Osa Iwori

The path where the tiger could not eat the monkey (skill is worth more than strength)

The tiger went to the goat’s house to ask to be allowed to sleep there, and the goat told him he could stay on the porch. But the next day the tiger moved into the living room and tried to take over the whole house, looking at the goat in a threatening way. Noticing this, the goat began to distrust the tiger, thinking that perhaps he meant to harm him. Because of that mistrust, the goat decided to go and consult Orunmila. He told him he had to perform an ebbo with an apron that had two pockets: in one he was to put stones and in the other toasted maize. He also advised him to wear the apron and to eat the maize now and then, and if anyone asked what he was eating, he was to answer that they were stones, and offer some at the same time.

One day the tiger had the wicked idea of inviting the goat for a walk, intending to devour him. The goat accepted the invitation, and as they walked the goat began to chew the maize. Seeing this, the tiger asked him what he was eating, and the goat answered: «I am eating stones», and offered him some. Hearing this, the tiger, who also ate stones, thought that if the goat ate stones he might well eat him too. So he said to the goat: «Look, friend, wait for me here a moment, I will be right back», and he left the goat and never returned. The tiger stayed in the bush, unable to devour the goat.

The path where everyone wanted to be the sky

When Olofin was forming the world, he could foresee all the troubles and the different ambitions that would arise, as well as the discontent that would show itself on the planet we inhabit.

For that reason he summoned the various elements that made up his court and said to them: «The world in which the different species yet to be created will live must be formed. I shall create the sky, the earth, the water, the water animals and everything necessary. I ask each of you to choose one of these elements and take up its position absolutely».

At that moment everyone wanted to be the sky and no one wanted to be the earth, since the earth is spat upon and trodden on. Faced with this discontent, there was one who, seeing that the others rejected Aile (the earth), the daughter of Olofin in whom the great spirit Inle Oguere Afokoyeri would dwell, turned to Olofin, who represented Oloddumare, and said: «Father, I accept being the owner of the earth, and upon it I shall hold up all the plants, animals and men». That was Orishaoko. Grateful, Olofin told him: «From now on your children shall be my children, and you shall be blessed; you will reign eternally and your secrets will never leave the earth».

Olofin took a moruro staff with a curve in the handle, fixed a gourd to its end with eight ribbons and eight coloured cowries, and said: «With this you shall reign upon the earth, for you are the son of Marikoto and all shall worship you. When offerings are made to you, the staff must be painted with dots of osun (red) and efun (white)».

After that, Olofin cleansed Orishaoko with an assortment of grains and fruit, palm oil, cowries, fish and hen, and offered them to Inle Oguere, placing them in a hole. Then he cleansed him with hen and dove and offered them to Inle Oguere Afokoyeri. Olofin and Osa Woriwo (Orunmila), who was his secretary, sang: «Orishaoko, he who brings blessings, he who protects and guides, the mighty one, who prevails over all difficulties and troubles, he of wisdom, he who brings joy and blessings, he who gladdens the heart, the mighty one, the son of Oko, who brings joy and blessings, the mighty one, he who brings blessings to the earth».

It was then that Orishaoko was filled with prosperity and could begin to live upon the earth. From that moment this secret has stood beside Osa Woriwo, accompanying Orishaoko in all the battles and struggles that have arisen on earth out of envy, betrayal, curses and the like. So be it, Eshu!

: This is the secret that must be passed on to the children of Orishaoko, along with the works to be performed on the staff and on the children of Orishaoko. Once consecrated, the staff lives beside Orishaoko.

Why oba woriwo has to be sworn in ode

Ode and his seven sons were suffering from the cold, because the owner of fire was Ekun, who was Shangó’s favourite and would give it to no one. So Ode sent his eldest son to Ekun’s house, but the boy said: «Father, I am afraid». Ode sent him all the same. When the son arrived, Ekun let him in and ate him.

The same happened with the other sons, until Ode decided to seek help from Orunmila. Orunmila saw the sign Osa Woriwo for him and said: «You must have a secret in order to defeat Ekun, and that secret is the Obe». Awo Ifá Yeku, together with Ogún, consecrated him with the Obe, and Ode set out for Ekun’s house, singing: «Ode, the awó of the diviners, the owner of the sky, the one protected by Osaworiwo, come to life, come to life, with Obe we shall win».

When he arrived, the door was shut and Ode knocked. Ekun said: «Come in», but Ode did not go in; he waited outside, and Ekun came out to eat him. Ode fought him, however, and remembered that he had the Obe, with which he opened Ekun’s belly. His seven sons came out from inside and took the fire, then they left, but his sons were struck mute. Ode covered them with Ekun’s hide and charged them with keeping the secret of fire. In this way Ode came to rule that land. Ever since then there have been mute people in the world.

NOTE: A chain with seven necklaces of tiger hide is hung in honour of Ode.

The path where osa woriwo receives Odudua and is sworn in orun

In the land of Oturón Bí Oshe lived Awo Lodo Nifa, who always worshipped Oddua and Orun, and they granted him the wisdom to care for his people and his family.

Even so, he was troubled, because in that land there were many shadows of eggun, and he always dreamed that they told him there was another land where people lived apart from Oggún and where there were many women. He always asked Orunmila that one day he might come to know those lands, and he prayed:

«oddua Eyi Loru Oba Orun Yoda Eggun Orun Awo Lodo Nifa Siwayu Inle Odara».

Then he would offer Eyle Merin to Oddua together with Orun, and he sang:

«eyle Eye Mafun Oddua Obariboye».

He lay down to sleep and Abeyí Eggun Orun Ikú appeared to him and told him that he would go to other lands, but that he should be careful. He performed Osode and saw the sign Osa Woriwo. Suddenly something strange arose, a shadow that came upon that land, and it sang:

«fitivo Eni Oku Ikú Orun Eni Baxe Baye Otorun Inle».

People fell dead and others were struck mute with fear. Then Awo Lodo Nifa took the Okpele and placed it on the Iyere Leri Eya Tuto, scattered Opolopo Orí and Efun with the Atare, Eru, Obi and Kola, and took Eyle Funfun and offered it to his head together with Iwori Oku, and he sang:

«sarayeye Eggun Abuken Ikú Orun Eggun Lona».

They cast the Oparaldo at Unika; then he took the Elese of Osiadie, took Asho Dundun and painted it with Otura Niko, and Osa Woriwo placed Elese Abi and performed Sarayeye with Jío Jío, and offered it to Elese on the Asho and took it all to be buried at Elese Aragba.

Then the shadow began to separate from him, and Awo Afoniku said to him: «Let us call Oddua and Orun with the secret that he holds in this new land where you are».

They took an Iguani and put inside it 16 ota, gunugun of eggun, leri akuko, leri etu, leri abo, leri eleye eyo, aguema, adan, palo ramón, iroko aragba, gunugun of aya nako, ivory, leri of eku, leri eya ere, Atare Medilogun, Iwin Medilogun, Eru, Obi, Kola, Osun, Aira, Obi Fin, Obi Motiwao, Bogbo Dilegun, Ileke of Obatalá and Shangó, Ileke Dundun with ivory, and 16 Ikedie.

Afterwards they took the 16 hens and offered them to his head and to the Iguani, calling: «Eye Ni Eyele Mobire, Odudua Orun Jekua, Leri Ikú Odo Orun Ikú, Awo La Ishe.»

Oduduwa drew near to them and he recovered his intelligence to care for the people of the new land, which was the land of Abiti Oyeya. So he was able to live among those deceitful people, and they attended to him even though he knew they were all descendants of Abiti. Thanks to Odudua and Orun, he could move among them as one of them and was respected by all the descendants of Abiti Oyeya.

God gives each person what each person deserves or needs

The first thing done is to take an ikoko and make omiero with the following ewes: croton, piñón de botija, aberikunlo, mugwort, atiponla, purslane, basil, alacrancillo, ewé tete nifa. One of the osiadie is taken and oparaldo is made with a change of old clothing, which the person must be wearing. An osiadie keke is given to Eshu with obi omi tuto and sarayeye leri umbebolo is performed. The ebbo is made, and on finishing we give akukó alaguere, where the akukó is also buried. Afterwards we give eyerbale of akukó to Shangó together with Ogún. Next we give asé to eggun together with Oshún and Oyá. The person goes into the bathroom and bathes with the omiero, and everything is wrapped up together with the old clothing and sent to the cemetery. A new Elegbá Eshu is made for the person, one that has a path of Oduduwa.

Maferefun Olofin and Obatalá. This is the story in which, at the beginning of humanity, the earth was populated only by Saints, and Obatalá and the other saints received what Olofin apportioned to each of them.

How otala mobani obtained the power of the sorcerer

On this path, in the land of Elubere Inle, lived Ogún, who led a rough life, always keeping away from everyone and living worried about the fate of his only son, named Otala Mobani, who lived far from his side in other lands, an orphan.

Those lands where Ogún lived were governed by Orishaokó, who guided them with great wisdom and was concerned about the fear his subjects had of Ogún because of his irascible temper; but Orishaokó knew that Ogún was a good father, and he also knew that Ogún carried great resentment at not being able to have his son at his side.

Otala Mobani led a life of hardship on his part, since his mother had died and he had been raised in the company of Eshu, who had taught him all his arts; and Otala Mobani had become famous for the great powers of his sorcery.

One day, while travelling, Otala Mobani came to the land of Elubere Inle, and as Eshu had taught him, the first thing he did was to go to the house of an awó, for despite being a sorcerer he was guided by the precepts of Ifá. He went to the house of Olayo awo, which was what Orunmila was called in those lands, and Orunmila saw this Ifá for him and said: «adifafún Umbati Aleyo Ikoko Alabamú». And he went on: «In other lands there lives a hairy man named Ogún who is your father. He has a secret buried for you; that power is the power of the sorcerer and it is meant to complete your great powers. You must go first to the house of Orishaokó, who is the obá of those lands, and you must bring him eyelé, gbogbo eré and ishu as a gift, so that he will take you into your father’s presence, for he kills anyone who enters those lands, since he fears they will steal his secrets».

Otala Mobani went to see Orishaokó and brought him everything Ifá had told him to bring; after the ebó was performed and he had told Orishaokó everything Olayo awo had said, Orishaokó told him: «I know him; he and I have made a pact of union and respect, and without the two of us no one can be consecrated in that land, for those who enter without my permission may already consider themselves otokú; that is the land of Aratako Inle, and in it live the children of Olúo Popó and Ogún».

They set out, and when they reached those lands the first one they met was Eshu. Otala Mobani paid him homage and offered him epo. They entered the land, and on reaching the settlement Ogún came out towards them with his machete, a mallet and his war club, ready to face them. But on recognising Orishaokó he calmed down, and seeing that he came accompanied he asked: «Who is this?» Orishaokó answered: «He is your son». Ogún looked at him closely and recognised him at once by a bracelet he wore on his wrist, which he had given him when he was small.

Orishaokó said to Ogún: «Yes, he is your son Otala Mobani, who has come from very far by the mandate of Ifá to receive the power of the sorcerer that belongs to him». Ogún fetched his pick, began to dig the ground and pulled out a pot. He said to his son: «This is the secret of your power in these lands, and it is called ‘Umbati Aleyo Ikoko Alabamú’». Ogún and Orishaokó blessed Otala Mobani, while Ogún placed his weapons in the pot and Otala Mobani offered akuko and eyele meyi dun dun to them both in the joro joro. Thus he received the power to rule those lands, and from then on no one could disturb his happiness. He lived in peace and harmony in his land, always accompanied by his father Ogún and his companions Orishaokó and Eshu.

NOTE: The holder of this Ifá carries with him a pot or charm placed in an iron cauldron. It includes: seven otas, 7 igui, ada okan, a club of akana, a mallet of igui jiki, a bracelet okan, a shield, an obe, a moon, a sea ball, an eñi from Good Friday, leri of arriero, gunugun owiwi, siju owl, sparrowhawk, woodpecker and puffin. It is fed with akuko, eyele, owunko, akuaro, etu and it lives beside Ogún and Orishaokó.

In this Ifá is born the secret of the land of Olúo Popó, where all his children must be initiated with Orishaokó and a knife. It is an Ifá connected with sorcery, and it deals with matters of inherited charms from relatives or by the design of some eggun of the person.

The unbelieving man

There was once a man who was going through many difficulties. He lived in misery and was despised by everyone who knew him, all because he believed in nothing.

One day a spiritist woman who lived in the same town told him that his situation was the consequence of his unbelief, and that if he wished to change his financial position he should go and visit Orunmila, a diviner who would help him.

The man began to blaspheme and told the woman that all of it was a lie, and that he believed in nothing and in no one but himself.

Weary and disheartened, the man met Eshu, who took pity on him and said: «I will help you, so that you can improve and no longer be an object of mockery». Elegbá led him to Orunmila’s house.

Eshu spoke with Orunmila and told him everything that was happening to the poor man. Orunmila decided to give him a reading with the oracle. There he saw this sign and told him he had to perform an ebbo. Reluctantly, and still unbelieving, the man agreed to perform the ebbo. Orunmila instructed him: «Take the ebbo to the foot of a tree along with the akuko and the abo you were to bring, and give the abo to whoever takes a liking to you. That is how your luck will change».

The man left Orunmila’s house and followed every instruction. While he was placing the ebbo and the akuko at the foot of a tree, a man came up who, on seeing the ram, began to stroke it and said: «How beautiful it is». The man remembered Orunmila’s words and asked him whether he wanted the ram, saying he would give it to him. The man, who turned out to be Shangó, accepted at once, and as a reward granted him riches.

And so that unbelieving man began to prosper, and he was respected and admired by all those who had once despised him.

Where Olofin shared out his powers among the saints

At the dawn of the earth and of humanity, it was inhabited only by saints, whose supreme leader was an old man named Olofín, who lived on the summit of a mountain that was hard to reach. All who had tried to climb up to him had failed in the attempt.

There was a saint named Obatalá, who knew a winding but safe road that could take him to the summit, known as the road of Osagriñán. Whenever Obatalá felt the wish to do so, he communicated with Olofín, the supreme leader who governed without being seen by his subjects.

It happened that things on earth began to go backwards. The harvests turned barren, drought came, the grasses and pastures dried up, the cattle were disappearing and nothing prospered. The spirit of the saints began to grow uneasy.

A crowd made its way to the foot of the mountain and began to plead with the father: «Father, you must do something for us and for our world, for otherwise we shall all perish». But the hill did not answer; Olofín remained silent.

Then the saints grew impatient and desperate, and in one last attempt they begged Obatalá to climb the mountain.

Obatalá Osagriñán prepared himself and took the road to the summit, skirting the mountain, and was lost from sight high above. At last he reached Olofín’s feet. The old man was lying on the ground, and Obatalá called his name again and again, but the old man did not answer.

Obatalá shook him, pulling at his clothes, and the old man finally answered: «I can do no more».

At this, Obatalá came down from the mountain and presented himself before the other saints, telling them: «Olofín can do no more, he is spent». All the saints exclaimed: «If he can do no more, let him hand over his powers to us; we shall manage».

Obatalá returned to Olofín’s dwelling and told him: «The people want you to make one supreme effort». But Olofín answered: «I can do no more». Then Obatalá said: «The people want you to share out your powers among them». Olofín answered: «That is just; call a gathering at the foot of the ceiba», and he said nothing more.

Osagriñan went to the ceiba and got black-eyed peas, okra, maize flour, eku, eyá, awadó, gbogbo eré and other adimús that pleased the saints, and put them in a pot. He added ori and summoned everyone to the gathering. The saints ate and enjoyed themselves while they waited for old Olofín. In the afternoon they saw the old man coming down the hill. On arriving he said: «I can do no more, I am weary». To which the saints answered: «Then give us something to carry on with and to remedy this situation».

Olofín said: «Each one shall receive his own». Raising his eyes to the sky, he took a bolt of lightning and gave it to Shangó, saying: «You shall be the owner of the lightning bolt». Stretching out his hand, he caught a flash and gave it to Oyá, saying: «You shall be the owner of the flash». Bending his body, he took water from the river and gave it to Oshún, saying: «You shall be the owner of the rivers». Holding the sea in his hand, he took water and gave it to Yemayá, saying: «You shall be the owner of the seas». And so on, giving each saint what belonged to him. He left Obatalá for last and told him: «From today you shall be the owner of the heads».

In this way Olofín shared out the ashé among the saints and granted power to each one. After this distribution, all the saints who were present went to Orunmila’s house and told him what had happened. Then Orunmila made a reading with the oracle and this Ifá came out. Orunmila marked ebó, prepared it and sent for Eshu. Seeing all the saints gathered at Orunmila’s house, Eshu asked: «Who has sent for me? I answer only to Orunmila’s call». Orunmila told Eshu what he had prepared, and Eshu grew angry. Orunmila said to him: «What is the matter with you? Do you want to cause more trouble?». Eshu answered: «It is not that; it is that no one takes me into account». Orunmila asked him: «What do you want?» And Eshu answered: «I want dominion over the world, and to be placed where everyone greets me before anyone else». Orunmila said to Eshu: «Your wish shall be granted». Then Orunmila placed Eshu behind the entrance door of Olofín’s house.

Orunmila performed the ebó and then showed each one his road, sending them back to their homes.

Days later, Obatalá approached Olofín’s dwelling as usual, without knocking at the door. From inside, however, they told him: «You cannot come in without first greeting Elegbá with this suyere: ‘eshuro Elegbá la eee, eshuro Elegbá la eee, Elegbá la moforibale, Elegbá lasargo’». Obatalá had to sing this, ask Elegbá’s permission, and only then could he enter the ile of Olofín.

Ifá says that the ceremony in honour of Oduduwa is to be performed, that the reading is made for all the initiated, and that the reading is made for Orunmila.

On this path it is necessary to make Osha and Oduduwa. Oddun must be received and all the Saints must be attended to.