Iwori Irete

The hair (inso) and the flesh (eran)

On this path, Olofin created the world and began to create the Aworan (shadows), Aworan eni and Aworan eran. He joined together two beings he had sent forth to guide: Insu (the hair) and Eran (the flesh). They lived together in harmony, the hair being the husband of the flesh. Eshu, seeing the beautiful union between them, began to sow doubt: he told the hair that the flesh wanted to keep him forever tied down and dominated, and told the flesh that the hair wanted to cover her completely so that she would amount to nothing in the world.

They began to grow displeased with each other and, though they lived together, they no longer got along and were always arguing. One day the quarrels became so many that the flesh threw the hair out and remained alone. The hair, being very thin, began to suffer hardship: the wind carried him from one place to another, and he had no stability. Eran, for her part, now thought she could rule the world and set out on her way, spurred on by Eshu, but she kept coming upon lands such as that of Afefe, the land of Ina (fire), while Afefe’s was of Omi Amayafra (ice). She began to feel unwell and to miss Insu, because when she lived with him she was neither so cold nor so troubled by the heat.

One day she met Ozain, who asked her what was wrong — why she changed color so much from one land to another, why her children were of one color in one land and of another elsewhere, and why some had Insu and others did not. Eran burst into tears and told Ozain that she was most unfortunate for having let herself be led by Eshu. Ozain said to her: «Come with me to Orunla.» Eran went, and this Ifá came out, whereupon Orunla told her that in her house they had once gotten along well, that afterwards there was much strife, and that this is why she separated from her husband; and that now she came because she had understood that she could not live without him — and the same was happening to him. She had to make ebbo at the foot of Ozain so that she would have warmth and never lack hair.

Then the flesh knelt before Ozain, who cleansed her with Gbogbo Ewe and performed Oparaldo on her while singing:

«Egun Sarayeye Aberiku Yeye Mowa Ni Lona, Afefe Lona Inso Afefe Iwa Omo Eran Afefe Iwa.»

Then a very strong wind arose and caught up Insu, who was weak and sorrowful because he had realized he could not live without the flesh, and carried him to her side. When they found themselves together again, they joined as strongly as before and lived for one another.

Here hair was born, and also the fact that all men and women have it on their bodies, whether white, black, Chinese, and so on. Those who were born while the hair and the flesh were estranged are the hairless ones born in this Ifá. Fur coats with hair belong to this Ifá. It also points to marital quarrels and displeasure, but the two cannot live without each other: if they part, they come back together. The secret for the marriage is a buru buru (white sheet) and a red one. One covers oneself with the white sheet, and at twelve midnight with the red one. Place potsherds of a plate before Elegbá and add them to the ebbo.

The fury of the iyoye

When Aideju Awo went down to earth in the name of Orunla, he performed osode and this Ifá came out, telling him: «once in the world, do not try to avoid suffering,» and so he made ebbo. Orunla came down to earth precisely in the land of Oduduwa, who had a single son named Akala, and Akala tormented Orunla at every opportunity. At night, while Orunla slept, Akala would come to wake him, shake him about and prod him all over his body, and Orunla kept silent because he was a stranger in the house of Oduduwa.

A short time later, Akala fell ill, and within fifteen days he lay dying. Oduduwa, not knowing what to do, called on Orunla, who had the power to ascend to and descend from Orun, since Oduduwa was established in Aiye. Orunla performed an osode for Akala and saw this Ifá, and he asked Oduduwa for Eure, Owunko, Adie Mesa, Medilogun Eyele, Owo, Opolopo Orí, Efun, Oñí, Otí, Gbogbo Tenuyen, Ayapa, Jio Jio, Obi, Aremaikordie, Asho Fun Fun, Mariwo, Gbogbo Ewe. With all of that, Orunla took Akala to the forest.

There in the forest, Orunla made Ifá for Akala, the son of Oduduwa. On the day of the iyoye, Orunla thought: «this is the moment to avenge myself for all the torments Akala made me suffer.» Orunla took a switch and, as he readied it, began to sing:

«Akala Awo Nifa, Akala Omo Orisha Ifá Manibu».

He began to strike Akala hard across the back with the switch, chasing him all through the forest. After the iyoye was over, Orunla taught Akala how to work with Ifá, and finally sent him back to Oduduwa, who rejoiced greatly on seeing his son completely healed.

This explains the fury with which the awoses lay on the lashes of the iyoye upon the awo who is being born.

The young man strikes the elder

In the land of Itako, capital of the Egbado, there was a royal family with a son named Osabeyi. In that place all newborns were given the same name, but with different titles and numbers. The prince believed that, being important and bearing a name, he could live happily, and he left home to live near the countryside. As long as he had money he had fawning friends, but Shangó Yelegba changed his luck. His friends abandoned him and the prince found himself penniless and in a wretched state, which led him to fall ill with sorrow and in his mind. He also lost his house, for it collapsed.

The young man decided to go to the house of Orunla, who explained to him what was happening and gave him much advice. With the little money he had, Orunla made an ebbo for him and told him to place it at Leri Oke, either in a small sack or in a jícara (gourd bowl). Upon reaching Leri Oke he was weary, and Alakoso received him and told him to wait while she delivered the ebbo to Oduduwa. Oduduwa took the ebbo out of the sack and was about to give it to the young man, but asked Alakoso to return it to him. Then he gave the young man a message: to go to his parents and ask their forgiveness, to give them a gift or hold a celebration to gladden them, and to obey his elders so as never to be in danger again. Oduduwa warned him that this was the last time he would forgive him.

Alakoso handed the sack with the ebbo and the message of the Obatalá to the young man, who followed the instructions. In this way he recovered his happiness.

Through this Ifá a celebration is held for whichever saint asks for it. On this path, for intori ano (illness) — belly, mind or legs: shoots of apauro, alancrancillo, malvate, berbena, decoctions crushed with alcohol, with rosemary and dry wine. It also serves for the waist; for iré aye, baths with rosemary, cologne and fig leaves, and owo.

The tyrant king

There was a king who ruled his people with an iron hand. Every freedom was suppressed, and his character was changeable and despotic. One day he decided to leave the government of his people to his ministers in order to travel through several nations; the ministers hated him for the despotic and absolute way in which he governed. When the king departed on his journey through foreign lands, the people, on learning of it, held great festivities, for, temporarily free of the tyrant’s yoke, they lived happily — though always fearing his return.

After some time, the king sent an emissary with the order that a great reception be prepared for his return, as he was about to complete his tour of the neighboring countries. On receiving that message, the ministers, who were the ones governing, met and agreed to prepare themselves well for the king’s return, in order to defeat him. They set traps at every entrance to the kingdom, which they then covered and camouflaged with grasses.

When the king received from the emissary the ministers’ reply, he decided to set out for his land that very day. He mounted his white horse, and on reaching one of the entrances to his kingdom, the horse fell into one of the traps, and as a result of the fall the king was killed. And that is how the people freed themselves from that bloodthirsty tyrant.

It speaks of a despotic man who abandons his home and later decides to return to it in order to keep harassing his wife and the rest of the family. It also speaks of obstacles standing in the way — possibly through ogo or through an Eggun araye — of the person being crowned in the Saint. It speaks of hardening of the scalp.

The stubborn ones

On this path, the world lacked something, for there was no stability. Because of this, the earth cracked, its children died, the plants withered, the rivers were fouled and the animals perished. Faced with such a situation, the men gathered to go before Olofin and tell him of all the calamities taking place. Olofin received them, and they asked him to send the sun, for thus all their sufferings and ills would end.

Olofin told them that what they needed were the winds, but they refused, so Olofin said: «if it is the sun you want, the sun you shall have. To Iban Eshu.» The men thought they had solved the problem — and then they began to die of heat, and the earth became a burning ember. For this reason they decided to go before Olofin again to ask him to grant them the moon.

Olofin told them once more that what they needed were the winds, but the men contradicted him again, and he said: «if you want the moon, the moon you shall have. To Iban Eshu.» The men, pleased, thought their troubles were over, but by day it was very hot and by night far too cold, and many died.

Faced with this critical situation, they went before Olofin once more, and again he recommended the winds, and this time they accepted. Olofin said: «To Iban Eshu.» When the winds reached the earth, the cold currents mingled with the warm ones and the temperatures grew milder both by day and by night. The men began to endure them.