Otura Meyi

The path of the orangutans

The keneke orangutans wished to change their condition, for they were tired of being what they were and longed to become people instead of animals. When Orunmila examined them, this Ifá came out and he ordered them to make ebó, and told them further that they must keep silent so as not to run ahead of events. The orangutans left and later gathered to weigh up Orunmila’s words. They believed Orunmila had deceived them, since they thought Olokun could solve their problem without any need for the ebó, and that there was no need to stay quiet either.

While they were gathered, Elegbá arrived and told them that the following day Olofin would turn them into people. Their joy was such that they forgot to put right what had happened with Orunmila and began to dance and celebrate the news, singing: «Tomorrow Olorun is going to make us people». Elegbá, who was watching over them, saw their disobedience and reported it to Olorun. The next day, Olorun ordered the orangutans to be brought and told them to put all their hands on the ground. When they did so, Olorun announced that, for their disobedience and for speaking of everything before it happened, they would remain animals for the rest of their lives.

You do not want to make ebbo; well, your outlay will be in animals, and because of your own mouth you will find yourself lost.

The crab and its head

There was a man who had no head, but who managed very well with his hands, so well that he took possession of everything. The crab was good, noble and fatally trusting. One day, that man, his friend, was lent his head as a favour. At that time, Olofin had summoned everyone to the house of Oke to discuss who would be capable of leading the Earth. The man did rather well with the head the crab had lent him. He observed, looked around him and spoke with such eloquence that Olofin did not doubt his intelligence and named him chief leader on Earth.

The crab, who had not attended that gathering, waited impatiently for his friend at the foot of the hill. When the man saw him, in a loud voice he asked: «What are you doing there? I am waiting for you to give me back my head. Know that I have decided to keep it. There is no need for you to hold on to it. Every time you ask me for it, I shall lend it to you. So give it back to me, for I need it tonight. You know», said the man, «that I need it more than you do. Today I was named leader of the whole Earth, so consider yourself headless and trouble me no further».

The crab, upset, protested, but having no direction, he staggered about aimlessly. The man, with his manatee whip, which Olofin had given him as a token of his office, cracked it and threatened him, saying that if he bothered him again he would destroy him. The crab could not bear such baseness, but being threatened and cowed by the whip, in his flight he rolled on his back down the hill, and two little stones settled into place forming his eyes.

That is how the crab, headless today, owes his state to the selfishness of the man who took it from him.

Where the children of Orunmila respect the octopus and the crab

Orunmila was being pursued by a tribe of unbelievers, and felt harried and lost. He carried his Ifá around his waist, wrapped in a sash. The tribe had him cornered, so Orunmila took off the sash and placed it at the entrance of Ilekan, preventing his Ifá from falling into the hands of the unbelievers and keeping them from discovering his secret. Orunmila kept running until he reached a cliff that jutted out into the sea. Finding himself cornered, Orunmila threw himself into the sea, and the octopus, who was watching him, released its ink to cloud the water. When the unbelievers came up to the cliff and saw the sea stained red, they said among themselves: «There is nothing left to worry about, Orunmila is dead. Look at his blood».

Orunmila, realising the danger had passed, said to the octopus: «As long as the world exists, neither I nor my children will eat you. To iban Eshu». Then Orunmila went back to fetch his Ifá, but on arriving he could not find the place where he had left it. He began to pray, and out of the cave came a crab, who handed him the Ifá with its claws. Orunmila said to the crab: «Neither I nor my children will eat you. To Iban Eshu».

The odyssey of otura meyi in the arara land

Otura Meyi was married to the daughter of a military man, named Tshe Balov. She had the flaw of being very curious, and when he noticed this, he warned her that it was a very bad thing in life and that she should stop being curious for her own good. One year, she asked her husband to work the fields. So Otura Meyi told his ignorant wife to find someone to work that land. At that moment, Ikú (death) came to work along with his children, among whom were Goudu (leprosy), Tadou (headache), Boto (smallpox), Koma Sala (diarrhoea), Ahombo (syphilis) and all of Ikú’s daughters, who stood for the diseases.

They all went to work by night on Otura Meyi’s farm. The woman, uneasy at seeing so many people, wanted to know who those mysterious workers were whom her husband had asked for help. One evening she said to Otura Meyi: «I am going out for a moment and will be right back». But instead of going anywhere else, she hid behind the thickets in Otura Meyi’s fields. Suddenly, Goudu stopped working, lifted his head, sniffed and sensed a human being nearby. Without thinking twice, he lunged at the thicket, seized the woman and killed her, not knowing who she was, tearing off her head and leaving her stretched out in the middle of the field.

In the morning, as he did every day, Otura Meyi went to his plantation to see the work done. There he found his wife’s head and cried out: «How much I taught you to respect. Curiosity has undone you, but now it is too late».

The ball of clay is moulded in the shape of a human head, and cowries are set in it for the eyes, nose, mouth and ears. Hair is added and it is wrapped in a cloth. The feathers are placed on top of it and it is sprinkled with the blood of the adie, then covered with a white handkerchief. On a small wooden board, it is covered with efun and the sign «Otura Meyi» is marked. Everything is placed on the roof of the person’s house. The ebbo is wrapped in a brown handkerchief.

The idlers

As this oddun tells it, long ago in Dacca there was a house looked after by a burly, well-built oarsman who was nonetheless very kind, attentive and warm. On one occasion he received a visit from Elegbá and Shangó, who had come to tour the town called Bantú in order to help the ministers of the worship of their religion. The pastor who kept the house in Dacca received them most warmly and did his best to make their stay in the Yoruba city pleasant. One day he arranged an excursion for them across the wide bay, crossing it from one side to the other. For this he hired the services of a boatman named Biaya. When the moment came, the three burly ministers of Olofin embarked in Biaya’s boat, and he began to row rhythmically, in competition with the burning sun beating straight down, for the crossing was long.

However, halfway across the bay, the strokes of Biaya’s oars grew visibly weaker, the boat slowed and the scene turned sombre and romantic. At that moment the pastor of Dacca, hands joined and head humbly bowed, pleaded: «Olofin, bless brother Biaya and grant him the strength he needs to carry out his mission». Then Aggayú let go of the right oar and wiped the sweat from his brow with his hand, as if to spur on the athletic Shangó and Elegbá, as well as the burly pastor. A Christian took over, cried Olofin, and the oars were seized, because whoever does not row here will have to swim.

The idlers did not want to row, because biaya was very strong and they wanted to lean on him.

Dacca means Eyo (tragedy). Bantú is where the ñangareo was born. Kos means idlers.

The four roots of the world

Osha Griniyan was ordered by Olofin to descend to the Earth as the dispenser of civilisation. On his journey he performed the osode divination with his okpele at each of the four great halts he made in the four regions of space, distributing men across four primitive countries. These four primitive countries were called Aiye Ashe Olofin (countries created by God) and were as follows: Ariwa Orun, Osiyani, Atiwa Orun and Atiwa Oluo. Each of them was founded on a different day of the week. Osiyani was the last to arise, and with it was born the Yoruba people, destined for a noble future.

Atiwa Oluo: it lay in the west.

Atiwa Orun: it lay in the east.

Ariwa Orun: it lay in the north.

Osiyani: it lay in the south.

In each country Osha Griniyan placed an object of stone as a symbol. In Atiwa Oluo, a white stone; in Ariwa Orun, an odu-ara; in Atiwa Orun, an ota from the river; and in Osiyani, an ota from the sea. He also linked each region with a colour, an element and a sign of Ifá that stood for its destiny. Atiwa Orun was linked with the colour red, the sign of fire and the symbol of Oddi Meyi. Ariwa Orun with the colour black and Oyekun Meyi. Atiwa Oluo with the colour brown (a mixture of red, black and white) and Iwori Meyi. Osiyani with the colour white and Baba Eyiogbe.

Once this task of ordering humanity was finished, with the arrival of the orishas and their union with the women of the Earth, the human lineages arose. Even so, the Earth was thinly peopled. Later, the children of Ifá came down from the firmament to preach and to shape destiny, announcing the appearance of supernatural beings who would establish family lines. These children of Ifá are the oddun, personified symbols of destiny. Every clan, every person is linked with an oddun that determines their destiny. As is known, these beings rose from the rivers, emerged from great settlements in the ground, came down from the mountains like rain or leapt from the trees.

The merchant’s loss

There was a merchant who carried goods from one place to another. He had an advantage over the rest on journeys through the mountains, something the others could not manage because the transport went by road. On the descent, the others’ donkeys would bolt and the goods were lost. That did not happen to him, however, because he fitted out his cart so that it would not slip. In time, with the amount of work he had, he had to look for an assistant, and they became good friends. One day the assistant asked him how he kept his mules from slipping on the mountains, and he taught him the secret. That was his mistake, for the assistant set up in competition and so he lost his business.

In each hand, Otura Meyi carries 8 otases, making a total of 16 asheses.

The importance of the ñangareo

Shangó used to go out walking through the neighbouring lands to observe their different states and situations. On one of his journeys he came to a land called Ara Male and noticed a great difference in the way he was received compared with other lands. In Ara Male the inhabitants performed a ceremony called «moforibale» that lasted until midday. It consisted of praying around a jícara of saraeko, which for them served as breakfast and lunch. Shangó visited Ara Male again and was struck by the harmony and calm of that people, which caused him great concern given the grave problem he faced in Takua, a land at war with all the neighbouring lands. Because of the troubles in Takua, no ceremony of the saints could be held there. Shangó considered taking a boat and returning to the land of Ara Male, striking with his robe all the people gathered there. As they scattered, he took with him the jícara of saraeko, which was prayed over not only to Olodumare but also to the eggun. Shangó sent for earth and sand to seat the jícara of saraeko and performed a ceremony, consulting Olodumare and the eggun with the coconut.

For this reason, before carrying out the itá, the ñangareo must be performed. Shangó was able to wage his great wars against all the lands neighbouring Takua thanks to the power of Obatalá and by rendering account to the supreme being, Olodumare, the Sun. For this reason, on the day of the itá, coconut is not given to the dead near the drain, because in the ñangareo account is rendered to Olofin and to the eggun, the supreme beings of the universe.

The path where eggun is fed at the plantain stump

Olofin had an important pact with all the young eggun. The chief among them was Omonifa, the second was Oronifa and the third was Eggun Yoyekun. They lived in the land of Obaniyen, a land of great respect. Olofin had granted them great powers so that they would be respected. At a certain point, however, Olofin sent them to the land of Asokun Nifa because they were not respecting one another.

When they reached the land of Asokun Nifa, one of them carried an agogó, the second carried an agada and the third carried pieces of rotten eran malu with otí. Along the way they sang: «Ifá Lade Nifa, Ifá Lade Nifa, Eggun Omolorogun Olofin, Agada Eggun Masokun Awo Mayere». This announced that something bad was coming and that everyone would fall ill because of the lack of respect. Otura Meyi, on earth, began to weep and to sing: «keunilokun Eggun Nanun Ikú Walorode, Ifá Jekua Baba Oduduwa Kanire, Ikú Basigun Baba Kuelele».

Oduduwa heard this and grew angry because Awo Mayere was not being respected. He allowed the three powers to sicken all the food and to spoil the plants and herbs, which resulted in everyone falling ill. The three eggun approached Awo Mayere, paid him homage and told him they had done it so that they would be respected and taken into account. Then they called Oduduwa, and he came; they paid him homage and asked him what he thought of the matter. Oduduwa gave them his blessing and said: «I am going to prepare a great meal». Then they sent for Shangó, but they said there was no need for Shangó to come. Awo Mayere forgave everyone and everything returned to normal.

Oduduwa went to an oguede tree where Otura Meyi had marked, and placed his machete and eran malu there. He offered sacrifice to the three eggun, and each one sang and cleansed Awo Mayere with doves while they prayed for all the people of the earth. The eggun sang: «sarayeye Iyanire Awo Awo Malan Lode, Awo Sarayeye, Eyele Lakun Lode, Sarayeye Olodumare, Olofin Oyeni Como Ifá». The three doves were eaten and the sickness and unrest disappeared.

Here, Shangó eats alone in the middle of the yard during the ñangareo. An apaya and an akuko are offered to him, and when the prayer is made to call Shangó it is said: «Shangó Oba Orun, Olodumare Wa, Eggun Mafun Olofin, Kawo Kariestin, Omo Niyekun Kieko Olofin, Okan Y Oke Aka Kamasi, 1- Oronifa, 2- Omoifa, 3- Yoyekun Ba Osa Olofin Ni Eni Iba Ola Leri Okokonibele Olofin Abo Ibe, Odupue Aroni Shangó.”

The pact of orishaoko afefeiku

In times past, Orisha Oko was the king of Oke and faced a problem. Everything he sowed by day appeared eaten the next morning, and this was his greatest worry. He decided to consult Ifá and Otura Meyi came out, where alternations between day and night are spoken of. Ifá revealed to him that a hidden being devoured by night what he sowed by day, and that he must make a sacrifice (ebbo) with Adaba Meyi, 2 mourning doves, eru, grains, gbogbo tenuyen and owo la meyo. At dusk he was to offer the eyerbale of those Adaba together with everything else on the sown ground, and keep watch.

So he did, and what a surprise it was when he saw hundreds of tiny okoto (cowries) of brilliant colours coming out to eat in the planted field. In the place where he had made the sacrifice there were eight cowries that were the largest and seemed to be the leaders of the rest. They were paralysed by the magic of the sacrifice. Orisha Oko gathered them up and put them in his bag, then took them to Orunmila’s house for a consultation with his okpele. Otura Meyi came out again, saying that everything had been fulfilled. To the surprise of both, the cowries inside the bag began to sing: «Orisha Oko, oja mi ni korokoto aun to mo ni yo korokoto», proving the word of Orisha Oko.

Amazed, they took them out of the bag and they spoke, revealing that the eight cowries were the personification of a very powerful spirit of Aiye, the earth. They worked with Kaoro during the 19 rains, and if Orisha Oko wanted his plantings to prosper, he must make a pact with the spirit, who was a vassal of Kukute, death. So they sealed that pact with Orisha Oko. From that day on, they clear the weeds from Orisha Oko’s plantings. That is why they always hang from Orisha Oko’s parasol, as a sign of the nocturnal sovereignty of Kukute and Orisha Oko, for the consecration and fertilisation of the seeds in the sown field.

The omo of igbo

In remote times, Orunmila was the god of the land of the omo of Ibo, where there were always ounyen eure and adie, that is, Ifá ceremonies being made. The Ibo, however, also wished to eat as Orunmila did. Seeing the envy they bore him, one day Orunmila grew so displeased that he went to the land of the omo of Eru, which was the land of Ife. Orunmila walked towards the land of Ife and came upon two rather strange trees. Orunmila, who was a fisherman in the land of the white men, went on walking along the seashore to make his way to the land of Eru. But as he stepped, he raised his legs high as though he were leaping over some obstacle in his way, and since he was going along the shore, he sank into the sand. This is one of the first ceremonies the neophyte must perform.

Orunmila decided to take a leaf from that tree, and as he drew near he saw a sack full of ikines; he took it and went on his way. Further on he saw another tree just like the first, with another sack hanging from it, and full of curiosity he took it, and on opening it he realised that the oddun painted on it was the same as before, and that it was Otura Meyi. Orunmila continued on his way, and on reaching the land of Ife he became Awo Luwani Eri.

NOTE: It is because of this path that the neophyte, on entering the igbodun during his route, must take long strides as though leaping over something. It is also the reason why a piece of mariwo must be tied to the bare leg when Tente Manió is done, as with the Oluo and the Oyugbona. In this Ifá, Ifá is not to be made for white men; here eku is given to Orunmila.

Ayapa, akuko for Shangó and Eshu, osiadie for ebbo or oparaldo. Ñari inle, atitan and leri of akuko for umbeboro.

Do not keep another’s money

There was a very rich man, and one day another man came to him and politely asked him to keep a sack of money for him. The rich man agreed to keep the sack without checking its contents, which were in fact only grains of maize. After a few days, the owner of the sack came back to collect it, and the rich man called his servant to hand it over. Seeing that he was being given back the very sack he had brought, the owner of the sack began to protest, saying that this was not his sack, that his sack was full of money, and he refused to accept it. To avoid being accused of theft, the rich man ordered his servant to fill the sack with money and hand it to him.

The smallest one was the one who accepted

Olofin went out walking and came upon a hill in his path. He could neither pass it nor move it. So he called all the babalawos, but none of them accepted the challenge. The youngest of them, however, decided to take it on, because he had made an ebbo with jutías, an akuko and $11.00. He placed the ebbo on top of the hill and suddenly a volcano opened, splitting the hill in two. And so Olofin was able to go on his way.

Orunmila and the thieving schoolboys

Orunmila had a farm, and the schoolboys from the other world came to steal his food. Orunmila decided to make a sacrifice (ebbo) with different kinds of food, a rope, a machete and an akuko (rooster). During the night the schoolboys came and climbed down the rope. As soon as they had come down, Orunmila cut the rope with the machete. The schoolboys were delighted on entering, because they found plenty of food and drink. They began to eat and drink so much that they fell fast asleep. When day broke, they were found and all arrested and taken away as prisoners.

Another version of the previous path

Orunmila had a farm, and Mañu came every night from heaven to eat the crops. Orunmila decided to make a sacrifice (ebbo) with food and a bottle of oti, and took it to his farm. Mañu came, ate and drank until he fell asleep. When he woke up weary, it was already day. So Mañu made for heaven and asked for a rope, the very one Orunmila had cut with the machete. And ever since, Mañu is found on earth.

Olofin and the breeding of horses

Olofin gave horses to the old men to breed, but he did not provide them with mares. The old men, without noticing, accepted the animals and promised to hand over the young in a short time. Olofin then called the old men and threatened them, telling them that if they did not deliver the agreed offspring, he would cut off their heads. The old men left in tears, fearing for their lives because of their mistake.

The son of one of the old men, seeing them weeping and learning of the situation, decided to step in. He went to Olofin’s house and told him he had witnessed the birth of a colt. Olofin replied that horses could not give birth. The young man then explained to Olofin that, while it was true that horses could not give birth, he was asking the old men to give him horse offspring. Only then did Olofin grasp the young man’s cunning. Thanks to this, all the old men were saved.

The path where the crab brings out Ifá

Orunmila was being pursued by his enemies and was about to be caught. He reached the seashore and decided to plunge into the water to save himself. However, since he carried his Ifá in two small bags, he decided to hide it on the shore so as to retrieve it once his enemies had gone. Orunmila did this quickly, for his enemies arrived just as he was entering the sea. His enemies searched for him everywhere, including along the shore, for a long time, until they gave him up for lost at sea and departed.

Orunmila came out of the sea and went to fetch his Ifá where he had hidden it, but on reaching the spot he was astonished, for his Ifá was not there. Orunmila searched everywhere and, after a long search without success, he knelt down to beg Olofin to make his Ifá appear. He began to recite the prayer of Baba Ejiogbe and was amazed to see a crab come out of its hole with 2 ikin (coconut shells) in each claw. Orunmila went on praying the meyis, but another 8 were missing to complete his Ifá. So Orunmila prayed the oddun of his godfather, of his oyubona and of his grandfather, and finally his own, thus completing his Ifá.

Ever since, whenever Orunmila sets out on a journey, he keeps his Ifá in a special leather sash that he wears against his skin beneath his clothes, so as never to be parted from his Ifá again.

NOTE: This oddun indicates that the awoses must know the prayer of their godfather, oyubona and grandfather, besides their own.