Odi Fumbo

The sacred tree

PATAKIN:

On a fertile plain, beside the east, Olordumare planted the Garden of Ewe Ozain. It was full of trees that were delightful and good to eat from; there was also a Tree of Life growing in the middle of the garden, as well as a tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

Olordumare put Obatalá in charge of this garden, and from it flowed a river that divided into four branches: the Pizón, the Guión, the Idekel and the Euphrates. He then granted Olofin the power to govern the earth. He told mankind that they could eat from every tree except the one whose knowledge was of good and evil, for on the day they tasted it they would die.

After some time had passed, Olordumare thought that man needed a companion in order to give names to all the things upon the earth, as well as the plants, the animals and the birds of the sky. Then, by Olordumare’s command, Olofin made the man (Obatalá) fall into a deep sleep and formed a woman from one of his ribs. Obatalá called this creation ‘Varonatala’, since she came from the man, and he and his obini were naked yet felt no shame.

One day the serpent came to them and told them that in order never to die they would have to eat from the tree of Eternal Life, which had been forbidden by Olofin.

One day the serpent came to them and told them that in order never to die they would have to eat from the tree of Eternal Life, which had been forbidden by Olofin. Tempted, the woman went to the tree, stung by curiosity, took one of those fruits and ate of it, giving some to her okuni as well; at once the eyes of both were opened and they felt ashamed.

When Obatalá appeared, asking where they had been hiding, the man answered that he had hidden because he was naked. Then Obatalá rebuked them, saying they had eaten from the forbidden tree. As a result, Obatalá was condemned by Olofin, who told him: «Thorny figs you shall gather; you shall have to work and you shall be mortal,» and he also told the woman: «For having listened to the counsel of the serpent and letting yourself be tempted to eat the forbidden fruit, you shall give birth in pain and live under the rule of man.»

How it came to be that when the ebbo is finished it is placed before Eleguá

PRAYER: Odi Fumbo Karidefun Karawe Dendefun Karko Eleguá Eshu Baiku Niwe Inle Mowanile Eleguá Eshu Odara Ofundi Adifafun Etba Aun Baton Loni Obini Lele Ebeyi Awo Adifafun Aye Eyele Lebo Idifun Adifafun Eshu Anire Lawo Otayeibe Adie Koyoko Eyele Babalayiki Awo Teniyi Awo Eleguara Sokun Sokun Laye Obundi Ofojude Abure Alode Ebbo Obalu Oggún Odarabi Awo Teniyi Omo Eleguara Odi Fumbo.

After the bones are eaten, they are cast to Olokun. When people are doing harm and committing betrayals, the chain is taken out of the bottles and one asks it for health, saying that you do not know your enemies; this is done while giving ayambeko to Oggún and to the bottles. After three days the ayambeko goes to the fore Oggún with seven strips of different colors, none of them white.

In the land of Beyeku Niwe Inle lived Eshu Baniro Lawo and Karako Awo. Eshu Baniro Lawo was a respected awo, whose sign was Odi Fumbo, and he governed that land with prudence thanks to his obedience to the Baba Tobi and Orunmila. His brother Karako Awo could not bear such goodness and envied Eshu Banire Lawo, so every time the awo cast away an ebbo for the inhabitants of the land, he would throw shepe on it so that the ebbo would not come out right.

As a consequence of this behavior, the people gradually lost faith in Eshu Banire Lawo, since his ebbos were turning out badly through his brother’s fault.

Eshu Baniro Lawo, who with his sign Odi Fumbo ruled that land of calm, watched himself losing standing because of his brother Karako Awo, whose sign was Ofun Di. Karako Awo was very cunning and persuaded his brother to cast away the ebbo while he took charge of the rest, with the promise that he would throw no shepe on the ebbo.

But despite all the care Eshu Baniro Lawo took, Karako Awo’s ebbos always turned out badly, breeding discontent among the people and complicating things even further for the awo. As time went by, the people grew ever more distrustful of the situation, to the point where Eshu Baniro Lawo found himself troubled by the widespread discontent that reigned in his land.

Then he looked at himself and at his sign, Odi Fumbo Kandefumbo, which meant that his godfather Awo Teniyi had entrusted him with the secret thing of the ebbo obalu for him to guard. This was the secret thing of Oguni. He went in search of Ayambeko with ewe and omi, and Oggún led him to the foot of a tree called Yagruma, which was a symbol of familiar ground. There they buried Ayambeko, and Oshe Meyi presented his brother Ofun Di, who from the depths was trying to prevent him from prevailing in that land. He told them: «Not even coming last can you serve, for you give off a bad influence.»

Then he understood his brother Ofun Di’s great betrayal and, breaking into tears, he remembered the words of Odi Fumbo: «Trust not even your own,» for he felt betrayal in all those close to him. He threw himself to the ground and began to recite: «Ago Eleguá ee leye barala yiki osokuo Eshu banire lawo Soku soku Odi fumbo erike babishe Eleguaoo».

Then Baralayiki appeared to Odi Fumbo and said to him: «Take me with you to your house to help you resolve your problems.» When they arrived, they found Ofun Di Karako Awo finishing an ebbo. Ofun Di Karako Awo threw Moforibale over Odi Fumbo and said to him: «You are a traitor and you can no longer remain in this land, not even to do the ebbo. That is why you will always carry a stench.»

But Baralayiki replied: «You will never be first, because the shepe your brother threw at you while you were doing the ebbo with him has caught up with you; instead you shall be last. You will have to trust in yourself to cast it out of here, so that no animal of the forest may ever throw sheper again.»

Then Baralayiki said to Odi Fumbo: «Place it before me so that I may watch over it and give it my blessing and bring it to a good end, and thus you will have no problems.» As father of them both, Ofun Di was cast out of that land. After dismissing the ebbo, and before placing it in front of Baralayiki, he would first cleanse Ofun Di so that he would remember his disloyalty to his brother; yet he would give him three blows as a reminder.
To Iban Eshu.

Here was born the practice that, after Odi Fumbo is prayed, the ebbo is passed along the underside of the board and three knocks are given on the ate, for that is where Ofun Di lives, which is the backside; that is why it is not placed on the board for the ebbo. Here was also born that when the ebbo is finished it is placed before Eleguá before being sent on its way.

The bateador de ebbo

PRAYER: Mayolo Ni Ifá Awo Bani Awo Omo Odi Fumbo Obatalá Ni Shibi Awo Alabo Lokun Omo Ifá Orinifa Eleguá Ala Kanako Eshu Gogo Eleguá Oni Ifá Inle Ifá Bagun Obatalá Oloniawa Awo Osha Ori Obatalá Onire Ifá Eleguá Wewo Tisha Ifá.

Eleguá met Maye le Ni Ifá, who was an orphan. His father had consecrated him to Obatalá with Eyele Meyi Fun Fun and had made him an inshe of Eyele Meyi Fun Fun, Ewe Ou and Igui. During the consecration he would say: «Omo Ota Osha Bawa Olorun Asotilashe Soroniwa Osha Laulau». At the end of that ceremony, the father commanded him never to part from Obatalá and to turn to Shangó if he needed help. Shangó was the father of Awo Maye le Ni Ifá; his name was Omo Nife. When the father died, Maye le Ni Ifá was left an orphan and was enslaved, because he had abandoned the secret his father had made at the foot of Obatalá.

Then Maye le Ni Ifá set out on the road with an Eyele Meyi Fun Fun to eat. They were still alive when he lay down to sleep at the foot of an Ewe Ou plant. All around him grew Ewerekuekue and purple basil, and he dreamed that he had to perform an Ebbo Misi with Ou and Ewerekuekue, and the Eyerbale of the two Eyele Meyi Fun Fun he carried; singing as he bathed: «Ewerekuekue Ewe Mofi Yani Obatalá Mofi Yanilo Leri Mofi Yanlao». He bathed with that ewe, gathered up all the material from the bath and took it to the Ile Ibu, where he said: «I have done everything and I have been left with nothing to eat.» When Eleguá heard this, he came to his aid, asking him who his father was. Maye le Ni Ifá answered: Otoku.

Then Eleguá asked him what he called himself, and he answered Omo Nika. To which Eleguá said: «But you are not an Awo.» And Omo Nika answered that he was not. So Eleguá decided to take him along the road. Omo Nifa, very hungry, saw three jío jío and began to eat together with Eleguá. The latter told him: «You are going to stand well before the world; what you swear to me must be kept, and I will take you to the house of Orunmila, but it is rather hard to reach. First you will have to pass through a trial.» Omo Nifa agreed and they went on their way until they met Obatalá, who placed his hand on the head of Thaymele Nifa without greeting him. Obatalá then said to Eleguá: «When you take the road back to your house by way of Ile Ibu, take this Adie Fun Fun and call on me so that you may find an Ota. When you return from Orunmila, bring me that Ota.» Eleguá did everything as instructed and went with the Ota to the house of Orunmila. Orunmila looked at him and said: «Omo Nifa must go with this Ota to the house of Obatalá.»

Orunmila made ebbo for him and sent him to the house of Obatalá; first he prepared the ota with obi, eru, kola, Osun, efun and eyefa, wrapping it in the ewe ou, gave it dilogun for Yoko Osha and said: Eleguá oba Osha Oshanla — and he placed the ota on his head together with Eleguá. Eleguá set out with him and showed him the road to where Obatalá lived; Obatalá took another road. Orunmila sent for Odi Fumbo and told him: when you go to make Ifá for omo Nifa, he cannot deceive you or me, for he is going to have problems with Eleguá; the adie Nifa must be ofo.

Then Orunmila and Odi Fumbo prepared Nibedun for when Omo Nifa arrived. However, he did not go to the house of Obatalá as Orunmila had instructed. One day they were walking together with Shangó, carrying a jabao chicken and a doll of cloth and mud with Ikín, singing: «Ebbo Ebbo Ebbo Monekon. Ebbo Keyekun Ni Ebbo».

When they found Omo Nifa, he greeted Shangó and Eleguá and told them he had just made Osha in the house of Obatalá. Shangó replied: «That is a lie; first you have to make Ifá, but before that you must undergo the Osha.» Thus Eleguá declared that his road had gone wrong through his failure to keep the secret his father had given him. Sweeping over him with Ewe Ou, Ewerekuekue, Igui Eré and Kuaraldo chants, they sang: «Sarayeye Eggun Balekun Ioma Eggun Mowe Moririo Bayekun Oloma Eggun Ikú Moraguere Soayeye Eggum Ikú Baleku Lona Sarayeye».

Then, for the Yoko Osha, the chicken was used for the wild brush and the doll was placed at the foot of a plant. The 16 Oddun of Ifá were made for Omo Nifa, and Orunmila advised Odi Fumbo that this one must never pick quarrels with Eleguá, for Eleguá had saved him. Likewise, he was told to go and see his father so that his affairs would improve.

After the seven days of Yoko Osha, Eggun received food together with Eleguá and Shangó, as well as something for the Earth: Akuko Meta, Eyele Meta, Adie Okan A Inle with Ifá. Then they took all those elements to wash the Ifá with Ewe Ou and Ewerekuekue, and so he prospered — but he no longer wore even the necklace of Obatalá. Obatalá sought help from Shangó, who went to speak with Eleguá, stating that Omo Nifa was doing well, but then everything began to unravel when Obatalá brought up the problems concerning his Ifá.

Finally, Obatalá told Omo Nifa that he must go to the land of Fabeguea, where an old Awo named Iwori Olanla lived, to confirm whether what was said about the problem of his Ifá was true.

And so Omo Nifa set out together with Eleguá and Oggún for the territory of Iwori Olanla. Upon seeing his Ifá, the old man told them he needed: two pots of rainwater, two Adie Fun Fun Yadie Dun Dun, and a goat to be given at the entrance of the town for Oggún and Eleguá. When they tested the Ikín, they were Ofo, and so he cursed his godfather. They therefore set Adele iNia for him so that he would be present at the Ceremony of Obatalá. Obatalá then cursed Odi Fumbo, declaring to the world: «As long as the World is the World, you shall be nothing more than a Bateador de Ebbo.»

Finally, as Idin Olowo Guene Guene Alade Komatabe Eshu Aguatete, the chorus rang out: «To Iban Eshu.»

This ota is prepared and joined to the person’s Obatalá. The awo is the one who prepares it when he finishes performing the Yoko Osha for the one who came to make Ifá.

The secret of the ou plant

PRAYER: Odi Fumbo Abayere Aguema Onirogue Ekutele Niodere Orunmila Adifayoko Obatalá Shutudede Ikú Mafo Umbalode Eshu Odara Orumale Isota Onire Ebbo Aballere Dedere Nifa Ebbo Eguada Komafolla Kamashodo Ashegun Ota Obatalá Eshu Omo Adifafun oluo Aladashe.

Agüema was Obatalá’s son, and Obatalá loved him dearly. Obatalá revealed all his secrets to him. Often, Agüema would hide from Obatalá to talk with the trees, telling them that Obatalá had sent them. The trees shared their secrets with Agüema — all except Ou.

One day, Agüema ran off and went to the Inle of Yewá, where he spoke with Ikú (Death). The only thing Ikú told him was: «When you leave, you will meet Ekute.» Agüema ran off and met Ekute in Shilegun. Agüema told Ekute that Obatalá was looking for a servant to run errands. Ekute, however, had to swear with Agüema that he would taste all the food and hand over to him every errand. Agüema sang «Ofori Ikú yeniyere yeniyere Ikú yeniyere ona» while they were swearing. They performed the oath at the foot of the trees.

They set out walking toward where Obatalá lived, in Inle Aye. When they arrived, Agüema said to Obatalá: «Baba, I bring you my brother. He will be as good a son to you as I have been.» Obatalá received him well and said to Ekute: «Let Agüema teach you all my secrets and everything in my house.» Agüema showed Ekute all of Obatalá’s secrets.

Then Agüema went off to Abeyere, where Obatalá’s secret was kept. There he began to sing: «Ekutele eguana eguana contreo ogoriku yenyere yenyere Ikú yenyere ona».

At once, Ekute ran to Agüema and told him: «I am tasting all the meals and everyone is sick. Baba is sick in the head, with terrible pains.» Obatalá used to perform several sarayeyes and ebboses every day, and kobori to rid himself of aro, ano (illness), ofo, Ikú — but Ekute carried all the ebboses arayeye kobori off to where Agüema was, and Agüema buried them at the foot of the guao.

Every day, in the lands of Obatalá, the sicknesses grew worse, because Agüema would not stop trafficking with his secrets, since he wanted to be the master of the world. Orunmila sent for Shangó and Eshu and asked them: «Has it been long since you heard from Obatalá?» They answered that they knew nothing of him. Then Orunmila said: «Well, we must verify whether he is sick or well.»

Orunmila began to observe Obatalá, and the letter Odi Fumbo came out. At once he sent Eleguá to take aikordie meta, place them on his leri and set out with Shangó for where Obatalá lived. When Orunmila’s two messengers arrived, they saw a great epidemic in the land of Obatalá, and they gave him foribale. Shangó seized the rat and gave its head to Obatalá, then ran out with Eleguá into the street until they reached the place where Obatalá’s secret was kept. Shangó began to hurl fire all around it.

Eleguá covered his face with aikodie and wrapped his body in ileke. The chameleon fell in love with him, believing him to be a female because of the different colors it saw. Eleguá joined Shangó and they carried it off to Obatalá. Eleguá reported to Orunmila, and the two of them returned to where Obatalá was and performed an ebbo. As they wrapped the ebbo, Orunmila sang: «Ikú shotudede Ikú nafo Aro shotudede aro nafo Ofo shotudede ofo nafo Eyo shotudede eyo nafo Ona shotudede ona nafo».

Then he handed the ebbo to Eleguá and sang: «Umbaroro loya eshonara». Eleguá ran off with the ebbo, while Orunmila sang: «Eshu Eshu huayo mamakeño Eshu odara kikiño awo». When Eleguá went to place the ebbo at the foot of the Ou plant, it began to rain, and he sang: «Ashu agua tete Junto con Shangó».

In this story, the Ozain lies within.

The obedient prospered

There was a man named Maba Ologuere who lived in the land of Eguado, doing every kind of work — from hauling firewood to carrying a basket of laundry or other chores — to earn a living for himself and his family. A day came when he felt very ill because of the influence bearing down on him and the wickedness of his enemies, who did the same work he did. So he decided to go and see the awo of the town, for he did not want to go on suffering more misery.

His wife and his son went to the house of Orunmila, who made an ebbo for them and told them to take it to the ile of oke (the mountain). The man did everything exactly as instructed, and Eshu, sent by Obatalá, told him to run the errands of the Santo. Orunmila advised him to save part of the money he earned from his errands in order to receive his Guardian Angel and Orunmila (who may be Obatalá, Yemayá or Shangó).

The man did everything well, and a short while later tranquility and prosperity arrived. He reaped his rewards and decided to leave his son, who by then knew the trade, in the same employment — and the young man met with the same good fortune, because he obeyed the advice he was given.