a Bell in a Dream… Bells call us to prayer, so in a dream they may symbolize a spiritual calling, or even a special message we are about to receive. Bells are used by town criers to announce important events, so in a dream we may hear Bells when our subconscious is trying to ensure we pay attention to an important piece of information it is trying to impart.

Bells at their most celebration signal an end to war, the highest of holy days or a wedding. To dream of such joyous Bells as this is a wonderful sign of exceptional and blessed transition. It may be an end to warning parts of our own personalities, a sign that we are reconciling deeply held internal conflicts. Dreams of such celebration Bells may signify a sacred union, a merging of our opposing male and female sides. These dreams can remind us of the very best that being alive is about. Bells can be joyous, celebration or even sacred. But Bells can be warnings, a call to action, a call for help or a symbol of passing. Bells help communicate between the world of matter and the world of spirit. If we dream of Bells we would do well to heed their message, whatever it may be. The ringing of a Bell or Bells can represent a message being delivered. For example, the ringing of a school Bell sends the message that class is beginning or ending. The ringing of church Bells sends a message that a significant event has occurred. The ringing of a delicate Bell or chime could mean there’s a message you need to pay attention to, either in the dream or in real life.

Throughout society and culture around the world, Bells have a multitude of meanings and purposes. Bells symbolize beginnings and endings. Bells are rung at weddings, funerals and to kick off boxing rounds. Church Bells gather people by summoning them to church or events. Bells announce that someone’s at the door or on the phone and warn us not to cross railroad tracks. Chimes tinkling in the breeze can relax us and help us guess the speed of the wind. Bells even have the power to tell us what to do! Alarm clocks tell us to wake up and school Bells tell us to get to class.

EGUNGUN: Ancestral Spirits…

Egungun = Life After Death

Light as a feather! This is how softly your Ancestors might speak to you. And this is why you must listen intently – not just with your ears, but with every fiber in your being. They spoke to you yesterday, they speak to you today, they will speak to you tomorrow and they are speaking to you right now. But you’ll never hear them unless you are willing to sit in silence, to hear the powerful messages that are landing as gently as feathers.

Opa Iku
Egungun is regarded as the collective spirits of the Ancestors who occupy a space in heaven, hence they are called dwellers of heaven. These Ancestral spirits are believed to be in constant watch of their survivors on Earth.

Egun (Ancestor) = To die Of Natural Causes At An Advanced Age, Leaving Behind Numerous Progeny, Like A Tree Bent From The Weight Of Its Fruits & In Harmony With the Divinities & The Ancestors – To Be Buried With The Performance Of All The Rites That Mark The Tradition Which Permit One To Enter Orun. Where One Is Reunited With The Ancestors Of One’s Lineage (Isheshe) to be Later Reincarnated Constitute For Yoruba The Good death.

Egungun = Ancestor Masquerade – We are born with death = Without the death of the flesh, there is no resurrection, no immortality. Every birth is the rebirth of an ancestor. The spirits could be invoked collectively and individually in time of need. The place of call is usually on the grave of the Ancestors, the family shrine, or the community grove. The Ancestral spirits have collective functions that cut across lineage and family loyalty. They collectively protect the community against evil spirits, epidemics, famine, ensuring the well being, prosperity, and productivity of the general community.

Although it is regarded dangerous for the Ancestral spirits to dominate day to day activities of the people on Earth, occasional physical appearances of Egungun/masquerades visibly demonstrate the closeness of the Ancestor to their survivors. The lineage or family ties become strengthened as each member displays his or her loyalty. The coming out of the lineage Egungun is a source of blessing and pride to the family. Egungun appearance is a time of festivity and entertainment, a time of apprehension of forces of evil and of engendering deep belief in divine guidance and protection. Above all, having an Egungun is a way of immortalizing one’s name because anytime the Egungun comes out, the drummers and women of the family sing in praise of one, recounting the heroic deeds of the family.

To understand Egungun mysteries one needs to understand the historical development of the cults. Every member of a community seems to be involved in the worship of Egungun, since everybody has at least one Ancestor to call upon. The Egungun ensemble acts as the medium for the masker’s transformation into his ancestors. An Egungun society is composed of Men and Women whose lineages have the right to present the Masquerade. **Men do the masking. ***Women never wear the costume, although they participate in the chorus that sings the oriki – praise poems and histories of the families. Elder Women of high title also perform invocations, prayers, and offerings. The Masker is kept at a distance from the surrounding crowd with the help of attendants dressed in Masquerade costumes of different types…

In African culture it is common for the uninitiated to make direct contract with Ancestor spirits. The most prevalent process of communication is through dreams. Communication also occurs during participation in annual Ancestor festivals. Because such festivals are not common in this country. Worshipers in the West have created several viable alternatives. Using these alternative methods, the first step in the process of honoring the Ancestors is the construction of an Ancestor shrine used as a focal point for prayer and meditation. There are a number of traditional African methods for building an Ancestor shrine, some of which are very complex and require personal training. For example it is common in traditional African culture to bury revered Ancestors under the floors of the family home. The tomb of the Ancestor is the foundation of the Ancestral shrine.

ANCESTRAL SHRINES… The power to effectively invoke Spirits comes as a result of initiation and the training that is sanctioned by initiation. The exception to this rule is Egun (Ancestor spirits). Ancestor initiations (Egungun, Isegun, Ato), but everyone is believed to have the power and the ability to communicate with the spirit of those blood relatives who have passed beyond this life.

Communication with your own Ancestors is a birthright. At times this communication can simply involve remembering a revered Ancestor and making use of the memory as a basis for making life decisions. In many ways Ancestor communication is an extension of the training and wisdom we receive from our parents. You cannot know who you are if you cannot call the names of your Ancestors going back seven generations. Remembering names is more than reciting a genealogy, it is preserving the history of a family lineage and the memory of those good deeds that allowed to the family to survive and create a home for the continued cycle of reincarnation.

Before a shrine to the Ancestors can be assembled, several preliminary steps need to occur. First the room should be clean and neat. After the altar is built it should stay as clean as possible. Dirt and disorder can attract unwanted spiritual forces. This may seem simplistic, but in my experience it is a very important consideration. Our external environment reflects our internal state of being and either supports resistance to change or growth. The idea that if you are confused about anything, remove the clutter and disorder from your home and clarity will surface from the newly transformed physical environment. The boundaries which divide life from death are at best shadowed and vague. Who shall say where the one ends and where the other begins.

The Yoruba afterlife consists of Reincarnation. However, Africans explain that you reincarnate from your Ancestors and into your descendants. The truth is that you can only reincarnate thru your clan or extended-family descendants. It doesn’t have to be your direct great grandchild. It just has to have enough of your DNA code for you to transfer your spirit into it. In theory, you can transfer to anyone who shares your ethnic group DNA code. However, most genetic DNA theories are racist manipulation of science. DNA is not just a physical code but like a keyhole lows you to open doors in the next reincarnation.This is why many Yoruba names point to the reincarnation of people, but always thru the extended-family. Names like Babatunde – father has returned reflect the Yoruba notion that reincarnation is a family affair.

This is why Ancestral veneration is important in Yoruba. You are not just talking to dead people; you are remembering and learning from your past. If you do not learn from your past, in this life and in former ones you will repeat mistakes. That is the purpose of Ancestral veneration – Egungun) in Ifa. The Odu Ifa tells us that we will all reincarnate until every single human has reached enlightenment. We are a communal species.

When you don’t understand this truth about reincarnation, you will not take efforts to improve the conditions of your clan or ethnic group because you think you will escape it in death’s heaven or join another ethnic group in reincarnation. Then when you return to Earth in the same oppressed ethnic group, you complain even though in your former life you did not fight to liberate your ethnic group.
This is why their clans establish strong dynasties and they accumulate wealth not just for them, but for the next three generations after them. They know they are coming back and they want to be wealthy while they sell you the lie that you can die and go to heaven to escape this cycle. A true devotee of the Egungun plans for the next 16 generations of prosperity.

Les plus Belles photos de Egouns au Bénin…

It Is Only After Separation With The Flesh Can Man/Woman The Creation Of God, See God Face To Face. It Is Forbidden To Unmask Any Egungun Masquerade. The Face Of The Spirit Is for the Spirit To See, Not The Human Eyes…

Egungun also we all know is the deity of the departed Ancestors. The belief of Yoruba people and Ifa is that even departed ancestors are still part and parcel to the larger family. Below are ten facts you should know about Egungun. They are present in the family and they guide the living member of the family. – Egungun Maternal and Paternal are fed so that will continue to guarantee protection, safety, prosperity, good health and all ire for the living.

Egugun should be fed at least twice in a year – Egungun comes out in the form of Masquerades which are called “Ara-Orun-Kinkin” that is, “The inhabitants of heaven”. – Egungun symbols are: Decorated switches and whips, a hand woven coarse cloth used as Egungun, socks and foot wear. This cloth is known as “Aso Iyamoje”.

Egungun taboos: Palm kernel oil. Women are declined to enter Egungun’s shrine. Obatala devotee must not carry Egungun Masquarade. Egungun face must not been seen or disclosed to anyone. Egun Masquerade must not enter a blacksmith – Egungun is fed in three forms; while kneeling, sitting or bending.- If the Egungun to be fed is a specific Ancestor all the feeding materials will be taken to the tomb site of the Ancestor and all the necessary ritual performed there.

There are various types of Egungun among are; Egungun Eleru, Egungun Olopon (Masqurade with big load on thier head), Egungun Janduku (switch carrying Masquarade), Egungun Alate also known as Tombolo etc. other categories of Masquarades are Gelede and Aabe. The hunters Egungun are known as “Egungun ode”.
Egungun feeding materials are: Obi-kolanuts, Orogbo-bitter kola, Atare-alligator pepper, Water, Wine, Palm Oil, Smoked rat, Smoked fish, Rooster, Goat,Ram, and Edible food offerings etc .

Worshipers of Egungun: Alapinni = The head chief priest of Egungun – Alagba = The head of the Oje – Alaran = Third in command – Eesorun = Mostly Women, they are fourth, most important title , and revered position in the cult of Egungun – Oje = The name given to all Egungun worshipers…

Reference Sources: Ogunsina Olayinka Adewuyi = Wikipedia = Awo Falokun = Les plus Belle Egungun Benin =

ZANGBETO = Enforcement & Order…

Zangbeto Masquerade Have Supernatural Powers

Zangbeto are the traditional Vodun guardians of the night in the Yoruba religion of Benin and Togo which are known as the “Night- Watchmen”. As a nominal, it represents a group of men who are involved in policing the community and who also double as members of Zangbeto as a cultural masquerade group during public performances. Zangbeto is also used to convey the notion of a socio-cultural phenomenon made up of a series of beliefs and practices. As an institution, it is backed by an oral history that accentuates its origin as an Egun concept, not an alien or imported one. Sources consulted on the origin and history of Zangbeto asserts that it has existed before we were born and was handed down to us by our forefathers .

In centuries past, The Zangbeto masquerade provided security for the community and ensured discipline among the Egun society (the people of Badagry), and although it is no longer relied on to play these roles, it is still a cherished cultural icon in Badagry, particularly in Ajido-Zangbeto festival is celebrated every three or four years, during which the Zangbeto appease the gods, pray for the immediate community and generally offer good wishes for all households, after which the people expect to reap a plentiful harvest, farmers and fishermen alike. The Zangbeto masquerade is clothed in Asho-Gbeto, made from locally sourced palm fronds and is dedicated to breathtaking showmanship, dazzling its audiences with spirited and ‘magical’ displays. During a Zangbeto performance, you are likely to see fire burn in dry sand or white cloth sprout from underground!. Watching the Zangbeto wade through the water, spinning and shuffling is a rare thrill in itself. Zangbeto never walk alone and are always accompanied by minders know as Kregbeto, whose role it is to guide the masquerade’s every step.

Zangbeto is believed to have supernatural powers, and is communal, rather than the initiative of private individuals or a self-defined group. Its origins lie in the pre-colonial history of the Egun people of Badagry and the coastal region of PortoNovo in neighbouring Benin.

*** One of the responses given by the head of the group in Yeketome, Badagry, is that Zangbeto dates back several centuries to when an Egun man was said to have been pursued by his enemies and needed to flee from his hometown unnoticed in the night. Using supernatural powers, he disguised himself by covering his body with dried leaves and raffia and by making scary sounds with the horn of an animal. Thus he was eventually able to leave the town unharmed and undetected by his enemies. He later founded a settlement, which he named Hugbonu (Porto Novo, Benin) and subsequently had the men with him dress in a similar manner and keep watch over the new settlement by night to ensure that his enemies did not attack him in his new home. Since then, Zangbeto has been used to keep watch over settlements and towns of the Egun community.***

As regards traditional precolonial ‘night watch’ institutions, the Oro and Egun cults of the Yoruba are the closest masquerade groups to Zangbeto. Earlier studies of both institutions have shown that in precolonial times, in addition to other cultural and religious functions, they were also security outfits mandated to guard the community against foreign or enemy invasion. They are also both regarded in their respective communities as personified representations of ancestral spirits, and their presence is an assurance of the ever-protective and supportive help of the ancestors for their descendants. The Ancestral spirits have collective functions that cut across lineage and family loyalty. They collectively protect the community against evil spirits, epidemics, famine, witchcraft and evildoers, ensuring the well-being, prosperity, and productivity of the whole community generally.

Form and Content of Zangbeto In contemporary Badagry, including the Egun villages surrounding the coastal town, the Zangbeto society is headed by the Zanga, a highly respected elderly man who is well tested and reliable. The Zanga occupies a position of responsibility in dealing with sensitive issues affecting individuals, families and the larger community. Zanga is not just the head of the Zangbeto group, but is also a representative of the people. The Zanga is in effect a traditional chief who functions within the Zangbeto group and in the larger community.

Traditionally, the Zangbeto were the policemen of Benin and were the main guardians of law in the country before the official law establishment. They are said to form a secret society which can only be strictly attended by Zangbeto, and when in a trance are said to have magical abilities such as swallowing splinters of glass without coming to any harm and scaring away even witches.

Zangbeto as spirit and messenger; Zangbeto as peacemaker, moral spokesperson and custodian of Egun culture; Zangbeto as an indivisible whole; Zangbeto as a non-religious group; and Zanga as the honorable one. It is important to note that Zangbeto songs are contributed at different times by members of the group. As with most songs in African oral literature, no single person can claim sole authorship: songs are considered as creations of the group. Moreover, these songs do not possess a singular theme, but themes that underline the circumstances of the creation of such songs and their performance.

The appearance of Zangbeto masquerades during cultural festivals or public performances is usually announced by short but pungent praise. This is a kind of formulaic verse that is not so flexible, in the sense that the words and phrases used retain their structure and content in most performances. The chanter, usually a woman, stays at a distance neither too close nor too far from the masquerade.

The opening chant is translated thus: He wishes to be heard, But the horn would not let him, The horn that makes sounds, the horn that breathes. This introduces Zangbeto as a being with a ‘horn’ and a desire. The horn, located at the tip of the mask and is used to symbolise the position of Zangbeto as a leading group in the community. The masquerade is only a constitutive part of a whole. Zangbeto is a group, an institution, and even a way of life that is represented in physical form by the mask. ‘He’ is then used to represent the form under this mask.

*** Zangbeto may be chiefly about social order within traditional Egun society, using oral forms of art, rituals and cultural practices, some of which have been adapted to the security needs of the town’s inhabitants in the face of the state security agencies’ inability to satisfy the demands of law enforcement and order.

CANDOMBLE = Afro-Brazilian Religion…

CANDOMBLE: Brazilian slaves came from a number of African geographic regions and ethnic groups, including Igbo, Yoruba, Fon, Ewe, Kongo, and Bantu…

CANDOMBLE: (Dance in honor of the Gods) is a syncretic religion, practiced mainly in Brazil by the “Povo De Santo” (People of the Saint), among people of African descent and sometimes of mixed race. Candomblé officially originated in Salvador, Bahia at the beginning of the 19th century, when the first temple was founded. Although Candomblé is practiced primarily in Brazil, it is also practiced in other Latin American countries, including Argentina, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Colombia, having many followers.

Candomblé developed in a creolization of traditional Yoruba, Fon, and Bantu beliefs brought from West Africa by enslaved captives in the Portuguese Empire. Between 1549 and 1888, the religion developed in Brazil, influenced by the knowledge of enslaved African priests who continued to teach their mythology, their culture, and language. In addition, Candomblé absorbed elements of Roman Catholicism and includes Indigenous American traditions.

As an oral tradition, it does not have holy scriptures. Practitioners of Candomblé believe in a Supreme Creator called Oludumaré, who is served by lesser deities, which are called Orishas. Every practitioner is believed to have their own tutelary Orisha, which controls his or her destiny and acts as a protector. Music and dance are important parts of Candomblé ceremonies, since the dances enable worshippers to become possessed by the Orishas. In the rituals, participants make offerings from the mineral, vegetable, and animal kingdoms. Candomblé does not include the duality of good and evil; each person is required to fulfill his or her destiny to the fullest, regardless of what that is.

The name Batuque is also used to refer to the religion, especially before the 19th century. After that, Candomblé became more common. Both words are believed to be derived from a Bantu-family language, mainly that of the Kingdom of Kongo. Candomblé may also be called Macumba in some regions of Brazil, notably Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Macumba has a distinct set of practices more akin to European witchcraft.

History: Candomblé originated among enslaved Africans who were transplanted to Brazil during the slave trade. From the earliest days of the slave trade, many slave owners and Catholic Church leaders felt it was important to convert enslaved Africans. They believed this would fulfill their religious obligations and lead the enslaved to be more submissive in their status. Some historians suggest that Africans were forced to give up their traditional religions to cut their ties to their pasts. Many outwardly practiced Christianity but secretly prayed to their own God, gods, or ancestor spirits. In Brazil, adherents of Candomblé saw in the Catholic worship of saints a similarity with their own religion.

Bantu followers found a shared system of worship with Brazil’s indigenous people, and through this connection they re-learned the Ancestor worship that was part of their own traditional systems. They often concealed the sacred symbols of their deities inside figures of their Catholic saints. In segregated communities of the country, it was easy to create Catholic fraternities where slaves would meet with each other. These meetings, however, were an opportunity for Candomblé worship to be practiced and for feasts to be held on special religious days. They were also opportunities for the enslaved to gather and plan rebellions against their masters.

The religion has surged in popularity in Brazil since then, with as many as two million people professing to follow this faith. It is particularly popular in Salvador, Bahia, in the northeast region of Brazil, which is more isolated from other influences and had a high percentage of enslaved Africans. For many followers, Candomblé is not only a matter of religious belief but also of reclaiming the cultural and historical identity of ethnic Africans, although their separate tribal identities have been obscured by peoples being mixed in communities during and after slavery.

The division into nations was also influenced by the religious and beneficent brotherhoods. These fraternities, organized along ethnic lines to allow priests to preach who had learned the slaves’ native languages, provided a legitimate cover for slave reunions. Ultimately they may have aided the development of Candomblé.

Candomblé practitioners believe that every person has their own tutelary deity which controls his or her destiny and acts as a protector. Each Deity represents a certain force in nature and is associated with certain foods, colors, animals, and days of the week. A person’s character or personality is strongly linked to their deity. Collectively, Ancestors are called Egum in Brazil. During important ceremonies, priests masquerade as Baba Egum and specially choreographed dances will be performed in order to become possessed of each Ancestor spirit.

Candomblé does not include the duality of a concept of good opposed to evil. Each person is required only to fulfill his or her destiny to the fullest in order to live a ‘good’ life, regardless of what that destiny is. This is not a free ticket to do whatever the practitioner wants, though. Candomblé teaches that any evil a person causes to others will return to the first person eventually.

The Candomblé ritual has two parts: the first is the “preparation”, attended only by priests and initiates, which may start a week in advance of a major ceremony. Second is the main event, a festive public “mass” and banquet that starts in the late evening and ends around midnight.

In the first part, initiates and aides wash and iron the costumes for the ceremony, and decorate the house with paper flags and festoons, in the colors favored by the Orixás that are to be honored on that occasion. They also prepare food for the banquet. Some domestic animals are slaughtered; some parts reserved for sacrifice, the rest is prepared for the banquet. On the day of the ceremony, starting in the early morning, cowrie-shell divination (jogo de búzios) are performed, and sacrifices are offered to the desired Orixás, and to the messenger spirit (Exú in Ketu).

In the public part of the ceremony, “saint-children” invoke and “incorporate” Orixás, falling into a trance-like state. After falling into trance the priest-spirits perform dances symbolic of the Orixá’s attributes, while the Babalorixá or father of saint leads songs that celebrate the spirit’s deeds. The ceremony ends with a banquet.

Candomblé music, an essential part of the ritual, derives from African music. The word Batuque, for instance, has entered the Brazilian vernacular as a synonym of “rhythmic percussion music”.

Candomblé temples are called houses , plantations , or yards . Most Candomblé houses are small, independently owned and managed by the respective higher priests . A few of the older and larger houses have a more institutional character and more formal hierarchy. There is no central administration. Inside the place of worship are the altars to the Orixás or Pejis.

Candomblé priesthood is organized into symbolic families, whose members are not necessarily relatives in the common sense. Each family owns and manages one house. In most Candomblé houses, especially the larger ones, the head of the family is always a woman.

*** Often during the slave period, the women became the diviners and healers; the male slaves were constantly working and did not have the time to take care of daily practices. Or, when caring for children, the women had the chance to teach the knowledge of their traditions to the newer generations.

The seclusion period for the initiation of an Iyawo lasts generally 21 days in the Ketu nation, and varies depending on the nation. The Iyawo role in the religion is assigned by a divination made by her/his Iyalorixá/Babalorixá. An Iyawo may be assigned to care for neophytes in their initiation seclusion period, become an expert in all the Orixá foods, or learn all ritual songs, etc. The Iyawos follow a 7-year period of apprenticeship within which they offer periodical sacrifices in order to reinforce their initiation links, in the form of the so-called ‘obligations’ of 1, 3 and 7 years. At the 7th year, the Iyawos earn their title and may obtain an honorific title or religious post. Once the Iyawo has accomplished their 7th-year cycle obligation, they become elders within their religious family.

PALO = Bantu – Congo – Cuba

El Kimpungulu: Corpus Santoral Del Palo Monte Mayombe Belief System & Rituals…

Palo, also known as Las Reglas de Kongo, is a group of closely related religions which developed in the Spanish Empire among Central African slaves with roots in the Congo. A large numbers of Kongo slaves were brought to Cuba where the religion was organized. Palo’s liturgical language is a mixture of the Spanish and Kongo languages, known as Lengua. During the late 18th-19th century, Palo began to spread from Cuba to Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Colombia, and Latino communities in the United States.

The branches of Palo include Mayombe, Monte, Briyumba, and Kimbisa. The word “palo” (“stick” in Spanish) was applied to the religion in Cuba due to the use of wooden sticks in the preparation of altars, which were also called “la Nganga”, “el caldero”, or “la prenda”. Priests of Palo are known as “Paleros”, “Ngangeros.

The Palo belief system rests on two main pillars: The Veneration of the Spirits of the Ancestors – The Belief in Natural/Earth Powers.

Natural objects, and particularly sticks, are thought to be infused with powers, often linked to the powers of spirits. These objects are known as “nganga” and are the ritual focus of Palo’s magical rites and religious practice. A certain number of spirits called Kimpungulu (singular: Mpungu) inhabit the Nkisi (sacred objects; also spelled Enkisi. Kimpungulu are well known in name and deed, and are venerated as spirits. They are powerful entities, but they are ranked below the Supreme Creator Zambi or Nzambi.

Roots of Palo Mayombe go back to Kongolese sorcery, the warrior and leopard societies, and the impact of the Portuguese Mission. The original African faith is carried in chains across the abysmal waters of Kalunga and it flowers in Cuba as a New World Creole religion and cult. Yet Palo Mayombe can only be truly understood in the light of a highly developed African cosmology.

The magical head of Palo Mayombe in its three-legged iron cauldron has implications. The Misa Espiritual suggests one way in which we can forge that vital connection and resurrect both our dead and ourselves. In Palo Mayombe the golden vein of fire still transmits the ancestral wisdom and transforms the Paleros into true spiritual warriors who are the walking dead.

The main practice of Palo focuses upon the religious receptacle or altar known as a Nganga or Prenda. This is a consecrated vessel filled with sacred earth, sticks (palos), human remains, bones and other items. Each Nganga is dedicated to a specific spiritual Nkisi. This religious vessel is also inhabited by a spirit of the dead (almost never the direct ancestor of the object’s owner), also referred to as “Nfumbe”, who acts as a guide for all religious activities which are performed with the Nganga.

Various divination methods are used in Palo. Chamalongos uses shells of various materials, often coconut shells. A more traditional method, Vititi Mensú, is a form of envisioning, using a sanctified animal horn capped with a mirror. There are many spiritual branches, or Ramas, that have developed through the ages such as Briyumba – this branch has separated into branches such as Siete Briyumba Congo; the branch born when seven Tata’s from Briyumba combined their ngangas to create an Nsasi Ndoki.
Religious syncretism can be seen in some houses of Palo, called Palo Cristiano, with the use of the cross and images of Catholic saints as representations of the Nkisi. However, in other houses, called Palo Judio, there is no syncretization with Catholic imagery. The name Palo Judio literally means “Jewish Palo”, but the term “Jewish” as used here does not refer to Judaism; rather it is metaphorical shorthand for “refusing to convert to Christianity”, that is, in the case of Palo, “purely Congo”.

Many houses of Palo, a spiritual Misa is often held before the initiation, in order to identify the main spirits which will help to develop one’s life. These guides often speak through possession, and may give direct advice.

The highest level of the pantheon in Palo is occupied by the supreme creator God, Nzambi. The Kimpungulu (singular: Mpungu) are spirits encapsulated in sacred vessels (Nkisi). Other spirits that can inhabit the Nkisi are Nfuri (wandering spirits ), Bakalu (spirits of ancestors), and Nfumbe (anonymous spirits).

Higher Gods: Nzambi – Lugambe – Kimpungulu – Nkuyu – Kengue – Kobayende – Mariguanda – Gurufinda – Kalunga – Chola Wengue – Kimbabula – Watariamba – Nsasi – Sarabanda

SANTERIA = Enlightenment & Transformation…

**Santeria Rituals & Experiences In An Afro-Cuban Religion**

Of all the New World societies, Cuba received captives from the greatest mix of African origins. They came from all parts of the coast and interior of western Africa. The size, diversity, and continual replenishment of this population allowed a rich array of African-inspired religions to flourish there, even beyond the end of the slave trade. It has long been common to call Cuban Oricha-Worship “Santería” because of the identification of the Orichas with the Saints. However the term is now being rejected by those who think it overemphasizes the Catholic and syncretistic elements. Increasingly, many within the Afro-Caribbean tradition prefer to call it La Regla de Oricha, “the order of the Orichas.

Is a system of beliefs that merges aspects of Yoruba mythology that were brought to the New World by enslaved Yoruba people, along with Christianity and Indigenous American traditions. The Yoruba people carried with them various religious customs, including a trance and divination system for communicating with their Ancestors and Deities, animal sacrifice, and sacred drumming and dance. The need to preserve their traditions and belief systems in a hostile cultural environment prompted those enslaved in Cuba, to merge their customs with aspects of Roman Catholicism.

This religious tradition evolved into what is now recognized as Santería. In order to preserve and shield their traditional beliefs, the Lukumi people syncretized their Orichás with Roman Catholic saints. As a consequence, the terms “Saint” and “Orichá” are commonly used interchangeably among practitioners. Spanish colonial planters who saw the enslaved African people celebrating on Saints’ days did not know that they were actually performing rituals related to Orichás, and assumed that they were showing more interest in Catholic Saints than in the Christian God—hence the derisory origin of the term: Santería – Worship of Saints

The historical veiling of the relationship between Catholic saints and Orichás is compounded by the fact that the vast majority of Santeros in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic, are also Roman Catholics, have been baptized, and often require initiates to be baptized in Roman Catholicism as well. The spread of Santería beyond the Spanish-speaking parts of the Caribbean, including to the United States, was catalyzed by the Cuban Revolution of 1959.

Rituals and Ceremonies: Santería does not use a central creed for its religious practices; though it is understood in terms of its rituals and ceremonies. These rituals and ceremonies take place in what is known as a House-Temple or casa de Santos, in the homes of the initiated priests and priestesses, to the different Orichás, which creates a space for worship, there is a display of three distinct thrones – draped with royal blue, white, and red satin that represent the seats of the Queens, Kings, and the deified Warriors.

To become a Santero or Santera, the Initiator must go through an intensive week-long initiation process in which the teaching of the ritual skills and moral behavior occurs informally and nonverbally. The initiator’s Padrino – godfather cleanses the head with special herbs and water. The Padrino rubs the herbs and water in a specific pattern of movements into the scalp of the head. However, if a person is entering Santería for the need of healing, they will undergo the rogación de la cabeza – blessing of the head, in which coconut water and cotton are applied on the head to feed it. Once cleansed, there are four major initiation rituals that the initiator will have to undergo: obtaining the Ilekes – beaded necklace, receiving Los Guerreros – Warriors, making Ochá – Saint, and Asiento. The first ritual is known as the acquisition of the beaded necklaces Ilekes is bathed in a mixture of herbs, sacrificial blood, and other potent substances and given to the initiated. The initiate most often receives the necklace of the five most powerful and popular Oricha, as the multicolored beads of the Ilekes are each patterned for the primary Orichás -Eleguá, Obatalá, Yemayá, Changó, and Ochún, and they serve as a sacred point of contact with these Orichás. When the necklace is received, the initiated must bow over a bathtub and have his/her head washed by the Olorichá. The Ilekes serves as the sacred banners for the Orichás and act as a sign of the Orichá’s presence and protection; however, it must never be worn during a woman’s menstruation period, nor during sex, nor when bathing.

Los Guerreros – Warriors: The third ritual, known as “receiving the Warriors”, is a ritual where the initiated receives objects from their Padrino that represents the warriors; Iron tools to represent Ogún; an iron bow and arrow to represent Ochosi; and an iron or silver chalice surmounted by a rooster to represent Osún. This ritual begins a formal and lifelong relationship that the Initiate will have with these Orichás, as the orichás devote their energies to protecting and providing for the initiate on their path.

Asiento = Ascending the throne: The last ritual of the initiation process is known as Asiento, and is the most important and the most secretive ritual in Santería, as it is the ceremony where the Iyawo becomes “born again” into the faith. This ritual is a culmination of the previous rituals, and cannot be made unless the others have been completed. Asiento is a process of purification and divination whereby the Initiated becomes like a newborn baby and begins a new life of deeper growth within the faith. Once the initiation is completed, depending on the individual’s “house”, there is a year-long waiting period, known as Iyaboraje, in which the newly appointed Priest and Priestess cannot perform cleansings and other remedies. It is a time where the Iyawo or Bride of the Orichá must follow a strict regimen of wearing all white and must avoid physical contact with those who have not been initiated. Once the Ebo del año has been completed there will be an end of year ceremony, which will enable the Priest or Priestess to consult clients, perform cleansings, provide remedies and perform initiations. They are also regarded as royalty in the religion, as they are considered representatives of the Orichás and are vested with the power to work with the forces of those Orichás in full.

Priests are commonly known as Santeros or Olorichas. Once those priests have initiated other priests, they become known as Babalorichás, “fathers of Orichá”, and as Iyalorichás, “mothers of Orichá”. Priests can commonly be referred to as Santeros and Santeras, and if they function as diviners using cowrie-shell divination known as Dilogun) of the Orichás they can be considered Italeros, or if they go through training to become leaders of initiations, Obas or Oriates.

Santería traditional healing practice has a spiritual aspect. Santería has a holistic approach, acknowledging the connection with heart, mind, and body. In Santería, the world flows with the primal life energy called aché or growth, the force toward completeness and divinity. Aché is the current that Santería initiates channel so that it empowers them to fulfill their path in life, because Aché is connected to all that has life or exhibits power; Aché comprises blood, grace, and power. When a person is sick, the healer thinks, interprets and reacts, considering the illness not just a physical dysfunction but also an interface with suffering and bad luck in life, believed to be brought on by the activity of bad spirits.

Aligning and harmonizing with the forces of nature, practitioners of the Regla de Ochá invoke on the guidance of Orichás. There are three foremost orichás that are predominantly concerned with folk-healing, however, other Orichás may be invoked to help a person with a specific problem. These main Orichás are: Osaín, the Orichá of the herbs; Babalúayé, the Orichá of contagious and epidemic diseases; and Inle, the patron of physicians. Aside from the use of herbs and divination, the Santería traditional healing is achieved through rituals that include animal sacrifice, offerings, altar building, music, dance, and possession trance.

Santería is mainly found in the Spanish speaking Americas, including but not limited to Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, and Mexico, as well as in the United States, mainly as a result of migration from these countries, especially Cuba and Puerto Rico. A similar religion of Yoruba origin called Candomblé is practiced in Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay.

Ilu Anya: Itotele – Iya – Okonkolo Chief Yagbe Awolowo Onilu (Ayan Wood)
**Santería rituals there are musical ceremonies and prayers that are referred to as Bembé, Toque de santo, or Tambor. It is a celebration dedicated to an Orichá, where the Batá drums are played in the Orichá’s honor.

Afro-Cuban = Dances…

**Dance Encompasses All Movement That Expresses Or Enhances Spiritual Experiences.**

Afro-Cuban dances occupies central place in cultures throughout the world, embodying energy and a graceful beauty flowing with rhythm. Afro-Cuban dance is connected to Africa’s rich musical traditions. Afro-Cuban dance has a unity of aesthetic and logic that is evident even in the dances within the African Diaspora. To understand this logic, it is essential to look deeper into the elements that are common to the dances in the various cultures from West Africa & Cuba.

Traditional Afro-Cuban Dances: Ritual dance – Ancestral worship – Ritual dances to connect to the divine Ceremonial dance – Communal dances – Essence of African dance – Modern dance – Dance clubs…

Dance has always been an indispensable element of life in Afro-Cuban society, binding together communities and helping individuals to understand their roles in relation to the community. In spiritual rituals, dance helps people to understand and remember their role in relation to the divine. Dance in social ceremonies has helped keep community life vibrant, contributing to a sense of security, safety and continuity.

Traditional Afro-Cuban dance is an essential element of Africa’s cultural heritage, providing a vital expression of the region’s philosophy, and the living memory of its cultural wealth and its evolution over the centuries. Because it has more power than gesture, more eloquence than word, more richness than writing and because it expresses the most profound experiences of human beings, dance is a complete and self sufficient language. It is the expression of life and of its permanent emotions of joy, love, sadness, hope, and without emotion there is no Afro-Cuban Dance.

Afro-Cuban Dances are as varied and changing as the communities that create them. Although many types of Afro-Cuban dance incorporate spirited, vigorous movement, there are also others that are more reserved or stylized. Afro-Cuban dances vary widely by region and ethnic community. In addition, there are numerous dances within each given community. At the same time, there is a great deal of similarity in the role dance plays in each Afro-Cuban community. Dances play a role in religious rituals, they form a part of communal ceremonies and social club dances.

** To a great extent there is no formal distinction drawn between sacred and secular, religious and non-religious, spiritual or material. In many African languages there is no word for religion, because a person’s life is a total embodiment of his or her philosophy. By extension, sacred rituals are integral part of daily African-Cuban life. They are interwoven with every aspect of human endeavor, from the profound to the mundane. From birth to death, every transition in an individual’s life is marked by some form of ritual observance.

Ritual Dances To Connect To The Divine: Many Afro-Cuban dances are the means by which individuals relate to Ancestors and other Divinities. Whatever the motivation of the dance, it combines the expression of human feeling with the higher aspirations of man to communicate with the Cosmos.

Ceremonial Dance: Although ceremonial or cultural functions are more commemorative and transient than rituals, they are still important. Although the basic rhythms and movements remain, the number of dancers, formations and other elements change to fit the situation. Dances appear as parts of broader cultural activities. They give confidence to the dancers who have to perform in front of everyone. This builds pride, as well as a stronger sense of community. Dances of Welcome are a show of respect and pleasure to visitors, and at the same time provide a show of how talented and attractive the host performers are. They all share one common link: “A call to a Spirit” These spirits can be the spirits of Plants or Forests, Ancestors or Deities.

These traditions and stories are kept in the form of music and dance, containing elements of history or metaphorical statements that carry and pass on the culture of the people through the generations.

Communal Dances: Traditionally, dance in Africa & Cuba occurs collectively in a community setting. It expresses the life of the community more than the mood of an individual or a couple. The sound and the rhythm of the drum express the mood of the people. The drum is the sign of life; its beat is the heartbeat of the community. Such is the power of the drum to evoke emotions, to touch the souls of those who hear its rhythms. In an Afro-Cuban community, coming together in response to the beating of the drum is an opportunity to give one another a sense of belonging and of solidarity. It is a time to connect with each other, to be part of that collective rhythm of the life in which young and old, rich and poor, men and women are all invited to contribute to the society.

Dancing At A Community Gathering: Dances mark key elements of communal life. Dance does not merely form a part of community life; it represents and reinforces the community itself. Its structures reproduce the organization and the values of the community. Dances provide community recognition for the major events in people’s lives. The basic formation of Afro-Cuban dance is in lines and circles; dances are performed by lines or circles of dancers. There is supernatural power in the circle, the curved, and the round. “Let the circle be unbroken” is a popular creed throughout. More complex shapes are formed through the combination of these basic forms, to create more sophisticated dance forms and style.

The Afro-Cuban dancers often bends slightly toward the earth and flattens the feet against it in a wide, solid stance. In Afro-Cuban dances, gravity provides an earthward orientation even in those forms in which dancers leap into the air. A rhythmic communication occurs between the dancers – the drums and the chorus in Afro-Cuban dances. The give-and-take dynamic found in African-Cuban traditions all over the world reflects the rhythmic communication among dancers, music, and audience found in traditional Afro-Cuban dance. More skillful dancers might express several different rhythms at the same time, for example by maintaining a separate rhythmic movement with each of several different parts of the body. Rhythm frequently forms a dialogue between dancers, musicians, and audience.

Afro-Cuban dances move all parts of the body. Angular bending of arms, legs, and torso; shoulder and hip movement; scuffing, stamping, and hopping steps; asymmetrical use of the body; and fluid movement are all part of Afro-Cuban dance. It is a medium that embodies the experiences of life, pleasure, enjoyment, and sensuality.

The body of the Afro-Cuban dancer overflows with joy and vitality, it trembles, vibrates, radiates, it is charged with emotions. No matter what shape a dancer is thick or thin, round or svelte, weak or muscled, large or small his/her emotions are not repressed and stifled, as long as the rational does not restrict his/her movements, but allows the irrational, which directs the true language of the body, to assert itself, the body becomes joyous, attractive, vigorous, and magnetic…

RUMBA = La Negra Tiene Tumbao…

El Espiritu De La Rumba: “Pa Ke Tu Me Llama”

African slaves first arrived in Cuba in the 16th century with the early Spanish settlers. Due to the reliance on sugar as an export during the late 18th and early 19th century, great numbers of slaves were brought to work on the sugar plantations. Where large populations of slaves lived, African religion, dance, and drumming were clandestinely preserved from generation to generation.

During the 19th century in Cuba, specifically in urban Havana and Matanzas, people of African descent originally used the word Rumba as a synonym for party. The term Rumbón is frequently used to denote rumba performances in the streets.

Rumba is a secular genre of Cuban music involving Dance, Drum, and Song. It originated in the central regions of Cuba, mainly in urban Havana and Matanzas, during the late 19th century. It is based on African music and dance traditions, namely Abakuá and Yuka, as well as the Spanish-based coros de clave.

Traditionally the Rumba has been classified into three distinct styles: Yambú, Guaguancó and Columbia. Both Yambú and Guaguancó originated in the solares, large houses in the poorest districts of Havana and Matanzas mostly inhabited by the descendants of African slaves.

Rumba instrumentation has varied historically depending on the style and the availability of the instruments. The core instruments of any rumba ensemble are the Claves, two sticks that are struck against each other, and the conga Drums: Quinto (lead drum, highest-pitched), Tres Dos (middle), and Tumba or Salidor (lowest-pitched). Other common instruments include the Katá or guagua, a wooden cylinder; the Palitos, sticks to struck the catá; shakers such as the Chekeré and the maracas; scrapers such as the güiro; bells, and cajones, wooden boxes that preceded the congas.

Yambú is considered the oldest style of Rumba, originating in colonial times. Hence, it is often called “yambú de tiempo España” – yambú of Spanish times. It has the slowest tempo of all Rumba styles and its dance incorporates movements feigning frailty. Although Male dancers may flirt with Female dancers during the dance, they do not use the vacunao of Guaguancó.

Guaguancó is the most popular and influential rumba style. It is similar to Yambú in most aspects, having derived from it, but it has a faster tempo. The term “guaguancó” originally referred to a narrative song style which emerged from the coros de clave of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Columbia is a fast and energetic Rumba, originated in the hamlets, plantations, and docks where men of African descent worked together. Unlike other Rumba styles, columbia is traditionally meant to be a solo male dance. Columbia originated from the drum patterns and chants of religious Cuban Abakuá traditions. The drum patterns of the lowest conga drum is essentially the same in both Columbia and Abakuá. The rhythmic phrasing of the Abakuá lead drum bonkó enchemiyá is similar, and in some instances, identical to columbia quinto phrases.

Men may also compete with other men to display their agility, strength, confidence and even sense of humor. Columbia incorporates many movements derived from Abakuá and Yuka dances, as well as Spanish flamenco, and contemporary expressions of the dance often incorporate break dancing and hip hop moves. In recent decades, women are also beginning to dance Columbia.

In Cuba, Rumba is a generic term covering a variety of musical rhythms and associated dances. The Rumba has its influences in the music brought to Cuba by Spanish colonizers as well as Africans brought to Cuba as slaves. Rumba is more than a music and dance genre; it is the collective expression of the Creole nature of the island itself. Rumba is a secular genre of Congolese African and Spanish flamenco influences, and is one of the primary ancestors of popular music in Cuba.

Cultural retention among the Bantu (Palo), Yoruba (Lukumi), Fon (Arará), and Efik (Abakuá) had the most significant impact in western Cuba, where rumba was born. The consistent interaction of Africans and Europeans on the island brought about what today is known as Afro-Cuban culture.

EKPE = ABAKUA: The Voice Of The Leopard

***The Sacred Language of the Abakua…

“The goat that breaks the drum will pay for it with his hide”

Abakuá is an Afro-Cuban men’s initiatory fraternity, or secret society, which originated from fraternal associations in the Cross River region of southeastern Nigeria and southwestern Cameroon. Known generally as Ekpe, Egbo, Ngbe, or Ugbe among the multi-lingual groups in the region, these closed groups all used the leopard as a symbol of masculine prowess in war and political authority in their various communities. The term Ñáñigo has also been used for the organization’s members. The creolized Cuban term Abakuá is thought to refer to the Abakpa area in southeast Nigeria, where the society was active.

The first such societies were established by Africans in the town of Regla, Havana, in 1836. This remains the main area of Abakuá implantation, especially the district of Guanabacoa in eastern Havana, and in Matanzas where Afro-Cuban culture is vibrant.

Abakuá members derive their belief systems and traditional practices from the Igbo, Efik, Efut, and Ibibio spirits that lived in the forest. Ekpe and synonymous terms were names of both a forest spirit and a leopard related secret society. Members of this society came to be known as ñañigos, a word used to designate the street dancers of the society. The oaths of loyalty to the Abakuá society’s sacred objects, members, and secret knowledge taken by initiates are a lifelong pact which creates a sacred kinship among the members.

The duties of an Abakuá member to his ritual brothers at times surpass even the responsibilities of friendship, and the phrase “Friendship is one thing, and Abakuá is another” is often heard.

One of the oaths made during initiation is that one will not reveal the secrets of the Abakuá to non-members, which is why the Abakuá have remained hermetic for over 160 years. Aside from its activities as a mutual aid society, the Abakuá performs rituals and ceremonies, called Plantes, full of theatricality and drama which consists of drumming, dancing, and chanting activities using the secret Abakuá language.

Knowledge of the chants are restricted to members of the Abakuá but Cuban scholars have long thought that the Abakuá expresses their cultural history through their ceremonies. Other ceremonies such as initiations and funerals, are secret and take place in the sacred room of the Abakuá temple, called the Famba.

Prejudice about the Abakuá dates back to the colonial era, and stems from the negative propaganda associated with the fear of slave uprisings. It was compounded by the secretive nature and mysteries surrounding the culture… While Abakuá members do use some of the same phrases that their Ancestors did in Africa, it is only for religious purposes, not for everyday oral or written communication. Some of these expressions have become popular sayings, such as -Ekue mbori aborekin ñangue, which means “The goat that breaks the drum will pay for it with his hide.”

However, sometimes people use refrains from the Abakuá moral code that can cause misunderstandings. The concept of Manliness depends on a subjective interpretation, and that depends on one’s cultural education and on psychological and sociological factors such as a person’s family, school and community. Some Abakuás view it as being – a good father, son and brother.

The expression that refers to – cleansing honor with blood, advocates being ambia koneyó – sincere friends and solidarity among Ecobios – Brothers in religion. The Abakuá’s roots go back to the slave trade. The Carabalíes – people from the Calabar region of Africa who were brought to Cuba maintained their legends and their secret societies from Africa.

The rhythmic dance music of the Abakuá combined with Bantu traditions of the Congo contributed to the musical tradition the rumba.

The antecedents of the Abakuá or ñañiguismo are in the secret society that existed in Nigeria, Calabar. Its organization and content have the roots in the African legend that tells the story of the violation of a secret by a woman: the princess Sikan. She found the sacred fish Tanze and reproduced the roar in the sacred drum Eku. The ñañiguismo cannot be separated of the African believes about the existence of Ancestor (spirits), that’s why in all the ceremonies they are called to guaranty the development of the ritual according to rigorous liturgical norms. Its symbolic representation is the Ireme or Diablito.

All the activities of the cult are made in the temples. In all the rituals are used lines and graphics known as Ekeniyo which are an ideological graphical system of signs to immobilize and attach the representation of global events. These symbols are painted with yellow and with yeast and they are divided in three categories: the Gandos, the Signs or Anaforuanas and the Seals.

The ñañigismo has several hierarchies. The Indisime is the applicant to enter into a potencia, the Obonekué is an already initiated man. The Plaza is a everlasting hierarchy with a relevant position in the juego. This person is in charge to preserve and to make follow the norms and ritual and social principles. The Iyamba, Mokongo, Ekueñón, Nkrikamo and Nasako have the title of Plaza. Only men are admitted in the secret society Abakua.

Food *Gift from the Gods*

***Ritual Uses of Foods…

All ritual starts with an intention and the way magic works is that through certain steps you are able to manifest your intention. Try to always prepare and cook foods that you enjoy, as you are preparing food not only is it necessary to cook with intention, it is also necessary to visualize what magical outcome that you are working towards, by doing this you are igniting the energies within the food and within yourself. As you eat your magic food be fully present and make sure you are thinking about that which you wish to conjure, make sure you are visualizing your ultimate magic outcome. Imagine the energy of the food not only sustaining you, but with enchantment bringing about the changes that you want, be at one with the food you eat and the magic you are creating.
*** When using food for Ritual work always have the reason for cooking certain foods, such as cooking for love, cooking for prosperity, for health or for protection. As you handle and prepare the food have a particular goal in mind, when stirring food always stir clockwise with two stirs anti-clockwise as you finish stirring. Sharing a meal with friends or those you love is a ritual in itself, there is a certain energy associated with this simple pleasure, and with the Ritual of food our life is sustained.

***Agbado Corn-Maize…Magical Ways=Seed of Seeds!!! Of all the grains eaten in the world, Corn Maize probably is surrounded by more legends and folklore than any other. Corn has been planted, tended, harvested and consumed for millennia, and so it’s no wonder that there are myths about the magical properties of this grain.

=== Ceres was the Roman Goddess of grain, specifically corn, and of the harvest season. According to legends, she was the one who taught mankind how to farm. She is associated with agricultural fertility and a bountiful harvest. Make her an offering, and she may well protect your crops from natural disasters such as flooding or blight.

***Sprinkle corn around your ritual area to delineate sacred space. Make a corn doll to honor the deity of your tradition Corn = Maize, is the seed of seeds. Key words associated with corn are: Sacred Mother, Protection, Luck, Divination… Corn represents fertility and is used to invoke Mother Earth. Used in ritual, it teaches the mystery of life, death, and rebirth. Many cultures gave corn, which is regarded as a food of prosperity, protection, and spirituality, a special God or Goddess of its own.

The Magical Aspects of Corn: It is a symbol of fertility and is often used to invoke Mother Earth. Whether it is used as a centerpiece, a wreath for your front door, or as a delicious side dish at your next meal, corn pops up in a variety of ways from mid-late summer through fall. Corn teaches us the mysteries of life, death, and rebirth. The spiritual representation of the corn and is closely related to the higher self or third eye of sacred sight, this symbol represents the saints and often depicted with a lily, and most prominently in association with royalty. Many cultures revered corn as a spiritual element, which is regarded as a symbol of longevity, prosperity, protection, and spirituality.

Hundreds of years ago food was worshiped and seen as a gift from the Gods, the energies contained within the food we eat are vital to our survival. You will find food all the more enjoyable as you approach it from a magical perspective, and every meal can be a wonderful act of alchemy that magically changes the food you prepare into a beautiful meal for you and yours to enjoy and energized by. When eating be conscious of the higher power existing in the foods, this way each meal can be a celebration, and cooking will take on an entirely new tone.

The Ancient Egyptians used food as a means of exchange and food was stocked in the tombs as a gift to the Gods. Corn has been used by various tribes over the centuries and used in rituals, it is a symbol of fertility, life, eternity and resurrection. Corn was also used for divination purposes, it was practiced by the Ancient Aztecs, it was often used in elaborate healing ceremonies. Corn is still considered sacred by many tribes and is treated with great reverence, it is thought to bring blessing and heightened spiritual enlightenment.

*** It’s believed that burying a sheaf of corn while uttering a curse will cause your enemies to die–they will rot from the inside as the corn decays in the soil. Use corn in rituals involving growth and transformation. After all, a single kernel brings you a tall stalk full of more kernels! You can also associate it with self-sustainability and fertility, both of people and of the land.

***Epo Pupa = Red Palm Oil Offerings…

***Ritual Uses of Palms in Traditional Medicine…
Palms are prominent elements in African traditional medicines. In some rituals, Palms play a central role as sacred objects, for example the seeds accompany oracles and Palm leaves are used in offerings. In other cases, Palms are added as a support to other powerful ingredients, Palm oil used as a medium to blend and make coherent the healing mixture.

Traditional medicines in rural sub-Saharan communities recognize that the occurrence of disease can result from the intrusion of negative supernatural forces. These forces are often defined as sorcerers, broken taboos, displeased Ancestor spirits or deities… Afflictions which are mostly related to the action of the malevolent forces are either serious and chronic or emerging suddenly and unexpectedly. Thus, traditional healers often apply divination and various rituals in order to understand the overall significance of a healing process and counteract its cause. Since palms are part of the everyday life of nearly all rural people in Africa, it may be expected that they are also important in the spiritual framework of rural life in Africa.

The Palm fruit is made up of three carpels that fuse to form a drupe with one or a few seeds, covered by a thin seed coat. Palm seeds are often called Palm kernels or Palm nuts. Perhaps palms bring justice because they are associated with understanding, peace, and harmony, or with indwelling tree spirits themselves. Palm leaves also served in various ceremonies, rituals and religious festivities. In Benin, the Palm has been recently reported as sacred and protected where ever it grows because it is seen as the realization on earth of the God Fa. Nobody is allowed to cut it down or to use its fruits for making oil…

All parts of the palms were used in rituals, but the most commonly used part was the leaf, followed by the fruit and oil extracted from the fruit, seed, entire Palm tree, sap in the form of Palm wine, root and inflorescence. In some treatments, the Palm is the actual sacred object or the central element of ritual practices, for example entire Palm trees determine sacred places, Palm seeds accompany oracles and Palm leaves serve in offerings. Continuous interactions with the spiritual world are axiomatically absorbed in childhood, and subsequently reinforced in every phase of life.

***Palm Oil is called various things all over the world. The Yoruba call it Epo Pupa–Red Oil whereas it is called “Manteca Corojo” in Spanish. Traditionally, it is a common cooking ingredient dating back centuries, but to the Orishas… it is the food of choice…

Eja Gbigbe = Dried Fish…

Fresh fish rapidly deteriorates unless some way can be found to preserve it. Drying is a method of food preservation that works by removing water from the food, which inhibits the growth of microorganisms. Open air drying using sun and wind has been practiced since Ancient times to preserve food. Fish are preserved through such traditional methods as drying, smoking and salting. Drying food is the world’s oldest known preservation method, and dried fish has a storage life of several years.

Eja Gbigbe = Dried Fish the curled up brown thing you see in the above Photograph is a different breed. You see it all over the markets hung up on long poles or stacked high in buckets. If you don’t see it first, you will definitely smell it. The fish, usually either catfish or small eel, is dried with all the bones and guts inside. It tastes a bit salty and mostly takes on the flavor of whatever soup/stew you eat it with. The fish is treated with salt, either in form of strong brine or a surface coating of dry salt. This combination of reduced moisture and salt inhibit the growth of spoilage bacteria, a basic principle of all cure meats.

The Significance of Yams…

Yam Festival: It marks the first harvest of Yams during the autumn season, after the monsoon season. The Yam is the staple food crop in West Africa. The first harvest of Yams during the autumnal season, subsequent to the monsoon season. Yam festival has both religious and economic significance. Religiously, the festival is used to thank the God and the Ancestors for the new harvest and to traditionally outdoor the new yam.

The first offering of the crop is made to the Ancestral Gods by the chief priests; the religious rites includes taking the Yams on the second day of the festival in a procession to the Ancestral ground. Music and dance are part of the festivities, the festival is also popular because the Priests supervise the performance of the ablution ceremony by cleaning all the Ancestral shrines. The Yam is carried by the Priests in a colorful procession for offering to the Ancestors buried in the burial chambers. Only after this offering is completed are people allowed to consume the new crop of yam. A day is observed as a mourning day for the Ancestors and also to keep a fast…

Reference Sources: Wikipedia

Orogbo = Bitter Kola Spiritual Benefits…

*** I have tasted and eaten Orogbo in the physical state of existence. Let my voice and my life attract longevity and sound health in the universe. The force behind Orogbo gives us the power to enjoy longevity in the universe. Yearly , we set our eyes on Orogbo at the market place. I have eaten Orogbo in the physical existence let me live long , live old and live well in the world – let me live a life dignifies of an Orisha devotee before joining my Ancestors.

Orogbo = Bitter Kola…Garcinia kola is a species of flowering plant in the Clusiaceae or Guttiferae family. It is found in Cameroon, Congo, Danxome, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone. Bitter Kola also known as Garcinia kola is a tropical flowering plant found in western and central Africa and it produces brown, nut-like seeds. A brown to deep brown peel covers it. This peel is removed before it is eaten. It leaves a bitter taste in the mouth when it is eaten. It is this bitterness that its name is derived.

It has been used in African culture for centuries for both traditional and medicinal purposes.In Yoruba land it is called Orogbo. The Hausas call it Miji-goro, while it is called Akiilu by the Igbos. Amazing health benefits of bitter leaf Bitter Kola was eaten mostly by the elderly people because of their belief that it could prolong life. Bitter kola can act as a serious healing tool because of its strong spiritual properties. Used for rituals and spiritual cleansing; Act as tonic, stimulant, astringent, decongestant, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory tool. Used in special protective rituals for suppressing enemies.

The legend concerning the appearance of Bitter Kola states that Kola nut was the original food of the Gods. One day, while visiting earth, one of the Gods left a piece of this nut and people consequently found it. Since then, the tree stake and the fruits of this plant for their stimulant effects have gained popularity of having some spiritual benefits of bitter kola; they began to be used in the sphere of magic or as a kind of an aphrodisiac. Benefits of bitter cola: wide range of effects The fruits of Kola tree have varied medicinal uses, especially in Nigeria. Bitter kola is primarily used as a tonic and stimulant, for the treatment of dysentery, fever, vomiting, and exhaustion. Bitter kola can act as a serious healing tool because of its strong spiritual properties.

Used for rituals and spiritual cleansing; Act as tonic, stimulant, astringent, decongestant, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory tool. Used in special protective rituals for suppressing enemies. Bitter cola can ease the flow of asthma, it can act as an antioxidant and diuretic. Its use enhances alertness and improves physical performance. It improves mood, suppresses appetite and stimulates libido – because of the caffeine as one of its components.

Negative Energies affect people and cause distress to them through their subtle energy. Negative energy can create a variety of problems such as depression, unclear thinking or malfunction of an organ which lead to even further difficulties such as addiction , financial problems or chest pain respectively. Negative Energy : The primary weapon used by negative energies is a spiritual energy capable of manipulating any process on the Earth plane. The extent of this manipulation depends on the strength of the attacking negative energy.

Bitter Kola Benefit for Food Poisoning: In many rural areas of West Africa, when food is suspected to be contaminated by bacteria or someone accidentally eats food poison, traditional healers often recommend the mastication of bitter kola immediately after eating. This usually prevent the development of any infection or poisoning. Herbalists even recommend the seed and the bark of bitter kola should be eaten together in cases where food poisoning is suspected, it helps to detoxify the system. Bitter kola is not only anti-poison, it also has the ability to repel evil spirits according to traditional beliefs. Though it sound superstitious, many believe it works and do have spiritual benefits.

*** Do you know that bitter kola is one of the easiest ways to increase your Sperm without going through any medical means. The examination has shown that individuals that have the practice of chewing two slices in a day hardly suffer little sperm court. Both Men and Women can gain a lot of benefits of bitter kola when they chew it. People drench the cola for 2 days, mix the cola with heated water to take out the extract, after which it is filtered so the unmixed and plain solution is obtained. Some people like better to take off the back that is the outer layer but it is more effective when you mix it together, by doing this you grow the level of the vigorous effect of bitter kola on sperm. It is believed to cure Male impotence.

Ify Asia Chiemeziem Museum…
*** Unlimited Sexual performance: Bitter kola is the number one Sexual performance medicine for weak Men. No other product can match the Sexual benefits of bitter kola as its give you unlimited performance in bed! This is a new discovery that has made this product a hot cake! Those who have tasted it are living happily now with their couples. And their Women has no reason to look outside. Get like 6-7 pieces of the bitter cola and mix until you get a smooth structure, add water to the blended mix, stir it up and drink. But it is passable when this blended mix is connected with honey, it tends to grow the potency and it is perfect for the individuals who cannot tolerate the bitter taste of the kola.

Bitter kola and honey Healing properties of honey are known for centuries. Bitter kola and honey are two brothers, which heal body, spirit, and soul. Honey and bitter kola are two natural antibiotics, so combining them you double-strengthen their effect. Honey and bitter kola are used both for the treatment of a sore throat and coarse voice, stimulating mucus, they soften the dry throat. The mixture of these two useful products is also used for the treatment of acne due to their anti-inflammatory properties. Now you know about healing properties of bitter kola and honey, these two medicines are given by nature and help in the treatment of many health problems. Why not to use what nature has given us. Chewing bitter kola relieves coughs, hoarseness, bronchial and throat troubles. Several studies discovered bitter kola to be a remedy for dysentery, osteoarthritis, antidote against poisoning and considered an aphrodisiac.

The importance of Orogbo during initiation process, sacrifice, propitiation of head, prayer and other essential spiritual steps, before and after Orisha activities cannot be quantified, but it is important to know that Orogbo during divination is equally important, if just to be at the pocket of highly revered Babalawo . The presence of Orogbo depicts longevity for Babalawo and those around him, just like the presence of obi means, evil has no portion in the surroundings of a highly respected and honored Babalawo .

Just like any other Yoruba words , the word Orogbo is coined and derived from two words – oro and gbo. Oro means very small, round, while Gbo means longevity, eternal, everlasting. when the two words are blended together, it becomes a unified and spiritually blessed word called Orogbo , which consequently means, a round fruits that attract longevity, everlasting blessing, enduring health and perpetual blessing of longevity .

During, initiations or any sacrificial steps, or ritual or propitiation, Orogbo is used to pray for longevity, sound health, peace, harmony, and happiness. Indeed a man with the blessing of long life and sound health, so also his loved ones enjoy the same degree of health and longevity is indeed a blessed man in the jungle of life that is filled with mishap, untimely death and sorrow. The name of the fruits Orogbo is coined to denote Iwure (prayer), it is a spiritual seed that establish the power of divinities with abundant trait of long life and sound health . However during Initiations, Sacrifice or Ajiki , which is early morning prayer, Orisha devotees or seeker of truth through the tradition of Orisha, are required to pray and eat part of this fruits, to serve as alignment with the force and natural energies embedded in the nature. Orisha is a religion or philosophy based on the use of natural materials in the nature .

While Obi Abata is perceived to be a Female fruit energy, that give birth to Male and Female alike, Orogbo is a Male fruit energy that fail to have lobes or part like Obi. Orogbo can be cut into pieces either by teeth or knife, it has no parts, but a hard fruit that shows natural toughness and ruggedness. While obi is easily breakable with just hand and it is used also to denote the Feminine part of the universal force or energy. Orogbo represents the dominant energy of God with unique characteristics of solidity , strength , firmness and oneness of energy in the universe. Orogbo symbolizes unilateral force of God which means life, wisdom, strength, victory, longevity and sound health in abundance. Orogbo also denotes that life in any way cannot be explained or invented except through divine and spiritual understanding and wisdom .

Orogbo according to above explanation is an object that represents the uniqueness and unified energy and vibration of God in our lives. If all necessary spiritual, physical, mental, moral and emotional obligation are followed, happy lot, success, longevity and sound health will be out lot, that is the meaning of Orogbo .

*** Another importance of Bitter Kola is that it repels snakes. It can be used to chase snakes away. For snake prevention, spread it around the building. ***

Reference Sources: Wikipedia = Nairaland Forum =

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Posted on October 28, 2017Categories Dieties, Ifa, Initiation1 Comment on Orogbo = Bitter Kola Spiritual Benefits…
ABIKU = Born To Die Prematurely…

*** The Concept of Abiku and Emere In Yoruba Culture ***

The knowledge we used to build a house is incomparable to the wisdom we will apply to live in it. The world in which you were born is just one model of reality. Other cultures are not failed attempts at being you; they are unique manifestations of the human spirit.

Abiku = The One Who Is Destined To Die…
Some children over time are reborn to the same mother with the previous look, sex, complexion and structure. Owing to ephemeral nature of Abiku’s life. Abiku completes several consecutive life-cycles with one mother. In some cases, the Yoruba in one of their traditional ways of deterring Abiku from reoccurring deaths after reborn deface them either by cutting their finger, ear or a deep mark in the face or back. To a great astonishment and in most cases, the Abiku on reborn would have those marks whether on the face or back

Emere and Abiku are the kind of children who make a certain pledge concerning their life duration with their mates in the Spiritual Sphere. At the expiration of their time, they die and re-unite with their mates. Some oral tradition also confirm that some Emere among them are readily married in their realm and probably bore children over there. A spirit that is referred to as Spiritual Husband – Oko Orun will have sexual intercourse with her in her dream and this will result to miscarriage.

The Emere and Abiku if eventually cannot return to their mates, perhaps because of some spiritual appeasement made by their parents, believed to be having problems because their mates will be crossed with them for breaking the re-unification accord. The problems such person usually confronts is the misplacing or total loss of any items in their possession often, money. The solution to that may include offering sacrifice inform of food to stop such occurrence.

The Abiku and Emere are very attractive because of their beauty and they love to live very close to water or coastal areas. The Emere and Abiku spirit usually roams around some areas like the side of the road, corner in the cities and villages, footpath in suburban area, jungle, inside trees like Iroko tree etc. That is why often, pregnant women are advised to desert these areas in order not to attract the spirit.

In preventing such incidence, pregnant women are advised to attach either a needle or a small white stone to the edge of their clothes. The Emere and Abiku would not be able to follow the woman because those are elements that work against them. Aside this, pregnant women are not advised to stay alone in a hidden and dark place. They should also desist from going to T junction at noon. They are also forbidden to go out at the late hours in the night and they should desist from going to coastal areas and dumping sites.

Abiku is someone, who does not care about their own suffering, they suffer with a smile. Sweetness and bitterness are two extremes that are present at all times. This is the energy of Abiku’s Ori: When we talk about Abiku we can see that a lot of people like to suffer and they do not care that they are suffering. Their feelings and their activities are always connected with suffering.

Abiku Connection With Ori – If we look at the lives of people critically, we can easily see this. This is a trend for everyone that has Abiku energy. The reality of Abiku is connected to their Ori. One of the toughest challenges is how to treat (heal) someone who is born with the energy of Abiku

Ifa considers the individual top priority, using all the knowledge and instruments it deals with making the individuals life good here and now, in this life. Everyone is born with some sort of predestination. It is not fate because if something is fated, then the individual has no way of affecting that. But when something is predestinated, someone can realize that or not because everyone is responsible for his own life. In life we have all that which we can call good luck: progress, longevity, health, luck… But good goes hand-in-hand with destructive energy, and if we wish to achieve the good, we have to neutralize the bad.

We can classify destructive energy into four basic destructive elements: Death – Sickness – Failure – Confusion

When we consider a person who has the Abiku syndrome, it means that these destructive energies are constantly stalking him and that he is under heavy influence in at least one area by some of these elements. When everything seems to go well and suddenly it seems as if one of these energies got activated and it gives out the impression of being out of the person’s control.

The energy of a spiritual society, with which it is necessary to stop excessive embroidery, pacts and similar connections, so that someone could live a good life. A person with this energy is not treated as problematical but is understood and treated to maintain the positive elements of this energy. In fact, almost everyone who has this energy present, probably has an exceptional talent and capabilities which he could, with the right treatment, develop better than other people.

This preserved knowledge can contribute a lot in the process of education, as well as treating people. People with this syndrome often go to doctors but that kind of treatment does not help and in a different extreme situation someone with that energy can live through and recover when it is no longer expected. In order to understand at least a little about this energy, we must first look into the concept of a human being and how he is understood by Ifa as well as other spiritual practices.

A child that is not a “radical” Abiku is born normally after 9 months of pregnancy. If it belongs to the “real” Abiku which do not want to be born, it will be born before time, before the end of normal pregnancy (after 6-8 months). After the birth of the child many things start happening; the forming of its character, its personality. In this period of growth the child recognizes the people who love it and reject it. But it begins to understand the definition of its life. It begins to distance itself from people and begins to fear the life. When we look at a person within our family or among our friends we sometimes fear for him.

All this is what creates the universe of Abiku. If we go back to pregnancy and birth: some experiences of spontaneous abortion, premature death, constant illnesses or mothers decision to make an abortion – these are all actions that only Abiku can afford.

There are Abiku actions that are called Emere. Emere is a child with a hidden behavior – at times very stubborn, rebellious, disobedient, with a passion for accidents, bold, constantly provocative, takes risks, a child who loves revenge, often gets ill, often cries without reason, always talks with itself, plays alone or simply does not want to play with other children. Sometimes Emere creates a stage for himself and also plays all the roles himself. Those who have this sort of energy often talk to their imaginary friends, complain to them and fight with them. They stand out of the traditional system. That is why we say they are stubborn, rebellious. It is not true, however, that they are rebellious only out of malice because Abiku loves to be different than his peers.

Positive Characteristics Of Abiku: We need to understand the following – What counts is not what we have, but what we make with what we have. That is the problem of Abiku. Those who have this energy, which we consider supernatural, need a spiritual grip so that they could turn this energy to their own advantage.

There exists a society of Abiku, the universe of Abiku actually. One of the most dangerous Abiku aspects is the one that Abikus are always highly connected with the spiritual world. They are in the visible and invisible world at the same time. They live in both these worlds at the same time. They have nightmares, some always sleep with their eyes open, they can sleepwalk, can go to the kitchen in the middle of the night to drink water… etc.

At night Abiku can manifest itself in a way similar to a dream but in their being they do not dream anymore, they actually travel into another world where they meet their friends. Sometimes they have many confused information about what happens to them at night. But that actually are not dreams but rather Abiku transformations because Abiku always lives a parallel life. Sometimes they wake up on the other side of the bed, sometimes they even keep falling off the bed. Abiku is in both worlds at all times. Just like children, adult Abiku can also wet their bed.

*** Abiku = The One Who Is Destined To Die… The name refers to children under twelve that died, as well as to the spirits that killed them. The general belief is, that some spirits wonder in the uninhabited wild land. These spirits, the Abiku, are sad, but mostly hungry. They try to improve their life by entering into children body. When the Abiku spirit is settled in the child body, it consumes the child food, and slowly, the child will get sick and die.

Reference Sources: Wikipedia =

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Deity is an offspring of Obatala and Odudua. Aganju, a male Deity (Orisha) representing the land. The word Aganju means ” a desert ,” the worship of the Deity has fallen into disuse. He is syncretized with Saint Christopher. Aganju is strongly associated with Shango, both Deities (Orishas) being members of the deified royal family of Oyo. In the Yoruba areas of Nigeria and Danxome, Aganju is known as a deified warrior king from the town of Shaki in the present-day Oyo State of Nigeria. He was said to walk with a sword. Shaki is in the northern part of Yorubaland that is hilly and rocky. Aganjú is a Deity (Orisha) of great antiquity.

Lukumi followers of this religion believe that Aganjú is a force that, like the sun that is his symbol, is essential for growth, as well as a cultivator of civilizations. Like the volcano with which he is also associated, he forms the foundation upon which societies are built and is the catalyst for the production of vast amounts of wealth and commerce needed for advanced development. He is most highly regarded by Lukumi practitioners for his role in assisting humans in overcoming great physical as well as psychological barriers. Like the volcano, Aganjú is noted for his legendary strength and his ability to bring about drastic change. His significance in Cuba in the past is most probably due in part to the fact that he was said to have delivered people out of bondage and helped one to carry the heaviest of burdens.

As Lord of Caves, he owns all the mineral wealth of the earth and can be appealed to part with some. He also acts as the god of untamed lands, from deserts to mountains and is the navigator, knowing the safe passages and fords across rivers.

His patterns consists of nine beads: two brown, one red, one yellow, one blue, one yellow, one red, two brown is one pattern. He likes offerings of beer and beef. He may try to eat the beer bottles however. It’s one of his favorite tricks. Mediums carrying Aganju may well try and eat glass as well. The name Aganju means uninhabited tract of country, wilderness, plain, or forest.

Aganju is the bearer of burdens, the defender of the helpless, down trodden and enslaved. Aganju is a force of life that overcomes obstacles and does the impossible. Because of this, he was a major symbol of African resistance against the enslaving European culture. In the future, may people everywhere who are persecuted and marginalized be inspired by Aganju and overcome oppression.

Aganju is credited with assisting humans overcome physical as well as psychological barriers, Argayu is regarded as the healer. Agayu is depicted as this great rough giant, that has no rhythm when dancing, when in fact he is one of the most docile, humble and generous Orishas in the Yoruba Pantheon.

Creator of civilization – Defender of the helpless & the oppressed

Aganju the third sitting king of Oyo empire a very brave king. He is a lover of nature and animal. History have it that Aganju domestic a Leopard and keep it in his Palace . He hate oppression, he likes to visit the wilderness and rivers. He normally walk to anywhere with his double edge sword. He loves beads majorly with color red, yellow, light blue, dark blue, green, deep brown,, milky white. Aganjú’s role as a mediator is further developed in his capacity as the ferryman who takes souls from the material to the spiritual plane after they experience death. A ferryman has to know the river he travels very well; he must chart the safest course and keep his passengers out of harm’s way. Aganjú personifies the wise guide who takes people to new places.

*** Aganju is the Ori

sha of Volcano & Wilderness ***

In Cuba, Aganju is a volcano deity for the practitioners of Santeria-Lukumi religion. But there are no volcanoes in Yorubaland, nor is Aganju associated with volcanoes among the Yoruba people.

In the Afro-Brazilian tradition of Candomblé, Aganjú is worshiped as a manifestation or quality of the Orisha Shango, often called Xango Aganjú. Aganjú represents all that is explosive and lacking control. He is the embodiment of the Volcanoes.

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Posted on April 20, 2017Categories Dieties3 Comments on AGANJU… Òrìshà of Antiquity
Osanyin = Metaphysical Powers…

*** The leaf is his knife and his wand. Osanyin represents the two sides of herbal power. The same thing that can cure you, if used improperly can kill you.

Deity Osanyin Staff…
*** No Leaf Can Fall From The Tree Without The Authority, Power and Knowledge of God…

Herbalists and Priests enlist the aid of Osanyin, the spirit of herbal medicines, in their work against mental and physical illness caused by malevolent forces and individuals. The Yoruba believe the power of Osanyin is vested in a wrought iron staff, called an Osanyin staff, that is placed on altars to this Deity (Orisha).

Deity Osanyin Staff…
The staff is composed of a circle of small birds and a shaft in the middle that elevates a large bird above smaller ones. The reason for this division could be to suggest the relaying of Metaphysical powers from the celestial to the Terrestrial realm. The Yoruba reference to Osanyin as “The one who sees everything, like God (Olodumare)” allowing him a vantage point from which he can protect all of humanity below.

The birds, emissaries of Ogun, refer to the Herbalist’s understanding of and power over these malevolent people. There are typically sixteen birds, invoking the most sacred number of divination, surrounding and confronting the central bird, which represents the smallpox God.
Osanyin the Deity of healing credited with all knowledge of Herbs, Leaves and Roots for Medicinal purposes. The myths of origin, history and religious beliefs of West-Africa were carried by the slaves across to the Americas and the Caribbean. This factor has maintained a continuity in space and time with the original cult. To the Yoruba, health is a state in which there is a blending of physical, mental, emotional social moral and spiritual well-being. To achieve this harmony they resort to divination to find out the cause of and remedy for their illness.

The traditional Healers fall into four groups and of these the Diviner/Herbalist meet the needs of anyone who is ill by providing both diagnosis and medication. Among this group are the Herbalists (Onishegun) who diagnose and provide the remedy through dialogue with the deity and the Osanyin who acquire the knowledge of herbs and the associated incantations through a system of apprenticeship. The herbs are collected by the Herbalists (Onishegun) under whose watchful eyes the medications are prepared.

*** There Are No Òrìshás Without Leaves ***

Òsányìn is a deity or divinity of the medical herbage, his importance is primordial and no ceremony within the Ifá philosophy is made without his involvement. He is the one who finds the force, the vitality and the power of performance, no divinity can pass trough, without him. This power lives in several leaves and herbs, the name of these leaves and herbs and their use, is the most secret of the Deity (Òrìshà) cult.

Every divinity has its particular leaves and plants, the use of one contraindicated leave could have harmful effects and harvesting is done with extreme care. In wild places, brush or forest where plants grow freely, the plants that grow in gardens should be discarded, because the forest is the home of Òsányìn.

The priests of this Deity (Òrìshà) wakes up very early without having any sexual activity from the day before and goes to the forest without greeting anyone on their way. The priest offers incantations to strip the leaves, roots, bark and fruits and deposits his offering to the deity before leaving the forest.
These priests are aware of the leaves used interchangeably, among them we note that there are leaves with virtues such as sheet of fortune, happiness, joy, fertility, fame, longevity, courage.. . But there are also leaves of misery, fever and other even more fearsome illness. The leaves come in form of decoctions, baths of purification which are intended to form a magic lake between the divinity and certain objects that are enshrined including the blood of a specific animal. The employment of the leaves is fundamental, because these leaves are used to elaborate the divine powder of the deities and receive a growing force that creates a strong bond of interdependence between the worshipers.

Omi Ero- Amashi = Medicinal Water
Òsányìn is the doctor, by a divine mandate and haves a deep knowledge of botany and diseases that afflict humans, he is in charge of preparing the medicine for children and infants. He’s the only divinity that is able to use the corn meal oil to prepare medicinal ointments. All the plants are attributed to this deity, because of the principal basis of his role in the planetary system.

Baba Amangnon Sacred Ritual *IFA* Anango.
It exist and persists a judgment that Òsányìn is the divinity of Sorcery and Witchcraft and his followers seek his support against their enemies, in times of disputes, disagreements and fights. This contributes in a double misconception, because the key to the way of living is to live without being attacked and without attacking, however no matter which plan is initiated to any individual, looses the effect if the power of justice is on the individuals side, this because Òsányìn is neither an aggressive deity nor a warrior, he is only a medical deity in the planetary system and he is used to cure and remedy those painful diseases that science has not been able to defeat.

Omi Ero- Amashi = Medicinal Water
It is a belief that Òsányìn was born with knowledge about the plants and trees, because he did not learn from anybody. There are many different kinds of Òsányìn and the one that is one legged and known as – Òsányìn elésè-kan, is the fiercest and has great medicine knowledge.

Osanyin’s magic is so powerful that no one can unravel his spells. Consequently he is petitioned for any purpose where unconquerable magic is required. Osanyin is often depicted as an extremely disfigured, impish man. He has one eye, one hand, one foot, one tiny ear that can hear even a pin drop, and one ear larger than his head that hears nothing. He keeps all of his magic in a calabash that he hangs high in a tree, out of reach.

Ori Apere = Akinwale Faseyi Awo Rere
*** Ifa staffs usually have one bird and of course the inverted Agogo Bells. However, they are in effect the same thing. The sixteen birds surrounding the one bird is obviously a reference to the Itan of when Orunmila entered the town of the Aje (witches).There is a strong connection between Osanyin and Orunmila and also to Ogun, for the Opa Osun is made out of iron. Ogun lives in the forest, hence his connection to Osanyin.

*** Osanyin herbs have the power to neutralize the Ajogun – negative forces. Both staffs represent the triumph of consciousness -Ori over the forces of illness and destruction. Osun is the male aspect of Oshun, the spirit of the river. The Osun is a staff that is traditionally only given to Awo who have Odu pot. The staff represents Oso – the ability to astral travel. The bird on the Osun is a vulture, representing the Ashe of Oshun. Odu Ifa says that Oso comes to women via their menstrual cycle as a birth right passed from mother to daughter.

*** Being possessed by a female Orisha gives a man the ability to astral travel. When a man is in the astral realm he is in the land of the Mothers and to go to the land of the Mothers is challenging as a man, so Ifa teaches that a male Awo goes to the land of the Mothers disguised as a female bird. That is the reason why when a male Awo enters Igbodu wearing a Mariwo Ede and Beads dangling from his knee. This is the disguise of being a bird. After that, the Ifa Iyawo places his left foot on the Osun staff connection him to the Ancestors.

*** Ifa says that men can develop the ability of Oso as a consequence of receiving Ifa initiation- Tefa. Men are presented to Odu during Tefa. Being presented to Odu during Tefa gives men the ability to be mediums for female Orisha – among other things…

*** Praise to the owner of herbal Medicines & Leaves: The supernatural one, one-who-turns-all-leaves-into-medicine. One who is versed in the use of roots, one who has a sharp, pointed tail like that of a chick. One who has a liver as crystal clear as a fly’s. One who is as powerful as an iron rod. Aroni, the custodian of secrets who fastens medicine on his chest. One who forcibly takes the clothes from a sick man and staggers. He who fights without being guilty. A big masquerade for whom the mortar is rolled. Leaves in the hand – Leaves in the mouth – There is nothing you can’t do – One whose body is full of medicine . He who can revive and can kill – He who uses medicine to fight death. A leopard that prepares medicine to remove assaults. He drinks some water and uses some to anoint his head. He turns 200 leaves into one – One whose body is full of medicine. The mighty man who preserves the forest for medicinal purposes – The man who uses leaves to do all he wants.

Herbs have enormous Magical Power, as they hold the Earth’s energy within them. Each herb has unique properties that can enhance one’s magical goals. Herbs also may have medicinal properties. The magical practitioner can draw upon either aspect when performing a spell. Harvest herbs in the morning after the sun has dried the dew but before the heat of the day sets in. Use a sharp magical knife to cut herbs; the knife should be consecrated specifically for this purpose. Thank the plant for its gift, and offer it something in return, perhaps some water. Harvest only the amount of herbs needed, except when pruning the plants, to ensure healthy growth for the following season.

Roots on the other hand – often the most magically potent part of the plant – once chopped or powdered are fairly indistinguishable one from the other. Familiarize yourself with herbs and other botanical. Know what they should look like, and what they should smell like…

SACRED PLANTS = In the world of plants, some are used for sacred and ceremonial purposes, to explore the spirit world. The use of these plants derives from native cultures, whose members have traditionally sought access to the supernormal through the ingestion of the plants and their preparations. The use of these plants differs from contemporary religious practices in a key way. For while religious prayer, ritual and communion are engaged to propitiate god or gods, the use of sacred plants is intended to give the participant direct access to the divine experience. The difference is not slight but radical.

Additionally, the sacred plants are used for healing purposes. True healing puts into order the body, mind and spirit with the past, present and future. Such integration is possible by various means, including by the ceremonial use of the sacred plants. Throughout history these plants have been employed to heal disorders of body, mind and spirit, and today a whole new emerging body of study is currently examining the healing properties of some of these plants.
In the world of plants, some are used for sacred and ceremonial purposes, to explore the spirit world. The use of these plants derives from native cultures, whose members have traditionally sought access to the unknowns through the ingestion of the plants and their preparations. The use of these plants differs from contemporary religious practices in a key way. For while religious prayer, ritual and communion are engaged to propitiate god or gods, the use of sacred plants is intended to give the participant direct access to the divine experience.

Reference Sources: Wikipedia = Awo Falokun =

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Dogon Cults = Awa – Lebe – Binu…

Circumcision Is Seen As Necessary For The Individual To Gain Gender…

In Dogon thought, Male and Females are born with both sexual components. The clitoris is considered Male, while the foreskin is considered Female. – Originally, for the Dogon, man was endowed with a dual soul, and circumcision eliminates the superfluous one. Rites of circumcision thus allow each sex to assume its proper physical identity.

Most men, however, have only one wife, and it is rare for a man to have more than two wives. Formally, wives join their husband’s household only after the birth of their first child. After having children, divorce is a rare and serious matter, and it requires the participation of the whole village.

The religious beliefs of the Dogon are enormously complex and knowledge of them varies greatly within Dogon society. Dogon religion is defined primarily through the Worship of the Ancestors and the spirits whom they encountered as they slowly migrated from their obscure Ancestral homelands to the Bandiagara cliffs.

*** Three Principal Cults: Awa – Lebe – Binu ***

The Awa is a Cult of the Dead – whose purpose is to reorder the spiritual forces disturbed by the death of Nommo, a mythological Ancestor of great importance to the Dogon. Members of the Awa cult dance with ornate carved and painted masks during both funeral and death anniversary ceremonies. There are 78 different types of ritual masks among the Dogon and their iconographic messages go beyond the aesthetic, into the realm of religion and philosophy.The primary purpose of Awa dance ceremonies is to lead souls of the deceased to their final resting place in the family altars and to consecrate their passage to the ranks of the Ancestors.
The Cult of Lebe – Earth God, is primarily concerned with the agricultural cycle and its chief priest is called a Hogon. All Dogon villages have a Lebe shrine whose altars have bits of Earth incorporated into them to encourage the continued fertility of the land. According to Dogon beliefs, the God Lebe visits the Hogons every night in the form of a serpent and licks their skins in order to purify them and infuse them with life force. The Hogons are responsible for guarding the purity of the soil and therefore officiate at many agricultural ceremonies.

The cult of Binu is a totemic practice and it has complex associations with the Dogon’s sacred places used for Ancestor Worship, Spirit communication and agricultural sacrifices. Major Dogon sacred sites were related to episodes in the Dogon myth of the creation of the world, in particular to a deity named Nommo. Binu shrines house spirits of mythic ancestors who lived in the legendary era before the appearance of death among mankind. Binu spirits often make themselves known to their descendants in the form of an animal that interceded on behalf of the clan during its founding or migration, thus becoming the clan’s totem.

The priests of each Binu maintain the sanctuaries whose facades are often painted with graphic signs and mystic symbols. Sacrifices of blood and millet porridge the primary crop of the Dogon are made at the Binu shrines at sowing time and whenever the intercession of the immortal ancestor is desired. Through such rituals, the Dogon believe that the benevolent force of the ancestor is transmitted to them. Kananga masks form geometric patterns and represent the first human beings. The Dogon believe that the Dama dance creates a bridge into the supernatural world. Without the Dama dance, the dead cannot cross over into peace.
***The Dogon are strongly oriented toward harmony, which is reflected in many of their rituals. For instance, in one of their most important rituals, the women praise the men, the men thank the women, the young express appreciation for the old, and the old recognize the contributions of the young. Another example is the custom of elaborate greetings whenever one Dogon meets another. This custom is repeated over and over, throughout a Dogon village, all day.

The Hogon is the spiritual leader of the village. He is elected from among the oldest men of the extended families of the village. After his election, he has to follow a six-month initiation period, during which he is not allowed to shave or wash. He wears white clothes and nobody is allowed to touch him. A virgin who has not yet had her period takes care of him, cleans the house and prepares his meals. She returns to her home at night. After his initiation, he wears a red fez. He has an armband with a sacred pearl that symbolises his function. The virgin is replaced by one of his wives, and she also returns to her home at night. The Hogon has to live alone in his house. The Dogon believe the Sacred Snake Lébé comes during the night to clean him and to transfer wisdom.

There is also a secret ritual language Sigui So – language of Sigi , which is taught to dignitaries – Olubarū of the Society of the Masks during their enthronement at the Sigui ceremony.***The Dogon people believe the fox has supernatural powers. In the morning, the diviner will read the fox prints on the sand and make interpretations. The fox is sure to come because offerings of millet, milk and peanuts are made to this sacred animal.

The Nummo were referred to as “Water Spirits.” Although the Nummo were identified as being “Dieu d’eau” (Gods of Water) identified the Nummo as hermaphrodites and they appeared on the female side of the Dogon sanctuary.” They were primarily symbolized by the sun, which was a Female symbol in the religion. In the Dogon language, the sun’s name, (nay), had the same root as “mother,” (na), and “cow,” (nā). They were symbolized by the colour red, a Female symbol.

“Most of the conversations indeed turned largely on Twins and on the need for duality and the doubling of individual lives. The Eight original Ancestors were really eight pairs… But after this generation, human beings were usually born single. Dogon religion and Dogon philosophy both expressed a haunting sense of the original loss of Twin-ness. The heavenly Powers themselves were dual, and in their Earthly manifestations they constantly intervened in pairs…” The birth of human Twins was celebrated in the Dogon culture because it recalled the “fabulous past, when all beings came into existence in twos, symbols of the balance between humans and the divine.”

The Twin Sect: The birth of twins is a sign of good luck. The enlarged Dogon families have common rituals, during which they evoke all their Ancestors back to their origin—the Ancient pair of Twins from the creation of the world.***The Dogon use this entertainment to gain profit by charging the tourists money for what masks they want to see and the ritual itself.

Funeral Masquerade – This particular ritual incorporates the elements of the yingim and the danyim. During the Yincomoli Ceremony, a gourd is smashed over the deceased’s wooden bowl, hoe, and Bundukamba, (burial blanket), which announces the entrance of the masks used in this ceremony, while the deceased entrance to their home in the family compound is decorated with ritual elements.

Great Mask or Mother Of Masks – The Mask represents the Women Ancestors, who are said to have discovered the purpose of the masks by guiding the spirits of the deceased into the afterlife.

The Lébé Sect worships the Ancestor Lébé Serou – the first mortal human being who in Dogon myth was transformed into a Snake. The celebration takes place once a year and lasts for three days.

Certain researchers investigating the Dogon have reported that they seem to possess advanced Astronomical knowledge, the nature and source of which have subsequently become embroiled in controversy. Puzzled by this Sudanese star system, and prefaced their analysis with the disclaimer. The problem of knowing how, with no instruments at their disposal, men could know the movements and certain characteristics of virtually invisible stars has not been settled, nor even posed.

= We have in the Dogon information a predictive mechanism which it is our duty to test, regardless of our preconceptions.
“The Dual Soul Is A Danger; A Man Should Be Male & A Woman Female. Circumcision & Excision Are Once Again The Remedy.”

Reference Sources: Wikipedia = Shannon Dorey =

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Posted on February 2, 2017Categories Dieties2 Comments on Dogon Cults = Awa – Lebe – Binu…
Olokun = Keeper of Secrets

**Ancestral Waters of Life…

To understand Olokun nature we need to look at the nature of the bottom of the sea, a vast mostly unexplored dark habitat. The deep sea floor is a seemingly hostile environment and yet life thrives down there. In fact scientists believe that there is more life in the dark abyss of the Earth’s oceans than in all of the tropical rain forests put together.

Like her world, so is Olokun the Keeper of Secrets. Anything that falls to the bottom of the sea floor remains intact forever more, never to be laid eyes on by anyone other than herself and her underwater children. Olokun is believed to hold the secrets of the past, the present and the future. She knows all and guards that knowledge well. Olokun holds the key to the mystery of exactly what happened to their Ancestors on those fateful journeys across the Atlantic. Many didn’t make it and thus entered the Realm of Olokun. Olokun is all-knowing, She is the Keeper of Wisdom and Divination. She is the Goddess of the Unknown -Darkness – Realm of Dreams & Unconscious.

Olokun – Zaquanix De King
Olokun is the Goddess of Death: Her Domain is the Graveyard of the Earth, cold and dark nature being the perfect environment for the suspended animation of Spirits. Olokun is also the Goddess of Rebirth and Renewal: At the bottom of the deep sea from Her Dark Watery Womb new life springs forth every moment, contributing to a vast and incredibly adaptive ecosystem. Olokun is associated with great riches, She is said to be a Goddess of Wealth and Abundance. Women pray to Her to conceive a child as well as for good health and worldly possessions.

Olokun is often depicted as a beautiful black Mermaid. One of the animals that symbolize Olokun is the mudfish… The Goddess Olokun is also linked to the red coral, a beautiful red gem-like colony of tiny animals that are joined together through the skeletons of their dead ancestors. As corals grow they form reefs which purify the water, provide shelter for other sea creatures and encourage the growth of wildlife habitats beneath the sea.

***In the New World: Especially amongst the Lukumi people in Cuba, Olokun and Yemaya are seen as different aspects of the same Goddess. Yemonja at the surface of the ocean is exposed to sunlight and the pull of the Moon. She is the Goddess’s life-giving and nurturing side, while Olokun in Her impenetrable abyss is the Goddess’s mysterious, dark and unknowable aspect.
When we speak of the Ancestral Waters of Life , we speak of waters that has a form of Natural consciousness that flows and nourishes, that incubates and feeds and the essence of Maternal caring that relates to the protection of children.

Omi Orun – Ancestral Waters: The idea of heavenly waters may seem symbolic to us but yet holds the ring of truth since the most commonly found substance is hydrogen particles throughout the universe . Science agrees that the combination of earth and water is what created the womb of all living creatures on the earth in consequence of the union of these elements.

Soul Of Africa Museum www.soul-of-africa.com
The Olokun was given the title and name of the combined words OloOkun – Owner of the Oceans of Ode Aye – Earth. As well is her representation of water and birth and in fact a principal part of the human spirit of consciousness as well as it makes up part of our bodies. Throughout time and most Ancient religions of the east a Female dominate deity took hold of the Title of the owner of the great oceans of earth.

When Olokun is angry she causes the sea to be rough and stirs up a raging surf upon the shore; and it is she who drowns men, upsets boats or canoes, and causes shipwrecks.

Olokun Lord of The Sea
Olokun Sea Goddess – The owner of all the riches under the oceans, the greatest Bead maker, the most powerful Deity whose mantles are the rolling waves of sea water, is a most beautiful divinity to behold. Her long, braided hair flows with the waves of the undulating waters, her ebony dark skin glistening like priceless pearls under the motion of ceaseless seas.

Soul Of Africa Museum www.soul-of-africa.com
Olokun heard about the plan to establish human abodes on earth, and became angry. She was fully prepared to turn down the request to use earth for the human project mainly because she was already using the space for her Bead-making studio. She made Beads of all colors and shapes, but her favorite Bead was the indigo colored, tubular shaped segi bead, so luminously dark that it seems to capture light within its luxurious entrails. It was her love for Bead making that caused her to move her seat to the depth of the ocean, which nobody wanted at that time. But after she succeeded in taming and ruling the vast ocean, after she salted it and stocked it with priceless jewels, after she had transformed the vast and empty space into a home for herself, they began to plot behind her back to take her space from her and turn it into a general home to lodge humans. She found the human project totally unacceptable if it would be at the expense of her own studio work of Bead making.

It was totally unacceptable for the divinities to take her sanctuary away from her, and populate it with strangers. She sat down in a reflective mood in the midst of her vast collection of Beads. She calmly picked up some of the most colorful and exquisite Beads ever made, and slowly rubs the warm gems against her dark brown skin. She would not give up her craft, she resolved. She would fight for every cup of water in the vast ocean of the earth. It was clear to Olokun that they chose earth because she had developed it so artistically that nobody could take their eyes away from it. But they also thought that she had no fighting power. It was only if the power of the others overwhelmed her that she was going to surrender.

Soul Of Africa Museum www.soul-of-africa.com
Olokun & The Chameleon… Her secret contact in heaven informed her that they were sending the Chameleon to her. She considered that to be a sign of their contempt for her because they could not be sending a more inferior fellow as an emissary. She knew that every act is a sign of another thing. They were telling her that she was ugly, slow and contemptible, and the chameleon would be a clear deliverer of the message. They were telling her that she was beholding her own reflection in the mirror when she saw the Chameleon riding the S

VODOU: Out Of The Past…

“Self Hate Will End… When Knowledge Of Self Begins. However Long The Night – The Dawn Will Break”

The word derives from an Ayizo word referring to “Mysterious Forces or Powers that govern the world and the lives of those who reside within it, but also a range of artistic forms that function in conjunction with these Vodou energies. In the historical consciousness of the Haitians Vodou has an extraordinary meaning and as well played a role in Bois Kayiman, and in the ensuing revolution. This has made the Vodou into a kind of national religion of Haiti. Thus today Vodou has a certain military symbolism, which is not found in other Afro-American religions.

In Haiti, practitioners occasionally use “Vodou” to refer to Haitian religion generically, but it is more common for practitioners to refer to themselves as those who “serve the spirits”

Vodou was made the official religion of Haiti. Priests and Priestesses in Haiti now have the same rights as their Catholic counterparts. They may perform formal marriages, baptisms and conduct funerals. A few years ago Vodou was recognized by the pope as a separate religion, because Vodou priest have healed so many people and their healing power has become very well known.

In this central core of vodou worship is Loa Oracle – Ancestral worship and Reincarnation. Vodou believers understand the soul not as a compact unity, but divide it into two parts, the Ti-bon-ange vital spark & conscience & the Gros-bon-ange immortal soul, also can be equated to the ego. After physical death it returns to the underworld of the minds. Together these parts formed the mind and the soul of a living person.

Vodou is popularly described as not simply a religion, but rather an experience that ties body and soul together. The concept of tying that exists in Haitian religious culture is derived from the Congolese tradition of kanga, the practice of tying one’s soul to something tangible.

Vodouisants believe in a Supreme God called Bondye. When it came in contact with Roman Catholicism, the Supreme Creator was associated with the Christian God, and the loa associated with the saints. Since Bondye (God) is considered unreachable, Vodouisants aim their prayers to lesser entities, the spirits known as Loa, or Mistè. The most notable loa include Papa Legba (crossroads), Erzulie Freda (spirit of love), Simbi (spirit of rain and magicians), Kouzin Zaka (spirit of agriculture), and The Marasa, divine twins considered to be the first children of Bondye.

Vodou moral code focuses on the vices of dishonor and greed. There is also a notion of relative propriety—and what is appropriate to someone with Dambala Wedo as their head may be different from someone with Ogou Feray as their head. For example, one spirit is very cool and the other is very hot. Coolness overall is valued, and so is the ability and inclination to protect oneself and one’s own if necessary. Love and support within the family of the Vodou society seem to be the most important considerations. Generosity in giving to the community and to the poor is also an important value. One’s blessings come through the community, and one should be willing to give back.

There is a diversity of practice in Vodou across the country of Haiti and the Haitian diaspora. For instance, in the north of Haiti, the lave tèt (“head washing”) or kanzwe may be the only initiation, whereas in Port-au-Prince and the south they practice the kanzo rites with three grades of initiation – kanzo senp, si pwen, and asogwe – and the latter is the most familiar mode of practice outside Haiti.

A Haitian Vodou temple is called an Hounfour. After a day or two of preparation setting up altars at an Hounfour, ritually preparing and cooking fowl and other foods, etc. Haitian Vodou service begins with a series of prayers and songs in French, then a litany in Kreyòl and African “langaj” that goes through all the European and African Saints and Loa honored by the houseand then a series of verses for all the main spirits of the house. This is called the “Priyè Gine” or the African Prayer. After more introductory songs, beginning with saluting Hounto, the spirit of the drums, the songs for all the individual spirits are sung, starting with the Legba family through all the Rada spirits, then there is a break and the Petro part of the service begins, which ends with the songs for the Gede family.

Vodou practitioners believe that if one follows all taboos imposed by their particular Loa and is punctilious about all offerings and ceremonies, the Loa will aid them. Vodou practitioners also believe that if someone ignores their Loa it can result in sickness, the failure of crops, the death of relatives, and other misfortunes. Animals are sometimes sacrificed in Haitian Vodou. A variety of animals are sacrificed, such as pigs, goats, chickens, and bulls.

“The intent and emphasis of sacrifice is not upon the death of the animal, it is upon the transfusion of its life to the Loa; for the understanding is that flesh and blood are of the essence of life and vigor, and these will restore the divine energy of the God”.

On the individual’s household level, a Vodouizant or “sèvitè” may have one or more tables set out for their ancestors and the spirit or spirits that they serve with pictures or statues of the spirits, perfumes, foods, and other things favored by their spirits. The most basic set up is just a white candle and a clear glass of water and perhaps flowers. On a particular spirit’s day, one lights a candle and salutes Papa Legba and asks him to open the gate, and then one salutes and speaks to the particular spirit as an elder family member.

In a Vodou home, often, the only recognizable religious items are images of saints and candles with a rosary. In other homes, where people may more openly show their devotion to the spirits, noticeable items may include an altar with Catholic saints , rosaries, bottles, jars, rattles, perfumes, oils, and dolls. Some Vodou devotees have less paraphernalia in their homes because until recently Vodou practitioners had no option but to hide their beliefs. Haiti is a rural society and the cult of ancestors guard the traditional values of the peasant class. The ancestors are linked to family life and the land. Haitian peasants serve the spirits daily and sometime gather with their extended family on special occasions for ceremonies, which may celebrate the birthday of a spirit or a particular event. In very remote areas, people may walk for days to partake in ceremonies that take place as often as several times a month. Vodou is closely tied to the division and administration of land as well as to the residential economy. The cemeteries and many crossroads are meaningful places for worship: the cemetery acts as a repository of spirits and the crossroads acts as points of access to the world of the invisible.and then a series of verses for all the main spirits of the house. This is called the “Priyè Gine” or the African Prayer. After more introductory songs, beginning with saluting Hounto, the spirit of the drums, the songs for all the individual spirits are sung, starting with the Legba family through all the Rada spirits, then there is a break and the Petro part of the service begins, which ends with the songs for the Gede family.

Vodou practitioners believe that if one follows all taboos imposed by their particular Loa and is punctilious about all offerings and ceremonies, the Loa will aid them. Vodou practitioners also believe that if someone ignores their Loa it can result in sickness, the failure of crops, the death of relatives, and other misfortunes. Animals are sometimes sacrificed in Haitian Vodou. A variety of animals are sacrificed, such as pigs, goats, chickens, and bulls.

“The intent and emphasis of sacrifice is not upon the death of the animal, it is upon the transfusion of its life to the Loa; for the understanding is that flesh and blood are of the essence of life and vigor, and these will restore the divine energy of the God”.

On the individual’s household level, a Vodouizant or “sèvitè” may have one or more tables set out for their ancestors and the spirit or spirits that they serve with pictures or statues of the spirits, perfumes, foods, and other things favored by their spirits. The most basic set up is just a white candle and a clear glass of water and perhaps flowers. On a particular spirit’s day, one lights a candle and salutes Papa Legba and asks him to open the gate, and then one salutes and speaks to the particular spirit as an elder family member.

In a Vodou home, often, the only recognizable religious items are images of saints and candles with a rosary. In other homes, where people may more openly show their devotion to the spirits, noticeable items may include an altar with Catholic saints , rosaries, bottles, jars, rattles, perfumes, oils, and dolls. Some Vodou devotees have less paraphernalia in their homes because until recently Vodou practitioners had no option but to hide their beliefs. Haiti is a rural society and the cult of ancestors guard the traditional values of the peasant class. The ancestors are linked to family life and the land. Haitian peasants serve the spirits daily and sometime gather with their extended family on special occasions for ceremonies, which may celebrate the birthday of a spirit or a particular event. In very remote areas, people may walk for days to partake in ceremonies that take place as often as several times a month. Vodou is closely tied to the division and administration of land as well as to the residential economy. The cemeteries and many crossroads are meaningful places for worship: the cemetery acts as a repository of spirits and the crossroads acts as points of access to the world of the invisible.
and then a series of verses for all the main spirits of the house. This is called the “Priyè Gine” or the African Prayer. After more introductory songs, beginning with saluting Hounto, the spirit of the drums, the songs for all the individual spirits are sung, starting with the Legba family through all the Rada spirits, then there is a break and the Petro part of the service begins, which ends with the songs for the Gede family.

Vodou practitioners believe that if one follows all taboos imposed by their particular Loa and is punctilious about all offerings and ceremonies, the Loa will aid them. Vodou practitioners also believe that if someone ignores their Loa it can result in sickness, the failure of crops, the death of relatives, and other misfortunes. Animals are sometimes sacrificed in Haitian Vodou. A variety of animals are sacrificed, such as pigs, goats, chickens, and bulls.

“The intent and emphasis of sacrifice is not upon the death of the animal, it is upon the transfusion of its life to the Loa; for the understanding is that flesh and blood are of the essence of life and vigor, and these will restore the divine energy of the God”.

On the individual’s household level, a Vodouizant or “sèvitè” may have one or more tables set out for their ancestors and the spirit or spirits that they serve with pictures or statues of the spirits, perfumes, foods, and other things favored by their spirits. The most basic set up is just a white candle and a clear glass of water and perhaps flowers. On a particular spirit’s day, one lights a candle and salutes Papa Legba and asks him to open the gate, and then one salutes and speaks to the particular spirit as an elder family member.

In a Vodou home, often, the only recognizable religious items are images of saints and candles with a rosary. In other homes, where people may more openly show their devotion to the spirits, noticeable items may include an altar with Catholic saints , rosaries, bottles, jars, rattles, perfumes, oils, and dolls. Some Vodou devotees have less paraphernalia in their homes because until recently Vodou practitioners had no option but to hide their beliefs. Haiti is a rural society and the cult of ancestors guard the traditional values of the peasant class. The ancestors are linked to family life and the land. Haitian peasants serve the spirits daily and sometime gather with their extended family on special occasions for ceremonies, which may celebrate the birthday of a spirit or a particular event. In very remote areas, people may walk for days to partake in ceremonies that take place as often as several times a month. Vodou is closely tied to the division and administration of land as well as to the residential economy. The cemeteries and many crossroads are meaningful places for worship: the cemetery acts as a repository of spirits and the crossroads acts as points of access to the world of the invisible.

Houngan (Male Priest) or Mambo (Female Priestess) are usually people who were chosen by the dead ancestors and received the divination from the deities while he or she was possessed. His or her tendency is to do good by helping and protecting others from spells, however they sometimes use their supernatural power to hurt or kill people. They also conduct ceremonies that usually take place “Amba Peristil” (under a Vodou Temple). There are clergy in Haitian Vodou whose responsibility it is to preserve the rituals and songs and maintain the relationship between the spirits and the community as a whole . They are entrusted with leading the service of all of the spirits of their lineage. Sometimes they are “called” to serve in a process called “being reclaimed”, which they may resist at first. Below the Houngans and Mambos are the Hounsis, who are initiates who act as assistants during ceremonies and who are dedicated to their own personal mysteries.

The Asson (calabash rattle) is the symbol for one who has acquired the status of Houngan or Mambo (priest or priestess) in Haitian Vodou. The calabash is taken from the calabash courante or calabash ordinaire tree which is associated with Danbalah-Wédo. A Houngan or Mambo traditionally holds the Asson in their hand along with a clochette (bell). Inside of the Asson are stones and snake vertebrae which give the Asson its sound. The Asson is covered with a web of porcelain beads.

A “Bokor” is a sorcerer or magician who casts spells upon request. They are not necessarily priests, and may be practitioners of “darker” things and often not even accepted by the mambo or the houngan. Or, a “Bokor” would be the Haitian term for a Vodou priest or other, working both the light and dark arts of magic.

Vodou mythology is a fascinating hybrid of Yoruba, Fon, Congo and Christian mythology intermixed with touches from Caribbean belief systems. Haiti is the central location of the Vodou belief system but naturally it has spread throughout the world as have other faiths.

These Loa can be divided into 21 nations, which include the Petro, Rada, Congo, and Nago. Each of the loa is associated with a particular Roman Catholic saint. The Loa also fall into family groups who share a surname, such as Ogou, Ezili, Azaka or Ghede. For instance, “Ezili” is a family, Ezili Danto and Ezili Freda are two individual spirits in that family. Each family is associated with a specific aspect, for instance the Ogou family are soldiers, the Ezili govern the feminine spheres of life, the Azaka govern agriculture, the Ghede govern the sphere of death and fertility…

In Haiti Vodou Legba is worshiped in two different forms: as a child or as a hunched fragile old man. Both these forms express his speed and unpredictable behavior. He is seen as a cheater but also as a messenger of destiny. He is a rebellious child and a wise man at the same time. In some myths Legba is a thief as he has stolen the secrets of gods and gave them to people. Every ritual starts with invoking him and ends by saying goodbye to him. This is because he is the guardian of the door, therefore the contact with him enables better communication with other gods. During the ritual he is acting as a messenger of gods as he is translating the words of gods into human language. Those who died can return back to the world of living people if they obtain Legba’s blessing.

Legba or Elegba, Eshu: God of Crossroads, Singer, Fighter, Guardian of the door into the spiritual sphere.

VULTURE = Earth Magic Spirits

*** Myths and Secrets ***

The vulture is a very powerful totem. Its cycle of power is year-round. If you have a Vulture as a spirit guide or totem, it can show you how to use energy powerfully and efficiently. It glides effortlessly on the winds, soaring to extraordinary heights while using little or no energy. The Vulture skillfully employs already existing air currents against the pull of gravity, symbolizing the distribution of energy so that gravity do not weigh it down. In the process the vulture does not use its own energy, but the energies of the Earth instead, or the Natural Order of Things. The Vulture is a promise that all hardship was temporary and necessary for a higher purpose.

Once a Vulture enters your life as a totem or guide, it will remain with you for life. Vultures live and work together, both in cooperation and friendliness. They communicate with friends and neighbors when they find something to eat. They let the others know where the food is. And when there is a big feast they communicate with neighboring flocks in distant roosts. The Vulture is the avenger of nature spirits. People with Vulture totems often can see auras and colors around people and things. The Vulture can see the thermals rising from the earth and uses them to soar into the sky. The Vulture can also teach you patience. It will soar for hours, high in the sky, using the air currents.

The Secret Language of Signs: Vultures feed almost exclusively on carrion. They perform a very useful function, in that they are eliminating potential sources of disease, although this often causes people to think that they are unclean birds. However, they are very clean. In Egyptian hieroglyphs, the vulture was depicted along with mother symbols, which, according to Jung, was because Mother Earth contains both death and life. The Parish placed their dead where vultures could consume them, believing that this would allow them a rebirth. Encyclopedia of Signs, Omens, and Superstitions: Vultures have long been thought of as birds of divination.

They never kill their prey, but, rather, devour abandoned corpses. Because of this practice, they are held an omen of coming death. Vulture has the ability to “smell” death as much as three days in advance. Hence, should it hover over a house, such is said to be an omen of coming death. Since the Hebrew word for “vulture” and “compassion” are similar, an association was made between these large birds and parental care. Some experts believe that the traditional myth that a pelican feeds it young on its own blood may indeed be traced to vultures, who were seen to return to the nest with bloody morsels for their chicks.

Myths and Secrets: One of the oldest totems of the Great Mother in Egypt was the vulture, eater of the dead. Vultures who devoured corpses were regarded as her angels of death, since they carried the dead piecemeal to heaven.
Ancient Iranians didn’t bury their dead, but exposed them to vultures in open-topped “towers of silence” called Dakhmas, many of which still stand today. Such towers were built when Iranians worshiped the Moon-goddess Mah, the Mother, and believed that vultures carried the deceased to her heavenly realm. Even after burial was instituted in Persia, a dead body couldn’t be interred until it was first torn by vultures. This spirit-mother was a large carrion bird “with an iron beak, hooked claws, and a long tail.”

Although a repulsive-looking and bad-smelling bird, the vulture has long been held in high regard by ancient cultures. Vulture claws were said to detect poisons in food and drink. This bird was considered to be prophetic, knowing beforehand the site of battles. The vulture has been associated with the Great Mother for thousands of years in her aspect as life-giver and destroyer. As a representation of love and care, the goddess Isis is sometimes shown with vulture wings in her role as Great Mother
. Mut, goddess of maternity and the sky, was often portrayed with the head of a vulture or wearing a vulture headdress. In the funeral rites of Osiris, four vulture feathers were attached to each corner of the coffin.

** Vultures do not copulate, but the female reproduces without male assistance. Vultures can live for 100 years. == Vulture warns of greedy and aggressive individuals; a user. Buzzard characterizes a gloating nature; one who stands in wait to pick over what’s left.

The vulture is a member of the raptor family, but unlike most raptors (hawks, owls, etc.), its weak feet and short talons make it unsuited for tearing and grasping. It relies on others to do the killing. Although their role as scavengers is often considered disgusting, it serves an extremely valuable and necessary function. It limits infections and bacteria from corpses that could otherwise spread to other animals who do not have the resistance. They serve to keep the environment clean and in balance. They prevent the spread of disease. There are several varieties of vulture. Each has its own unique characteristics. All walk, stand and perch firmly and with dignity, a kind of unspoken confidence in themselves, regardless of their appearance.

The vultures have a wonderful ability to see and use the thermals rising from the earth, giving them lift. Their ability to use the thermals is often linked to the ability to see the subtle energy emanations from the body. We have all experienced thermals in our lives. When we have driven down a road on a hot summer day and see the heat rising off the surface, this is a thermal. To the human ground observer, these currents are only visible for a few feet above the concrete. The vulture can see them as they rise into the sky. When on the ground, the vultures cannot see or feel the thermals, but in the air they are sensitive to every aspect of the currents. If turkey vulture has come into your life, you will probably soon start to see auras and colors around people and things. The vulture is a patient hunter. It can soar for hours without flapping its wings. They are tremendous symbols of flight without power. They ride the thermals and windborne updrafts. They use air currents to interfere with the pull of gravity and allow themselves to fly. In essence, they do not need to expend much energy to oppose gravity. This is seen in the fact that their wings rarely move, reflecting that the power for flight does not come from them. They simply use what is available.

One of the mystical secrets believed to be held by the vulture is the ability to levitate. Levitation is the law of spirituality. Gravity is the impulse toward the material and mundane (physical). The vulture denies the material. Its ability to float, rise and soar has been seen as a symbol of movement away from the mundane. It is a symbol of the disintegration of physical holds. It is a symbol of distributing one’s energy so that gravity does not weigh and hold one down–be it the actual gravity of the earth or the gravity of mundane situations and experiences. They can also fold their wings well above the horizontal level which is unique among raptors and most birds. It helps them in their soaring. When they do flap their huge wings, they provide a powerful thrust forward, and thus do not need to be used that frequently. This ability to use energy powerfully and efficiently is part of what vulture teaches.

Vultures are also noted for their keen eyesight. Their eyes see eight times more sharply than human eyes. One of its most powerful senses is the sense of smell. The turkey vulture has a highly developed sense of smell. They can find food simply by smelling it if necessary. Turkey vulture can assist you in developing your own sense of smell that you can use effectively in all areas of your life. The sense of smell is also associated with aromatherapy, and for those with turkey vulture as a totem, this may be the most effective holistic health

technique to develop or use on yourself. The turkey vulture has a unique digestive system. When we examine the kinds of food it eats, it is no wonder. It has a resistance to botulism thousands of times higher than humans. The digestive tract contains chemicals that kill the virulent bacteria that is on the foods they eat.

***Animal Magic Spirits of the Earth: Buzzards and Vultures are bad signs. They are messengers who warn us of interruptions or problems forthcoming.

** If Vulture has flown across your path: You are being asked to be patient with yourself and think things through. Take your time before making decisions and choose paths that support your higher consciousness.
** If Vulture is your Animal Totem: You know how to use your own energy powerfully and efficiently. You have the ability to see auras and colors around people with your higher vision and you know how to use patience as a means to an end.

** If Vulture has come into your Dream: To see a vulture in your dream symbolizes purification and insight. It suggests that your past experiences will provide you with invaluable insight into a current situation or problem. Consider the metaphor of someone who is a “vulture”. Sometimes a vulture is also a symbol of death, doom or rebirth..

Symbolic Vulture Meanings: Bird meaning, in general, deals with the element of air, and air is symbolic of the mind, thoughts, and intelligence. That the vulture is a master navigator of the winds reminds us we might need to “go back to the mental drawing board” before acting in projects. The vulture also asks us to be patient with ourselves, and think things through. They encourage us to be quite sure of how we feel before we enter the arena of our plans.

This symbolism is underscored by the magnificent level of patience the vulture exhibits. I’ve seen vultures coast air currents for hours, waiting for the perfect time to descend upon a tasty treat. We all know vultures are scavengers. This holds keen symbolism for us, in that the vulture represents resourcefulness. Contemplating bird meanings specific to the vulture can be quite eye-opening, and inspiring. Here are a few quick symbolic bullet-points for your contemplation…

The vulture does not hunt, it seizes the resources available to it. The vulture is all about higher awareness. Those who are called to this bird are equally perceptive – maybe even coming into a time of higher awareness. Vultures can spot fresh meat from miles away. In fact, its vision is vastly advanced. Vultures also have an uncanny sense of smell. This kind of bird symbolism prompts us to use all of our senses to navigate in the pursuit of our highest benefit. Technically, they open their wings to the sun to dry evenings dampness from their feathers. The sun also cooks off any bacteria and guts lingering after eating – a natural cleansing process. This is an unorthodox method that achieves remarkable results.

Historical and Cultural Views On Vulture Bird Meanings: Some cultures like the ancient Iranians, Zoroastrians and Tibetan Buddhists participated in “sky burials” in which they would leave their deceased to be picked over by vultures. This was an honorable process, as the vulture was a symbol of renewal and so, in a creative way, the deceased were given new life by their remains being consumed by the vulture.

In fact, Native American seers held the vultures flight pattern as an augury. Shamans of great skill could interpret the language of vulture flight to reveal important weather signs and omens. Native Americans also deemed the vulture as a symbol of renewal and linked it with renewal themes seen in the rising of a new sun every day . The Mayans had their ideas about bird symbolism. To the Mayan mind the vulture was observed as a death eater. As a consumer of death, the Mayan felt the vulture could also convert death to life. So, the vulture was considered a symbol of cleansing , renewal and transformation. It’s also associated with water and the vulture controls the rain.

Oturupon-Gbe Mogbe Npongba Babalawo Igunugun difa fun Igunugun tin se Omo Olojogboloro Wonni Korubo si Aiku arare, (Orubo) Ijo lonjo, Ayo Lonyo……
Nje Igunugun kin ku Lewe “kangere” Madagba Ma Darugbo “Dan-Dan”

Quick-List of Symbolic Vulture Meanings: Loyal – Serious – Patience – Tolerance – Renewal – Equalizing – Cleanliness – Perceptive – Protection…

Reference Sources: Wikipedia = Spirit Animal Totems = Keith Wedoe

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BEADS = Precious Ornaments…

“It is the beads that makes the buttocks to shake”

== Physical: The beads the waistband is made up of is rubbed with some local herb or made up of some healing stone that is believed to stop menstrual pains or cramps, lower abdominal problems, or womb malfunction. The usage of beads especially waist bead in W/Africa is widespread across the various nationalities that make up the nation. There are similarities and peculiarities in their usage.

However, the Yoruba developed the most varying and peculiar uses for the waist beads, that cuts across both material and spiritual aspects of the life of the people. In addition, they have also the capacity to produce the beads for varying purposes ranging from royalty, body adornment, deification and decoration. Beads are usually small round piece of glass, wood, metal or nut, pierced for stringing. They are either used for adornment such as the waist, neck or ankle beads or as decorative ornament in art works or even for royalty purposes. The art of beading is serial in process and serrated in composition. It has a step by step or one by one approach in stringing when traded together, beads stands for unity, togetherness and solidarity. Beads of the waist is said to posses the power to attract and evoke deep emotional responses, they are a sign of success and affluence as well as spiritual well being.

Beads have been traded and used since time immemorial. However, the earliest known African beads is traced to Libya and Sudan. A common usage of the item is for adornment especially on the waist. There is however varying purpose for which people adorn the waist beads. The common users of the waist beads are mostly the women folk, only in exceptional theatrical perform as will a man adorn a waist bead to symbolize feminism. The waist bead is synonymous with feminism. The Africans have a belief that the waist beads posses some erotic appeal, they have the power to provoke desire or deep emotional response on the opposite sex.

Character
Odu Ifa (THE ETHICAL TEACHINGS OF IFA)
Gentle character (Ìwà pẹ̀lẹ), Good Character (Ìwà rere), Calmness (Ìwà jẹ́jẹ́), To be born by character (Ìwà ọmọ lú wà bí).

One of the emphases of the Yorùbá is good character. Yoruba believe that in order to have success in life, one must have good character. It said in Ifa that all one can be or possess can be lost to someone else without good character.

Good Character (Ìwà rere)

Ogbètúrá said ;

Bí a lowo bi a ko ni’wà. If we have money and don’t have character,
Owó olówó ni. the money belongs to someone else.
Bi a bi ‘mọ bi a kò ni’wa If we have children and do not have character,
Ọmọ ọlọmọ ni. the children belong to some one else.

Ifá said in Ọsáméj̀i that:
Ọgbọ́n inu awo alárá. Inner wisdom is the babalawo of Alárá.
Ìm̀ọ̀ràn awo Ajero.̀̀ Knowledge was the babalawo of Ajerò.
Èjìọsá amu
rin kan dọ́gbọ̀n agogo. Èjìọ̀sá uses one metal to make 30 bells.
Ẹ sa ma wùwà rere. Ìwà. We should have good character.
Ìwà là nwá. Ìwà. Good character is what we are looking for.
Ìwà rere n lẹ̀ṣọ́ ènìyan.̀ Good character is a treasure for humanity.
Ìwà nib a ni de Saree. It is good character that follows one to the grave.

A prominent professor of sociology, Professor Akinsọla Akiwọwọ, explained in his article “Alasuwada” that, of all the creations, humans are the ones who do not have Iwa. On April 12, 2008, I had the privilege of discussing this paragraph with the professor. He said that things that we desire (Ewù), love (Ìfẹ́) and our lacking (Àìní́) are the three main reasons why human try to live together and form a bond. What we need might not be available or around us. It is the thoughts of living together that brought the character of living together. His research revealed that in the beginning of existence, Iwa (character) was the one who brought all prosperities. It was found that Iwa is the one who brings prosperity to neighbors and relatives. It is the same Ìwà who can chase away prosperity from a person. So therefore the best way to go is to mold Iwa together and try to have Iwa. The Odù of Ọ̀sá guńdá called alásùwàdà was used to explain how Ìwà (character) was molded together to create the heaven and earth.

Síkan ni mògún. We headed to the shrine of Ò̧guń.
Àgiri Ìyà ni mọ̀ọ̀rẹ̀ eerun. A lot of footsteps towards More.
Àsùwà ni mọọrẹ eniyan. Humans were molded.
Asùwà da‘ye. To be created, the world was molded.
Àsùwà da ọrun. To be created, the heaven was molded.
À̀̀sù̀wà da sìlẹ̀. The ground was molded.
Asekún sùwàdà nigbati Ìwá sẹ̀. We added to the mold in the beginning.
Asekú́n suwada ni gba iwa gun. We added to the mold to make it perfect.
Asùwàdà nigba iwa rọ̀. We added to the mold when the mold
Manifested on earth.
We have to mold our character.

Asuwa is rebirth. It is the perfection that we seek. Asuwada eniyan is someone who has recreated or reformed themselves. It is character. It can be molded. The professor explained that character is an element or quality substance that was put together and molded together. He continues to explain that it is passed down from one generation to the next. It is the divine law of the order of evolution. It is what makes it possible for human to live together and create family. Without Iwa, all these would have not been possible. Let us ask ourselves, What is character? What is behavior? The answers to these questions could take another book someone can write in the future. One thing that is certain is that Iwa was one of the teachings of Ifa

. It says in Ogbe ate:

Ai lọ́gbọń ninu. The lack of wisdom,
Aimero. The lack of knowledge,
Ainiwà rere. The lack of good character,
Ni muni wọ igbodu lẹmẹta. That is why an awo gets initiated three times.
Ọran èṣù kọ. It is not the fault of Esu.
Baye ba ti ọwọ ẹni bajẹ. If the world spoiled in our hands,
Ai mọwa wu wa ni. it is because of our lack of good character.

Yoruba assumed that it
Yoruba assumed that it is the duty of humans to seek knowledge and wisdom of the ancient times. Maybe we can still learn one or two things from them. There was an old concept in Yoruba called Igbá Ìwà (the Calabash of Character). It is an Òrìsà. After the ceremony is finished, the container is sealed up and it must never be opened again. If an elder chose to no longer live, he or she could go open the Igbá ̀Iwà and go to bed and die. That is why Yorùbá has the expression that says (Ọba sí gbá wò) Ọba has open the calabash. It means the Ọba has committed suicide. It is different from Babalawos Odu called Igbádù. The container of the Odù. ̀

K a ma’ fi kanju kanju j aye. K a ma fi wàràwàrà mokun oro. Ohun a ba fi s agba, K a ma fi se binu. Bi a ba de bi tó tutu, Kasimi-simi. K’ a wo’ waju ojo lo titi. K’atun bow a wehin oro wo. Nitori ati sun ara eni ni.
Let us not engage the world hurriedly. Let us not grasp at the rope of wealth impatiently. That which should be treated with mature judgment, let us not deal with in a state of uncontrolled passion. When we arrive at a cool place, Let us rest fully. Let us give continuous attention to the future. Let us give deep consideration to the consequences of things. And this because of our eventual passing.
happiness
Ogbe Tura-
Eniti O ba nwa ire, L’omaa nse ebo. Eniti O basi feran iwa oore sise paapaa fun awon alaini, oun paapaa ko ni ye ni idunu
Anyone who wishes to have good fortune will constantly practice sacrifice. And anyone who cultivates the habits of doing good deeds, especially for the needy, this person, in particular, will never lack happiness.
happiness
Ofun Rosu-
Ofun nfun ire ka. Ofun kopariwo. Eniyan bi iru won yi sowon laye. Eni maa dasa ki o wo ise orun. Orun nile ola. Adifa f’awon eniyan. Ani iku a maa mu won o fun awon lo fun awon wo ise orun A niki won rubo ki o ma baa si okunkun ati ibanuje lona won. Won gbo won korubo.
Ofun is giving out goodness everywhere. Ofun does not make noise about it. People like this are difficult to find in the world. Anyone who wants to do wonderful things should observe the ways of heaven. Heaven is the home of honor. This was the teaching of Ifa for humans. It was said that death would bring them to see the ways of heaven they were asked to sacrifice, so that there would be no darkness and grief on their way. They heard but they did not sacrifice.o ba se aseju tite ni ite. Adifa fun Odu Nigbati Odu dele aye. Ha! Won ni “ iwo, Odu.” Won ni o ba soru re. Ki “o si se suuru. Ki o ma yaaju.” Won ni “o basora re. Ki o si se suuru. Ki o si se suuru. Ki o ma yaaju.” Odu ni eetiri?” Won ni nitori agba re Yi Olodumare fun o.
Ah, an elder who commits excess will be thoroughly disgraced. This was the teaching of Ifa for Odu when Odu arrived on the earth. Ah, they said, “O you, Odu;” They said “you must be careful. You Must be patient. And you must not be shamelessly disrespectful.” Odu ask “why?” They said “it is because of the Power which Olodumare has given you.”

Patience
Otura Wori
K’ a ma fi ponju iyan la obe gbigbona. Bi a ba fi ponju iyan la obe gbigbona, Daju daju a maa jo ni l’enu. Adifa fun Akinsuyi. Won ni: odunoro de, Ati ki o ma se laironu. Won ni: ki orubo. O gbo; o rubo
Even in the adversity of famine, we must not eat hot stew hastily. For if we eat hot stew hastily, It will surely burn our mouths. This was the teaching of Ifa for Akinsuyi. They said: the year of prosperity is coming, and that he should not act thoughtlessly. They said he should sacrifice. He heard and practiced sacrifice.
Irete Wori Determination
Our determination helps us manage sudden change. This odu contains the story of when Orunmila went to the town of the Iyami (olota) and did not die. It speaks of the need for balance between feminine/ masculine and protection. This odu assures victory over competition and of conspirators. Ebo to Ifa for all ire including a good job. Speaks of the need to show gratitude.

Forgiveness:
Oyeku Oturupon
Orunmila fihunjimi Ojiji fihunjimi. Bi Gbogbo ilu nii f’ oranji ojo.
Orunmila will forgive me. The forgiving one will forgive me. If water kills a person, people will forgive it. Orunmila, may people forgive me in the matter, Even as the entire town usually forgives rain.

Do no Evil
Okanran Rosu
Imo omo se ibiko sunwon. Eni tin se ibi, bi o ba bebe oran, Oran a tan. Gbogbo aye ni nfi ori ji aimo Adifa fun osoran, kin, Me belufe Gbogbo won ni nfi ejo re sun. Bi o babe be ora, won a ni: o tan O wa di nijo kan.
Knowingly doing evil is not good. If a person who does evil apologizes, the matter will be resolved. Everyone forgives those who do wrong unknowingly. This was the teaching of Ifa for the one who confronts matters, the courageous one, Mehelufe whose name means “I will not beg even the king.” Everyone was continually complaining about him. If he would just apologize, people would say the matter is finished. Then, one day it happened.
The chosen status of humans is a second major tenet of Ifa. Odu says we should do things with joy “for surely humans have been divinely chosen (yan) to bring good into the world” and that this is the fundamental mission and meaning of human life. And we are chosen not over and against anyone, but chosen with everyone to bring good in the world. Thus, all of us are equally chosen. In fact, the word for human being is eniyan which literally means chosen one, and we are divinely chosen withoutdistinction of nation, race, gender, special religious relationship or promise. Surely this poses an ideal many other world religions are still striving to establish as a central moral doctrine.
Let us do things in Joy

Contentionwould come to ask him a certain question. He said that Orunmila should sacrifice. Orunmila heard and complied, one day all kinds of people, good people and those who do not allow good in other people’s lives gathered together. They then went to Orunmila. They said: “Coming back and forth to earth tires us, Orunmila. Therefore, please allow us to rest in heaven.” Orunmila said: “You cannot avoid going back and forth to earth, Until you bring about the good condition that Olodumare has Ordained for every human being. After then, you, you may rest in heaven. They asked “What is the good condition?” Orunmila said: the good condition is a good world: A world in which there is full knowledge of all things; Happiness everywhere; Life without anxiety or fear of enemies; Without clashes with snakes or other dangerous animals; Without the fear of death, disease, litigation losses, wizards, witches or Eshu; Without fear of injury from water or fire; and without fear of poverty or misery. Because of your wisdom, your compelling desire for good character and your internal strength. The things needed to bring about the good condition in the world then are: Wisdom that is fully adequate to govern the world; Sacrifice; character; the love of doing good for all people, especially those who are in need. And those who seek assistance from us; and the eagerness and struggle to increase good in the world, and not let any good at all be lost. People will continue to go to heaven; And they will go back and forth to earth after their transfiguration. Until everyone has achieved the good condition. Thus, when the children of Oduduwa gather together. Those chosen to bring good into the world are called human beings or the chosen ones.

Reform/Rebirth
Ogbè waatẹ̀
Njẹ́ bí a bá tẹ̀ mi,
N o ́ tún’ra mi tẹ̀.
Èewọ̀ tí a bá kà fún mi,
N ó gbọ́.
Titè l’a tẹ̀ mí,
N yóò tún’ra mi tẹ̀.

Ogbè waatẹ̀
Now, if I have been made,
I should reconstruct myself.
The forbidden things which are enumerated for me,
I will comply with.
For I have been made,
And I must also remake myself.

Ogbè waatẹ̀

Bí iwájú ìkà kò níí sunwọ̀n.
A kìí ìkà di ẹrù kó gún gẹ́gẹ́.
Díá fún Òtitọ́-inú,
Ọmọ òtítẹ̀ afitẹlẹ̀ afitẹlẹ̀ tirẹlẹ̀.
Olódùmarè ló ní ilẹ̀.
Olódúmarè lọ́ ní ídájọ́.
Ẹ́san ní ti Olódúmarè.
Ọba yóò san-án fún oníkálukú
Gẹ́gẹ́ bí iṣẹ́ ọwọ́ wọn.

Ogbè waatẹ̀

Even if the beginning of wrong-doing is pleasant,
The end of wickedness will not be good.
We cannot use evil to secure goods and expect them to be anchored firmly.
These were the teachings of Ifa for the upright one.
The offspring of the initiated one who treads thee earth in humbleness.
Olodumare is the lord of the land.
Olodumare is the owner to Olodumare.
Retribution belongs to Olodumare.
The king of the world will reward everyone
Precisely according to the work of their hands.

Loyality
Ogbè waatẹ̀
K’a dijú k’á pé a kú,
K’a m’ẹniti yóó sunkún ẹni.
K’a bùrìn-bùrìn, k’a kọsẹ̀ dánwò,
K’a mọ̀ ẹnití yóò ṣeni pẹ̀lé.
Kò ní burúburú bí kó má kẹnìkan péré mọ́ ni.
Ṣugbọ́n ẹnití yóò kù l’a ò mọ̀.
Dífá fún Ọ̀rúnmìlà
Nígbàtí ó ńfi ikú tà wọ́n jẹ̀.
Kí ó mọ̀ ẹnití ńbẹ ọ̀rẹ́ olóòótọ́ rẹ̀.
Wọ́n níkí ó rúbọ.
Ó gbọ́; ó rúbọ.
Ọ̀rúnmìlà ní e pé a kú kò kú mọ́ o.
Ó wá rí pré ẹkún ara wọn ni wọ́n ńsun.
Pé àrùwè ara wọnni wọ́n ńgba.
Àwọn ọ̀rẹ́ olóòótọ́ rẹ́ ńikan àwọn ara rẹ lọ́wọ́.

Ogbè waatẹ̀
Let us close our eyes and pretend to be dead,
So that we may know who will mourn for us.
Let us walk unsteadily and pre tend to stumble,
So that we might see who will express concern.
It would not be a bad thing, even if we could count on only one person.
But who will remain is difficult to determine.
This was the teaching of Ifa for Orunmila
When he was going to make people think that he was dead,
So that he might know who were his true friends.
He was advised to sacrifice.
He heard and he complied.
Orunmila w
,
Ọmọ òtítẹ̀ afitẹlẹ̀ afitẹlẹ̀ tirẹlẹ̀.
Olódùmarè ló ní ilẹ̀.
Olódúmarè lọ́ ní ídájọ́.
Ẹ́san ní ti Olódúmarè.
Ọba yóò san-án fún oníkálukú
Gẹ́gẹ́ bí iṣẹ́ ọwọ́ wọn.

Ogbè waatẹ̀

Even if the beginning of wrong-doing is pleasant,
The end of wickedness will not be good.
We cannot use evil to secure goods and expect them to be anchored firmly.
These were the teachings of Ifa for the upright one.
The offspring of the initiated one who treads thee earth in humbleness.
Olodumare is the lord of the land.
Olodumare is the owner to Olodumare.
Retribution belongs to Olodumare.
The king of the world will reward everyone
Precisely according to the work of their hands.

Loyality
Ogbè waatẹ̀
K’a dijú k’á pé a kú,
K’a m’ẹniti yóó sunkún ẹni.
K’a bùrìn-bùrìn, k’a kọsẹ̀ dánwò,
K’a mọ̀ ẹnití yóò ṣeni pẹ̀lé.
Kò ní burúburú bí kó má kẹnìkan péré mọ́ ni.
Ṣugbọ́n ẹnití yóò kù l’a ò mọ̀.
Dífá fún Ọ̀rúnmìlà
Nígbàtí ó ńfi ikú tà wọ́n jẹ̀.
Kí ó mọ̀ ẹnití ńbẹ ọ̀rẹ́ olóòótọ́ rẹ̀.
Wọ́n níkí ó rúbọ.
Ó gbọ́; ó rúbọ.
Ọ̀rúnmìlà ní e pé a kú kò kú mọ́ o.
Ó wá rí pré ẹkún ara wọn ni wọ́n ńsun.
Pé àrùwè ara wọnni wọ́n ńgba.
Àwọn ọ̀rẹ́ olóòótọ́ rẹ́ ńikan àwọn ara rẹ lọ́wọ́.

Ogbè waatẹ̀
Let us close our eyes and pretend to be dead,
So that we may know who will mourn for us.
Let us walk unsteadily and pre tend to stumble,
So that we might see who will express concern.
It would not be a bad thing, even if we could count on only one person.
But who will remain is difficult to determine.
This was the teaching of Ifa for Orunmila
When he was going to make people think that he was dead,
So that he might know who were his true friends.
He was advised to sacrifice.
He heard and he complied.
Orunmila who was said to be dead was not dead after all.
He discovered that their mourning was a mourning for themselves.
And their fasting in sorrow was a fasting for themselves.
Only his true friends remained to mourn him and help his family.

Good / Helpful people
Ogbè waatẹ̀

Èniyàn lásan pọ́ bí ìgbẹ́.
Ẹnirere wọ́n ju ojú lọ.
K’a tó rí ẹnirere, ọ̀nà á jìn.
Dífá fún Ọ̀rúnmìlà
Nígbàtí ó ńlọ rèé ṣ’ọkọ ayé,
Ó ńlọ rèé bá olódùmarè pín ayé lọ́gbọọgba.
Wọn níkí ó rúbọ.
Ó gbọ́; ó rúbọ.

Ogbè atẹ̀
Unhelpful persons are as abundant as bushes in the forest.
A good person is as rare as another eye.
To find a good person, one must travel a long way.
These were the teachings of Ifa for Orunmila
When he was going to become husband of the world,
When he was going to share the world into two equal parts with Olodumare.
He was advised to practice sacrifice.
He heard and he practiced it.

Helpful /Caring

PARADISE CHRISTIAN CHURCH

Compilations of Different Ifa Works, post by Admin

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