Obara Bogbe

On top of one ebbo, another is made

Elegbá, Oggún and Oshosi met one day and were deeply worried. Eshu agreed to go to the nearest city, and when they arrived, they ordered the people to make an ebbo. Everyone was surprised, because Orunla had performed a rogation only moments before, but at Eshu’s insistence the people obeyed. While they were making the ebbo, Orunla asked from his board who had performed the rogation, to which Eshu answered that he had done it. Orunla said it was well, and ever since, whenever one ebbo is made, another is made as well.

The passing of the Most Holy at 12 noon

There was a time when Obatalá lived surrounded by suitors and, being so beautiful, did not know how to be rid of them. Then Elegbá offered to save her. He announced to everyone that they should shut their doors at 12 noon, because something evil was going to happen, that no one should be in the street, and that they should throw water at their doorways. Under those conditions, Baba went out at twelve noon, and Eleguá covered her with a white mosquito net and, with a little bell he gave her, went ringing along the way. That is how Baba was able to go out without being seen. This is the origin of the «Passing of the Most Holy» at twelve noon, and along this path the second Oddun is found.

The walls have ears

On a certain occasion, Olofin was ill and called all the Babalawos to perform a rogation for him. When they arrived, they entered Olofin’s chamber without noticing that in the room next door there were some boys. The Babalawos began the rogation for Olofin, reciting the Obara Bogbe Lantosi. The boys next door pressed their ears to the wall and heard everything that was being done. When the Babalawos finished the ebbo and came out, they found the boys in the street doing exactly what they had overheard and repeating the very words they had listened to.

Another version of the previous patakin

On this path there was a place with great swarms of bees, which are known for their industriousness and for working more for others than for themselves. There were also drones and queen bees. The bees used the others as slaves, solely for the queen. As is known, drones do not work. One day, near the bees’ place, a camp of other insects settled, with abilities different from those of the bees. When the bees noticed, they went to the place and, seeing that the newcomers were working, tried to bring them under their chief’s command. The wasps replied that they work for no one and ordered them to leave the place, and a war began. The leaders of the bees urged their companions to fight the wasps, but since bees die after stinging and wasps do not, the bees were gradually losing their strength. Seeing this situation, they went to Orunla for help. Orunla examined them and this Ifá came out, telling them that their enemies were within their own group, and that if they expelled the drones and the queen, the war would end and they could live in peace with the wasps. They did so, and a new friendship was sealed that endured through the years.

The boys who saved Orunla’s ebbo

FROM THE DOOR TO THE BACK OF THE HOUSE, RINGING THE AGOGÓ ALL THE WHILE.
PATAKIN:

On this path, Orunla found himself in a difficult situation: he had to make an ebbo but could not get to the rooster he needed, because his enemies had it under watch. As he sat sad and without a solution, some boys who were playing nearby asked him what was wrong, and Orunla explained his situation.

The boys, with their ingenuity, suggested that he could make the ebbo with feathers and bees’ honey. Although Orunla had no feathers, the boys found a way: they went to where the rooster was and played with it, plucking its feathers without being seen by the watchers.

Afterwards, the boys handed the feathers to Orunla so that he could make the ebbo and resolve his situation. This act of cunning and cooperation by the boys allowed Orunla to fulfill his religious duty and overcome the obstacles before him.

While Orunla was making the ebbo, he smeared his face with honey. When he opened the ebbo to pour in the honey, afefe (the wind) came, and the feathers stuck to his head and face because of the honey. As a result, the ebbo would not close, and Orunla went out with it to discard it. He set the ebbo down in an open place and took the chance to hide behind a bush and listen to what was being said. He was able to hear that they were conspiring to poison him, but he laughed, because they had walked right past without noticing him, thanks to the feathers covering his face. In this way, Orunla was able to save himself.

A complete ebbo is made, and the other with feathers and bees’ honey, this second one left open; the malaguidi is made of palo pierde rumbo and goes to Elegbá; a cup is taken and water, orí and efun are poured into it, and with the agogó of Obatalá it is sprinkled through the house, from the back to the door.

Where they tried to kill the omo fa

Orunla’s son, named Agborun, was a merchant of orí and controlled everything to do with cocoa butter. Because of the envy others bore him, several attempts had already been made on his life, so he decided to visit his father in search of help. Orunla advised him to make Ifá to resolve his troubles.

Agborun prepared everything necessary and made Ifá, but his enemies, who had seen him enter Orunla’s house, made ready to kill him. Yet when Agborun made Ifá, Obara Bogbe came out as his Oddun Toyale, warning him that they were coming to kill him in the igborun. Then Agborun had the igborun taken down, hung a white sheet at sjilekun, made ebbo upon his omofa with orí, and gave an eyele together with the mud. He then turned his omofa around and placed the arrows behind the door.

When the enemies arrived, they saw the eyele on the ground and that strange man covered head to toe in mud, and they did not recognize him as Agborun. When they asked after him, he told them Agborun was behind the door, and they rushed there without seeing the akofa, which flew loose, and they killed one another. In this way Agborun, the son of Orunla and omofa awo Obara Bogbe, saved himself from those who sought to destroy him.

The birth of the ebbo of the santo

In the land of Aubi Ikú inle, everyone lived happy and prosperous, from the Oba down to the last of his subjects. Orunla came to that land and planted his banner, and soon the inhabitants came to consult him. The Ifá that came out always told them the same thing, but after so many consultations the inhabitants grew weary and decided to make the ebbo Orunla had marked for them so that their lives would improve.

Orunla, however, told them they also had to make another ebbo, since the better off they were, the worse they could find themselves. The inhabitants, annoyed because all they wanted was to be rid of Orunla, refused to make the second ebbo. Orunla, seeing that they did not respect him, decided to leave the land of Aubi Ikú Inle.

At that time, Elegbá, Oggún and Oshosi were also traveling the lands, and when they reached the land of Aubi Ikú Inle, the inhabitants offered them food, but it was spoiled. The three travelers took offense and resolved to carry out their threat to destroy the land, since they had not been treated properly.

Elegbá, Oggún and Oshosi kept their promise and set their plan of destruction in motion, closing the gates of the land and cutting off the head of anyone who tried to leave. The inhabitants of Ambi Ikú Inle began to suffer the consequences of their decision and realized they had to seek help.

Finally, one brave inhabitant decided to seek out Orunla to ask for help. As he left the land, he cast a shadow in the shape of a cross that frightened Elegbá, Oggún and Oshosi, allowing him and his people to escape as well.

Once in Ife, Orunla told them they had to make the ebbo again, but that this time they had to feed Elegbá, Oggún and Oshosi, and speak with Elegbá, who is Obateru and could perform the ebbo for them. After feeding the three orishas, Elegbá made the ebbo and the inhabitants of Ambi Ikú Inle were saved.

Ever since, the Oriates perform the ebbo of the santo always using the cowrie of Elegbá.

The reason why Shangó does not make Osha for Oshún, and vice versa, goes back to the story of Akore, a town sunk in poverty and want because its people did not know the rules of Osha and had no consecrations. Oshún decided to help them and to establish the rules of Osha in the town, which brought prosperity and wealth to its inhabitants.

Shangó, however, who did not want that town to prosper beyond his own, decided to declare war on Akore. Shangó asked after those who had Osha on their leri, and killed them without mercy. Oshún implored Olofin to put an end to that war.

Olofin summoned Shangó and Oshún and ordered them to end the war. Oshún would go on doing her works of charity in the town of Akore, but she could not make Osha for any omo of Shangó. For his part, Shangó could not make Osha for any omo of Oshún. That decree stands to this day in the Yoruba religion. To Iban Eshu.

When Shangó traded the obini for the food

Shangó had two obini; one was Oba and the other was more beautiful. He boasted that no one could take his women from him, since no one could seduce them. When Ogue learned of this, he dressed himself very handsomely and went to woo Shangó’s woman, and she did not resist and went off with Ogue.

When Shangó found out, he flew into a rage, took up his weapons and set out in search of Ogue. Ogue, who lived on the hill, upon hearing that Shangó was after him, went to Orunla’s house for divination; Orunla saw this Ifá for him and made him ebbo (the one above). When Shangó reached the hill, he found all that food spread at its foot. He looked at it, and looked again, tasted it and began to eat, and he ate so much and with such good appetite, so delicious was it, that when he finished eating he thought to himself: now to climb that hill to fetch a woman and fight over her — I, who have women to spare; let him keep her! Shangó turned back and went home content and satisfied, and Ogue and the woman stayed together.