Iwori Bogbe

Why the awoses have the obligation to learn Ifá

In the land of Abeyami lived an awo, Leri Ifá, who had no knowledge of Ifá but did have a great ambition to accomplish something. Obatalá had given him his Ashe, but had always advised him to acquire knowledge so as not to lose his good fortune and his Ashe. Many aleyos from different parts of the territory visited this awo’s house, and he did his works for each one according to their needs. Abeyami Lade Ifá was an obini who sang very beautifully and drew the aleyos to the awo’s house. One day, Olofin called Elegbá and Shangó to go and see what the awo was doing. When they arrived, Elegbá disguised himself so the awo would not recognize him, and they discovered that the awo knew nothing. Then Shangó decided that his daughter Abeyami Lade Ifá should remain seven years without going out into the street in order to teach the awo. Meanwhile, Elegbá took charge of keeping Abeyami Lade Ifá entertained, while Shangó went through the land of Abeyami telling everyone that the awo was ill and had lost his memory. When the awo realized he could not resolve anything, he decided to go to Orunla’s house, and there he met Shangó, who explained the situation to him and how to learn from Ifá.

The person to whom this Ifá comes out must not get wet with rainwater, because it destroys them. Take great care of the stomach. They should drink an infusion of almácigo shoots. Before finishing the ebbo, Ashe is placed on the person’s leri and eyerbale of abeboadie is given to the leri and to the ebbo, placing the leri of the abeboadie on the leri of the person.

The path where Elegbara is awo

On this path, Elegbara had a son who had to make Ifá. His mother was Eggun; her name was Moni Boshe. Before dying, the mother wanted Elegbara to make Ifá for her son. Elegbara did not do it, and she died with that grief, so she cast shepe upon Elegbara and told him that as long as the world was the world he would have to remain restless, and Elegbara answered her: «my mother Oyá brought me into the world this way, and you curse me; my restlessness will be doubled, but I will not make Ifá for your son, because in this land I alone command.»

Elegbara kept watch over his son. Then Shangó went to Orunla, together with Oshún, so that he would make Ifá for Elegbara’s son. Orunla refused and said: «I want no trouble with Elegbara.» Shangó and Oshún left and said: «we are going to prepare everything for him anyway.» So they did. Time passed, and Oshún went to find Shangó, and he told her: «I have everything ready, and tomorrow I am going to bring Elegbara’s son. When we go, you hide, so that Orunla can perform the first consecration. You must spend seven days at Elegbara’s house, keeping him entertained.»

Shangó went with Oshún to Elegbara’s house, carrying eku, eya, epo, oti, osiadie, and they went along singing: «Elegbara Nile Ebbo Lowe Ni Ifá Ebbo Ebbo Ni Layo Ifá Ebbo Ebbo Ni Eun Ni Iga Ebbo Ebbo.»

Then Ozain appeared and gave Shangó a stalk of atiponla and told him: «When you get there, you ask him: what ewe is this? He will tell you.» Oshún was carrying everything mentioned above: osiadie, eku, eya, epo, otí, awado, etc. When Shangó arrived, he asked: «what herb is this?» And Elegbara told him: «this herb is atiponla Ifá Are; it is the second herb, and the one with which I myself was made.» Oshún gave him eku to eat. Shangó brought the son to Elegbara, and on the way he took an adie and performed oparaldo, calling in the spirit of the mother, Moni Boshe, and letting her know that her son was going to make Ifá. While performing the oparaldo, Shangó sang:

«Oparaldo Lode Eyo Eggun Ikú Ikú Lala Oparaldo Lode Yeo.»

The Eggun of the mother was very pleased and received the adie. Elegbara spent seven days drunk, and after seven days he returned with his son, and Orunla had no choice but to consecrate him; then Shangó went off with Oshún to persuade Ifá. «Let us go find Osun, for he is needed,» said Elegbara. They spoke with him. Shangó said: «how shall we call Osun?» Oshún took out an agogó and gave it to him to play. When they arrived, Osun was reclining between a guaba tree and a cedar, and they began to sing:

«Osun Moruro Layere Ifá Babá Olofin, Babá Yenerifa Duru Ganga Labosun Awo Babá Kayo Nire Lowa Enerifa La Bosun Awo».

Osun shook Shangó, who told him what was going to be done, and Oshún said: «I will take charge of bringing Elegbara so that he finds a fine, handsome goat.» Oshún brought him the goat; Osun took the goat, together with Oshún, to the oni igbodun. Everything was prepared; the only one missing was Elegbara. When Elegbara entered with Osun, all the Babalawos began to sing:

«Eshu Shuwayo Mam Keno Eshu Odara Kindeño».

Elegbara was overjoyed and said: «only you have persuaded me, and I am very pleased, because I am going to make Ifá for my son and I will always protect him in all things.» Elegbara knelt before Orunla and gave him Moforibale, and Orunla told him: «you, as his father, must perform obori eledda for your son.» Then they made Ifá for Elegbara’s son. He was very pleased, ate the goat, and Oshún said to Orunla: «this one, who is Iwori Bogbe ni Ifá she Moni Boshe, will have good fortune on earth and will be called Ifá Toshe.»

After three days, Elegbara handed over all his Ashe to his son. He remained at the door of the igbodu and raised up his son, who had great fortune as an awo and became great. Shangó stayed for seven days together with Oshún, attending to all the affairs of Elegbara’s son, Oshún eating adie and Shangó akuaro.

The path of Ifá she

You have neither family nor friends, for your relatives are your enemies. From childhood you found yourself abandoned by the very people who had the moral obligation to raise you, clothe you, and so on. What you have achieved in life you owe to your own head, your protectors, and your Guardian Angel, and you had only two paths before you: that of shamelessness and that of decency. From today on, you can trust neither friends nor relatives — only Orunla and the Saints.

Ifá She grew up without the true and complete protection of his relatives, who for one reason or another turned away from him, and he grew up without sincere family affection. Early in life he had to face the world, enduring hardship and suffering, betrayals, and even disappointments in love. One day he embarked for another land and the ship sank; in desperation he clung to a piece of timber and drifted for two days, until at last the waves and the current dragged him to a barren coast. He was saved by his own effort alone.

An adie dun dun must be given to the Orunla of his godfather, and likewise to his own Orunla. There are Saints given in error or a Saint ceremony badly performed. Within seven days, cleanse all the children of the house with grains.

Ifá she

In the poor land of Abe Ori lived an awo named Ifá Pole, who was deeply worried because his land did not prosper at all. One day his son, named Ifá She, said to him: «Father, I need to go in search of our fortune and that of this land.» The father grew angry with his son and punished him. The son began to weep and fell asleep, and began to dream of Orunla.

Orunla told him to give an adie dun dun and a fun fun to Ifá and to his own head, and to pluck it well before him: «Peleka Pele Orunla Pele Pele Peleka Pele Orunla Pele Pele». The feathers he plucked formed a storm, and such would be the fortune of them both and of that land, which he had to visit and which was called Ifá Bi Ashe.

Ifá She woke up frightened and went to the yard of the house to fetch the adie. His father, seeing him, grew angry and annoyed, told him it was all a lie, and went to lie down beneath an álamo tree in the yard, where he fell asleep. Ifá She seized the moment and gave the adie to Orunla and to his own head.

At that moment, Elegbá came in and said to him: «I have come for you by order of Shangó.» Ifá She replied that he could not go, and told him what had happened with his father. Elegbá began to sing: «A fefe ka oru Orunla Ifá, Oueri Baya Baya Iwori bogbe A fefe».

A storm arose and Ifá She departed with Elegbá, while his father was left dead. Ifá She kept close to his Ifá because the storm would not abate, and Elegbá sang:

«Ifá She Peyeri Fa A Fefe. Abeyeri Shangó. Abeyeri Lona Shangó. Shangó Abeyeri Lona Shangó».

Elegbá told him: «do not look back,» and the storm swept the land clean. Thus they came to the land where Shangó was. Ifá, on seeing him, went down on his knees before Shangó and greeted him. Shangó said: «put your Ifá and your board on the ground, for within three days I must perform a ceremony for you, but now let us eat ila and amala, which is what I have to offer you,» and they sat down to eat. Shangó told him to be at ease, that his fortune was settled, that he was on the right road and that all this had to happen.

After three days, Ifá She was convinced of what Shangó had said, and Shangó told him: «I am going to endow you with the fortune your father should have left you,» and he wrapped him in álamo leaves, called the Eggun, and gave him akuko fun fun, and said: «all your fortune you will have through Orunla, Shangó, and Elegbá, but you must heed Orunla above all.» While Shangó was performing this ceremony, he sang:

«Fefe Ni Aye. Aye Agba Wawa Lore. Fefe Ni Laye. Agba Loda Eggun. No Su Babá Orunla. Agba Loda Fi Abi. Laye Awa Loda».

They set out walking and came to the land of Oshún and Olodumare, who were awaiting an awo to govern it. Shangó told him to always walk with Elegbá and said: «Look at this land; it is the one you are going to govern. Some day I will visit you. There you will meet your mother, who possesses divine power, and she will help you. Her name is Abelloni.»

So it was done. Olodumare had told Abelloni that an awo was coming to that land, that he was her son, and that she should help him when he arrived. The first to enter was Eshu. He carried a pumpkin in his hand and said: «Look, Olokun, here comes Elegbá.» Olokun answered: «Your son is coming too.» Abelloni said she could not see him. Then Olokun and Abelloni began to sing:

«Elegbá Gbogbo Ni Boshe Iwori Agba Lode Agba Owo Gbogbo Ni Boshe».

They gave the two eleguedes to Eshu. He took the agogó and began to sing:

«Agogó Ni Le Agogó Awo Ni Ifá Agogo Ni Le».

Suddenly, Ifá She appeared and knelt before his mother and Olokun. He saw the feathers scattered about, just as Shangó had told him. He gave them to his mother, and Elegbá and Olokun gathered the feathers for the ebbo. His mother stood him at the center of the land he was to govern. All the people crowded around him, but he told them: «Until Shangó comes, I have neither voice nor command.»

Elegbá went out to find Shangó so he could serve as witness, since it was he who had given him the good fortune of finding this land he would have to govern. When Shangó returned with Elegbá, he told him to perform ebbo on everyone with earth. A wind arose and they gathered the earth and the leaves that were in the air. Ifá She performed the ebbo.

Abelloni called Shangó, Elegbá, and Olokun. They went beneath an álamo tree that stood in the yard, and she said to him: «My son, I know you hold a grievance against me because I quarreled with your father.» She told him what had happened and said: «You must go and walk your road. I would have liked to keep you always at my side so you would not suffer hardship, but he refused. Well, here I am with the wealth of all the Orishas whom I govern and who have faith in me, and that of your father, who went off to die in other lands. It is yours.»

When she finished, she heard a voice asking her forgiveness. The fortune was his, and Shangó consecrated it. He took the guinea hen, ate it, and cooked it with gbogbo Ashe. Then this guinea was given together to Shangó and Eggun.

“Iwori Bogbe Iwori Bogbe Bara. Boshe Weri Olokun. Boro Boshe Meri Orunla. Boro Boshe Meri Agderi. Boyo Ni Boshe Orishaoko. Ganga Ni Lode. Meri Nile Babá Loke Olodumare. Orunla A Ni Iwori Bogbo.

Another path of iwori bogbe

Iwori Bogbe was going through a stretch of bad luck and had forgotten the saints, and even Orunla, and one day he decided to stow away on a ship. Iwori Bogbe was a stubborn man who refused to learn Ifá, which led him into all kinds of trouble. After some time at sea, the ship was caught in a fierce storm and sank. Most of the passengers and crew drowned, but Iwori Bogbe, who had the blessing of Olofin, managed to cling to a piece of wood and survive the storm in great fear and anguish.

After a few days, nearly unconscious, the waves carried him to the shore of an island. The island was inhabited by geese and other animals, and one of the geese approached him and dragged him toward the shore. On seeing that he was a man, the goose took fright and hid. Iwori Bogbe awoke and realized he was on the beach with part of his body still in the water. He dragged himself out and found fruit — coconuts and other fruits — that fed him and gave him strength to recover.

Meanwhile, the goose defended him with its beak against the other animals that approached with ill intent. Once recovered, Iwori Bogbe decided to take a walk around the island, which was not very large. There he met the people, who offered him hospitality. He built a house of yaguas and wood, just like those of the island’s people, and brought the goose to live with him. In the end, Iwori Bogbe began to learn Ifá, and after some time he became the ruler of the island.