Otrupon Iwori

– the riders

Here is where three riders set out on an outing, and Orunmila told them to make ebbó before leaving because one of them would not return. But they paid no heed and went to the feast, and one of them died at the entertainment. When they came back to see Orunmila, they took the dead man and tied him to a horse and brought him along so that Orunmila would see that all of them had returned safe and sound. But Orunmila, lying on the ground, answered that they all had to make ebbó and that one of those coming with them could not return, and that if they did not obey, one after another they would go.

– another version of the previous path

This Ifá came out for the nineteen warriors who were going off to fight, and Orunmila looked at them and told them to make ebbó so that they might all return safe and sound, because among them there was one who would not come back.
They paid no heed and went off to war, and when they returned they went to Orunmila’s house and said to him: we are back here. The dead man they had tied to a horse. Orunmila, on seeing them, said: one of you is missing, and they answered: we are all here and well. Orula told them to get down off their horses. They all got down, except the one who came tied to the horse.

– the sudden death and the pride of Oyá

In the land of Yansa, governed by Elegbá and Eggun, Olofin sent Shangó to fetch Orunmila so that he would go to the land of Youro. Shangó informed Olofin that this land had belonged to Oyá, who cursed it and abandoned it, and that one day she would return. Olofin answered him: «Shangó, fetch Orunmila so we may see what he says and whether we can be saved from something very great that is coming upon the land of Youro». Shangó went to Orunmila’s house and gave him Olofin’s message. Orunmila said: «Let us look first, before setting out», and on casting the cowries, this sign came out. Then he scattered his Ifá at the street door, gave it adie meyi, poured otí and sent for his apeterbi, but she did not appear. The one who appeared was Oyá, who gathered up the Ifá and came singing: «Orunmila Y Shangó Adie Fefe Leye Adeye Nifa Eggun Ikú Olona».

Oyá laid the Ifá on the mat and convulsions came over her, and she went away weeping. Orunmila and Shangó tried to stop her, but they could not. Before going to call Orun and to feed Eggun, Orunmila told Shangó that Elegbá should leave the land of Youro. While they were feeding Eggun, he came, and Orunmila said: «Since we are here, let us win Eggun over». Then they sang: «Afefe Oyuro Bagua Orun Eggun Yamale Lese Bawa Fefe Leme Ana Ikú«.

Shangó told Orunmila that he would go and fetch Elegbá, and he gave him an akuko. They set out together, and Elegbá followed them to Orunmila’s house. Suddenly, when Eggun took the 9 leri of eya tuto and hung them on his body, he went towards where Oyá was, and a wind rose all at once. Then death came (Ikú), and they began to dance, singing: «Adeguena Bogbo Ikú Afefe Logba Gueña Eggun Ikú». When this happened, Ikú carried Oyá off to the land of Yuero, and all those who were in the land of Youro died suddenly. The only one who was saved was Obbamiera, who went to Orunmila’s house and said to him: «Whoever does not respect Orunmila and the other Oshas will suffer this». Then he fell dead at the foot of Ifá.

Oyá went to Orunmila’s house, made Moforibale to him and said: «What has happened is so that you may be respected, and both Ikú and I believe in you and in Olofin. What occurred was that Ikú arrived suddenly so that people would know that they must die without warning, and this is called afitivo, which is created by Oyá. Now you, Shangó, Elegbá and I will govern, to prevent this from happening suddenly and death from coming, because you are the only one who can save us». Orunmila asked: «How can I content Oyá and Ikú so that this does not happen in the family?». Then he went out to Olofin and asked him what he should do for Oyá to help him as well. Olofin answered him: «Oyá has never eaten she-goat or guinea hen; look for Elegbá and Shangó so that they may settle both things and give them to Oyá and to her fundamento».

So Orunmila did, and he handed the she-goat and the guinea hen to Oyá. While she was eating them, Orunmila said to her: «This is so that you help me save people and prevent them from dying suddenly». Oyá, who had an owunko tied up, said to Elegbá: «This one you will eat, but first the people will cleanse their heads with the goat». Then Orunmila sought out four bunches of plantains and gave them to Shangó. When Shangó had finished eating them, Orunmila said to him: «With these four plantain stalks we shall make a secret». So they made four figures, one of algarrobo, one of mar pacífico and two of cedar. These malaguidi were washed, and Shangó and Orunmila buried them wrapped in Ilekan with an ikin of Ifá in each malaguidi. They also gave adie meyi and eure to each stalk. Afterwards they buried the figures while singing: «Ifá Bogbo Sa Eggun Ikú Awo Orun Oddun Awo Bigde».

Whoever has this Ifá must receive Oduduwa in all haste and must have his mouth put right. This sign signifies everything that the stomach is in the human being.

While this ceremony is being performed, one’s Ifá was set to eat with all of that. Elegbá took an adie dun dun, a rag doll, algarrobo, abericunlo, álamo, paraíso, basil, caimito, hierba hedionda, cotton, canutillo, and made oparaldo for everyone. Elegbá buried that adie, otí, itana, and a plate smeared with epó, with which everyone cleanses themselves. The obí that is used goes to the river, to the foot of a malanga plant, or on the road to the cemetery.

When this sign is seen, apart from the ceremony of Orunmila, adie meyi must be given to Oyá as the secret of this Oddun; it is Oggún who is given the 9 leri of eya tuto and the 9 eyele.

For Orunmila this herb is placed in the secret and washed with omiero, and an adie dun dun is given to it and thrown away in the bush; when the person who went to throw it away returns, they wash their hands with the omiero.

– how Orunmila rid himself of Adaquino

On this path there was an awó named Adaquino who believed himself the knower of all the secrets of Ifá and who, at times, even claimed to know more than Orunmila and to possess a secret with which one could be saved or destroyed. Adaquino tried to make light of Orunmila’s vast knowledge, and on other occasions tried to discredit what Orunmila said. In that same land, as it happened, Orunmila and his godchild Adaquino found themselves where there was a princess much loved and esteemed by all.

One day the princess fell ill, and they went to consult Adaquino, who told her that she had to make ebbó in order to be cured, and that she must get rid of a prenda her late father had left her as an inheritance. The princess followed Adaquino’s instructions, but instead of improving she grew worse. One day Eshu appeared to the princess and offered to take her to Orunmila’s house. The princess wondered what for, since Orunmila had already seen her and had settled nothing. Eshu told her not to worry, that he would take her to Orunmila and that he would bring her through.

The princess went to Orunmila’s house and realised that he was a different man. Orunmila saw Ifá and told her that she must look for something she had thrown away, which was a prenda her late father had left her, and that she must give an abo and then tie to it nine coloured ribbons with nine bells, hang it high on a pole and set it at the entrance of the town so that her arayes could not come in and those who had already done so would destroy themselves.

The princess did what Orunmila indicated and was cured completely. As Adaquino was one of the arayes she had, he destroyed himself, and so Orunmila was able to take Adaquino out of his path by means of the princess.

– the son of Obanla

Obanla lived in the land of Adaweño and had a daughter named Maye Ewe Made, who was the youngest of Olofin’s wives; but he was always jealous of the powers Obanla had given to her daughter. One day Olofin, who had sixteen obini in all, said to them: «I wish each one of you to give me a child». As Obanla’s daughter had never become pregnant, she began to call on her iyare Obanla: «Eki iya okuoo omolowo tutu Obanla weo».

Obanla arrived with two eyele fun fun and asho fun fun that Orunmila had sent her, and with them she prayed the oboñu over her daughter Maye Ewe Made and sang to her: «Adiodun oboñu omititun ayodele Maye Ewe Made omotitun abiose». She became pregnant, and when Olofin called all his wives together she presented herself with her belly, and in the end she gave birth to a boy. Olofin gathered his wives and said to them: «I shall make oba of the child who runs and speaks within 16 days». Then Maye Ewe Made called on her iyare Obanla. She took up the child and carried him to the house of Orunmila, who in that land was called Awo Eyo Obani Ikú. Orunmila consecrated him in Ifá and brought out Otrupon Adaweñe, and bathed him with omiero, gave with Oyá and sang: «Ileke Ilekeo Iyanzan Ileke Ilekeo Awo Doye Ikú Agba Eggun Tenu Maye Agba Ifá Ni Laye«. Then he said: «Let us take him to the river with adie dun dun, ebbo ibin and bogbo tenuyen, so that he may live many years in this land». They knelt him on the riverbank before the ceremony of the ebbo ibin, and gave the adie of the leri to the river and sang: «Adie Adire Ofa Oyo Bori Yeye».

Awo Eyo Obani Ikú made oparaldo for himself on the riverbank with osaidie and left the leri of adie with añari odo at the foot of an igui in ibulosa. Then he took the leri of adie and said to him: «My son, keep this, for it will serve you so that you and your children may live, since Olofin seeks that your life and your children’s should not be long».

Then he took the ashekun (river moss) and washed his head with it, using river water, while singing: «Olowo Oloto Ni Olowo Lashe Adaweñe Olowo Oloto Niwo Yio Ifá Lo Orire». Afterwards he said to him: «With this ewe, the leri of adie and añari odo, it will defend you at a certain moment of your life». Obanla and Awo Eyo, which was the name of the Omo Adaweñe, went to Olofin’s house, and he saw that his son was an awó and that he spoke and ran through every land. Then Olofin said to his children: «The power of this land lies in the scythe that Ikú keeps in her house; whoever brings it will be the owner of the power of the land of Adaweñe».

Awo Eyo went with Orunmila to the house of Awo Eyo Obani Ikú, and he said to him: «You must take the scythe, so that with it you may gain the power for you and your son to live long years. And so that you can carry it off, I give you this secret», and he handed him 9 atare to eat one by one along the road to the land of Ikú.

Awo Eyo set out, took the first atare and sang: «Elegbe Orun Koniwe Ori Bogbo Niboshe Atare Babá Iyare Eggun Mariwo Iré». When he found himself halfway along the road of the land of Kabaran Ikú, he took the second atare and sang: «Elegbe Orun Koniwe Atani Bogbo Niboshe Atare Babá Iyare Eggun Mariwo Ire«. When he found himself inside the land of Eggun nire oniboshe, he took the third atare and sang: «Elegbe Orun Koniwe Tori Bogbo Niboshe Atare Iyare Eggun Mariwo Iré».

Then, in that land, he came upon a house with many flowers, which was the house of Ikú. He took the fourth atare and sang: «Elegbe Orun Koniwe Yekun Bogbo Niboshe Atare Babá Iyare Eggun Mariwo Iré«. Afterwards he went into Ikú’s house as far as a closed door guarded by two dogs. He took the fifth atare and sang: «Elegbe Orun Koniwe Ayalori Bogbo Niboshe Atare Babá Iyare Eggun Mariwo Iré». Then the dogs fell asleep and he entered the room and saw it full of eshishi (vermin). He took the sixth atare and sang: «Elegbe Orun Koniwe Yoyobi Bogbo Niboshe Atare Babá Iyare Eggun Mariwo Iré».

At that instant the eshishis vanished, and he saw Ikú seated upon bogbo gunugun with the scythe in her hand. He took the seventh atare and sang: «Elegbe Orun Koniwe Obabi Ikú Awo Bogbo Niboshe Atare Babá Iyare Eggun Mariwo Iré«. Ikú fell asleep, and he took the chance to take the scythe from her; then he took the other two atare and sang: «Elegbe Orun Koniwe Bogbo Eggun Bogbo Niboshe Atare Babá Yare Eggun Mariwo Iré».

All the Egguns remained still, and he set out on the road to Olofin’s house, singing as he went: «Ikú Awo Oyo Filere Ashe Oma Agba Kile Olofin Babá Atare Iyare Eggun Mariwo Iré Dupue Olofin Aye Ikama Ifaye». On reaching Olofin’s house, Awo Eyo bowed before him and sang: «Olofin Mitiyoko Omosokun Oma Iré Belekun Olofin Alaye Ni Adaweñe Agba Yalo Yiwini Omo Nifa Adaweñe».

Olofin was astonished to see him with the scythe and said to him: «Very well, the power is yours, but Ikú will always be behind you and will eat all your children». Then Obanla told Awo Eyo to remember the secret that Awo Eyo Obani Ikú was to give him. Together they set out, and when they arrived he said to them: «From that moruro tree, take a strong branch the length of your own height and fit it to the scythe. Then take earth from where your children tread and mark the Oddun Otrupon Adaweñe, while reciting: ‘Afokoyeri Adaweñe Laye Omo Adaweñe Moyakio Ifagba Mori Iya Obanla Ikuo’».

After fitting the moruro branch to the scythe and loading it with the ingredients named, two eyele from one’s own leri must be given to the scythe, and the corresponding prayer sung. At that moment Shangó and Obatalá appeared, and they handed over further secrets to strengthen the scythe. Oyá also came and covered the whole leri with ileke of bogbo Orisha. Then an abo must be offered to Ikú and to all the Eggun together with the scythe, and the corresponding prayer sung.

Finally, the scythe must be set behind the door of the house together with Obanla, and eyele offered to it from time to time. In this way one may live in safety in the land, but it is important that the children swear into the secrets of Ifá so that they may live in health alongside their father.

– the old man and the outlaws

There was a man of 60 who lived apart from the rest of the people in the town. In those days a band of outlaws was operating near the town and planning to kidnap the old man, because they believed he had great fortunes. One of the leaders of the band went to see the old man and warned him. The old man consulted Ifá and decided to make ebbó with a hide and a trap, waiting for them to come for him. And so it happened: at night the outlaws turned up and kidnapped him, taking him to a house on the outskirts of the town and shutting him in an empty room while they decided what to do with him. When they had reached a decision, they sent for him to be brought before the leader of the band, but to everyone’s surprise the old man was not in the room, for he had escaped through a hole.

Immediately the outlaws set out for the old man’s house, where he was waiting for them at the door. When they arrived, the old man let in the one who had warned him, but the others protested, saying that they too should be allowed in. To which the old man answered: «To come in here, you must have awofaka». From that day on, they all became godchildren of the old man and received awofaka, because that old man was Orunmila himself in person.