Otura Roso

The revenge of Olosi

There was a village where everyone worked in the fields. In that village lived Olosi, a man who used to trouble everybody. One day, Olosi approached the wife of another man called Fulano. When Fulano found out, he decided to confront Olosi, but he could do him no harm, since this man was protected by Olofin. So Olosi went to Arun and asked him for a favour: to make Fulano ill. Arun answered that he had already tried, without success. Then Arun went to Olofin and asked him why he could not make Fulano ill if he was doing harm. Olofin answered that Fulano was protected by him and that so it had been decided. Arun went back to Olosi and told him he could do nothing, since Fulano was protected by Olofin. Olosi understood that neither he nor Arun could harm Fulano, but he resolved to confront him somehow.

Eleda obori: Ewe French purslane, okra leaves, hierba la niña, yam leaves, rainwater, iyefa of Orunmila.

The man of the akuko

There was a village where an akuko lived at the entrance, on an igui of moruro. This akuko was the watchman of the village. When it died, the awo of the village made osode to see what was happening and to take the necessary measures to place another akuko as watchman. A man who made his living gathering root crops and grain on the beach to resell them was going through hard times; his business was not prospering. He went to see Orunmila and was given osode. On seeing this Ifá, Orunmila told him that his delays were due to witchcraft his enemies were working against him. He ordered him to make ebbo with the witchcraft he found near his house.

The first thing he found was an akuko that had been left in his yard. He took it and brought it to Orunmila, who made ebbo with it and then ordered him to bury it in an igui of moruro of his own height. He instructed him to make the akuko live upon the igui. After making the ebbo, people began to look for the grain seller, and the traders sent them straight to the house of the man with the akuko. So many people came to buy from him that his business prospered and he stopped buying damaged goods. Every day, the akuko that belonged to Shangó and Oduduwa woke him at 4 a.m. so that he would go and buy goods wholesale in the marketplace and then sell them to the public, something he did not do at the marketplace.

The man came to prosper so much in his business that he established relations with the best traders in the village and earned a great deal of money. One day he went to Orunmila’s house and told him that he needed to perform a ceremony with the igui and the akuko. Orunmila told him to bring refuse from the marketplace and placed it beside the igui. Then he gave an unyen to the akuko and prayed: «osun Duro Kola, Otura Bairosun Dubule Ni Timbeduro Ni Adeni Gagameta Balomi Ile Loya». Afterwards he made Ifá for him and Otura Rosun came out, where Orunmila told him that he had to perform this ceremony frequently in order to keep his good fortune in the world. He also instructed him to give eyerbale of akuko in every corner of his house. That is how Otura Rosun secured his fortune on earth.

In this Ifá, milk in the ñangareo was born; akuko grifo is given to Shakuana.

When the rooster crows at four in the morning, it is the guide of Oduduwa and the first proclamation of Shangó.

Here the dish of Osun was born

TO DRINK: red mangrove, plantain herb, romerillo, one soursop leaf. Give to Elegbá, Oggún and Oshosi.

Orunmila and Olofin sent Oniroso, an awo oriwa, to earth to govern that land, which was the beginning of the world. However, he had no backing of any kind. Seeing that he could not meet the expectations of Olofin and Orunmila, he despaired and began to sing and call to Olofin: «baba Ara Orilokun Olofin Omo Oni Roso Omo Orun Oliva«. He did so every day until Olofin heard him and called Osun, saying: «I am sending you to the land of Oniroso under the name ‘Ika Roso’ so that you may be the one who sustains all the children of the earth».

Osun, not entirely satisfied, asked: «My father, when must I go?» Olofin answered: «In sixteen days». Osun said: «Very well, my father; if I need something, will you send it to me?». Olofin kept silent for a moment and then answered: «Take these 4 positions, which are the 4 corners of the world, and live within them. But when you arrive, you must visit awo oriwa to receive his ashé». Osun set off along the road singing: «Akuelerun Baba Lode Omi Oriwa Osun Guede».

Awo oriwa rejoiced greatly when Osun arrived, and the two knelt down. Awo oriwa handed the world over to Osun and told him he was going to where Olofin was. They left at once, and Osun began to govern the land of Oniroso with great difficulty, though things improved a little. Osun prayed: «otura Obani, Otura Onani Moro Ifá Guolaba Onire, Oba Oniroso Ifá Odara».

Ejiogbe appeared and brought him an akuko fun fun and said: «This is the great fulfilment for you; keep it and carry it with you everywhere». Awo oriwa prayed: «iroso Onire Ifá Odara» and knelt, asking for Olofin’s blessing. Ejiogbe told him: «You are still missing something, but it will come when you need it to drive death away. You will be transformed». The time came when Ikú (death) would not leave the land of Oniroso, and Osun was in despair in his house. He went out onto the road and met Iroso and told him everything that was happening to him, then went on his way singing: «iyalode Abebe Yokun Sogua Iyami Molala».

At that moment, Oshún appeared and placed 16 shaguro (bells) on Osun. Osun made foribale and ran off saying: «shaguro Ikú Gureo, Shaguro Ni Gureo«. Ikú, on hearing that, ran off and left. Osun, however, was still hungry and had nowhere to eat. He began to weep (soku).

Olofin was watching him and, seeing that it was true, that he was missing something, the great command. Otura Roso came and brought him a dish, to complete and to confirm and secure Osun. They gathered — “ iRoso Meyi, Ejogbe, Ika Roso, Iroso Ka, Otura Roso” — and consecrated him, and Osun began to sing: “Ifá Mayunimo Ifá Madubule Duro Ganga La Bosi Awo Akonu Moro Okanadeo Duro Ganga La Rosi Awo.” And he knelt and gave thanks to Olofin and Ifá.

If it is an awo of Orunmila or an iyalosha, the osun must be present while the ebbo is being made, at the person’s side. On this path the dish of Osun was born; osun was born in iroso meyi, out of the world’s need and Olofin’s mandate, came to ika roso through a matter of Oshún, came to Iroso sa for the fulfilment of the world and ended in Otura Roso. If it is an awo, a small piece of moruro in each hand. In Otura Roso a goat is given to the warriors, 3 eyele, osiadie meta; Osun is left in the yard for 3 days and plenty of water is poured over him; the goat is divided into three parts or taken to the bush. The person will have his own dish and cutlery for personal use. 2 adie will be given to Oyá.

Since then all the awoses look at themselves every day

Otura Mun, an awo who was having bad luck and for whom everything went wrong, decided to seek his fortune in the street and met his brother, Irosun Tunialara, to whom he told everything that was happening to him and the difficult situation he was in. His brother suggested going to the house of Awo Ororun, and together they sang: «baba Ororun Ifá Agba Nimu Agbaire Otura Mun». When they arrived, Awo Ororun made osode for them and the sign Otura Rosun came out, which was his Ifá, and revealed to him that his secret lay in the land of Dide Obi, where Oyá governed, and that he had to make an ebbo.

However, Otura Mun did not have the items needed for the ebbo, but Irosun Tunialara gave him the adie that Orunmila had asked for. So Otura Mun set out for the land of Dide Obi and met Oyá, who began to help him, and his luck began to improve. Yet, seeing himself well off, he decided not to make osode every day, but only when he felt like it. Shangó, who visited that land often, saw him and warned him that the babalawo must watch over his fortune every day in order to know what he had to do, just as a merchant watches his business. But Otura Mun paid no heed, and Shangó cast a shepe upon him, which made his luck worsen.

When Shangó’s shepe reached his chest and he began to feel difficulty breathing, he remembered Shangó’s words. He made osode and saw this Ifá; he took his Ifá and placed it on the ground, beginning to call Oyá and offering her the adie as food for his Ifá. Oyá began to eat of the adie and then offered an adie sherewe (speckled) that she had to Iyanzan, while singing: «adele Onimu Ifalayeo.. Onimu Onimu Agbadelenifa Onimu Onimu Adele Onimu Boriboyeo… Onimu Onimu Agbadelenifa Onimu Onimu.»

Then Iyanzan took the feathers of the adie, efun, and performed a sarayeye, loading the adie and carrying it to the house of Yewá. From that moment Otura Mun began to recover and looked at himself every day. Since then, all awo look at themselves every day and know when things are going well for them (whether it suits them) or not. Thus his luck began to improve, and Otura Rosun, in gratitude towards his brother Irosun Tunialara, named him his assistant in that land, where from time to time they shared the food of Ifá with Iyanzan. Even so, Otura Mun still suffered from problems in his chest and difficulty breathing because of the shepe that Shangó had cast upon him.

Otura Rosun and Osun are drawn on the floor with efun; the loose Ifá is placed on top, the food is poured over it (as for an Ifá), and beside it the offering is set for iyanzan; obi is given to Iyanzan only; the adie dun dun are killed for iyanzan and Orunmila, and the speckled abeboadie is given to iyanzan alone. The awo unyen of the adele; the abeboadie is opened and the iñales are taken out together with efun and gbogbo ere, eku, eya, awado, orí, epo, efun and asho mesan; a sarayeye is done, the abeboadie is loaded with what came from the sarayeye and goes to ilé Yewá; Orunmila’s adie are roasted, set before him, and the next day they go to ilé Loya.

How Azojuano saved the land of Madua

There was an oba in the land of Madagua who suffered from problems of the blood, the chest and the respiratory system, and felt very weakened. While he was healthy the people loved him, but when he fell ill the people began to avoid him and to keep away from him. This oba was a son of Azojuano and worshipped him deeply; he had a great love for his Azojuano. One day Azojuano called him and asked what was happening to him, and the oba told him everything.

Azojuano said to him: «Very well, let them scorn you and abandon you; I will take care of that». Azojuano took a great quantity of sesame (amati) and scattered it over the roofs of his son’s enemies. The next day, when the sun began to beat down on the enemies’ roofs, the sesame started to burst and a great epidemic broke out in that land, where they had despised and abandoned the son of Azojuano.

The people, seeing what had happened, ran to Orunmila’s house, and he saw this Ifá for them and ordered them to make an ebbo at once. He told them to go to the marketplace and buy tripe, a chicken, hen’s eggs, sesame, green plantains, palm oil and a cloth of many colours. They all ran to make the ebbo, and then Orunmila instructed them to carry their ebbo offering as an act of reconciliation and amends to Azojuano, in honour of his son. Those who carried out the ebbo were saved.

The path of how the mud that has its own government was formed

On this path, the land was governed by the awo Ogue Llorun, who lived in constant strife and respected no one. He had his great secret buried in the earth, which was his iyare, and every day he performed a ritual in which he separated the otí and the oñí, while he cursed and sang: «shekelerun Afefe Iya Mayere Afefe Elegbá Manito Kolaye». The wind would come and carry off all the sand, and the poor sand felt hurt by the stones and by the great mistreatment of Ogue Llorun, because of the enormous powers he held.

Añari, the sand, dreamed one night that, in order to defeat and put an end to the great powers of Ogue Llorun, she had to make a great call to Oní and to Eggun. However, Oní never paid her any attention and lived in great terror and pride. One day Eggun came to Añari, who felt uneasy in his presence and drove him away. Eggun, offended, began to sing: «guere Ni Mague Bogbo Ashe Magua Nari Guaguao Sheke Afefe Lerun Omi Tagualekun».

A great storm broke out and Eggun said that this would happen to them. He decided to make them both slaves, so that they would serve in different tasks and would turn into mud with a foul smell. The people began to complain, but the awo Ifá Erún answered that he would do what he could so that they might walk upon the earth, though he could not remove it altogether, since that moment had to exist: every time it rained, the mud would come.

Awo Ifá Erún went out in search of Eggun, who had hidden himself because of his arrogance and the sorrow he had caused. He prayed to him, saying: «baba Awo Lolo Mayeni Olofin, Awo Olo Olórun, Foribale Bobo Nile Omo Timbelaye Onire Eggun Lekun Erun, Iba She Baba Jekuá Eggun Moforibale». Eggun, who was nearby, heard this and came walking towards him. Olofin told Eggun that he had to help, because if the mud continued the christians would disappear. Eggun told Inlé that he was mistaken and asked him to look for Orishaoko so that he might help.

So Eggun and Orishaoko began to sow in order to keep the mud from spreading. In this way they were able to fulfil Olofin’s will. Even so, Eggun’s curse always remained, and every time it rains, mud will form because of that disobedience.

All the components of this ebbo are placed in an igba, opening a hole in the earth and going to Oggún; the igba carries the mixture of sand and mud and earth, and the heads go inside the ebbo; orí to the omiero, and the blood of the doves must be poured over it.

This ebbo carries a machete and a hoe.

The oxen of Olofin

In the land of Otura Roso Mun lived Ide Koshero, who was a son of Oduduwa and the king of that realm. He had a son who was the head of the palace guard. Ide Koshero Ake kept carnal relations with a woman who was a dancer of his court and who wished to become Ayaba, that is, the queen of that realm. She went with that purpose to see Orunmila, who saw this Ifá for her and told her that she would never attain the position of queen in this world, and that she should plot nothing.

She began to scheme against the king in order to take the place of Ayaba. She seduced the head of the guard, the Balogun, who was the king’s son. One day, when the plot was under way and she was preparing to withdraw to dance, the king’s chambers were being watched by a young man named Ayombele. Concealing a dagger, she murdered him and put him inside a great chest. Then she hid herself inside the king’s chambers. When he came in and lay down to sleep, she killed him and put him in the chest together with Ayombele.

Afterwards she called the Balogun and told him that everything was done and that they had to go to the temple to be consecrated. She climbed into the king’s carriage, which was covered with lace and cotton and was drawn by the three oxen that Olofin had granted to the children of Oduduwa for travelling through the land of Otura Roso Mun.

She had the Balogun, the king’s son, climb onto the driver’s seat of the carriage. As they travelled to the temple of Igbaorisha, the whole town bowed as the carriage passed, thinking it was the king. However, on reaching Iyo Awa Orisha, they discovered that she, in her haste, had buried the dead king inside the chest that held his royal insignia: the crown of Oduduwa and the four ivory bracelets that were required for the coronation in that land.

They began to argue and fight, and the woman called Obini Agbere Panshaga said to Balogun: «I shall reign alone; you will not be my consort». Then she opened the chest to take out the royal insignia. At that moment Balogun took his agada and ran it through Obini’s heart, putting her into the chest together with the other bodies. The king’s son felt a terrible chill in the temple when he saw the spirit of his father arrive, stained with blood and bearing all the royal insignia. The spirit said to him: «To purify your body, go to the house of Otura Mun and let him make an ebbo for you with this chest, which will be your salvation».

The king’s son ran to the house of Otura Roso, who began to invoke the spirits of Ayalorun through Ifá. When he had finished, he said to the king’s son: «This chest is called Ide Koshero Ake Eda Elemi, which means ‘the secret box of the spirits of the realm of nature’. In it, you and yours will worship the orisha and the spirit of your father, as well as the beings who accompany him». To Iban Eshu.

NOTE: The three oxen symbolise the three spirits of Oduduwa.

Eggun Okuni represents Oba Abeyi.

Eggun Obini represents Yemu.

Eggun Mokekere represents Ikú Alashona.

The children of Yewá

Yewá had two children whom she loved very much, called Omi Logun and Omitogun. They were not satisfied, however, with the food Yewá gave them, which consisted mainly of aguidi. So the two children went in secret to Yemayá’s house to eat fish, and it made them very happy. Yewá had her own secret for feeding herself, which was the blood of eggun, hidden among the roots of the Ope Mariwo plant, the kana palm. She always dressed in mariwo leaves and no one knew her secret.

One day, Yewá left her clothing at the foot of Ibu Losa and a rooster belonging to her children began to trample it. Yewá saw it and cast a curse upon it, running off and taking refuge among the roots of Ope Mariwo. Her children began to face difficulties and to miss their mother, until at last they found her beneath Ope Mariwo. She spoke to them, but they were frightened at seeing so much eggun blood and how their mother had turned into blood as well. Frightened, they ran to Orunmila’s house, and he saw this Ifá for them and told them that their mother’s secret was buried under the roots of the earth.

Orunmila told them to bring a jar, Osun and chicks of Eyele in order to bring out the secret. So they began to dig and found a great deal of eggun blood in the shape of hands and feet, which had turned into otases and were clinging to the roots. At last they reached the place where their mother was; she was covered with cowries and wore many pink necklaces. The children began to weep, and at that moment Yemayá and Orunmila arrived. Yemayá took asho ododo and spread it over the earth, covering Yewá.

Orunmila said to the children: take the otases, which represent the intelligence your mother will leave you, and place them together with the eggun blood in the jar. Then pour aguidi over it, and Yemayá added Eya Tuto. Orunmila traced the sign Otura Rosun on the jar and told them: put the whole secret in there. Then they sacrificed the Eyele chicks and made an offering to all the elements present, while they sang: «Yewá Lagba, Yewá Agba Ori… Yewá Lagba Oyeoo Bela Osun Bel Owo… Yewá Lagba Oyeoo». Afterwards they took mariwo leaves and smeared them with Osun Naburo, covering the jar.

Yewá spoke and said that from that day on neither she nor her children would eat roosters again, since the shame of her clothing lay in that place. Then Yewá took a heron chick that Yemayá had and ate it, declaring that this would be her food from then on and that they would be able to see her secret; then she gave her blessing to her children and handed them over to Orunmila, so that he would consecrate them together with your Ifá abebo adie keke, so that their memory would be as firm as my otases.

This Ifá says that the children of this oddun receive Yewá for their good fortune, and the children of Yemayá for their salvation.

The shamed awo

An awo who sold in the marketplace, and who because of the many setbacks he had was made to go through an embarrassment, went to Orunmila, who marked ebbo for him with: tripe, half a peso, eyele meyi, abani and refuse from the marketplace, owo la mello.