Irete Yero

The three female spirits who uphold the society of the Iyalode

In the days when Ate Ewogboeta was king of Oshogbo, there existed a society of warrior women called Iyalochas. These women guarded the ache of the Oba, and three leaders stood out among them: Orugbo, Abe and Arugbo. When Ate Ewogboeta went to be seen with Ifá to prepare himself for the war against the people of the city of Ekiti, Irete Yero came out, where this Ifá spoke to him of the battle that was approaching. He had to make an Ebbo with three arrows, eure, cuecue, a red snapper, a guabina fish, a black cat, iye, ile Olokun, iye ile odo, and earth with which the cat would cover its filth. He then summoned the Awon Iyalochas to explain to them that a war was coming, and the three armies marched out, commanded respectively by Orugbo, Abe and Arugbo. They reached the plain of Ipopta Awtwe, where they defeated the warriors of Ekiti. In honor of that battle, cities bearing those same names were founded.

1.- Orugbo: three metal arrows, sea sand, the eyes of a red snapper.
2.- Abe: one metal arrow, cat earth, the eyes of a black cat.
3.- Arugbo: one metal arrow, river sand, the eyes of a guabina fish.
2.- The money of the Saints and of the awo.

The secret of Irete Yero is three earthen jars that are placed behind the door and that represent orugbo, abe and arugbo, and they go like this:

The beginning of the war between Ozain and Orunmila

Orunmila and Ozain made a pact by which the two of them, and only the two of them, could visit and work in the place where Ozain kept his prenda.
PLACE : a water spring near a river.
PRENDA: the pot.

But Oshún, Orunmila’s wife, curious by nature, wanted to discover the place where Orunmila and Ozain hid themselves to work. Taking advantage of Orunmila’s absence, she followed Ozain until she saw him enter it. As she was peering inside, Ozain raised his head and saw her, and he was angered for two reasons: first, because he felt that Orunmila had betrayed his secret by telling it to someone else; second, because it was forbidden for women to see what was in there. Ozain shot at Oshún and blew powders over her. When Orunmila arrived and found Oshún lying on the floor unconscious, he was angry with Ozain. Then he picked up his wife to examine her more closely. He took her to the river with 7 jícaras (with eku, eya, epo, oñí, awado, eko, jaboncillo, efun and orí), 5 ewes (orozu, botón de oro, rompesaraguey, ewe tete, guiro shewerekuekue), a white sheet and a large jug to complete the work. He bathed her in the river, dried her with the sheet, and everything was thrown into the river. Finally they rogated her head with 5 obis.

In this Oddun, in osobo, the person finds it hard to resolve their affairs, and spouses will always have struggles. The man must receive the hand of Ifá and the woman ikofa; neither should they have Ozain. The awo does not perform a reading without money, and does not eat eggs. There is always fire. Guard against theft through a woman.

Olofin wanted to test the intelligence of the babalawos

Olofin gathered the Babalawos to grant them a power, but he told them they had to ask for it with signs other than words, so that he could not guess it. The Babalawos expressed their wishes with sticks, water, fire, animals and powders; yet Olofin guessed every one of their wishes. When the turn of Irete Yero came, he presented an igba with water, awado and ota. After meditating for a long while, Olofin believed he had understood the meaning: to be hard as the stones, pure as the water, and of character like the maize. But Irete Yero explained that what he meant to say was to be mortal like the stones, necessary like the water, and that whatever one does be seen promptly, as the maize yields the fastest harvest of all. Then Olofin blessed the Babalawo and granted him his power.

Here the woman rogates the leri of the awo; on that day the woman must go to the Blessed Sacrament and may do nothing at all. This is a person whom nobody considers. They do not know how they will get out of the problems that weigh on them; they always have something pending. The owner of this Ifá cannot rogate the leri of his wife.

Foundation of the principles of good and evil, wickedness and betrayal

Solomon, famed for his wisdom, decided to build a temple projected by his fathers. Therefore David asked the King of Materials, Hirin, for an architect of great knowledge, capable of carrying out the project. The King of the Land of Yero sent Irán del Avís, son of a city of the land of Dan; and Solomon entrusted him with the direction of the work. The workers applauded this choice, because everyone knew the great merits and justly earned fame of the great architect Irán.

Irán divided the clan, or category, giving each one his word and a sign, so that within the sign they would recognize one another, and so that each worker would receive his wage in proportion to his service and rank. There were two columns at the entrance of the temple under construction: one toward the north with the letter (B), and the other with the letter (I). The workers of lesser rank were titled apprentices and gathered by the column (B); while the workers of greater rank were called companions and gathered by the column (I).

The workers of the highest rank were called Master Masons and received their wage in the Middle Chamber, as established by the mandate. There was a perfect harmony among the workers, each respecting the other. The workers of lesser rank always awaited a raise in wage as a reward for their hard work, constancy and study. However, greed, betrayal, ambition and destruction came to interrupt the peace that reigned in that place.

When night covered the city of Jerusalem, the tired workers prepared to rest after the hard day’s labor. Irán del Avís entered the temple to pray, as was his custom, and as he was returning to rest, Juvelo — a companion — appeared, who boldly demanded that he grant him the word of Master. Irán said to him: «You know I cannot give it to you, because there is an oath that seals my lips. Work so that you may deserve it, and then you shall obtain it.»

Seeing Irán’s noble resistance, Juvelo struck a heavy blow to the master’s throat that made him stagger. Irán ran off and made for the western door, where Juvela was waiting, who also struck him with a rule. From then on, betrayal was like the leaves that stay green in any season, latitude or climate; they bow during the night and recover as the star of day advances toward the bosom of the world. Juvela, Juvelo and Juvelón were the last witnesses of that sad end.

Why the trees cannot be pruned every year

Oro was the one charged with performing all funeral honors, and he had three obinis: Buruban, Mayoba and Ariguin. When he was called to a distant land to carry out a mission, before leaving he entrusted his friend Areroria with caring for his three women until his return.

Oro took far longer than promised to return from that land, and when at last he came back he went straight to Areroria’s house looking for his women. Areroria informed him that they had grown tired of the long wait and had decided to abandon the house. Furious at this news, Oro seized a machete and began raining blows on Areroria, chanting the names of his three women. In the end he left poor Areroria without a single branch, making it impossible to prune the trees every year.

7.- HERE FREEMASONRY WAS BORN.
SUYERE: Ikuno Y Omianube Vomi Obule Vomi Ikubayo Okuo.

Obatalá had a son of bad behavior, and when the person to whom he had entrusted the boy’s care informed him of his attitude, Obatalá decided to intervene. However, the boy only got along with Elegbá and remained extremely impetuous. So he decided to hand him over to Oggún with the intention that Oggún kill him.

However, Elegbá learned of Obatalá’s plans and sent the boy to the house of Orunmila, who saw his destiny and rogated a doll’s head made of mud in order to send him back home. At night, Oggún arrived and made a cut in the head he believed belonged to the son of Obatalá, and sent it to him. But that day there was heavy rain that dissolved the mud doll, and the only remains found were two eyes made with cherna.

There is invisible fire, and a trap is set for stealing obini. No reading is done without money, nor are eggs eaten.

Areroria is a tree of Africa. Irete Yero destroys what is his own; he is greedy and wants everything for himself alone.

These eyes are nailed behind the door. Ozain.

Here one suffers from heart attack, from the gallbladder, from the bones; the illness comes from below.
· Two young peacocks.
· Fan oneself with a fan of peacock feathers.
· To redeem the word of humanity.

Here was born why one must turn the face away when giving obi to eggun, and why the iworos may be sworn into Orun

In the land of Eru Eggun, each town had a house destined for delivering offerings to the Elder Egguns. These ceremonies were presided over by an Iworo Agba Omo Okuni, who bore the responsibility of caring for the place and carrying out all the procedures, such as discarding and burying the offerings according to the indications of Oggún. The place held various images representing the phenomena of the other world that had existed before, and the Agboranes tended to have imposing figures that frightened the women.

One day Yokan, a woman of Oshún, came to the place out of curiosity, but the fright she received was such that she remained unconscious for nine days. The iworos performed ceremonies to revive her spirit until Oddua arrived in the head of Iworo Agba with two Eyele, singing «Icoguede Laberu Unlo Dide Diede Ori Dedeo«. The woman awoke from that state, and Oddua said: «As long as the world is the world, no woman shall see the ceremonies of Oddua and Eggun.» They then sent for Awo Ofun Yere, who was the Awo of the land of Ere Eggun. When he arrived with Irete Yero, Oduduwa made him swear in secret to protect the Iworos, including the Iworo Agbas, so that they could attend to all the Egguns in peace. For that reason, from then on all women must turn their faces away when Obi is given to Egguns.

When in a house of Osha there is no awo or iworo at the moment of giving obi to Eggun, an elder Iyalosha may give it, but in doing so she must turn her face away and do it with her back turned, so as not to break what Oduduwa commanded in the land of erun Eggun. The Egguns may not be given things, adimuses, in the bathroom; if there is no igbodun, it is given at the drain or else in a corner of the kitchen.

The birth of funeral honors

In this path, Awo Oba Nirorun was the one in charge of death, and he had great powers to summon it. He lived in the land of Akuaborun, where there were no social classes nor any kind of community. There was a tamarind tree and an oguede plant, around which Eya Orun Kubelekun appeared. The men of the place adorned it with flowers each year and tried without success to wash it with black cloth, since there were no fundaments there for swearing.

One day Awo Oba Nilorun saw himself with Irete Yero and began to call Eya Orun Umbelorun Afefe Lekun, whereupon Ikú (death) appeared to him and told him that she would send him three distinct Egguns to live with him: Bunbun, Banban and Bariban. From that moment on, that land possessed great powers and secrets. Ikú sang: «Afefe Lekun Eya Orun Afefe Lekun Ayalorun Baba Sokun Mani Afeferung Babasokunn».

In those days everyone died, and the corpses were burned with algarrobo, plantain leaves, siempreviva and llagua, together with the ashes, by the Eyefa of Ituto Egguns. From the arrival of the Egguns, the dead began to be kept in vigil with black cloth, which made the people happy; but Bunbun, Banban and Bariban made a great oath with Awo Oba Nilorum from then on.

The one who has this Oddun, when he holds these powers, has a general call; he must make it at 12 midnight from time to time, writing the Oddun on his chest, doing sarayeye with an eyele and praying: “ Shenshe Biku Eggun Biku Ikú Lorun Eggun Orun Ikú Awalo De Orufina Orunmila Baba Orunmila Mawa”. That dove goes to the roof or to the foot of an oguede plant; an ebbo misi is made with albahaca, algarrobo, mar pacifico and quita maldición, ewe ayo, shecuere kuekue; the head is rogated with obi omi tuto, eran malu, a fish head, dormidera at the foot of Ifá; it goes to the river with the rogation. He must keep all the things of Ozain and not separate himself from him; the goat is for Oggún, who eats it with Elegbá; the oparaldo must be done with three different animals, whichever they may be. “ Oba Ni Olorun Ewe Mowa Eggun Mayire Ikú Soku Ewe Afefe Niku Un Eggun Masokun Eggun IkúOsetula Opa Orun”.

Oba Ikú

In the land of Adaguele, the inhabitants lived in peace and harmony; each one had formed his own family without anyone interfering in the lives of the others. This land was under the rule of Awo Oba Ikú who, every day at 4:00 am, knelt before the fundament and invoked Olofin Kaure Inle Adaguele and Shangó Saguaba Oma Lona to bless them.

One day several Awoses arrived from different lands to see how it was possible that this land lived in such harmony. Awo Oba Ikú received his visitors, offering them his house and his town.

At first, the Awoses were impressed to see the unity among the inhabitants of Adaguele, and it was explained to them that they achieved it thanks to the leadership of Awo Oba Ikú. This provoked envy in several of them, who began to say that he was deceiving the others, using Olofin as a pretext. Seeing this, the inhabitants began to leave the land, and those who had come from other places to learn how they lived abandoned it as well.

Awo Oba Ikú saw that his people were leaving, and one day he did something different and invoked Orunmila with the Ekuele. Orunmila told him that he had taken in the enemy, and ordered him to call Shangó to find the solution. And so it was: «Shangó Colorun Gua, Shangó Beferi, Gunlomaradun Ye Yere, Shangó Omo Awo Oma Oba Ikú! Irete Yero Babalewa Awoleni Olofin».

When he invoked Shangó, a mighty voice made him fall down in a faint. On rising, he found himself before a gigantic shadow that told him that if he wished to defeat his enemies and save his people, he should call upon it and not upon the God. The shadow explained that he would have to build an agboran up to the waist and invoke it, so that it would be consecrated to him in dreams and he would receive the power needed to go further. After speaking these words, the shadow began to withdraw, giving off a nauseating stench, reminding him of what it had told him before: «you shall know my presence only by the stench I leave behind.»

Awo Oba Ikú was struck by the revelation. He then invoked Orunmila to receive all the details of the situation, and Orunmila told him that he had lost his people through his goodness and nobility. Now Shangó would send him a great power to help him live amid the deceit and envy that would always pursue him.

Awo Oba Ikú consecrated the Agboran up to his waist and began to have a dream. In it he saw three little girls (Omo Titun) bound with a young Gunugun, while a tiger tried to devour them along with the birds. The tiger kept shedding its fangs, and its hide shrank as vermin came out of the earth to eliminate what remained of the animal.

One day, sitting in his house, he had a very powerful dream. He saw many zun zun birds perched on a tomb, picking up earth with their beaks. He also saw how they pulled out the hairs of a woman who had recently died. He saw a parrot losing its feathers, which turned into bats and were eaten by cats. And he saw jicoteas devouring one another. Suddenly, in the dream, he saw two men killing each other and the blood flowing. He heard a voice that said to him: «That is your food, together with the blood of the cat and the ayakua.»

He awoke and finished loading his agborán. When he placed the last item, he smelled an odor of dampness and heard a voice that said: «Now ask Orunmila if eboda. If not, ask him what it lacks. Dress it in red, another in sackcloth, and place it at the entrance of the town so that all who enter must pass by its side.» He did so, and the people began to return and beg his forgiveness.

MATERIALS OF THE HOUSE.
· Leri of ewe (peacock).
· Leri of aya (dog).
· Leri of ologbo (cat).
· Leri of ayakua (jicotea).
· Leri of eyo (maja).
· All kinds of vermin of the earth.
· A parrot feather.
· Ewe bleo blanco.
· Ewe guao.
· Ewe orille ikoto rille.
· Ewe cardón.
· Ewe eya de ayakua.
· Ewe eya de ologbo.
· A whole bat.
· Two young gunugun (buzzard).
· A tiger’s fang
· A piece of tiger skin.
· An okan of aya (dog).
· A whole zunzun.
· Earth from a tomb.
· Igui iroko.
· Igui ebano negro.
· Ewe añil.
· Feia ewe.
· Ewe cardo Santo
· Eye ara okuni.

An agboran is commissioned, the size of the awo’s waist, with a bore in the head down to the waist. It is washed with an Ozain of 21 herbs; once finished, a glass of water and a candle are lit for it, invoking the protective guide of the person concerned. On Friday it is completed at 12 midnight. The awo who is going to mount it rogates his head and places before it a glass of water and a candle, invoking his guide and all the deceased elder Babalawos.

In this Ifá it is indispensable to mount this prenda for the protection of the awo’s house, and never to say what it means. It lives behind the door of the awo’s house and is made with everything found along the way. Through this Ifá, one is told how things are resolved for the godchild.

It feeds on bound blood of eyo, ara okuni, ologbo, ayakua; it lives at the entrance of the door and is dressed in red or in sackcloth.