BALTIMORE: Divine Justice on the Left - Divine Justice on the Right

Divine justice on the left
Divine justice on the right
Divine justice for those in the wrong
Divine justice for those in the right

Ogun modupe (Ogun We / I thank you)
Ogun modupe O (Ogun We / I thank you)
Ogun, onija ole (Ogun, the strongest fighter)
Ogun, adigirigiri rebi ija (Ogun, the one clever in fighting)
Onile kangunkangun ona orun (Ogun, the owner of shapeless houses in heaven)

Ogun, it is you who forges divine justice
Ogun, it is you who severs the truth from the lies
and dances on the head of our true enemies
Ogun, it is you who molds our character
and bestows on us discernment.

Divine justice on the left
Divine justice on the right
Divine justice for those in the wrong
Divine justice for those in the right.

Ase.

- Ifasalewa Gbemi Ogunride
eOsw

OGUN: The Spirit of Iron (The Ifa Concept of Ogun)

Spiritual growth is a journey. To begin the journey there is a need for an opening. The opening is the door that appears when the dogma you hold is shattered by an experience that challenges your preconceived notions about self and world. The door appears as a result of the universal presence of the Divine Messenger, meaning all interaction contains a potential message from Spirit. The message from the Divine Messenger as the trickster is always the same. The trickster brings the message there is more to life than you can imagine. This message can be extremely disruptive and confusing. To work our way out of confusion and back to integration and clarity we call on Osoosi to give us a vision of how to assimilate the message from Esu in a way that will give great depth and clarity to our understanding of self and World. Once the door is open and you see where the path is leading Ifa says invoke Ogun to clear away the obstacles. This is why Esu, Osoosi, and Ogun are grouped together as Ebora. Their interaction is the fundamental Ifa paradigm for growth. This paradigm is rooted in the structure of Ori and Ori is protected by Osun the source of the symbolic map of consciousness through which the Ebora travel.

The relationship of the Ebora is frequently misunderstood outside of traditional Yoruba culture. There is in the West a common misconception that the Ebora have a function to hurt people who upset you. This is a spiritual tit for tat based on the notion that the person with the most powerful Ebora wins. It is a childish notion of spiritual warrior usually rooted in deep insecurities and fostered by a uniformed media that thoughtlessly associates African spirituality with the idea of hexing people. In addition to being childish and silly it has no basis in traditional Ifa metaphysics. It is true that we can be affected by negative thoughts but only if we allow those thought to generate fear.

If you read the traditional religious literature of Africa closely you will discover there is a very ancient, wide spread, cross cultural reverence for the Spirit of Iron. In Yoruba, this Spirit is called Ogun, north of Nigeria you will sometimes find the Spirit of Iron called Ogun, and other similar sounding spiritual names. Throughout West Africa there is a tradition of making the profession of blacksmith a sacred vocation. This tradition is a logical development of the time when humans were dependent on hunting for survival. Ogun created tools and the tools lead to farming and farming leads to the stability of cities and the development of culture. There are indications these trade skills represent a cross cultural interaction stretching between the Middle East through Africa and across the ocean to South America. I am referring to interaction that predates the voyages made by Christopher Columbus. The clearest example is the Olmec culture of what is now Mexico. The sculptures of this culture in Mexico show indications it was based on cooperation between Phoenicians and West Africans.

The word Ogun is difficult to translate into English, but we have some indication from the word oogun. The letter O in Yoruba is used to indicate owner, or one who possess something. The letter O is also used to suggest that someone or some Spiritual Force has mastered a particular form of wisdom. The word oogun means medicine. So in a sense the word for medicine is owner of ogun. I am using the word medicine to mean both physical and spiritual transformation. If we can look at medicine as something that attacks illness, or as something that restores vitality, believe it is a reasonable translation. In a sense you have Ogun as the suffix of oogun, suggesting it is the source of vitality or the source of aliveness. In my opinion this gives us an indication that Ogun is a linguistic reference to the will to survive. It could also suggest survival of that which asserts its own will to make a place for itself in the world. English does not have a single word expressing this idea clearly, but is a commonly understood concept in Ifa associated with the Spirit of Ogun.

There is also an element of aggression implied in the word Ogun. In Nature there is competition for the available resources. To become successful in the survival process, vitality and assertiveness are required. The relationship between antelope and lions on the savannah sets us a dynamic in which the lions make sure only the strongest antelope survive. This is Nature’s way of guiding evolution in the direction of vitality. If we take this idea and see how it relates to the concept of medicine we can get some sense of the origin of the word in metaphysical principles. It suggests that development of consciousness as a way of improving our ability to adapt to our environment.

Unfortunately the notion of survival of the fittest has been used historically to justify racist ideas. In particular it has been used to rule the world. Vitality is a part of the human condition, but it does not define the human condition. Vitality coupled with empathy, compassion and a sense of community is what ultimately creates a foundation for spiritual growth. The notion of controlling others based on the creation of weapons to use as a threat is an idea rooted in greed and the mentality of scarcity. If you believe the world has limited resources than the use of violence to insure survival might make some sense. Ifa teaches the idea that we live in an abundant universe and that living in alignment with Nature can insure survival without the need to resort to violence.

We do have in the theological concept of Ogun the idea of survival through assertive and aggressive action directed towards maintaining survival. The idea is not the ruling principle of social organization in traditional Yoruba culture. In the Ifa creation Myth, the world is described as originally being ruled by Ogun and goes on to say this era of civilization was a failure. To put the idea in contemporary language we are talking about male testosterone. It is what I would call the dynamic, assertive aggressive, expansive quality in Nature itself which is expressed by the Spirit of Ogun. This is an observable Force in Nature that only becomes destructive when it is out of balance with the nurturing, contractive qualities associated with female structure. This is why patriarchy does not work. When Ifa came to the diaspora the influence of patriarchal religions smothered the original African idea of gender equality.

When Ifa speaks about Ogun it is often in reference to blacksmiths and tool makers. This is a limited perspective because it suggests a person figured out how to make use of iron technology and now we are deifying that person. If we limit our perception in this way we are missing the primal manifestation of Ogun as a force of Nature. I call Ogun the spirit of Iron because it is the common translation of the word and because Ogun is the Spirit who is honored by the tool makers but he is not limited to the methodology of tool making.

I believe the historical genesis of the human relationship to Ogun may have emerged out of the tradition of men as hunters and women as time keepers. This is a separation of gender roles likely established for practical reasons. Women on their cycle leave a scent easily picked up by animals and making it difficult for women to effectively hunt at certain times of the month. At the same time the cycle becomes a built in clock. These two social functions became separated by gender as a matter of practical convenience. The point is there is no indication in this separation of functions that men are better than women. There is simply an indication of aptitude making certain tasks easier to accomplish.

We get another indication about the genesis of our understanding of Ogun by looking at the symbolism used to represent Ogun. In Ogun’s pot we have an iron cauldron with three legs, wrapped with a chain and filled with spikes. There is usually a knife and maybe some tools in the pot. We can look at the pot and ask what do these things represent? With the pot itself we have the symbolism of the womb, and we also have the idea of three legs. Three is the symbolic number of Onile or Mother Earth. Ifa says that whenever two Awo (diviners) meet three are always present, the third being the Earth Herself. Three symbolizes the relationship to the Earth; this gives us the symbol of the womb supported by the symbol for the Earth a clear indication of the relationship between masculine dynamics and famine form.

The pot is surrounded by the chain. In Ifa the chain is used as a symbol for the link between Heaven and Earth, a link that is sustained by the genetic chain of DNA. There is a piece of red cloth around the pot which is filled with iron spikes. There is some scientific indication the rust on the iron deposits at the bottom of the ocean created bacteria which became the source of the first single cell life forms on Earth. This would be the beginning of evolution and the basis for Ogun’s praise name Oguntobi meaning Ogun is the Father of all. The seed of life in the womb of the ocean is now symbolized by the iron spikes in the iron cauldron of Ogun. In the pot iron spikes or tools symbolize sperm in the womb. The female component of Ogun is frequently diminished in the West. What is used to consecrate the Ogun pot is irosun. Irosun is red powder from the camwood tree. In Yoruba the word irosun is sometimes used to refer to menstrual blood from the elision ire osun meaning good fortune comes from the guardian of the head which I would interpret to mean genetic inheritance from our ancestors. If you are putting red camwood powder on the Ogun pot you are symbolizing the primal procreative drive for survival.

Historically the urge for survival led to the development of hunting, and to the development of marking time. The value of marking time was the ability to anticipate a shift in the seasons and to develop adequate protection for winter eventually leading to the ability to plant crops. We are talking about the primal motivational forces in the development of human consciousness leading to the development of civilization.

In the Ifa Creation Myth, Ogun’s initial effort to create civilization fails due to an excess of aggression. Civilization is saved through the efforts of Orunmila who teaches Ogun the principles of good character. I believe this is a historical memory of the fact that unchecked procreative, aggressive behavior is not the optimal principle for social organization. We have the idea of ethical judgments tempering the pure unbridled aggressive nature of Ogun as a Spiritual force in Creation. The story about Orunmila’s relationship with Ogun does not mean that Ogun is “evil”, it does not make Ogun “bad”, it does not make Ogun “the devil”, it does not make Ogun a “blood thirsty warrior”. It does make Ogun part of the bigger picture, in which the issue of balance becomes important. Every aspect of the wheel must play is part fully. To emphasis one spoke of the wheel over another is to create dogma and dogma is never true.

When Ogun’s power or ase is needed, it needs to be fully expressed in its essence to find its proper place in the world. One of the ways this is done in traditional Yoruba communities is to allow the elders of Ogun to make life force offerings. In many Yoruba communities there is room for specialization. You can have a ceremony for Oya (the Spirit of the Wind) and when it comes time to make an offering of a goat, and initiate of Ogun can be called in to make the cut. After that he might leave the ceremony. I am speaking about what is commonly called “animal sacrifice”. The word “sacrifice” is a Christian term; the word in Yoruba is Ebo. Sacrifice does not translate to ebo. Ifa does not sacrifice animals because that suggests the animal is killed and discarded. The Ifa concept of ebo is to provide a feast for the family or the community. When you live in an environment that depends on domesticated animals for food, the slaughtering of an animal is always a sacred act, just as hunting was a sacred act when communities depended on hunting for survival.

In traditional Yoruba communities, Ogun initiates slaughter domestic animals, and hunt those wild animals that are part of the diet. They sometimes specialize, so not every Ogun initiate necessarily does both. All Ogun initiates are trained in the spiritual discipline of preparing sanctified food, meaning food that is blessed during the preparation and consumption.

When you go through a rite of passage, or a personal transformation, it is the Ifa belief that the more people pray on your behalf, the more likely it will be that your prayers will be heard by Spirit. In order to get a lot of people to support your spiritual elevation you feed them. On the day you announce you have made a commitment to move from being a child to an adult, you feed the community. After the feast no one in the community will allow you to get away with childish behavior. When someone does something foolish elders will say we slaughtered a goat to announce the day you became an adult, honor your commitment to that celebration. This was not a sacrifice it is a part of normal cycle of feeding the community.

Why would you provide a feast in a ceremonial way? This is based on the idea of reaffirming our covenant with Creation. When a priest of Ogun slaughters a goat, he precedes the gesture by saying may the Spirit of this goat reincarnate as a goat to feed my family in the future. You are acknowledging the interconnected relationship between all things in Nature. It is not about the blood. The blood is the seal to the covenant. There is a mistaken motion in the Diaspora that the more blood you use, the more power you raise. In Africa they return the blood to the Earth. When the blood is placed in the Earth it has regenerative value like fertilizer. They take a feather and dip the feather into the blood and touch the plod to the shire being fed. Quantity is not a factor. There are variations on this process, the point is food is being prepared for the community, the blood is incidental. The act of re-affirming our covenant with the Spirit only requires a small amount of blood. It is the sincerity of the ritual act that carries the power and not the quantity of blood.

There is another aspect of a life force offering essential to understanding the awo or mystery of Ogun. Based on the Ifa belief in reincarnation, animals pass into the realm of the ancestors. We pray directly to the animals so our prayers may be taken by the animals into Orun or the invisible realm. Ifa teaches the idea everything in the World has consciousness and Spirit can communicate with all things. Ifa also embraces the idea of psychometry. If I touch your shoes I can tell where you have been during the day. Your prayer against the head of the animal transfers that message to both Spirit and to those who share in the meal. It is the process of giving our prayers physical substance in the community and in the realm of the ancestors.

When you make the offering you are dealing with the power of Ajala the Yoruba word for warrior. The word Ajala is an elision of aja ala, meaning the dog of light. In Ifa a dog is a messenger to Spirit like the Nimbus in Egyptian culture, it is not a derogatory reference. When you day you are a dog of white light, you are saying you are a messenger of ethical conduct. In the act of making ebo or offerings you become Ajala. You become the vehicle in which ethical conduct is incarnated. Light in Ifa is associated with the idea that everything is connected. To experience light in its primal manifestation is to have a mystical experience that allows you to feel your connection with all things. This experience comes into being in the Odu Otura meji. There is no Ajala without the manifestation of Otura meji. Ala is a symbolic reference to the mystical vision. Aja is a symbolic reference to the ability to remain connected to spirit to reinforce your original mystic vision with information relevant to the moment.

The Ifa concept of Ajala includes the component of mystic vision and the Ifa concept of Ogun includes the component of s’otito s’odido, meaning state the facts and tell the truth. In the folk lore associated with Ogun there is a story about Ogun working as an executioner for an Oba or king. Someone has stolen one of the Oba’s goats and the Oba’s messenger has accused a specific suspect who the messenger claims he saw take the goat. The messenger brings the suspect to the palace for execution. When the messenger arrives with the suspect, Ogun decapitates the messenger saying it is taboo to lie. Ogun says “I know the suspect is innocent because I stole the goat.” The mystery of Ogun becomes finding a place that will open a portal for truth. In Ifa unconditional love or Ife is the only truth, all else is illusion or ibi. This is not the Ultimate truth of God’s will; it is the relative truth of how to live effectively in the world.

Within Ori we find a place to balance between the head and the heart. Balance gives us a sense of self and World. It is Esu who disrupts our sence of complacency given us a vision of self and world beyond our immediate perception. The disruption of Esu thows us into a world of fear, confusion, panic and dread. Through the invocation of Osoosi our higher self can guide us to a vision of the path that will lead us out of darkness and into light. When the speps we need to take are clear it is Ogun who gives us the will power and determination to actually walk the path. Ifa teaches when you invoke Ogun you are asking to transform that which obstructs your growth. These obstructions always originate in ourselves as ideas that do not accurately reflect the World around us. Ogun clears away inner obstacles that lead to the transformation of the external environment. In simple terms we are the masters of our fate.

Odu Ifa does speak of the dangers of Ogun unleashing his ase or spiritual power without the tempering balance of female spirit. At times people grouped together in community are confronted with the need to defend themselves. The Odu Osa Ogunda speaks of a time when it is necessary to go to war. This is symbolically referred to as the time when the water buffalo stirs up dust. The water buffalo is sacred to Oya the Spirit of the Wind who is considered the guardian of the forest. To say the water buffalo is stirring up dust is to say the stability of the rain forest is threatened. In traditional Yoruba culture a threat to the rain forest is understood as a threat to survival. Oya in turn opens the door to the realm of the ancestors who have the insight and vision to fix that which is being threatened. The first step in the process is saying Ogun cannot go to war without the guidance of Oya to protect the village from extinction. In the verse Osa Ogunda Oya is described as a shape shifter meaning she has a spiritual power associated with the women of Iyaami Osoranga. This is the power of astral travel and the ability to use astral travel as a weapon to torment those who threaten the stability of the culture.

Approximately two hundred years ago there was a huge reaction to slavery in Nigeria initiated by the women of Iyaami Osoranga. This moral outrage led to skirmishes with the British and the eventual end of slavery in Yoruba culture. This moral outrage was formalized into the ancestral ritual called Gelede. The purpose of gelede is to appease the anger of the mothers by holding an annual ritual where the social concerns of the mothers are directly addressed.

In traditional Yoruba culture warfare is an integrated operation coordinating the physical warriers skills of the men who are initiated into the martial arts associated with Ogun and the women are initiated in the martial arts associated with the powers of the ancestral mothers. Ogun’s martial art is called Aki meaning courage and those who are skilled in the martial arts are called Akin meaning brave men. The martial arts of the ancestral mothers are associated with Aje meaning power of the word. The Odu Osa Ogunda says that Ogun recognizes the shape shifting abilities of Oya and asks her to be his wife. Together they become a potent force for protecting the village. In other words traditional Yoruba warfare is physical combat supported by prayer.

Ifa understands the inner mysteries of warfare and understands that the ase or spiritual power used to effectively fight a war is not easily turned off. If the energy is not grounded following a battle, the ase runs the risk of becoming self-destructive. The Odu Ogunda Ose speaks of the taboo against hurting other, offending others, and punishing others. All of which are considered different from defending the community from attack. It is the role of Osun the Spirit of Fresh Water to remind Ogun of this distinction. She does this by using the medicine of honey to sweeten his soul after the trauma of war. Osun is the source of abundance, erotic elure and the promise of a good life. It is Osun who Ogun turns to when it is necessary to dispel the testosterone necessary for being an effective warrior.

Ultimately the purpose of Ogun’s ase is to clear away any and all obstacles leading to rebirth as expressed in the Odu Ogunda Odi. In this verse Ogun is promised a safe journey, meaning the removal of obstacles will result in the manifestation of a completely transformed ori or the emergence of a new self-identity with expanded parameter of grasping self and world. Odi is the Odu that incarnates Yemoja, from the elision yeye mi oja, meaning the Mother of Fishes. This is the Ifa spirit of the Nuturing Mother who gives us a sense of completion and grace when we have completed the difficult journey of self-elevation and transformation.

Classic studies of mythology described this as the hero discovering the boon of treasure in the wilderness. In simple terms this means any problem I fix in my life become potential medicine for someone else. In traditional Yoruba culture everyone older than you is your mentor and everyone younger is your potential protégé. We learn from experience and experience gives us the voice of authority to teach others. The Hero’s Journey is support of the Ifa proverb that says. “If your life gets better my life gets better.”

Ire,
Awo Falokun

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Awo Falokun is available for Ifa / Orisa Initiations and Workshops. Call: 775-741-0188 or email: awofalokun@ifabooksinc.com for more information.

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"Ogun: Chief of Strength" by Awo Fategbe Fatunmbi

Ogun! Obi rere o
Fun wa ni alaafia
Ma da wahale silu
Ase

Ogun! We give you kola
Give us peace
Do not make trouble in our town
ase
Oriki

Ogun awo, Olumaki, alase ajuba
Ogun ni jo ti ma lana lati ode
Ogun oni’re onile kangun-kangun
ode Orun, egbe lehin
Pa san bo pon ao lana to
Imo kimo ‘bora, egbe lehin a nle a benge logbe
ase

Ogun, chief of strength, owner of power, I salute you
Ogun dances outside to the open road (dance is a metaphysical force)
Ogun, owner of good fortune, owner of many houses in the realm of the ancestors, help those who journey (Ogun has much “wealth” in Orun that he will bless you with)
Remove the obstructions from our path
Wisdom of the warrior spirit, guide us on our spiritual journey with strength
ase

“The unique function of Ogun within the realm of Orisha awo is to remove all obstacles that stand in the way of spiritual evolution, which includes the evolution of all there is. In order to do this, Ogun must sacrifice all that stands in the way of spiritual evolution. Because of this sacred responsibility, Ogun is considered the Guardian of Truth. Ogun does not protect the truth as what we would like it to be; he guards the truth of what is. It is the process of making this distinction that lies at the core of Ogun’s mystery (Falokun Fatunmbi).”

Ogun is, in Yoruba mythology, one of the oldest Orisa. He is the Spirit of hunting, iron, and warfare. Ogun is the force which helped humans adapt to the world. Ogun’s ase is physical force, hotness, quickness, directness, sensuality, firmness, protectiveness, loyalty and tenacity. Ogun is firm, forthright and honest. He has no mercy on cowards.  He is supremely creative. When we think of Ogun, usually two main concepts come to mind; two different images.

First is as a violent warrior, fully armed with weapons and charms, and ready for battle. The other is as the ideal man, virile, courageous, brave, a man who protects and nurtures his children, who pursues truth and justice relentlessly, and creates civilization. In Ogun we find three basic philosophical principles regarding idealized human. One is Ogun’s metaphorical solitude. Each of us, in the end, are on a solitary journey, the hero’s journey to self realization. We are also ultimately responsible for our day to day survival supported by our own inner strength. Another principle regarding the ideal human is taking a leadership role, extending our responsibility for self to that of the community or group. The third is iwa pele. We will be judged by our achievements and accomplishments both at the individual level but more importantly in service to others. Although seemingly paradoxical, these themes of aggression and civilization are actually complementary. War is an act of civilization building. Creating societies is a violent act. Ogun’s basic truth is that death is essential to life. When is death good and when is it bad? Ogun is an ambivalent Orisa who reflects the contradictions of human nature.

The light shining on Ogun’s
face is not easy to behold
Ogun, let me not see the red of your eye
Ogun is a crazy Orisa who still asks questions after 780 years!
Whether I can reply, or whether I cannot reply
Ogun, please don’t ask me anything

Ogun has many faces. “Ogun meje l’Ogun-un mi.” “The Ogun that I know are seven in number.” Ogun is the Spirit of Iron, and we can analyse the qualities of iron to get a glimpse of Ogun’s qualities. Iron is unique in its ability to be transformed in profound ways. It can go from red hot liquid to cold and unyielding very quickly. It always maintains its inner “ironess” thru all its transformations.  The incredible ability to undergo radical changes in temperature, color, and temper are the essence of iron and Ogun. The tools made from iron also reflect Ogun, as they are usually used in quick strong, decisive movements. However, to limit Ogun to the Spirit of Iron, is to cut short his history, as iron smelting is a recent technological achievement. Similarily, to reduce Ogun to the God of War, is to limit his divine responsibilities. Orisa exist at all levels and expressions of the divine, in creation and in the invisible realm. At the level of universal energy, Ogun is primal energy; the expansive and unstoppable energy of evolution. Ogun is that force of nature that keeps matter in motion. Ogun is always bringing something new into the world, whether it be a new political order, a new technology or a new settlement. The word Ogun, with the appropriate tonal changes, can be translated to mean war, inheritance, medicine and perspiration. Once Olodumare gives a being life, it is Ogun who sustains that organism. In a well known itan (story) from the Yoruba creation myth, Ogun came to earth with the other 401 irunmole. Obatala came down to the world first, but when he started to cut his way through the forest, his silver cutlass was not up to the task (too soft). So Ogun took over with his iron cutlass. Ogun took the leadership role and directed the other irunmole. Ogun’s philosophy is that we must act with courage and heroism in living and in dying while serving the needs of the community. This story also suggests that Obatala created human consciousness, but Ogun is the force behind its evolution. Ogun is the instigator of beginnings, foundings and innovations.

Ogun Lakaaye
Osin Mole
Oosa to sogbo dile
Oosa to sogbo digboro
Oosa to sakitan doja
ase

Ogun, Chief Lakaaye
Chief Osin Mole
The Orisa who made the forest his home
The Orisa who made the heart of the forest into a township
The Orisa who made a refuse pit into a market

Ogun is also the Orisa in charge of making ebo (blood offerings). In this area he works closely with Esu. Initiates learn the awo of ebo. That is, the successful elevation of the spirit of the animal to Orun with the prayers of the person for whom the ebo is being done, as well as the request that the animal return to earth to feed the people again. This last aspect is part of Ogun’s role as that force that pushes living things to continue to procreate. The assurance that the animal will return assures that there will be food to eat and the species will not die out.

However, it is most probable that Ogun became Orisa through hunters and warriors. Most cultures have a way established to readmit warriors back into society after battle. This involves some manner of ritual purification for the warriors after killing in battle. In Yoruba culture, it is the Ogun worshippers that carry out this task. It would seem that hunting, killing and the need to re-establish order from the disorder of death are the conceptual roots of Ogun (Armstrong).

When we speak of Orisa, it can be confusing because we refer to Orisa in several ways without making clear distinctions. Orisa bring together experience from both the worldly and spiritual realms. So we have Ogun as a primal energy; as a force of nature; as a highly evolved spirit given a job to do by God; as a personified diety, etc. The multifaceted and multidimensional qualities of Orisa are what render any explanation wanting. Truthfully, the only way to know Ogun or any Orisa is through possession by that Orisa, the point where knowledge and understanding merge. Any endeavor to interpret Ogun will be incomplete.

Yoruba cosmology relates that in “Source” there is unity, but in the physical realms polarities are created and these polarities are in constant flux. This is why Orisa seem to be illogical or contradictory at times, for instance Ogun as bloodthirsty warrior and as nurturing protector. All Orisa contain both positive and negative attributes. Ogun kills and he creates. Yoruba thought regards truth as ephemeral, and good and evil as subjective. Ogun kills your enemy; this is good for you, but an act of evil to your enemies’ wife and children. He helps the poor and the powerless by taking from the rich and powerful. In Ogun, rather than illogical opposites, we have the unity of destruction and creation. Through Ogun, this polarity is brought into balance. All Orisa represent polarities and all Orisa provide a theory of how the world works; how balance is achieved both at the universal level, at the societal level, and at the human level.

The following itan of Ogun is full of esoteric information regarding this Orisa. The story is that once upon a time, Ororinna married Tabutu, and they had a son named Tobi Ode (skilled hunter). He became the first Orisa to make the trip from ikole Orun to ikole Aye. The earth was covered with dense forest. The other irunmole followed. Obatala tried to cut a path through the forest, but his silver cutlass was too soft. Tobi created iron and made a cutlass that he used to cut through the forest. From that day on, he was known as Ogun, osin imole, “first among the immortals.” But Ogun did not want to be their leader, he preferred solitude so he went up in the mountains. Ogun in this primordial role as evolutionary energy is mirrored at the human level. Ogun is the hunter/warrior who encapsulates the evolutionary progression from hunting to agriculture and from stone tools too iron, from subsistence horticulture to urbanization and the development of empire. As Ulli Beier put it, Ogun is the symbol par excellence, of the superior, conquering society.

One of Ogun’s primary symbols is the knife (Obe). It is because of this that a major contradiction arises. Ogun eats first, because the knife is the first thing to taste blood in any sacrifice. It is said that Esu must eat first, and in ritual feasts and bloodless offerings, he is presented his food first. However, in blood offerings it is Ogun, the only one allowed to take a life, who eats first, and

it is because of him that the other Orisa can be fed blood. Ogun is the father of metamorphosis, because with his great strength and with the aid of intense heat, he transforms carbon into diamonds, sandstone into marbles, and marble into gneiss. Over time and space, Ogun has taken on more facets. Ogun is the God of War, Energy and Metal. Ogun keeps matter in motion. Ogun is the sustainer of life. Ogun lives in the knife, and with it, clears a path for man. Ogun is the force within your computer. Ogun is technology. Ogun represents the tools that shape man, bringing out a person’s potential, enhancing one’s life. Ogun is our heart beat and the final contraction during birth. Ogun is auto accidents and gun wounds. Ogun is the warrior, hunter and farmer. Ogun is the God of loyalty and life-long friendships. Ogun is the master of secrets, skills, crafts, professions and creations. In Cuba he is San Juan or San Pedro. In Brazil he is Saint George.

Ogun devotees have decorations of miniature iron tools which serve as metaphors for civilization. In the Diaspora, we have taken to contain Ogun in an iron pot with iron tools inside along of course with the stone. The main tools of Ogun are the anvil, which signifies the earth’s ability to transform man. the shovel, which is used fir digging into one’s potential; the machete, which is used to clear path’s and to protect; The rake, which is used to gather and smooth rough areas of the self; the hoe, which is used to cultivate one’s potential; The hammer, which is used to bend or shape one’s faculties; and the pick, which is used to pierce or penetrate the hardened areas of the self. The implements are gifts of Ogun which he uses to help a person through life. They are metaphors for civilization. Ogun represents all occupations in which cutting instruments are used. Ogun helped the divinities to survive in their initial settlement on earth and to effect harmony among themselves as they struggled with new and unforeseen circumstances. Ogun is the Orisa of barbers, doctors, butchers, etc., any occupation that uses knives or blades, or iron tools.

OGUN Oni’ re ni je aj’a,
OGUN ikola a je igbin,
OGUN gbena-gbena`oje igi ni i je!
pa si’le ps s’oko.
Laka aiye OGUN ko laso,
moriwo l’aso OGUN.
Ire kii se ile OGUN,
emu lo ya mu ni’be.
ase

OGUN, the owner of Ire, eats dog,
OGUN of circumcision, eats snail,
OGUN of carvers, saps the juice of trees!
He kills in the house and kills on the farm.
He who covers the world, OGUN had no cloth,
Palm frond is the cloth of OGUN.
Ire is not the home of OGUN,
he just stopped there to drink palm wine.
Ase



No Orisa stands alone, they are all part of a whole. Ogun’s iron tools connect him in many ways to other Orisa. Ogun needs Sango’s fire to make iron from ore as well as to make iron into tools and weapons. Ogun has a strong connection with Osainyin, the Orisa of the herbalists. Osainyin devotees have a staff which has miniature iron implements as well as a bird on top. The bird represents the mystical powers of the herbalists. The Ogun miniature implements represent Ogun’s relationship to the herbalists as warriors receive war charms and protective medicines from the herbalists, and it is Ogun’s ase that is in the charms and medicines (hunters also have many charms and medicines). Much of the warriors and hunters success depends on the efficacy of his charms. Ogun’s iron armlets could deflect the enemies sword from the warriors body and even divert bullets. Ogun’s sword best represents his ase. It contains the essence of the twin aspects of aggression and civilization. It cleared the forest and built the house; it cleared the farm and planted the crops; and it defeated the enemy and crowned the king. Although the Iyami possess the king’s crown and thus are the kingmakers, the king must be given Ogun’s sword in ritual setting before he can sit on the throne.

Hunters who are Ogun initiates learn the secrets of Oya, who is the Spirit of the Wind and also the Guardian of the Forest Animals. In addition, they must undergo training in the secrets of tracking of Osoosi. In this way, we see that Orisa are parts of a whole. Ogun also has a symbiotic relationship with Esu. Together with Osoosi, the Spirit of the Tracker, they constitute the ebora, the warriors. They are invoked to provide us the courage, determination and strength to embark on the path of birth, death, transformation and rebirth. These qualities are expansive aggressive qualities and thus the ebora are male energies, but the inspiration to embark on the path and the source of the ebora’s strength comes from the Divine Feminine. In baba Falokun’s words:

“The relationship between the ebora is a description of the fundamental structure of consciousness itself.  This description is not limited to human perception. It contains clues for grasping the basic structure of the visual carbon based universe. The paradigm is rooted in the structure of ori. The stories associated with Èsù, Òsóòsi and Ogun are expressions of the symbolic language used by Ifá to describe the inner workings of the unknowable knower. The relationship between these three primal Spiritual Forces is an expression of the relationship between the inner self, the self and the higher self in the process of transformation and change. All personal growth moves through the cycles described by Ifá as  or the mystery of those who take our offerings to the Immortals.

Life, death, transformation and rebirth is the way of the world. The Nigeria mathematician Dr. Oyibo recently offered a solution to the problem of unified field theory. This problem has plagued science since the time of Einstein. Unified field theory is a mathematical formula used to describe the interrelated nature of all things. In an interview Dr. Oyibo said the inspiration for his solution to this problem came from the elders of Ifá. Exactly, the Universe is hydrogen atoms going through the process of life, death, transformation and rebirth. Stars are huge furnaces that transform hydrogen into the spectrum of elements. Fire creates diversity, water creates stability, air sustains life, and life returns to its source. Our consciousness reflects this cycle because it is born of Creation. Consciousness did not become manifest in the world with the birth of humans it came into Being at the moment of Creation of the Universe. Everything is Spirit looking for a glimpse of Source.”

Esu is the Divine Messenger, the God of the crossroads who opens the door for our growth, who presents us, through guiding our choices, the correct path.. He personifies the intersection of the visible and invisible worlds, Ogun, on the other hand, is the path itself. He clears the way for us, facilitating our path towards destiny and spiritual growth.

Ogun is a shining example of iwa pele, but is not in any way perfect (in his anthropomorphic self). He (and his children) is not afraid to be himself. Like iron, he is rigid, self assured, and unyielding. Because he is untiring, deliberate and focused, he accomplishes all that he sets out to do. He is strength, but used creatively. Ogun is very creative. Children of Ogun, when trying to figure out how to accomplish something will always think of the physical first. They like to use their hands and their strength. Others marvel at the untiring energy of his children. Ogun sees and makes his own way. He is economy in action; no wasted motion, catch only what you are going to eat. Ogun is the champion of laborers everywhere. One praise name of Ogun is Ogun Onire; Ogun as the source of good fortune. What is being alluded to here is suuru, patience, as the source of ire.

Usually, when divination speaks of patience as related to a problem, it is saying look to Ogun for help. At the core of Ogun’s ase is the slow, steady willingness to do whatever it takes to get the job done (baba Falokun). Ogun is the metaphoric representation of transformation brought about by human effort. This benevolent aspect of Ogun is illustrated in a verse from Ogunda Meji:



Ogunda Meji

Alagbara ni noskun Ade was the one who divined for Ogun. He was advised to sacrifice a cutlass, a rooster and a roasted yam. Ifa said that he must always go about with his cutlass because it would be the key to his prosperity. He was told to eat the roasted yam. He did so. He was

thirsty after this and he went to the river to drink water. As he finished drinking he saw two people fighting over a fish they caught. He advised them to be patient and go home and share the fish. They ignored him.The first man told him he came from the east and the second from the west. After listening to their arguments, Ogun became agitated and, to the surprise of the two men, took out his cutlass and cut the fish in two. He told each to take half. The first thanked him and requested him to open a foot-path from where they were to his town and that he would enrich his (Ogun’s) life if he did. He further said that Ogun would receive valuable things that would give him confidence. The other one also thanked him and made the same request. Ogun agreed and he has been known as “Ogun-da-meji” (Ogun creates two), since the day he cut the fish into two.

“Ko si gba ta o ni ku”

Death is the inevitable fate of all humans. There is a popular story of Ogun killing an entire village. He started out protecting the village but loses control. In another version, he kills whole village because of a perceived slight. In both mythical proverbs he moves to the Bush to live alone. One aspect of the story is Ogun’s destructive capacity, that one must be careful when unleashing these forces and the need to remain emotionless, or disconnected. At the metaphysical level, Ogun’s agressive nature signifies the will to survive that exists in all living things. In addition the story speaks to political conflict. The story also speaks to the nature of truth, and the need to be adaptable to new realities, and relates that there is no perfect balance between being in control and out of control. It is by understanding the constructive-destructive cycle of self transformation that each individual must experience for growth that we can understand Ogun the Orisa. Ogun shows us how to balance the need for constraint with the need for freedom (Barnes).

Where does one meet him?
One meets him in the place of battle
One meets him in the place of wrangling
One meets him in the place
where torrents of blood fill with longing,
as a cup of water does the thirsty



Ogun as raw creative energy is not fit to be within civilization, that is to be King like his “brother’ Sango. Sango incorporates Ogun’s war powers and creative abilities, but tempered by Obatala. So Ogun’s color is red, then Sango white and red, and then Obatala, white. As explained to me by my baba, it is like a continuum from the rawness of Ogun to the cool wisdom of Obatala. Even the great leader Sango messed up real bad. He dies and was subsequently reborn with a wider consciousness and closer to Obatala (with Oya’s help).



Ojo Ogun
Si lo, si lo, silo ni ma se aye
Dugbe dugbe a gba ode oorun keke
Ipe npe ju a si kun fe je
Paranganda ni da fomo odo
Abiri, abihun a simu Orisa
Mo ri faaji re!
ase



On the days when Ogun is angered
There is always disaster in the world
The world is full of dead people going to heaven
The eyelashes are full of water
Tears stream down the face
A bludgeoning by Ogun causes a man’s downfall
I see and hear, I fear and respect my Orisa
I have seen your bloody merriment!
ase



Ogun is stickler for justice. Children of Ogun feel the need for justice, and find it very difficult to ignore injustice. He is truth. In Yorubaland, Ogun’s symbol, iron, is used voluntarily in courts of law for the taking of oaths by witnesses to affirm that the truth will be told (like we do with the bible). Few people, who believes in Orisa, would dare lie after swearing to tell the truth on Ogun. As said in the quote at the beginning of this paper, When Ifa speaks of truth, it does not mean some idealistic vision of the way things should be. Ogun searches for the truth about the way things really exist in the world. Ogun represents the power of the Spirit of Evolution to mold new life forms and new structures as creation unfolds. Ogun is a fundamental force of natural law, and is used as a symbol for truth. Many people appeal to Ogun to remove obstacles, both spiritual and physical. This causes Ogun to get a bad rap, because people don’t understand what they are asking for. More often than not, the obstacle in question is within the person his/herself. Since Ogun removes the obstacles regardless, if we are not ready to face truth, the process can be painful.

Yet another aspect of Ogun is his place in Ogboni, the cult of elders that worship the earth, called Onile. Onile is the feminine aspect of Ogun. Being the earth diety and associated with Ogun, gives us the best evidence yet of Ogun’s ancient roots. Woman devotees of Ogun used to worship Ogun in the form of a snake, usually a python. As we know, the python is associated with Osumare, the feminine diety. Snake dieties are usually associated with the earth. Maybe it is this connection  that led to Ogun being a part of the Ogboni earth cult. Ogun’s connection to the feminine earth diety is further elaborated by baba Falokun;

“Ogun in the diaspora is usually seat in an iron pot with three legs, wrapped with a chain and filled with spikes. There is usually a knife and maybe some tools in the pot. What do these things represent? With the pot, we have the symbolism of the womb, and we also have the idea of three legs. Three is symbolic number of Onile or Mother Earth. Ifá says that whenever twoAwo(diviners) meet three are always present, the third being the Earth Herself. Three symbolizes the relationship to the Earth this gives us the symbol of the womb supported by the symbol for the Earth a clear indication of the relationship between masculine dynamics and feminine form. The pot is surrounded by a chain. In Ifá the chain is used as symbol for the link between Heaven and Earth, a link that is sustain by the genetic chain of DNA. There is a piece of red cloth around the pot which is filled with iron spikes. There is some scientific indication the rust on the iron deposits at the bottom of the ocean created bacteria which became the source of the first single cell life forms on Earth. This would be the beginning of evolution and the basis for Ogun´spraise name Oguntobi meaning Ogun is the Father of all. The seed of life in the womb of the ocean is now symbolized by the iron spikes in the iron cauldron of Ogun. In the pot iron spikes or tools symbolize sperm in the womb. The female component of Ogun is diminished in the West. What is used to consecrate an Ogun pot is irosun. This irosun is red powder from the cam wood tree. In Yoruba the word is sometimes used to refer to menstrual blood from the elision ire osun meaning good fortune that comes from the guardian of the head which I would interpret to mean genetic inheritance from our ancestors. If you are putting red cam wood powder on theOgun pot you are symbolizing the primal procreative drive for survival. ”



Ogunda Meji
Gunnugun nii se yigbo yigbo
Akalamogbonii se yigbo yigbo
No one knows where it would be established the next time
Cast Ifa for Lakannigbo
The mother of Oloja merindinlogun
Don’t y’all know?
All observers of rituals
All you observers of rights
Don’t y’all know that we are all Running around because of wealth?
The Vulture (Iyami) is here Gee Ore
It was then that we placed good things on the ground
That the Vulture stepped in
ase

Another connection Ogun has with Ogboni is that the Ogboni act as a system of justice in traditional Yoruba society, and as we know, Ogun is a stickler for justice and a protector of
victims of injustice.

Oni ma ma de omo omibu
Tani o gb’odo l’owo Oni?
Tani gba’le baba omo l’owo omo?
Crocodile (Oshun) is coming, a child of the chief of deep waters,
Who can take the river away from the Crocodile?
Who can take his father’s house away from a child?
Things-are-difficult-at-Morgun-there-are-many-innocent-people-there
Cast the shells for Ogunda who was concerned for the people who were being treated unfairly by the chief.
Ebo of 26,000, cloths to the poor, 3 chickens, 3 pigeons, and a pot of beans to Ogun.
Orisha says a blessing of fair treatment, fair trial, and the speaking of truth
so that no one will be accused of something that they did not do.
Ogunda says there will be a blessing of good fortune and abundance.
Ogunda says there will be a blessing of good fortune,
children and a long life for those who embrace patience.
Ogunda says there is a taboo against anger, and a taboo against harsh judgments.
Ogunda says that the successful child will be praised by the mother.
Orisha says that patience brings a blessing of appreciation.
Ogunda says that the mother will have successful children.
Ebo should be made to the head (Ori) of the children.
Orisha says that the three children took the position of the elders and became chiefs.
Ogunda says that this person must maintain all of their taboos and honor the taboos of others.
Doing so will bring good fortune.
ase

Ogun nurtures and protects the oppressed. Ogun is an outcast and protects society’s outcasts. He makes sure that wealth is shared. He is looked to as a protector who will promptly respond to the appeals of the oppressed in there encounter with an unjust fate. He is looked to for justice within society, and protection from outside enemies. However, Ogun’s hot temper makes him a dreaded figure. While he protects the innocent, the poor, victims of military attack, he inflicts pain on others; the deceitful, the rich who don’t share, and one’s enemies in warfare. Ogun is a solitary figure who lives alone in the forest.



Ese Ogunda Meji

Okelegbongbo-as-ofun-kilo cast Ifa for Ogun. He was told that if he made ebo, he would never die. The whole world would always request that he help them solve their problems. But no one would help him solve his own problems. Four rams, four goats and four covered calabashes were the ebo. Ogun performed the ebo at each of the four corners of the world.
ase

Ogun’s undergarments are red, signifying his furious nature, but on top of this he wears Mariwo, palm fronds. Palm fronds have supernatural connotations, and “soften” Ogun’s image. They symbolize cool, restrained behavior.

I pay homage to Ogun Lakaaye, a divinity worthy of worship
Ogun, who had two very sharp cutlasses, sharp as fire
He used one for clearing an area for making a farm in the forest
The other he used to cut a path through the forest from one place to another
The type of clothing that Ogun wore,
On the day he made his descent from the hill to the plain,
I know very well
He wore a flame red coverlet over a blood red tunic
Mariwo yeyeye Ogun aso;
Alagbade o
Swirling palm fronds are Ogun’s garment;
The Honored One arrives
ase



In a verse of Ogunda Oturupon, we find reference to Ogun’s masculine virility and strength. In this itan, Ogun marries Oba, who is a very powerful woman. She was a terror to men despite her tremendous beauty. Ogun fell in love with her at first sight, as he was attracted by her physical and spiritual strength. But Oba always wrestled any man who attempted to woo her. No man had ever beaten her. So Ogun went to Orunmila for divination and Orunmila gave him some medicines and also told Ogun to take some corn cobs along with him. Ogun threw them on the ground where they were to wrestle, during the match Oba tripped on one of the corn cobs and fell. Ogun pinned her and won and immediately made love to her. That is why Ogunda Oturupon is also known as “Ogundabaturupon”, “Ogun da Oba tu ipon,” meaning, “Ogun fell Oba and loosened her pants” (Ayo Salami).

O se pon janna bi mo s’ile Ijanna
Agbo s’oko luku oko ero oja!
He made his penis lengthen to father a child in the house of Ijanna
We heard how the penis struck those in the market!
Ogun takes lives but also gives it. It is Ogun who cuts the umbilical cord. He is the originator of circumcision:

Olorun placed Ogun and Olure on earth together but Olure wanted to go alone. On her way she came across a large tree felled across the path. She returned to Olorun and asked him to have Ogun move the tree for her. While Ogun was cutting the tree, Olure sat nearby watching. Her legs were partially open and a splinter from the tree flew off of Ogun’s ax and lodged in her vagina. When Ogun finished clearing the path, Olure started on her way but the pain from the splinter was too much so she went back to Olorun and asked that Ogun remove the splinter. Ogun removed the splinter, but a scar remained. This was the beginnings of female excision. Ogun had sex with Olure, but because his sperm did not come out quickly enough, he cut off his foreskin. This was the origin of male circumcision.

In another itan, we see Ogun as hunter and as evolutionary force. Two guys set out to establish a new town. One of them is named Timoyin. In this adventure, Timoyin, who was an Ogun priest,
killed an elephant who was giving birth. Being that this was taboo, Timoyin built a shrine for the worship of the baby elephant and was transformed into Ogun Timoyin, an incarnation of Ogun.

Timoyin would go on to settle what is now Oshogbo with the help of Oshun. The two had two fight off the invading Muslims from the north. Like Esu, Ogun occupies marginal positions. Hunters are marginal men, who wandere the bush and found new settlements. They suffer through bad weather, hunger, fatigue and loneliness, but they maintain a connection to the town as they go back and forth from town to forest. They are the ones who, by exploring far away from home, bring back new ideas and technologies.

Ogun as the god of iron is most interestingly seen in the elaborate ritual attending the establishment of a smelter. The smelter constitutes a shrine to Ogun, and its flames are sacred.

In the powder that ignites the furnace, the smelters mark the Odu that incarnates Ogun – Ogunda, as well as the Odu Ogunda Irete. Ogun’s Odu talks of victory, and success in the face of danger, which speak to the occupation of a smelter who strives to be victorious in creating quality iron, while playing with fire. The smelter straddles the furnace and sacrifices a rooster while chanting invocations, pours the blood over the Odu that was marked in the powder while igniting the furnace and chanting all the secret names of fire. He then spits what he has been chewing; ataare pepper and kolanut on the fire as further chants are said. The chewing of ataare pepper and kolanut activate or fortify “ofo ase” the power of the word. In the saliva of the smelter is his essence, connecting his ase with the Orisa. Through the smelter ritual, humans shape, control and change raw power into socially useful power, reliving the triumph and tragedy of Ogun.

Iba Ogun, Oniporin Aye’
Iba Ogun, Oniporin Orun
Iba Agbaagba me ta iporin
Igba iwa se
Ogun da kete ni popo
O rawo agada ibeje ibeje
Ina giri giri ninu ada
Oorun giri giri oke
Ina sunsu ari je
Oorun sunsu asun lolubo
Ina giri giri inu ada
Akuko rebe rebe Ogun fun o ree!
Kirin o po!
Kirin o jina
Wonron, wonron, wonron!
Ase

Homage to Ogun, the iron smelter of the world
Homage to Ogun, the iron smelter of heaven
Homage to the three patriarchs,
iron smelters when existence began
Ogun put on a big straw hat in an open place
He spun the sword as a warning, as a warning!
The blazing fire in the furnace
The sun shining brightly above
Fire cooks the yam so it is edible
The sun cooks the yam so it wilts (rendering it inedible)
Blazing fire in the furnace,
Here is the red-red rooster
which Ogun presents to you!
So let the iron be well-smelted
Let the iron be well heated
o ring well and long!
ase


Ogun’s sacred objects

Ogun’s sacred elements can be as simple as a piece of scrap iron to the most elaborate shrine. Devotees are known to wear bracelets and necklaces with miniature iron implements. Probably his most widely recognized sacred object is his sword, used to kill as well as cultivate. It has the praise name, “ali su gbo gu kle,” “The road is closed and Ogun opens it.”

Ogun’s otan (stone)
Three or eleven railroad ties
Ogun pot (iron cauldron)
With seven tools
cutlass (machete)
knives
guns
bomb casings
all iron objects

Ogun’s ileke (beaded necklace). Ogun’s ileke is a good example of how ideas and objects crossed over the Atlantic and were in many cases altered and then find there way back to Afrika and alter the original source. Ogun’s beads were red in Yorubaland, but became black and green in the Diaspora. Now, if you get his beads in Afrika, they are black and green in some places. There are natural substances that attract the ase of Orisa. For Ogun of course iron. Other substances are palm oil and Irosun (red camwood powder).

Ogun’s Foods:

For offerings Ogun eats gin, rum, palm wine, palm kernel oil, palm oil, nuts, snail, cola nuts, orogbo, corn, roasted yam, roasted beans, dog, ram, goat and rooster. crickets are taboo.

Some of Ogun’s herbs ( used for cooling him down) are odundun and rinrin. In the Diaspora we also use purple basil, cana santa, pata de gallina, yerba de sangre, yerba mora, pegojo, hueso de gallo, adormidera, siempreviva, anamu, romerillo, amanza guapo, , palo manaju, ebano, quita maldicion, salvadera (you can translate to English using an online translator). These herbs can be crushed in water and used but only on Ogun’s stone. We don’t wash Ogun’s tools like other Orisa.

Ire lona atiwo Orun
Babalorisa Ogun-ori-ota
Awo Fategbe Fatunmbi
Available for Divination

Mayowa Adeyemo praises Ogun (God of Iron)

Ògún onírè ọkọ ò mi
Irúnmolè tí ń rù mìnìmìnì
Òlómi nílé fèjè wè
Òlása nílé fìmọ̀bímọ̀ bora
Ògún aládàá méjì
Ó fìkán sánko, ó fìkán yènà
Ojó Ògún ń fìkòlé òrun bò wá s'ílé ayé
Asa iná ló mú bora
èwù èjè ló wọ̀ sọ́rùn o
Ògún onílé owó ọlọ́nà ọla
Ògún onílé kángun kàngun òde òrun
Méje l'Ògún mi
Ògún alárá nií gbajá
Ògún onírè a gbàgbò
Ògún ìkọlà a gbà 'gbín
Ògún elémoná nií gbèsun asu
Ògún akirun á gbà wo àgbò
Ògún gbénàgbénà eran ahun níí je
Ògún mákinde ti d'Ògún léhìn odi
Bí ò bá gba tápà á gbàbókí á gba húnkùnhúnkùn
á gba tèmbèrí o jàre
mo ní e má bógúnrún fìjà seré
Ògún òlódodo l'Ògún tèmi
Ọmọ Orórínà, ọmọ Tàbúfú
Morú nítorípé l'ójó Ògún kó délé ayé,
Emu ló kó bèrè o ḿgbà tó délè ìrè o
Ògún onílé owó, Olónà olà
Ògún ónile, kángunkàgun òde òrun
Mo ní e má aàbógùn fìjà sére o o
Ara Ògún kan gó gó gó

EBORA: Ifa and the Hero's Journey

       Ebora is the Yoruba word for presenting an offering.  It is a generic reference to a group of Spiritual powers that is associated with rituals of elevation.  In the West the word ebora is I believe frequently inaccurately translated to mean warrior.  The source of the confusion might be the fact that most rituals of personal and collective elevation include elements of protection.  This is based on the observation that every positive step in spiritual growth is met with an equal and opposite force of negativity.

  The Spiritual Forces included in the grouping of Ebora include Esu, Osoosi, Ogun, Sango and Obatala.  These Immortals working in tandem are the transcendent archetype for what Joseph Campbell described as the Hero’s Journey.  Campbell was a folklorist who collected myths and legends from all over the world.  Based on his comparative study he believed that there was a common story that ran throughout all culture and was repeated throughout history.  He called this story the Hero’s Journey and postulated the theory that the Hero’s Journey was an externalization of the internal process that takes place during the arch of spiritual growth.

  He described this arch as a disruption in normal life.  In Ifa this disruption is believed to be caused by Esu in his role as Trickster.  It is the function of the Trickster to through us into an unexpected set of circumstances that forces us to re-evaluate and re-formulate our understanding of self and world.

  When we are pushed into new circumstances we need to find our way home, meaning we need to re-integrate our perception of self and world with the incorporation of new information.  In folklore finding the way home is the function of the Spirit of the Tracker.  In Ifa the Spirit of the Tracker is Osoosi.  The word Osoosi from the elision oso osi means one who astral travels to the left.  Moving to the left is a reference to the ability to use astral travel as a tool for self-preservation as well as guidance.

  Once the Spirit of the Tracker points the way the Spirit of Ogun clears away obstacles.  In the process of clearing away obstacles we find the medicine to clear away our confusion.  In the process of clearing away confusion we gain access to medicine that we can provide for others.  This medicine is what Joseph Campbell called boon, a gift from the individual to the community.

  This gift is integrated into the community by the Spirit of Sango who is the Immortal Archetype of effective leadership.  The force to contend with in a leadership positive is the tendency for political power to arrogance.  In the full arch of the Hero’s Journey the arrogance of Sango is tempered by the wisdom of Obatala.

  The book Ebora is my effort to present the Hero’s Journey from an Ifa perspective.


Introduction, "EBORA: Ifa and the Hero's Journey"
by Awo Falokun

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