ODU IYAAMI OSORONGA

Interpretation of the Odu Ifa related to the Elemental Spirit of Birds Part VII
by Awo Falokun Fatunmbi
Introduction
The subject of the role and function of Iyaami within the tradition of Ifa/Orisa covers a wide
spectrum of opinions and interpretations. Many of these opinions characterize Iyaami as a
negative force in the Universe frequently associated with "witchcraft" and the use of female
power to harm others. This particular view seems to me to be in contradiction to both Ifa
scripture and Ifa ritual practice.
Offerings to Iyaami are a component of nearly all offerings made as a result of consultation with
Ifa divination. This in itself has neither a positive or negative connotation. However the use of the
symbolic representation of birds (Eleiye) on the crowns of the Oba seems to suggest that the
blessing of Iyaami is an essential element in the sanctification of the monarchy.
The references to Iyaami have been eliminated from many of the versions of Odu Ifa available in
English making an evaluation based on scripture difficult. The verses that are available in
English are often cryptic and obscure making interpretation a challenge. I submit these verses as
a basis for further examination of what I believe is an important and fundamental concept in the
practice of our faith.
Pierre Verger was a French photographer who moved to Brazil and became active in the Orisa
community. He made several trips to Africa where he received Ifa and was given the name Awo
Fatunmbi. He wrote a number of books in Portuguese including a well-documented study of
herbs associated with Odu Ifa. In addition he made a study of Odu related to Iyaami Osoranga
and printed a volume of the verses he collected on this important subject. This book is my
interpretation of the Odu he collected. Iba se Baba Fatunmbi.
Ire
Awo Falokun Fatunmbi
Egbe Ifa Ogunti Ode Remo
Part VII:
II
I
I
I

II
I
I
I

OSA MEJI
(Iymi and the Creation of the Egun Cloth)

Osa Meji tula. Obu yankan yankan. Ariwo ajija ni d'Orun. A d'ifa fun Odu n'ijo to n
nti'kole Orun bo wa ile aiye. A d'ifa fun Obarisa, n'ijo ti o nti'kole Orun bo wa ile aiye. A
d'ifa fun Ogun, n'ijo ti o nti'kole Orun bo wa ile aiye. Olodumare. O ni, ile aiye l'awon nlo
yii. O ni, nigbati awon ba de ohun nko? Olodumare ni ki nwon o lo maa se ile aiye, ki ile
aiye o dara. O ni gbogbo ohun ti nwon yio ba si maa se, o ni on o fun won l'ase ti nwon o
maa fi se e, ti yio si fi maa dara. Ni nwon ni ki Ogun o siwaju. Nigbati Ogun siwaju,
Obarisa tele e. Nigbati Obarisa tele e, Odu nlo kehin. Nigbati Odu wa kehin, ni Odu wa
pada sehin. O ni, iwo Olodumare. O ni, ile aiye t'awon nlo yii, o ni, Ogun, o ni, o l'agbara
Ogun jija, o ni, os si ni ida, o l'o mo ibon, o ni, o ni gbogbo nkan ti nwon fi jagun. O ni,
Obarisa, o ni, on naa l'ase. O ni, ase re t'o ni ni fi ise gbogbo ohun t' oba fese, O ni, on je
obirin ninu nwon, ni on Odu. O ni kini agbara ti on? Olodumare ni agbara tire? O ni, iwo
l'o maa je iya won lo lailai, o ni, nitori nigbati enyin meteta nl o, o ni, iwo, obirin nikan
ni o pada. O ni, iwo obirin naa ni on fun l'agbara, ti o o fi maa je iya nwon. O ni, iwo ni o
o si mu ile aiye ro. Olodumare l'o ba fun un l'agbara. Nigbati o fun un l'agbara, o fun un
l'agbara eiye, o gbe eleiye fun un. Nigbati o gbe eleiye fun un tan Olodumare ni too. O ni,
igba eleiye ni on gbe fun o yii o, o ni, nje o mo lilo re l'aiye? O ni ki o mo bi o ti se maa
lo o l'aiye. Odu ni on o mo. O gba eiye l'odo Olodumare. O si gba agbara ti yio tun maa lo
l'ori re. L'o ba nlo. Orin sa a. Olodumare tun pe e pada. O ni o dara. O ni, pada wa. O ni,
iwo Odu. O ni, pada wa. O ni, nigbati o ba de ile aiye, o ni, bawo ni o o tie ti maa lo awon
eiye re? Ati awon agbara ti on fun e? O ni bawo ni o o ti se maa lo nwon? Odu ni, gbogbo
eni ti ko ba ti gbo t'on, o ni, on o fi maa ba won je ni. O ni, eni, ti ko ba ya si alaye ti on,
ti on ba se fun un, ti ko si gbo gbogbo ohun ti on ba so, o ni ni on o maa fi ba ja. O ni,
eni ti o ba wa dimo on, ti o ba pe on o l'owo, o ni, on o maa fun un. O ni, eni ti o ba si pe
on o bimo, oni, on o maa fun un. O ni ti on ba si fun enia l'owo naa tan, ti o ba tun yaju
si on. O ni, on o gba a. O ni ti on ba si fun enia l' omo tan, ti o ba tun yaju si on, o ni on
o gba a. O ni gbogbo ohun ti on ba se fun enia, ti o ba ti yaju si on, o ni, on o si maa gba
a lowo re. Olodumare ni o dara. O ni ko buru. O ni sugbon maa rora lo ree lo agbara ti on
fun o. Ti o ba lo o tipatipa on o ma gba a o, ati pe gbogbo awon okunrin t' o tele, iwo l'on
o fi se iya won, ti o je pe gbogbo ohun yio wu nwon ba ni se, a fi bi nwon ba fi lo iwo Odu
ni nkan un yio to se ise. Lati igba naa ni Olodumare ti fun obirin l'ase, lat'ori eni ti o si
fun l'ase naa ni oruko re ne Odu. Ni o gbe gun obirin l'ase wipe, gbogbo ohun yio wu.
Okunrin ko gbodo le da nkankan s e lehin obirin. Ni Odu mbo d' ode isalaiye, Nigbati
nwon jo de ode isalaiye, gbogbo igbo ti nwon ri (ti won npe ni igbo Esgun) obirin ni o nwo
o. Eyii ti nwon npe ni igboro, obinrin ni o nwo o. Ko si ewo kankan fun obinrin nigba
naa, pe igbo kan wa ti obirin ko gbodo wo, tabi ika kan wa ti obirin ko gbodo wo. Bi
nwon o bo Eegun, bi enia o bo Oro, bi enia o bo gbogbo orisa, obinrin ni bo o nigba naa,
nigbati nwon wa mbo o bee. Ha! Agba ti o ba se aseju ti te nite. A d'ifa fun Odu, nigbati
Odu de' le aiye. Ha! Nwon ni, iwo Odu, nwon i, oba le so ra re. Ki o se s e suuru, ki o ma
yaju. Odu ni et iri? Nwon ni nitori agbara re, ti Olodumare fun un, nwon ni nitori ki aiye
ma ba r'idi re. Odu ni howu! O ni, ko si nkankan. O ni nwon ko ni le r'i di re. O ni on
nika l'o lo odo Olodumare. Lo ree gba agbara ti ko se oju gbogbo awon ti nwon jo mbo
w'aiye, ko se oju won rara! Nigbati nwon wa so bee fun Odu tan, nwon, ni k'o rubo. Odu
ni, rara! O ni, on ko ni rubo. Ebo ki obirin o ri agbara gba bo lati odo Olodumare, l'oru.

Sugbon on ma le yo ayopere. Ki on o si le lo kini yii titi. Ki aiye o ma fi ba a je mo on

lowo. Ki aiye o ma fi ri' di re. Ko rubo re. L'o ba nlo. O mu Eegun jade. O mu Oro jade.
Gbogbo nkan, ko si ohun ti ki se nigba naa. Ni Obaisa wa ni, hen! On ti o je pe on ni
Olodumare ko aiye le lowo. Ko je pe obirinbirin yii ni yio gba aiye naa, ati ika Eegun ni,
ati ika Oro ni, ati ika gbogbo Orisa ni. On ko gbodo wo okankan ninu re. Ha! obirin yii ni
yio wa gba gbogbo aiye naa, ni Obaisa ba lo ree ke si babalawo. Babalawo ti o loke si nijo
naa, Orunmila l'o lo ke si nijo naa, Orunmila ga an l'o pe. O ni ki Orunmila o ye on lowo
kan ibo wo? Ise ti Olodumare ran on yii: Ati ile aiye ti o ko le on lowo yii? On jise naa
lajeyi. Enikankan ko si le gba ile aiye naa lowo on. Ile aiye naa ko baje. On ti se le
segun? Nlo da' fa si. Nwon ni ebo ni ki Orisa oru. Nwon ni ki o se se suuru. Orunmila yan
an l'ebo igbin nigba naa. O yan an ni pasan. Osi yan an ni egbaajo owo. Orisa rubo.
Nigbati Orisa rubo tan, Orunmila se'fa fun Orisa. O ni, ile aiye yii o, o mbo wa di ti e o, o
ni, sugbon, suuru ni ki o se o. O ni, ti o ba ti se suuru, o ni, mbo wa di ti e. O ni, eni ti
nwon gbe agbara fun l'obirin. O ni, yio fi as eju bo o. Nigbati o ba f'ase ju bo o, o ni, yio
wa di omo lehin iwo Ori sa, yio maa wa teriba fun o, Orisa si gbo, ose suuru. Gbogbo iwa
eyii t'o dara, eyii ti ko dara, ti Odu nhu nile aiye, ti nfi agbara ti Olodumare fun hu: Ti o
ba ni enikan ko maa wo on l'ofu, eni ti o ba wo o, oju re yio fo. Ti o ba ni enikan wo on
ni iwo ti ko dara, ti o ba pe ori o maa fo o yio maa fo o naa, ti o ba pe inu o maa run un,
inu yio maa run un. Gbogbo ohun ti Odun ba so nigba naa ni maa se. Nigbati o wa ya ni
Odu ni, iwo Ori sa, o ni, nigbati ose pe awon dijo waiye naa ni, o ni, je ki on re o wa ni
ibi kan naa. O ni, ti awon ba wa ni'bi kan naa. O ni, gbogbo ohun ti on ba fe se, o ni, on o
maa r'aaye je ke iwo Ori sa, ki o maa ri gbogbo ohun ti on ba nse. O ni nitoripe awon
pelu re. Ni awon jo ro lati ode Orun w'aiye ati Ogun. O ni, sugbon ologun ni nwon yan
fun Ogun wipe, eniti o ba fe ba won jagun, ki Ogun o ba won segun re. O ni, ni won yan
Ogun fun awon si. Ni Odu pelu Obaraisa, ni won ba jo ngbe oju kannaa. Nibi ti nwon gbe
jo ngbe ojukannaa, igbin ti Orisa fi rubo, Orisa mu u, o fi nbo ori re. Nibi ti Orisa ngbe fi
igbin bo ori re. Nigba Orisa bo'ri tan, o si mu omi igbin yii. Nigbati o mu omi igbin, o ni,
iwo Odu, abi iwo naa o mu bi o? Odu naa ni ko se nkankan. Odu naa gba omi igbin, o mu
u. Nigbati Odu mu omi igbin tan, inu Odu nro diedie. Nibi ti inu re gba nro, o ni ha! O ni,
iwo Obarisa, o ni, o ma tie mo nkan t'o dun je. O ni ase omi igbin dun bayi ati igbin naa
ase o dun bayi? Nigbati oje tan, o ni o dara naa. O ni, lailai nwon ko gbodo fun on naa ni
nkan miran ju igbin lo. O ni, igbin naa ni ki won o si maa fun on. O ni, igbin ti iwo Orisa
yii naa nje gan an, o ni, nwon o maa fun on. Orisa ni on ko pe ki nwon ma fun o nigbin,
o ni, sugbon agbara tie ti o o fi han, o ni nikan ni o ndun on. O ni, gbogbo ohun yio ku ti
on ba ti ni, o ni, on gbodo fi han iwo Odu. Orisa wi bee. Nigbati Orisa so bee tan, Odu ni
nigbati o ti di pe on wa joko tio ti on pelu re ngbe loju kannaa, o ni, t' o si j e pe gbogbo
nkan ti iwo ba nse ti o o fi kankan pamo fun on. O ni, gbogbo ohun ti on naa ba maa nse
poo on ko ni fi kokan pamo. O ni, ki o le baa maa ri gbogbo ise ti on o maa se ati gbogbo
iwa ti on o maa hu.O ni, no on se wa joko pelu r e nibi kannaa. Obarisa, o ni, ko buru.
Nigbati Orisa ni ko buru tan nwon jo ngbe. Ti nwon njo gbe nwon fe bo Eegun. Odu un
gbe nkan ti nwon o fi bo Eegun, gbe e lo s'ika Eegun. O ni, k'Obarisa o kalo. Ha! Obarisa
ni eru mba on. O ni ki o kalo. Obarisa tele e. Nigbati Obarisa tele e wo igbo Eegun tan.
Nwon ba bo Eegun. Nigbati won bo Eegun, Odu o mo aso da bori. Sugbon ko mo bi nwon

ti se dun' gun, bi nwon ti se f'ohun ara Ourn. O kan mo aso da bori, o si le s'adura gegebi
enia. Sugbon ko mo gegebi nwon ti se nf'ohun ara Orun. Nigbati ose'bi ti nwon bo Eegun
tan, Odu si mu aso, o da a bori, o nse adura fun eni jti o gbe onje wa. Nigbati o nse adura
fun un tan, o jade. Nigbati o jade tan on (ati) Obarisa, o wa di igba ti nwon wole. Ni
Obarisa wa lo si'bi aso. Aso Eegun ki iti l'awon tele tele ri. Orisa l'o fi awon kun un. Awon
ti Eegun maa fi riran un. Aso lasan ni eegun wa nigba naa. Nigbati obirin fi nse Eegun,
aso lasan ni, nwon yio si lu oju r e pe ki awon maa fi riran diedie. Ko si awon lu lu niwon
lu Eegun loju nigba naa. Sugbon nigba ti Obarisa wa de ibe. Obarisa wa fi awon kun un,
lehin ti nwon de ile tan, l'Obarisa wa tun lo si ika Eegun. O gbe Eegun, o re oju re, o
f'awon si i. Nigbati o f'awon si tan lo ba da Eegun bori. Nigbati o da aso Eegun bori tan, o
mu ore l'owo, mimu ti o mu ore l'owo, ko da gbere fun Odu, wipe o los' ika Eegun n'ibi ti
o gbe jade. Ni Obarisa ba f'ohun Eegun. O f'ohun Eegun, nwon ko da ohun re mo mo. Ose
adura, nwon ko da ohun re mo mo. Eni ti o bo Eegun o ni hen! o ni ha! O ni Eegun ti on
maa bo maa gba o. O ni ara Orun l'o w'aiye yii. O si mu ore l'owo. Ore ti o mu l'owo un, o
nfi or eyen wo'le. O si nf'ohun Eegun. N'ibi ti o gbe nf'ohun Eegun. O tun di nkan ti nab
Odu naa leru. Ha! Ha! Nigbati on nda aso bori on ko mo iru eleyi wi! Ha! Ha! Tani o ti
yara bo sinu aso yii? Ti o si ti yara nfo iru ohun bayii? Ogbon ni okunrin fi gba agbara.
Ati gbogbo ogbon ti obirin gbon, ogbon ni okunrin fi gba l'owo awon obirin. Ni Olodumare
koko ko ogbon ati agbara eleiye ti obirin. Sugbon ogbon ati etan ni okunrin fi gba ogbon
l'awon obirin. Nigbati Odu ti ri i pe Eegun yii mu ore l'owo, on naa nsa fun un, o tun di
ohun ti eru nba. Obarisa o gbe Eegun yii kaakiri gbogbo ilu. Odu si ti ri wipe aso on ni.
Nigbati o ri i aso on ni. O ni ta wa ni eleyii? Ko si ri Obarisa nile. O ni abi Obarisa naa
ni? Ni Odu ba duro nile. L'o ba ran eiye re O ni ki o lo bale e ni ejika. Ni nwon ba jo nlo.
Gbogbo nkan ti Eegun ba ti wi, ni nse ni agbara eiye, ti o bale e ni ejika. Nigbati gbogbo
ohun ti o wi wa nse tan, ti o wa dari de'le. O dari di ika Egun. O bo'ra sile. O fi or e sile.
O mu ewu re wo. O jade. Eleiye o ti lo si odo eni t'o ni i. Nigbati o wa wole, Odu si ki i. O
ni kaabo. O ni nibo l'o wa lo? Obarisa ni, on lo si ode ni. Odu ni, ko buru. O ni kaabo.
Obarisa si da gbogbo nkan ti o gba bo sile. Nigbati o da a sil e tan, Odu ni o dara naa. O
ni se aso Eegun on naa l'o gbe lo si ode? Obarisa ni on naa ni. Odu ni nigbati iwo bo sinu
Eegun un. O ni, oye o ju to on gan an ti on maa nse e lo. O ni, gbogbo enia, o ni, nwon
npe Eegun ree, Eegun ree! O ni, nwon nkigbe mo. O ni, nfi ore wo'le. O ni, o tie niyii. O
ni, lati oni lo. O ni, on yoda r e fun okunrin. O ni, lati ori ti on, o ni, obirin kankan ko
gbodo wo nu Eegun mo. O ni, l at'ori Orisala, o ni, on yoda Eegun fun okunrin. O ni,
sugbon ti on naa nlo ode, o ni, on ni on o maa ni agbara ti maa lo. Idi re niyii Eegun pelu
eleiye nwon fi tun ni irepo. Nibi ti Eegun ba wa, nibe ni awon eleiye wa. Gbogbo agbara ti
Eegun si nlo, agbara eleiye ni. Ni Odu ba ni on ko gbo do ri ki obirin kankan ko bo sinu
Eegun mo, sugbon bi Eegun o be maa lo ree se alajoko, Ti o je wipe ti Eegun ba lo sode,
ti o maa je niwaju re. Ti yio maa jo ko Eegun lona. O ni, eyun un nikan ni ki obirin o
maa se. O ni obirin ko tun gbodo wo ika mo. O ni lati oni lo okunrin naa ni k'o maa gbe
Eegun ki o si maa mu Eegun jade. O ni, sugbon gbogbo, ati omode, ati agba, enikookan
ko wa gbodo fi obirin sere, o ni, obirin nl o ni agbara julo lorile aiye. O ni, obirin si tun
ni o bi wa. O ni, gbogbo enia, obirin ni o bi nwon. O ni, gbogbo ohun ti enia ba nse. Ti ko
ba fiti obirin kun un, o ni, ko le sese. Idi re ni i okunrin ko fi le da nkankan se laiye, bi

ko se pe o l'owo obinrin. Ni nwon ba nkorin. Ni Obarisa naa ba nkorin. Nigbati o ba di

Orun ti nwon o ba se ose. O ni, gbogbo orin ti nwon o maa ko yii o, lati inu Osa meji. O
ni, ki nwon o maa fi iba fun obirin, o ni, ti nwon ba ti nfi iba fun obirin, ile aiye yio maa
toro. Ni nwon ba nkorin bayii wi pe;
E kunle o, e kunle f'obirin o. E obirin l'o bi wa. k'awa to d'enia. Ogbon aiye
t'obirin ni, e kunle
f'obirin o. E obirin l'o bi wa o, k'awa to d'enia.

Osa Meji is rich, powerful cosmic scream. Ringing bells arrive from the vaults of Heaven. ifa
was consulted for Odu on the day Odu was making the journey from Heaven to Earth in the
company of Ogun and Obarisa. Odu was the only women among them. She asked Olodumare
what would happen when we arrive in the world? Olodumare said the world would be good. He
said everything they will want to accomplish would be done because he will give them the
power. It will be good. (This is a reference to the Ifa belief that life is designed to work and the
people on earth are born with the potential for a good life)
Ogun walked in front. When Ogun walked in front Obarisa followed and behind Obarisa came
Odu. She asked Olodumare about the world. She said Ogun has the power to fight. He has the
gun he has the weapons necessary for victory. She said Obarisa has power, the power of
Obarisa makes anything he wants manifest. She said she is the only woman among them and
wanted to know her power.
Olodumare said for all of time you will be called Mother. He said you were the only one who
traveled to Earth and returned to Heaven. Only the women among them returned. He said you
will up hold the world Olodumare will give you that power. He said I will give you the power in
the form of a bird. Olodumare said it is good. (Women have the ability to communicate directly
with the Immortals through their ability to use the bird to transcend the boundaries of time
and space)
Olodumare asked Odu if she knew how to use the bird in the calabash. He said you will know
how to use it. Odu received the bird from Olodumare and received the power to use it.
Odu departed as she was leaving Olodumare asked her to return. He said come back. He said
you Odu when you arrive on earth how are you going to use the power of the bird, the power I
have given you?
Odu said she would fight with the people who would not listen. She said those who do not
listen to the will of Olodumare she will fight with them. She said those who would ask for
wealth she would give it to them. She said those who wanted children she would give them
children. She said if someone receives wealth and become impertinent she will take it away.
She said if someone gives birth to a child and they become impertinent she will take it away.
She said anything she did for a person if they became impertinent she would take it away.
Olodumare said this is good but you must use this power with calm and for the good.
If you use it for bad things and cause violence, I will reclaim this power. All the men who follow
you, I have made you their mother, anything they wish to do they must speak to you first.
It is from this very ancient time that Olodumare has given the power to woman because it was
she who received the power of Odu. He gave women the power of the word. (The power of the
word given to women is based on the relationship between children and their mothers who
prior to puberty are dependant on their mothers for survival. Odu means womb and Odu
refers to any opening between Heaven and Earth or the visible and the invisible realms of

existence. The womb is such an opening because it allows for the movement of the human
soul between the land of the ancestors and the land of the living through the process of
reincarnation.)
Man alone is unable to do anything. Odu arrived in the world. When they all gathered in the
world they saw the forest of the dead and it was woman who entered the forest. It was the
forest of Oro that woman entered. During this time there was no prohibition against woman
entering the forest of Oro. At this time women worshiped all the Orisa. They had full
knowledge of all the inner mysteries.
Woman acted in disgrace and Odu consulted Ifa. The elders said Odu you must act in calm
you must have patience, you must not be imprudent. Odu said why? They said because of the
power that Olodumare has given you, in the that the people will not know the reason it has
been given to you. Odu said she does not know the reason it was given to her. She said she
alone was called before Olodumare. She received the power from Olodumare after the others
arrived on earth. They said Odu must make sacrifice. She said she would not make ebo
because the ebo was already made. The offering for woman to receive power was made in the
presence of Olodumare. They said she must not become overconfident in joy because she is
capable of using these powers for a very long time. The world will not be able to destroy that
which she has in her hands. The world will not know the root of her power. Odu refused to
make the sacrifice. (At some point in the history of Yoruba culture the power of women was
abused through arrogance.)
Odu departed without making ebo. She brought the cloth of Egun outside. She brought Oro
outside. Obarisa came and said it is the one to whom Olodumare confided, the energetic
woman has come to take the world, to take the inner sanctum of Egun and the inner sanctum
of Oro and the shrines of all the Orisa. Obarisa would not dare to enter any of these places.
Obarisa consulted Ifa. It was Orunmila who cast Ifa for Obarisa. Orunmila said the message
from Olodumare is this you will take the world in your hands. The world will not be spoiled. No
one person will take the world in their hands. (This speaks of a gender conflict in the history
of Yoruba culture over the question of who would be the keepers of certain mysteries, men or
women. This issue has shifted throughout history and continues to shift into modern times)
How then will Obarisa be victorious. He consulted Ifa and was told to make ebo. Ifa said he
must be patient. He must sacrifice snails, a whip-like stick, and cowries. Obarisa made the
ebo. When Obarisa made the ebo Orunmila consulted Ifa. Orunmila said that the world would
belong to Obarisa, but you must have patience. He said worship will become yours. He said
that which carries the power of woman will be exaggerated. When it is over done she will
become your servant. Obarisa understood and said he would have patience. (Ifa is based on
the notion of a balance of power between male and female principles. At times this balance is
disrupted by an over emphasis on one side or the other as social situations cause tension and
an ebb and flow in the balance of power)
All of the customs, those that are good and those that are bad, brought to earth by Odu with
the power given to her by Olodumare include the taboo against looking at her material form. If
the taboo is violated she will make the person blind. If she says the gaze of someone is evil, if
she says a person is going to have a headache, they will have a headache, if she says they will
have stomach pain, they will have stomach pain. All things said by Odu will come to pass.
When the time came Odu said Obarisa we have come to earth together. She said come they
had come to the same place. She said if we are in the same place she would allow Obarisa see
anything she wanted to do. (This is a reference to a historical time when men learned awo
from women)

She said because Obarisa and Ogun fell from the sky together they chose Ogun to be a
warrior. Those who wanted to make war would not be victorious against Ogun.
She and Obarisa needed to live together in one place. At the place where they came together
they must stay. The snail offered by Obarisa was used to praise his head at the place where he
lived. The liquid from the snail was used to drink. Obarisa did not want to drink the water
from the snail. Odu drank the water from the snail and her stomach became calm. She told
Obarisa that because of him she had discovered something delicious to eat. She said the snail
water is sweet and the snail itself is sweet. When she finished eating she said it was good. She
said no one has ever given me anything as good to eat as a snail. She said a snail is what one
must give me to eat. (Snail is a traditional offering to the Odu pot) She said the same snail
that is given to you must be given to me. (This verse suggests that men and women learned
from each other)
Obarisa said he would give her snails. He said the power you do not give me bothers me. He
asked her to show him the things she possessed. She said when he comes to live with her in
one place he must not hide anything from her. She said she would not hide anything from
him. She said he will see all of her works and procedures. She said we will live in one place.
Obarisa said this was not bad.
Odu brought the things needed to worship Egun into the inner sanctum of Egun. She said
Obarisa should follow. He said he was afraid. She said follow her and he followed her. When
Obarisa followed her he entered the forest of Egun. They worshipped Egun together. But she
did not show him how to make the sound of Egun. (Meaning how to go into possession) She
did not know how to make the voice of Egun. She did know how to speak with the Immortals
in Heaven. When they worshipped Egun Odu took the cloth she covered herself and gave
thanks for her nourishment. When she finished her propitiations she left. The time had come
for her and Obarisa to go to their dwelling place.
Obarisa went to the place of the cloth. The cloth of Egun did not have cloth streamers. He
added the streamers. The streamers allowed Egun to see. When women made Egun the cloth
was simple and the made the face in a way that did not allow Egun to see. When Obarisa
arrived he added the streamers. Before they reached their home Obarisa went to the rear
court of Egun. He took the cloth of Egun and cut the face opening and placed streamers in the
opening. When this was done he covered himself with the cloth. He took a whip into his hands
but he did not say goodbye to Odu. He said he was going to the rear court of Egun, the place
where Egun came out.
Obarisa spoke with the voice of Egun and they did not recognize his voice. He said his prayers
and Egun said Hen. He said Ha. One who wished to praise Egun says Hen and he said Ha. He
said the Egun he praises is infallible. He said when he came from Heaven to Earth one of the
people from Heaven came to earth with him. He took the whip and dragged it on the ground.
At his home he spoke with the voice of Egun and Odu became frightened. When she brought
the cloth she did not know this way of speaking She asked who has entered this cloth, who
speaks to quickly and with such a voice? With insight men take power. (Egun mediums were
originally women and at some point men took over the Egun dance)
Olodumare first gave the wisdom to women and he gave the power of the birds to women.
When Odu saw that Egun had a whip in hand she ran away. Obarisa carried the Egun and
entered the town. Odu saw the cloth was her own. She asked is that Obarisa? She remained
in her house and sent her bird on a mission. She said the wing must rest on the shoulder of
Egun. They must go together. Everything that egun says will be activated by the power of the
bird perched on his shoulder. When everything he says has become manifest he will return to

the rear court of Egun. (The power of the male Egun society is supported by the power of the
women's society)
Obarisa undressed on the ground. He placed his whip on the ground. He dressed himself. He
left. The bird went to its owner. When Obarisa came home he was greeted by Odu. She said
welcome. She said where did you come from? Obarisa said he came from outside. Odu said
that is good you are welcome. (It is taboo to know the identity of Egun mediums) Obarisa
dumped all of his things on the ground and Odu said this was good. She said it is the Egun
cloth that you have taken outside. Obarisa said yes. Odu said it is good. She said you have
shown me what I must do. She said people behold Egun. She dragged the whip over the
ground and said the honor is for you. She said today I will leave. She said I concede Egun to
man. She said because of me no woman will every dare to enter into the Egun cloth she said
she has given the Egun to men. She said he must go outside with Egun because she has the
power that Egun utilizes. She said Egun is compatible with the birds. At the place where Egun
manifests, there also the birds appear. All the power used by Egun comes from the birds. Odu
said no woman will ever enter the Egun cloth, but she will be able to dance, to meet Egun and
dance in front of Egun if Egun is outside. She said Egun departs today and it is man who will
guide Egun. (To the uninitiated it would appear that Egun worship is male dominated. This
verse is saying that Egun is supported by the power of women.) She said all things the people
wish to do are aided by women. That is why men are unable to do anything on Earth, if the do
not obtain the hand of woman.
They chanted, on the fifth day they celebrated the week. They said all the incantations they
would chant would come from the holy Odu of Ifa called Osa Meji. (The power of women in Osa
Meji is the gateway to the land of the ancestors) They said they will praise the women, they
said if they praise the women the Earth will be tranquil. They chanted:
Prostrate, prostrate for the women.
Woman has placed you in the World, thus you are humanity.
Woman is the intelligence of the Earth,
prostrate for woman.
Woman has placed you in the World, thus you are humanity.