Nourishment and Atonement in West African Òrìsà Traditions
It is said that the complexity and intelligence of a culture is rooted in the linguistic nuances of their language. And as is the case with ancient languages many words can not be distilled and translated into one direct English equivalent. The Yorúbà language is no exception; thus the meanings of various words outside of their culture context are better understood through discussion and explanation.
In the West African practice of the Òrìṣà tradition we have seen consistent use of the English term “sacrifice” in relation to the types of ritual procedures preformed in the veneration of Divinity. However, the word sacrifice falls short of its original intent. In fact their are numerous words used to denote “sacrifice” - all of which have different meanings and contexts depending upon the situation. I would like to suggest that more appropriate words associated with “atonement and nourishment” be used instead to indicate the original intention and meaning behind various traditional ritual procedures.
Within the Òrìṣà traditions of West Africa, there are various types of rituals used to atone and provide nourishment to the Divine Forces which govern different aspects of our physical and spiritual life. If we look at the mouth physiologically and understand it symbolically as a source of alimentation, we can see why in nature all forms of creation require nourishment to create healthy symbiotic relationships. Ifá in the Odù, Ìdífú (Ìdí Òfún), teaches us that Ẹnu, the mouth, is the spiritual source of all forms of offerings. It is the act of nourishing and feeding the Ẹnu of all universal forces that restores and instills balance in the world. In Ìdífú, Ifá says:
Ìdí fúnfún kóò nii iron,
Fila fúnfún kóò yeni nigba eerun,
À dífá fún Olòyímefún,
Wọ̀n ni kóò bo eégún ilé, kóò bo Òòṣà Ọja,
Kóò tun wa bo Olúbòbòtíríbò baba ẹbọ...
Translation:
Ìdí fúnfún kóò nii iron, Fila fúnfún kóò yeni nigba eerun, cast Ifá for Olòyímefún who was told to give offerings to their paternal and maternal ancestors and appease Olúbòbòtíríbò the the father of Ẹbọ.
Ìdí fúnfún kóò nii iron, meaning a white buttocks does not have family. Fila fúnfún kóò yeni nigba eerun, meaning a white cap does not fit you during the dry season. What they are describing is how wearing a white cloth during a season that is filled with a lot of dust will easily become dirty and should not be worn at a particular time. The names of these Awo are speaking to how one must be in spiritual alignment with their environment.
In this Ẹsẹ, Ifá speaks of Olòyímefún who went to consult Ifá to achieve improvement in all aspects and areas of their life. They were told to appease their ancestors which are Eégún ilé and also appease Òòṣà Ọja which is the Òrìṣà of the marketplace. They appeased them both but the offerings weren’t accepted. Olòyímefún was also asked to give an offering to an energy known as Olúbòbòtíríbò baba ẹbọ. Olòyímefún grew concerned because they had no idea who Olúbòbòtíríbò was, nor how they could find and appeal to them. The Awo then assured Olòyímefún that Olúbòbòtíríbò was actually the source of all offerings. Olúbòbòtíríbò is Ẹnu, the mouth. Olòyímefún had to feed the mouth by preparing food and giving it to people to eat. And when people ate their food the soul of these people grew happy and they prayed for them which was the catalyst to Olòyímefún’s prayers being answered.
Whether for humans, or other seen and unseen beings, the “mouth” is the key to accessing them all. It is by way of the mouth that we are able to communicate with all forces and energies and it is by appealing to the mouth of these energies by way of veneration and nourishment that we gain their support.
Etùtù
It is said that Etùtù is the father and the mother of all of atonement and nourishment. It is from Etùtù that Ìrúbọ was born, it is from Etùtù that Ìpèsè was born, and it is from Etùtù the Ibọ̀ was born. Etùtù can be understood as the all encompassing measures used to restore balance and harmony to ones external and internal environment. Etùtù is a powerful force that is able to redirect untoward energies and forces away from clients and communities. Theses measure can include spiritual consultations, offerings, various medicinal preparations, the avoidance of certain foods or materials, the changing of ones behaviour, the burying of the dead in specific locations, the use of various herbs and prayers, the giving of alms, the use of powerful rituals and the feeding of unseen and seen forces to name but a few - all with the intrinsic purpose of creating the right environment conducive to perpetual growth, peace and spiritual wellness.
Traditionally, among the Yorúbà people, the infinite repository of hidden and remember knowledge known as Ifá has been accessed for thousands of years to know how to attain and remain in an inner state of equilibrium. Etùtù is taken from the word, Ètù-títù meaning “to appease and to atone”. Etùtù is used to inhibit the negative forces and aspects of nature from continuing to inflict undesirable actions upon a person, place, family and community. Effective use of Etùtù will surely create the right conditions for restoring the healthy unfolding of one’s natural and innate destiny. Ètutù restores balance in nature by using various rituals and mundane actions to reorganize energy and restore right relationship with Spirit. Etùtù restores harmony and aligns one with the beneficial and positive aspects of nature to ensure the least path of resistance to manifestation.
Ifá speaks about the essence of Etùtù as being the complementary and divine partner of human beings which activates and invites the nourishing aspects of the divine to create the appropriate conditions for positive transformation and change. In the Odù, Òtúrá Elétùtù (Òtúrá Òtúrúpọ̀n), Ifá says:
Iyọ̀n lanka,
Obe lanka,
Okele tii koo ni obe,
Aa maa yi gbirigbiri yi ile ka,
Aa dáfún Ọ̀rúnmìlà too fi Etùtù aya re sile lode Ọ̀run nigbati oo nbo ni Ayé.
Translation:
Iyọ̀n lanka, Obe lanka, Okele tii koo ni obe, Aa maa yi gbirigbiri yi ile ka, are the names of the Awo cast Ifá for Ọ̀rúnmìlà when Ọ̀rúnmìlà left Etùtù their special and complementary partner in Ọ̀run to come to Ayé.
Iyọ̀n lanka, Obe lanka, Okele tii koo ni obe, Aa maa yi gbirigbiri yi ile ka, means a bowl of pounded yam, a bowl of stew, a small ball of pounded yam without a corresponding volume of stew can be likened to one going here and there aimlessly. The essence of these Diviners can be interpreted to mean that you can’t have one without the other and be fully satisfied - there is an inherent law of balance and equilibrium in the Universe. And their is access to hidden knowledge which restores harmony. Ifa indicates that there is a symbiotic relationship and synergy between the people of the earth and the energy known as Etùtù.
In this Odù, Ifá speaks about how Ọ̀rúnmìlà left Ọ̀run, the spirit realm, for Ayé, the physical realm, but forgot to come with Etùtù. Etùtù is Ọ̀rúnmìlà’s special and complementary partner. When Ọ̀rúnmìlà got to Ayé, things were going fairly well, but Ọ̀rúnmìlà noticed that things were not happening in the exact way that Ọ̀rúnmìlà wanted. Ọ̀rúnmìlà sought consultation with Ifá to address the issue and the Odù, Òtúrá Elétùtù was revealed. Ọ̀rúnmìlà was advised that his situation will continue to be challenging unless they went back to Ọ̀run and brought Etùtù to earth. This act of bringing Etùtù from Ọ̀run symbolizes the all encompassing actions that Ọ̀rúnmìlà sought to bring to fruition and into a complete and unified state of being. So, Ọ̀rúnmìlà went and brought Etùtù to Ayé. After bringing Etùtù to Ayé all that Ọ̀rúnmìlà directed his attention towards became quite successful.
It is through this ancient narrative that we can see the close relationship between Ọ̀rúnmìlà and Etùtù. It is Ọ̀rúnmìlà’s partnership with Etùtù which allowed Ọ̀rúnmìlà to continue their work with the support of the universe to attain the most ideal states of growth and development. We can also see how the importance of accessing divine guidance through Ifá is used to restore balance within nature through the use and implementation of Ètùtù to transform lives.
Ètùtù is often prescribed and used for the following occurrences:
To correct some or all the deviations of nature in a client's life.
When the life and persons destiny are in a state of perpetual conflict.
When a life situation has become intolerable.
When a community experiences multiple or successive deaths and disasters.
When there is pestilence in a community.
When there is a high rate of infant mortality or violent deaths among young people
When there is a high percentage of divorce in the community.
When a community is on the verge of economic ruin or total collapse.
When there is a mental or emotional agony in an unprecedented proportion.
Ìrúbo
Among the children of Ètùtù we also have Ìrúbọ also know as Ẹbọ Rírú. In the the Òrìṣà traditions of West Africa and the diaspora the act of making Ẹbọ is of immense importance. As we move towards a more holistic understanding of various aspects of the the Òrìṣà tradition we understand that Ẹbọ should not be translated to mean sacrifice alone. It is through Ẹbọ that Awo (Ifá Diviners) nourish various spiritual forces and energies within oneself and their environment. Ẹbọ encompasses all the actions we take to give up something of intrinsic value be it money and or behavioural traits for the welfare of self and others. Ẹbọ in essence, encompasses both physical offerings and intangible psychological modifications as a means to align ones life force with the energies of the environment to create the right circumstances for healthy transformation.
Ẹbọ Rírú can only be prescribed by trained Awo after an Ifá divination has been done for and on behalf of the client(s) seeking Ifá’s injunction and guidance. When an Awo consults Ifá, a guiding Odù or sign would be revealed through either by throwing of the Ọpẹ̀lẹ̀ (divining chain) or the manipulation of sixteen Ìkín Ifá (palm kernel seeds) in a particular manner from which a sign is then printed on a diving board known as an Ọpọ́n Ifá. The Odù revealed contains the reasons for the clients consultations as well as the remedies used to resolve their circumstances in their favour. The advice and counselling given along with the physical materials used for the Ẹbọ create a synergy bringing the client into better alignment with the universe to restore balance and usher in blessings. Ifá teaches us that, “as above, so below”, alternately what happens in the physical realm has its roots in the spiritual realm. To create change in the physical realm, we must influence the spiritual realm by way of special petitions, prayers and items used to nourish the Spirit. Within nature there is a natural law of energetic exchange between all things. Something must be given for something to be received and if you want to receive, you must be ready to give.
Ẹbọ Rírú is typically done on an Ọpọ́n Ifá to appease nourish all energies and forces ritually through the Ìmàle, Èṣù. Ẹbọ requires the expertise of a knowledgeable Awo to be done correctly. The reason for this is because Ẹbọ is a very intricate process where a lot of incantations, chants, and prayers will be said to raise the vibration of the client, the Diviner, and the physical materials being offered to a sacred level. Ẹbọ Rírú is a very esoteric process and relies on the Àṣẹ (power) of the Awo’s mouth. Ifá in the Odù, Ògúndá Masá (Ògúndá Ọ̀sá) says:
Yàyà sákulubẹ,
Awo eba ọna,
À dífá fún Ọ̀rúnmìlà
Lojo tó nmu ẹbọ tọ̀run bò wasayé,
Wọn ni kò kaale ẹbọ ni ṣiṣe,
Sisa tó ẹbọ mà sá ẹnu lo sa si
Nje nibo ni lẹbọ wá ẹnu eniyan lẹbọ wá ẹnu eniyan
Translation:
Yàyà sákulubẹ is the Awo of the roadside, they cast Ifá for Ọ̀rúnmìlà when Ọ̀rúnmìlà was bringing Ẹbọ to Ayé and Ọ̀rúnmìlà was told that Ẹbọ would attempt to run away Ẹbọ ran into the mouth of human beings.
Yàyà sákulubẹ is describing something in motion that is moving quickly and in a smart way that one has to step out from in front of and get out the way. This is the name of the Awo of eba ọna, the road side. The Awo themselves being associated with quick movement and intelligence are also associated with the energy of direction. It is these combined forces of movement, intelligence and direction that the Awo is tapping into when invoking the act of transformation through Ẹbọ. The essence of the diviners names are describing the nature of Ẹbọ and how it works.
Ifá tells us how the power of manifestation within Ẹbọ resides in the Àṣẹ of the word and mouth of the Awo. Before Ọ̀rúnmìlà left the spirit realm to come to the physical realm they were told to make offering. The Awo in Ọ̀run told Ọ̀rúnmìlà that most likely Ẹbọ would run away from them and would go and hide somewhere. Ọ̀rúnmìlà was told that Ẹbọ would hide in Ẹnu, the mouth. They were given instructions and told what to do so that wherever Ẹbọ ran too, they would know how to find Ẹbọ and bring Ẹbọ out of its hiding spot in the mouth.
This is why Ẹbọ must include the esoteric power of the word along with physical materials to raise the vibrations of the objects from profane to sacred. Ifá says that Ẹbọ resides in the mouth of human beings and those who are knowledgeable know how to bring Ẹbọ out of hiding. It is through the process of Ẹbọ Rírú that the mouths of divinities are nourished. Once anyone’s mouth is appealed to, one is more inclined to listen to others concerns and help remedy an effective approach.
Additionally, Babaláwo are well aware that there is a strong connection between Ọ̀rúnmìlà, Orí, Ifá and Èṣù. When someone goes to consult with Ọ̀rúnmìlà, Ọ̀rúnmìlà makes sure that the prescribed offering is appropriate and applicable in the life of the client. Ifá may reveal a need for the person to appease their Orí. Orí is the first Òrìṣà. Hence, the reason that when you are doing Ìrúbo, one must go to Orí first because everything starts from Orí. If ones Orí is not balanced, the Awo will first seek to balance a persons inner and outer self by way of cleansing and appeasing ones Orí during the Ẹbọ before it is finally accepted by the Universe. There is no way ones offering will be accepted and manifest favourably in the life of the person without the consent of their Orí. If there are Ebora or negative entities around the person, Awo have the Àṣẹ to be able to deal with those Ebora because Ọ̀rúnmìlà has the Àṣẹ to send Ebora away from the life of the person. This must be done before one can proceed to petitioning any other Ìmàle for support. Once this is completed, then and only then can additional Ìmàle be petitioned to intervene successfully in the life of the person.
Ẹbọ Rírú are prescribed for four important reasons:
To continue to be in alignment with ones destiny.
To overcome negative or untoward influences disrupting ones destiny.
To reclaim a positive and harmonious relationship with ones destiny.
To correct a total imbalance and prevent interruption of ones life journey.
Ìpèsè
Ìpèsè is also part of Etùtù. Ìpèsè, is another way of seeking the support of divine beings whether seen or unseen. Ìpèsè is the process of appealing to others mouths and hearts with edible and non edible items. Ìpèsè can be giving food or money to human beings with the intention that they wish and speak well of you. In fact, Spirit can use these human beings as vehicles in which to respond to whatever prayers and requests are made through Ìpèsè.
Ìpèsè is different from Ẹbọ in that it will be done for and on behalf of a specific group or essence. Whereas Ẹbọ is done for all different energies through Èṣù, which are then nourished through the materials used during the offering. Ìpèsè can either be prescribed by Ifá or it can be done without recourse for spiritual inquiry. Anyone can prepare certain foods and drinks and place them outside so as to seek the divine favour of various spiritual essences. It is only Ẹbọ that has to go through the Ọpọ́n Ifá to be done correctly, while Ìpèsè to spiritual groups like the Ìyáàmí Àjẹ́ and Ẹgbẹ́ Ọ̀run do not need to be done exclusively by an Awo.
Ifá can often prescribe Ìpèsè along with Ẹbọ as a way of petitioning certain spiritual forces directly. Ìpèsè can be specific to an Odù where certain materials are used and specific chants are spoken to energize and remind those forces that what happened in the past would be repeated in the present favourably in the life of the client. Different Odù speak to different items to be used for Ìpèsè. Some Odù, apart from the Ẹbọ will prescribe Ìpèsè to be done with Èkuru, Akara, or Olele. Sometimes the Ìpèsè may be even done with items that are not edible. Every Ìpèsè, is rooted in one Ẹsẹ Ifá or the other. Ifá describes the how, the why and the way these materials are used and in some cases where the Ìpèsè must be placed to manifest optimally in the life of the client. A perfect example of this comes from the Odù Ọ̀sá wóò Ìwòrì wóò (Ọ̀sá Ìwòrì) where Ifá speaks about Ìgúnnugún, the vulture, who used Ìpèsè to bring about long life and blessings for themselves. Ifá says:
Ọ̀sá wóò Ìwòrì wóò,
À dáa fún Ìgún,
Gbogbo ayé pejọ, wọn nfẹẹ jẹẹ,
Wọ́n ran Ọmọ lọsi isalu ọ̀run kiolọ bere wa,
Wọ́n Niki Ìgún rúbọ…
Translation:
Ọ̀sá wóò Ìwòrì wóò, is the name of the Diviner who cast Ifá for the vulture when the whole world came together wanting to eat Ìgún. The wise man was sent to the spirit realm to inquire and Ìgún was asked to make offering.
In Ọ̀sá Ìwòrì, Ifá narrates how Ìgúnnugún was asked to make a special Ìpèsè with Obì (kola nut). Ìgún made the Ìpèsè and was directed to place it by Èṣù. After throwing the Obì before Èṣù, Èṣù instructed Ìgún to go to Ọ̀run and seek favour from Olódùmarè directly. Meanwhile in Ayé, people were conspiring to consume Ìgún as food. However, they were not allowed consume Ìgún without first getting direct confirmation and permission from Olódùmarè. The people of the earth sent a wise person to Ọ̀run to request for the authority to eat Ìgún. When they arrived in Ọ̀run they were supposed to meet with Olódùmarè, but Olódùmarè was busy seeing about Akọnbì and needed Obì to do so. So, they requested from the person who had been sent to ask for permission to start eating Ìgún to help get some Obì to take care of Akọnbì in Ọ̀run. The person started travelling back to Ayé, but as they got to the boundary between realms where Èṣù resides, they saw Obì there. In fact it was actually the Obì that Gúnnugún had used when they had made their Ìpèsè. So the messenger took the Obì that Gúnnugún had used as offering and carried it back to Ọ̀run. When they got returned, Olódùmarè collected it and used them to take care of Akọnbì and entertain Ìgún in the other room.
Ìgún then said, “this looks like one of my Obì, this is my Obì!!” Because Ìgún could easily recognize some of the Obì he would have presented to Èṣù. They told Ìgún not to worry. Olódùmarè remarked, “Okay, if you are the owner of the Obì, then what was your need and what was your request?” And Ìgún said, “I want to go to Ayé where people cannot eat me or treat me negatively or scorn me and so on and so forth.” And they told Ìgún to hold on and they went to the room where they kept the other person who came to request for the authority to start eating Ìgún. They asked the person, “Did you truly go to Ayé to get this Obì? And the person said, “No, I didn’t need to go to Ayé, I saw the Obì at the boundary between realms where Èṣù is and I took it.” And that confirmed that the Obì that the person brought back to Ọ̀run was indeed the Obì that Ìgún placed there by Èṣù. They understood that if not for the offering that Ìgún had done, they wouldn’t be able to get the Obì to use in such a short amount of time. They equated it to mean that Ìgún was actually the one that facilitated how Olódùmarè acquired the Obì. They told Ìgún to relax and leave for Ayé, that their prayers will be answered; they would hold onto the individual who came to request for the authority to eat Ìgún and they would never allow that person to return to Ayé. Up till today, those that sent the person to Ọ̀run are still waiting for confirmation from the person to tell them if they can eat Ìgún or not. And that is why Ìgún is not eaten in Ayé.
It is not uncommon for those who have not studied Ifá in great depth to use specific items as offering coupled with their intentions and place them at a crossroads or near a river or some other location to bring about the manifestation of their desires. One should bear in mind that all Ìpèsè come from one Ẹsẹ Ifá or another as Ifá contains the how and why such items are used to achieve specific purposes. Fundamentally, all Ìpèsè are a source of energy; they are tools in the hands of the Spirit, which will twist and turn the energy of creation and manifestation in a way that is disposed towards us favourably.
Ibò
Ibọ̀ is a ritual offering to feed any of the Divinities such as Ọ̀rúnmìlà, Ṣàngó, Ọbàtálá (Orìṣànlá), Ọ̀sun, Ọbalúayé (Ṣànpònná), Ọ̀ya, Yemọja, Òge, Òrìṣà-Oko, Òṣóòsi, Bùùkúù, Egúngún (Ancestors), Ìbejì (the Twins), Orò, Òsànyìn, Èṣù, Ìja and others.
In all cases of spiritual inquiry when Ìrúbo is prescribed it must be understood that Ìrúbo and Etùtù have to be done first before any Ibọ̀ or feeding of Ìmàle and Òrìṣà can commence. If one does not adhere to this strictly, the client will be wasting their resources. Consequently, Ẹbọ always comes first before Ibọ̀ and Ìpèsè. Doing it the other way around is not acceptable for Ifá. This is because when someone decides to go for Ifá consultation, they know that Ẹbọ will be prescribed to provide solutions to their issues. It is the responsibility of the client to perform the Ẹbọ as soon as possible. Ẹbọ will always come first because all Ẹbọ goes through Èṣù. One of the divine roles that Èṣù has within the Universe is to function as gateman, sitting at the boundary between the spirit and material realms. Essentially, one must be able to greet and take care of the gateman appropriately before one can expect to move forward with the manifestation of their petitions to Olódùmarè. If Ifá prescribes Ibọ̀ or Adímù to a particular Divinity than a Babaláwo will first do the Ẹbọ to Èṣù to clear the way and then do whatever additional Ibọ̀ or Ìpèsè is prescribed thereafter. When Ibọ̀ or Adímù is prescribed by Ifá along with the Ẹbọ, it indicates that that Òrìṣà in question is the best one to deal with that situation at that point in time.
Written by Ọpẹ́ifá