Meaning of Ofun Gando in the Diloggún
- This is where Olofin appointed Shangó king of the heavens and the earth, and for that reason he has no rivals.
- He has four spirits who accompany him: Lubayeni, Omuni Lowo, Agbon Eggun Kafo and Afinju Elegbá.
- Here Shangó is called Ewe Bami and he is an herbalist.
- It points to the loss of mental faculties through an inshe Ogu.
- This Oddun is called Ofun Gando because he saved the people of Gando from death and was crowned king of that land.
- Orunmila dresses in iridescent Asho (of many variegated colors).
- This is where the Ada made ebbo, and that is why it cuts.
- The spirit of the Ada is called Kañike.
- This Ifá is one of enchantment, where Olofin placed power in the hands of the awo; all his sensitivity lies in his fingertips.
- As a rule, the children of this Ifá have six or seven fingers on their hands; they are children of Oduduwa.
- Ifá of the organ grinder.
- The person carries music within.
- Oddun of money.
- Elegbá must be kept well pleased.
- It marks sterility in the woman.
- Here speak the storehouses, of how they fill up and empty out.
- It marks the loss of a child because the works needed for the child to live were not done.
- It marks the loss of a child through failing to curb the child’s bad feelings in time, for here the child inherits the bad feelings of the parents.
- One must beware of animal bites.
- Aikordie is placed on Obatalá.
- Three balls of yam are set out, with Ekru, Orí, Efun.
- Gluttony speaks here.
- One must eat in moderation to avoid illness and digestive troubles.
- This Ifá forbids dressing in a combination of two colors; one must dress in white.
- It marks loss of memory through blown powders.
- Melon is not eaten.
- Do not wear clothing with printed ovals.
- Give alms at your door.
- Do not put your hands into anything dark.
- Ifá of the silk glove.
- The power lies in the hands.
- The father is to blame for the misfortune of the son.
- Beware of the law.
- Ifá Osobo (misfortune) of Ashelú.
- Respect the disabled and those who beg for alms.
- Ebu obini obu enu araya nibaya (it is the tongues of others that have brought you misfortune).
- In this Oddun Ifá, Elegbá must be attended to very closely.
- When it comes out in an Atefa, an Akuko is quickly given to Elegbá in the middle of the courtyard.
- Aikordie is placed on Obatalá and 3 balls of Ishu are made, with Ekru, Orí, Efun.
- An awo is going to die.
Eshu OF THE SIGN: Eshu karugbo.
Eshu KARUGBO: This is a hooked guava branch on which a long section is left so the figure can be carved above the crook of the staff. It is drilled along its length and loaded with: obi kola, eru, obi motiwao, osun, orogbo, rida, anun, tamarind root, ceiba root, iroko root, mariwo shoot, air yam, three kinds of pepper, amal omi Olofin, earth from four crossroads, from a leaf-cutter ant nest, from the hill, eleri of akuko, three pieces of jet, epó (palm oil), orí, efun, iyefa, gold, silver, three cowries, three pieces of amber, igi: parami, ébano carbonero, yamao, red amaranth, abre camino, iwereyeye, salt, iyobo fun fun, charcoal, quicksilver. It is capped with a gourd cup. The branch, except for the carved part, is dressed in red and black beads. It lives and eats with Orunmila.
Eshu: Ota porosa loaded with: jet, coral, orí, silver, 13 atare, eru, obi kola, osun, rida, anun, orogbo, yerba garro, sea lino, ewe muñequita, eku, eya, epó, awado, oñí (honey). One aikordie on the blade. Three cowries for the eyes and mouth.
OKUNI: He is very jealous, and for that reason he may destroy his marriage. He had a red-skinned obini, and since he left her he has not enjoyed good health. She cursed him and works witchcraft against him. Beware of venereal diseases.
OBINI: She has no children and has done many works in order to have them. There is a war in her home because her husband is very jealous; he has even raised his hand against her and keeps her under threat.
What is born in this sign
- The parrot.
- Hierarchies in positions of authority and in Ifá.
What this sign indicates
- She hurls curses at you and lights four candles upside down, because she is convinced that you abandoned her for another woman.
- You are three siblings and you have many enemies.
- You have a female enemy who wants to harm you, even to kill you.
- Do no harm to anyone, for it may turn against you.
- Tell your son not to trouble the disabled any more.
- You are in the midst of a great war.
- You owe two candles to a Santo.
- Pay them so that your affairs go well.
- You think that with a single peso you can do many things.
Advice and warnings
- Dress in white often.
- Do not raise your hand against your wife again.
- You show no gratitude for anything that is done for you.
- Do not wear printed clothing.
- Do not argue.
- Do not expose yourself too much to the sun.
- Wear a white kerchief on your head.
The traditional reading of this sign also warns about the following:
- You had a red-skinned woman, and since you separated from her you have not enjoyed good health.
- Beware of a women’s illness, or perhaps you already had one that was poorly cured.
- At times you feel impotent.
- At times you feel pain in the kidneys and weakness in your body.
- You are ill, and your hair often stands on end.
Proverbs of Ofun Gando
- Cuando dos reyes se embarcan en el mismo bote, alguno de los dos no llega a la misma meta. When two kings board the same boat, one of them will not reach the same destination.
- Cuando no se conoce el terreno, primero se mira antes de pisarlo. When the ground is unknown, one looks first before stepping on it.
Patakíes of Ofun Gando
The path of the little eagle
In a certain town, a man put a sign on his door that read: «He who has money will do as he pleases.» The king heard of it and summoned him to ask about the sign. The man told him he did not believe it himself, but that he would prove it by handing his 18-year-old daughter over to the king, to be returned in 8 or 9 months with child. The king agreed.
The man, whose name was Orunmila, searched for a way out of the problem, and a beggar woman helped him. She asked him for $100.00, and with that money she had a blacksmith forge a little eagle with a key, and she bought a violin. The beggar woman would pass in front of the king’s palace with the little eagle, playing the violin. The princess fell in love with the little eagle and asked her father to buy it for her. The beggar woman lent her the little eagle for a time.
At night, Orunmila would come out of the little eagle and talk with the princess. After some days, the beggar woman recovered the little eagle, and Orunmila thanked her by giving her another $100.00.
At 9 months, the king kept his promise, and Orunmila asked for the princess’s hand. The king agreed, and Orunmila became a rich and powerful man. When the king died, Orunmila kept his crown and became the diviner of the court.
Kenike the machete
Prayer: Ofun Gando Ofun Doro Iwari Adifafun Kanike Toma Tori Towokan Kushe Le Niwon Niki Aru Eyele Ishe Ashe Danu Kanike Oruko Adaye Ada Bako Ishu Shan Awado Asiko Bako Ishu Shan Awagdo Asiro Ereye.
Ebbó: Eyele merin, bogbo tenuyen, un machete.
On this path, Kenike carried the machete to go work in the forest. Because of his many debts, he went to the house of Orunmila, who saw this Ifá for him and told him that, to get out of his troubles, he had to make ebbo in order to prosper and see the fruit of his labor. But Kanike did not make the ebbo.
Since then, the machete has served to clear the fields of weeds, cut down the undergrowth, prune the trees and reap the wheat. And when the work with it is done, it is set aside, and one lives from the product of its efforts and gathers the fruits.
You are a person who sees neither the effort nor the fruit of your labor. Someone else lives off you. Nothing you undertake comes to a happy conclusion.
Make ebbo so that you may be free of your debts and your creditors.
The white bird
Ebbó: Akuko, muda de ropa, asho fun fun, abiti, demás ingredientes, opolopo owo.
There was a very beautiful bird that sang and danced exceptionally well, and this made the other birds fall in love with him. But at the same time, the other birds were filled with envy and began to hate him.
The bird sensed that something was wrong and went to see Orunmila, who told him he had to make an ebbo before attending a party to which he had been invited. He also advised him to dress in white, for he had always worn clothing of two colors. The bird’s enemies had worked much envy and witchcraft against him, and had prepared powders to blow onto his head and make him lose his memory. That way, when he sang, he would forget the words of the songs and be shamed before everyone.
The bird made the ebbo and dressed in white to go to the party. When he arrived, no one recognized him because of his change of clothing. He was able to sing and dance marvelously, becoming the pride of the party.
Hierarchies were born in every order of life
Once, Orunmila called two awoses to name them chiefs. The ceremonies lasted three months, and when they were over, the new chiefs were to visit the other awoses. To travel to the different lands they boarded a boat, but they had no rowers. One of the chiefs said to the other: «You row.» The other replied: «I am a chief too — row yourself if you like.» In the course of that argument the two of them decided to row, but whenever one grew tired he would row no more, and the other could not give him orders.
And so the boat sank and they both drowned. When Orunmila learned what had happened, he said: «They are of no use to me now, for they are dead. It will be best, when naming the chiefs to come, to give them servants.» Olofin accepted this, and thus hierarchies were born in every order of life.
Works and ebbó of Ofun Gando
Works of Ofun Gando
- To drive away evil and draw good luck
- A small güiro is prepared with seven leri of different eye (birds) with their respective feet, seven igi (palos, chosen by divination), lodestone, iron filings, ewe oriye, atiponla, canutillo, aroma, ota (where it is taken from is asked by divination), shavings from the antlers of agbani, eku, eya, awado. It lives behind shilekun ilé and eats with Elegbá. An Ozain is prepared with a broom used to sweep a shop.
- Work for the sterile woman
- The leri is blessed in rogation with the womb of a eure that has been given to Ikofa. When the child is born, an agutan must be given to Eggun, along with offerings of food and suyeres.
- To defeat one’s enemies
- Ebbo is made with: akuko fun fun, which before the ebó is given to Elegbara in the courtyard, leri umbeboro. When the ebbo is finished, iyefa from the ebó is sprinkled over Elegbara with eku, eya, awado.
- Ebbó
- Five doves, akuko, the clothing, obi, a revolver, abeboadie fun fun, owo la meyi.
- Ebbó
- Akuko, akara, eku, eya, epó, eyele fun fun.
- Ebbó for the son
- Aikordié eran, akara, eku, eya, epó, owo la meyi.
Prayers and suyeres of Ofun Gando
Liturgical material transcribed from the source manuscripts; it is preserved verbatim.
Arará prayer
Fuñi Gagbo Woli Kañi Gas Axosuwe Jebu Bosifataju. Ofun Awo Iwori Awo Gando Adifafun Lukoro Yayu Etu Lebo. Ifa Lodafun Olofin, Orunmila Ati Eshu. Ofun Iwori Gando Adifafun Oluwo Koso Baye.
Orishas in this sign
The orishas that the letter itself links to this sign, as recorded in the source:
Other aspects of the sign
Ewé of the sign
Melon, frijol caballero and basil.
Ofun Oguo Oguori Awo Gando Adifafun Lucoro Lallu Etu Lebo. Ifá Lodafun Olofin, Orunmila Y Eshu Intori Iku Aro Lerboanru Eyele Meni Aikordie Acho Timbelara Efun Orí Itana Ewe Fa Owo La Mefa Tonti Efa.