Otura Tiyu

The zaramagunyon

In the land of Koiye there was a very black and deep lagoon surrounded by thick woods. In it lived a strong spirit in the shape of a woman, named Obini. A very cunning bird called Oglubun, known for being a great fisherman, had fallen in love with that spirit. He spent the whole day perched on the root of a mangrove beside the lagoon, waiting for his eternal love to appear so that he could carry her off. Since she never appeared, he would go down to the bottom of the dark pool to hunt the lagoon’s precious fish with his beak.

One day Orunmila passed by and saw Oglubun doing this. He told him it did not become his reputation. Oglubun asked Orunmila to divine for him, and Orunmila, seeing this Ifá, Otura Tiyu, told him that his love was impossible, that he would always suffer disappointments. Yet, in order to become king, he was to feed the mangrove on which he perched, and so avoid having to go down constantly into the pool in search of food. Oglubun doubted Orunmila’s words and, as a consequence, lost the crown. He went on waiting for his eternal love and kept going down into the dark pool of the lagoon to look for the fish that would sustain him.

This explains why the zaramaguyones, borbellas or needle-billed ducks look for their food in lagoons. It also points symbolically to men who bind themselves through the deep pleasure they feel in «laba odo», which in this sign stands for the art and the worst vice of plunging into the opening of the vulva.

When Oggún and Oshosi courted Shangó’s wife

Oggún lived in the woods and Oshosi on the savannah, and both were in love with Shangó‘s wife, and each one, on his own account, wanted to seduce her. Seeing that they could not carry out their plans, each went separately to Orunmila’s house so that he, through Ifá, would tell them what to do.

The first to arrive was Oshosi, and Orunmila made osode for him and saw this Ifá, telling him that to achieve his plans he had to make ebó. Oshosi, however, replied that he had nothing to do, since in his own territory he was the lord of the savannah and he was not going to sacrifice anything in order to seduce a woman. He added: «Do I not have an army of poisonous yams and thorn bushes? All of that is ready to protect me from her husband’s assaults.»

When Oggún came to Orunmila’s house, he made osode for him and, as it happened, saw the same Ifá as Oshosi. Oggún performed the ebó that Orunmila indicated. It so happened that Oggún could not seduce Shangó’s wife without Shangó finding out. Yet it turned out that Shangó’s wife went to Oshosi to give herself to him. Eshu, who had been sent by Shangó to watch over his wife, noticed that she was heading to Oshosi’s house and told Shangó. He grew so furious that he began to hurl fire at the field of poisonous yams and the thorn bushes that Oshosi cultivated for his defence. The whole savannah was given over to the flames, and Oshosi had to flee to avoid being burned, without having seduced Shangó’s wife. The flames, on the other hand, spared the woods where Oggún lived.

Through this Ifá, the woman who lives with the person is not a faithful woman who will make him happy; she accepts the courtship of other men and may come to betray her husband because of the persistence of her suitors.

The colours of the peacock

Once, Agboyami, the peacock, was white and lived in Olofin’s house, where he enjoyed full confidence. One day he decided to leave for fear that Olofin would curse him. He escaped towards the house of Olokun, who knew him from having seen him at Olofin’s house. When Olokun saw him, she asked why he had left Olofin’s house. Agboyami answered that he had never been there. Olokun then gave him shelter and, as he entered, painted him with the various colours given by her daughter Mayelewo. He slept with Olokun’s daughter and so disrespected the hospitality he had been given, and had to flee from that place too.

On his journey through the world he came to Oggún’s house, where he was asked the same question. The peacock denied ever having seen Olofin or Olokun. Oggún offered him hospitality and once again Agboyami was disrespectful, courting Oggún’s wife, which forced him to flee. On his way he met Ikú (death), who proposed a pact so that they might be together. Ikú began to reveal to him all the secrets of life and death. They were together for a time, but since the peacock was a chatterbox, he revealed all the secrets of death. Ikú found out and went looking for him.

When Ikú found him, the peacock saw him and ran off, taking refuge in the house of Oshún. Seeing him so beautiful, Oshún took him in, dazzled, and covered herself with his feathers, which gave her ashé. When Ikú lunged at him, he halted his advance on seeing Oshún emerge from among the peacock’s feathers. Since Ikú was in love with Oshún, he accepted her plea to pardon the peacock, she telling him that this was her favourite garment. Ikú pardoned the peacock and declared: «Whoever dresses in the ashé of Agboyami and Oshún and implores on their behalf shall obtain the pardon of Ikú, so long as Olofin does not determine otherwise.»

Ifá says that you have given offence in every place you have been, that through your tongue you carry a curse, and that you have killed people with Ogún out of envy and those dead are pursuing you, but Oshún defends you; still, you must make ebbó so that you may catch the fortune of the elephant. A fan is placed for Iyalorde with the three juju of agboyami from the ebbó, to fan her with.

The land of Eshu Laroye

Here it is Eshu Laroye who governed, and everyone lived in great fear, because those who disobeyed Eshu Laroye fell ill for a year. The people lived in deep terror, since at midnight he would kneel and ask for evil upon everyone, and he did the same at midday. In that land people ate only eku, eya, aguado and atare. When the people saw Eshu Laroye kneeling and asking for evil things, they called upon Olofin asking for blessings and protection: «iré Ariku, Iré Akuko, Iré Ele, Iré Osha, Iré Bata, Iré Omo».

Eshu Laroye had a son he did not know, called Eshu Lario, who was in Orunmila’s house because Orunmila was his father’s diviner. When they asked him his father’s name, Orunmila answered that he was called Eshu Laroye. Then Eshu Lario said he wished to meet his father. Orunmila said yes, but that he should take from the yard a kid goat, a rooster, three chicks, a turtle, a yam and a dove, and hang them suspended. He was also to carry in his hand the kid goat, the rooster and the other ingredients. Then Eshu Lario was to go and see his father.

When he reached the town, he was to enter singing three times: «Eshu Eleguora, Eleguora, moforubate, Elegurao». Eshu Laroye, who was kneeling because it was midnight, could not give three cries nor sing. The father rose swiftly, embraced Eshu Lario and, in tears, began to sing: «Elegba Nifa Laroye Sokuo». From that moment on, Elegbá began to ask for good things for everyone. Afterwards, Elegbá began to cook the kid goat, the rooster and the other ingredients, and distributed food to the whole town.

Otura Tiyu is the son of Eshu Laroye and his name is Eshu Lario. Otura Tiyu is the land of Eshu Larolde.

The path where Olofin made all the saints ill

Here is where Olofin fell ill and the orishas did not know how to cure him. Otura Tiyu, a babalawo, went daily to ask after Olofin’s health, since the orishas kept performing their rituals and yet Olofin remained ill.

One day, Otura Tiyu managed to slip past those guarding Olofin and appeared before him eating bananas, apples and amala, foods he had prepared as an offering to save Olofin. Unable to speak, Olofin made signs to Otura Tiyu that he wanted to taste what he was eating. After eating three bananas, Olofin was able to speak again. Then Otura Tiyu told him that Ifá had said he must eat in order to recover.

At once Olofin ordered his personal servants to be called and charged them to kill a hen to make a broth with it. Then he asked them to summon all the orishas, without telling them that he was already well, and to say that they should bring their ashé.

When all the orishas were gathered, Olofin, to the astonishment of all, asked them for their ashé. They gave it, and Olofin handed it over to Orunmila, telling them that since they had been misusing their ashé and quarrelling among themselves, unable to cure him despite their power, he was now giving it to Orunmila, and that when they needed it they should ask him for it. «To Iban Eshu». The orishas left in shame, and since then Orunmila holds the ashé of all the orishas.

The hunter

There was a hunter who lived solely from his hunting, and one Sunday he went out and came upon a beautiful porcupine. He shot at it and began to chase it, but at an unexpected moment he met Olofin. On seeing him, Olofin asked the hunter where he was going, and the man replied that he was going hunting, but that his situation was not very good. Olofin told him his situation would improve if from that day on he did as he was told, since he could not hunt because his good fortune was not in the countryside but in the middle of the city. Olofin took out two pods and said: one you keep in your house, and the other, from today on, following my advice, you place at the door of your house.

The hunter prospered quickly, becoming the greatest taxpayer in the city. But one day he went to pay a levy and the governor said to him: «It is incredible how you have prospered and become a contributor.» Then the hunter told the governor how his transformation had come about and gave him one of the pods. From that moment everything went wrong for the hunter and he returned to his former situation, needing to go back to hunting. When he reached the woods, Olofin ordered his head to be cut off for having disobeyed him.

When the sea was withdrawing

The sea withdrew a little further every day and the people were very worried, so they decided to go to Orula for advice. Orula told them that the world was fading away and that to prevent it they had to perform a rogación with akuko (rooster), adie (hen) and eyele (dove). They also had to invite everyone to take part in the ceremony. Afterwards, they were to discard the remains and the feathers at the doors of their houses so that everything would return to normal.

Where Otura Tiyu remained at the entrance of the igbodun

On this path, Otura Tiyu was a man who from childhood travelled through every land investigating the secrets of the religion. He had the ability to absorb the secrets of each place, which allowed him to advise people and speak on those matters. Many believed he was a consecrated awó, when in truth he was only an awofaka. Seeing that Olofin had granted this virtue to Otura Tiyu, Orunmila called him and told him that, to find happiness on earth, he had to enter through the door of Olofin’s house, which was the igbodun of Ifá.

Following Orunmila’s advice, Otura Tiyu went with him to Olofin’s house to be consecrated in Ifá. When they reached the door, Orunmila had him kneel and call out to ask Olofin to consecrate him. At that moment Shangó was with Olofin, complaining about Otura Tiyu for revealing the secrets of Ifá without being a babalawo. At that instant Oggún, who was outside, realised that if Otura Tiyu entered the igbodun his life would be in danger. When they knocked at the door and gave the coconut to Oni Bodo to ask permission for Otura Tiyu to enter, Oggún told Oni Bodo to refuse him, granting permission only on the condition that he enter the igbodun of Ifá with him.

Oni Bodo gave Okana to Otura Tiyu, barring his entry, and Oggún warned him that inside they were waiting to kill him, but that he was willing to save him, provided he was given a food he liked, an etu. Oggún undertook to bring him safe and sound to Ifá. Shangó, who heard the call, knew that Otura Tiyu was asking to enter the igbodun and readied himself with his scimitar to cut off his head when he came in. Then they gave Oggún the etu he asked for and he entered the igbodun room ahead of Otura Tiyu, facing Shangó in a struggle in which he managed to take his scimitar from him and place it at his own waist. Oggún said to Shangó: «This man who enters with me had the virtue granted by Olofin of knowing the secrets before his consecration; that is why he has the right to enter and cleanse his life. You must not deny him entry, because he is a son of Olofin and needs the consecration in order to go on living.»

Olofin ruled that what Oggún had said was true, and Shangó was satisfied, offering him an akuko as an offering. Then Otura Tiyu was able to enter the room and become an Untefa, where he grew still stronger by receiving all the consecrations on earth. He no longer had to remain outside the room of secrets, for he became an awó of Orunmila. Otura Tiyu lived eternally grateful, honouring Oggún all his life.

When an okana comes out in the obí (coconut) of the oni bodo at the consecration of a tefa, a ceremony of this Ifá is born, in which Oggún takes responsibility for that situation. When the okana comes with the omode, it indicates that Shangó is the one inside the igbodun with Olofin waiting for this man in order to finish him off, since Shangó is always the jealous guardian of the secrets of the igbodun of Ifá. When this happens, the basket is taken from the awo ofo and Oggún is placed at the door, and an etu from the leri of the awo ofo is given over Oggún. The head of the etu is set to dry, so that afterwards an inshe of Ozain may be made for the awó with the sign that comes to him in the ate fa, so that he always carries it in his pocket.

Ogueday, the restless spirit

In the land of Obí Ikú Orún, Ogüeday was born, son of Obatalá, and he was born with many health problems. He was ashamed to go out into the street and let no one see him. Ogüeday took everything Obatalá had in the house, and Obatalá, seeing him like that, allowed it out of pity and compassion. But when Ogüeday turned 14, Obatalá said to him: «You are the same as everyone else; why do you not go out into the street?» He always said he would, but he never went out. Obatalá, seeing that his son would not go out, built a small house outside the settlement of Obí Ikú Orún, using sticks of every kind. Then he set an «ota» there (a kind of sacred object) which, anointed with palm oil, he placed at the centre of the settlement. For 7 days Obatalá went there and anointed the «ota» with palm oil while cleaning the house with a sponge. On the seventh day, at 12 midday, he began to sing: «ogüeday, Iña Funloye. Ogüeday, Iña Funloye». On hearing the song, Ogüeday leapt up and got into the «iña» (a kind of vessel) to eat «iña». The townspeople, hearing Obatalá’s song, came out to see what was happening. Ogüeday took a hooked stick and, running and singing, said: «Ikú Loreo, Awá Lenero. Ikú Loreo, Awá Lenero, Ofo Ogüeday».

From that moment on, the land of Obí Ikú Orún began to be restless. Obatalá suffered every day at seeing what had happened, how his son Ogüeday had changed and what Elegbá was doing. Elegbá returned to the land of Obí Ikú Orún and asked what was going on there, why there was no peace. When midday came and he saw the situation, he exclaimed: «Ah, my brother, I will be with you!» The two of them together made and unmade, wrecking whatever they pleased. Obatalá, seeking a solution for his own peace and that of the land, went out walking and said: «I am going to look for something to find shelter, to see whether I find peace», singing as he went: «Ozain Bombo, Ozain Bombo, Shakota Ozain La Mira Mi». At that moment Obatalá reached the land of Orikeye, which is the land of Ozain, and Ozain, hearing him, began to sing: «awaniyé, Omo Ozain. Awaniyé, Omo Ogüeday. Awaniyé, Omo Tinshe, Omo Elegbá».

Obatalá and Ozain embraced. Obatalá told Ozain everything that had happened since Ogüeday was born. Ozain said: «I am going to ask permission from my father Shangó to see whether I can solve the problem of this land.» Ozain went to Shangó and explained what Obatalá was going through. Shangó asked: «Why has this happened? Bring him to me, Ozain.» And Ozain brought him to Shangó’s feet. Shangó said to him: «You are responsible for this because you forgave him. You should have left things as they were and considered what to do with Ogüeday.» Obatalá began to weep, and Shangó wiped away his tears with his tongue and also cleansed Ozain, to whom he said: «I will give you a virtue: I will turn you into a feathered bird.»

Ozain, turned into a bird, flew off and came down at midday in the land of Obó Ikú Orún, where Ogüeday and Elegbá were wreaking havoc. On seeing that bird they took fright, for the bird said to them: «I am Ozain, I have dominion over the world.» He separated Elegbá from Ogüeday and said: «You have my ashé, Elegbá», and released him, and Elegbá ran off. Even so, the restlessness of the devil always remained in him, always doing good and evil. Ogüeday caught him and smeared him with «eye» (a kind of powder) and said: «You shall be my slave.» From there he flew off and blessed Obatalá, Ozain and Shangó, saying: «Ogüeday, my son, from today you shall live well with Ozain and you shall have every power to have peace and happiness.» And so Obatalá vowed to live happily.

The path of Iyamode

Iyamode Otura Tiyú was a hunter who lived exclusively from hunting. One day, which was a Sunday, he went out and came upon a beautiful porcupine. Iwókó threw the akofá at it and ran after it, going deep into the woods. Reaching the foot of a hill, he came face to face with Olofín, who asked Iyamode what was happening to him. He said he needed to hunt in order to survive. Olofín told him: «If you do what I tell you, your situation will change from today.» He had him kneel, performed ceremonies, gave him two flamboyant pods and said: «Your destiny is not in the countryside but in the city. Keep these pods in your house, and whenever you need something, call me in my secret using these two pods and I will give you what you need.» So Otura Tiyú Iyamode did, and his fortune grew quickly until he became the richest man in that land. Everyone wondered how it had come about.

One day his wife insisted so much and persuaded him so far that he revealed his whole secret to his companion and gave her one of the pods. From then on they began to go through hardships and returned to their former situation, having to go back to hunting. When Iyamode reached the woods, Olofín ordered his head to be cut off for having revealed his secret.

The plate is taken and the awó’s name is written on it, adi is poured on it, 4 pieces of obí are set out with 4 little wicks of ou, the eyele funfun is offered around the plate, pouring a little inside; the wicks are lit in Olofin’s name, calling with the two pods and singing: “ Aina Oda Keke Soro Oshu Maimai Shangó Ariku Enawo Orunmila Ire Yayare Aina Elele Le Elele Awo.”

The eyele are discarded in the square.

The compass

On this path, Lakeyo Omolokun was a man who made his living as a sailor, living near the sea and carrying his countrymen’s goods to distant places. He was a son of Olokun. However, through his own carelessness, he stopped making offerings to Okun. One day he was lost at sea and reached other lands, where he all but lost his life. In the end he managed to return home travelling overland, only to find his creditors demanding payment for the lost goods and the disasters he had suffered.

He then decided to go to Orunmila’s house, who saw him in this Ifá and told him that he had neglected his ancestors, especially Okun, who governed the sea currents and had driven him off course. He told him he had to make ebó and several works in order to succeed in life. He was to have sarayeye done with kaokueye keke, dressed with ribbons and a two-toned arolodo with 16 shaded ododo, and then throw it into the sea. He was also to use ewe take (astronomy) and feed Yemayá, Olokun and Boronun. He fulfilled all these instructions and received an inshe filani that granted him a secret: an inshe that worked with the stars of the sky and the four winds. With this he could guide himself on his voyages and never again lose his way at sea.

On this path, once Orula left the town where he lived to head for another town. As he went into the woods, he made out in the distance a great cloud of smoke from an enormous bonfire. He saw that the one making it was Eshu, kneeling before the fire, and beside him there was a cauldron to which Eshu was making malevolent petitions. Orula, seeing this, asked him the cause of it all. Eshu answered that in the town where he lived they did not feed him, and that was why he had them in that state. Eshu showed Orula how those people were, and looking, Orula saw a town utterly destroyed, riddled with sickness, where only skeletons and countless corpses remained because of an epidemic. Orula reproached Eshu for what he was doing and headed for the town intending to save them.

On entering the town, the first thing he did was to perform the ceremony of Osorde, and the sign of Otura Tiyú came out. Immediately the corresponding ebó was prepared and he began to carry it out. When he finished, he sent it to the woods together with an akuko (rooster) for Eshu, who began to eat from the ebboses Orula had sent. So Eshu was occupied, and thanks to Orula the town’s inhabitants began to recover and be saved. Orula was their saviour.

In this odun boromun is received and all the works are done in order to overcome, for otherwise the power is lost.

Thanks are given to the eggun filani, that is, the spirits of Chinese science. Otura Tiyu, the cauldron of Eshu. Maferefun Eshu, Maferefun Orula.

:once the ebbó is finished, the akuko is given to Eshu and sent along with it out to the brush; the coals are used in Ozain.

Beware of Palo charms bringing ruin and illness for not attending to Eshu.