#iwure

The best source of Iwure is Ifá verses. They are categorized for every situation imaginable Let’s start with a practical one for starting your day from Odu Mimo Oyeku Meji. We start prayers at dawn because the forces that create each day are the forces that create ire - good fortune and blessings for us.


Iwure Oyeku Meji - collected by Chief FAMA


ORÍKÍ literally means “chanting praise to the head” The “head” in this sense is the inner spirit of a person, lineage, Òrìṣà, Ancestor or anyone.

The ancient Yorùbá taught us that the head is the container for the spirit. Particularly that part of the spirit that works to express the traits that allows one to fulfill their destiny in the world.

Using IWURE as an appeal to a spirit, after calling or invoking them, we chant praise and homage to all the spirits, ancestors, people and forces that assist us in IJUBÀ/IBÀ.

Now we chant to celebrate the special qualities, characteristics and powers of the spirit we are appealing to in Oríkí.

IWURE

Invocation

Ijubà / Ibà - homage and praise

Oríkí - eulogizing the special nature, abilities and character of a spirit.

ORÍKÍ are sources of the disposition of the Òrìṣà and the other spiritual forces the indigenous Yorùbá work with. Maybe even before Ifá verses they are important to learn and collect.

Here is an example:

Oríkí Àjẹ́

Ìyá mi òṣòròngà

My mother òṣòròngà

Afín ‘júẹyẹ

The immaculate bird

A pa má wà á igún

She who slaughters without looking for Vulture to consume the carcass (because she eats everything, flesh bones, intestines, etc.)

Oníwọ̀wọ́ àdó

Owner of plenty of medicinal gourds

Ò ru’mọ l’óògùn dànù

She who renders charms and spells impotent

Ológbò dúdú òru

Black cat of the night

Olókìkí òru

The famous dweller of the night

A jẹ̀’dọ̀ tútù má bì

She who does not suffer nausea from eating raw liver

Obìnrin dúdú rẹ́gí rẹ́gí, èyí tí í lọ nígbà ọjà bá tú

The beautiful Black Woman who is always the last person to leave the market

Dà’ṣẹ d’èpè nù tí í gbé’ni mì bí kàlòkàlò

She who renders aṣẹ and curses impotent while she swallows people like a casino machine

Òjìji fìrí

Twinkling shadow

A fẹ́ gẹ́gẹ́ ní’ yẹ̀ẹ́

The light feathered bird

A ró igba aṣọ má ba‘lẹ̀

200 pieces of wrap-around cloth are never enough for her

Ẹlẹ́yin‘jú ẹgẹ́, ẹyẹ ní Mọrẹ́

The beautiful bird in Mọrẹ̀ (Mọrẹ̀ is in Ilé Ifẹ̀)

A-jẹ-apá-jẹ-orí, a j’ẹ̀dọ̀-j’ohùn, a ti inú òroòro jẹ̀’fun

She who eats the head via the arm; the liver via the voice box; the intestines via the gall bladder

Ò wẹ̀ nínú omi ṣàló ṣàló

She bathes [in blood] like a fish

Ọdẹ t’apó y’oró, àrọ̀nìmòjà t’àpò y’oògùn

Like a hunter, she draws poison from the charm bag; powerful medicine person who draws charms from her pocket

Ẹ̀yin ẹ̀bìtì ká’wọ́ s’ẹ́yìn ṣ’oro

Cold havoc wreckers

A bà ‘órí igi ìrókò má yẹ̀

She who perches comfortably on the ìrókó tree

Òró gogoro l’óko olóko

The fearsome mystic positions herself conspicuously on someone’s farm

Oníbàntẹ́ pèlèjà tí í bá ni jà láì f’ọwọ́ kan ni

The fighter who fights one invisibly

Ológbò dúdú etí ọjà

Black cat on the edge of the marketplace

Èse, a b’ìrù gìlọ̀ gìlọ̀

The cat with a long tail

Ají ká ìgboro, a rìn ká ìgboro

The town prowler

Òjí ní kùtù f’omi ìgboro bọ́’ jú

She who starts prowling the streets from early morning

Tí a bá pe’rí akọi, àá fi idà na lẹ̀

It is with great awe that the brave is summoned

Ìbà tó tó tó

My humble respect.

From Fundamentals of the Yoruba Religion (Orisa Worship) 2002

Ǹjẹ́ o gbọ́ Ifá o

Therefore Ifá you have heard

Ìwọ lawo

You are the knowledgeable

Èmi lọ̀gbẹ̀rì

I am the novice

Bo o bá ríre kóo wí

Please say if you read good tidings

Bó o bá ríbì kóo sọ

Please say if you see bad omens

Mọ́ fibi pe ire

Do not read evil and say it is good fortunes

Mọ́ fire pe ibi

Do not read good fortune and say it is evil

Kó o mọ́ fòlòlò fọhùn

Do not leave anything unsaid

Iwájú Ọpọ́n o gbọ́

The front of the tray you have heard

Ẹ̀yin Ọ̀pọ́n o gbọ́

The rear of the tray you have heard

Olùmú lọ́tùún

Olùmú on the right side

Ọlọ̀kànràn lósì

Ọlọ̀kànràn on the left

Aarin Ọpọ́n ìt ọ̀run

The center of the Ọpọ́n is the front yard of Heaven

Ìbà Ilẹ̀ ọ̀gẹ̀rẹ́ afọkọ́yẹrí

Reverence to Mother Earth, you that uses the hoe to comb your head

Ìbàa bàbá

Reverence to you all fathers

Ìbàa yèyé

Reverence to you all mothers

Ìbà Olúwo

Reverence to you all Oluwos

Ìbà Ojugbọ̀nà

Reverence to you all Ojugbonas

Ìbà àtiwáyé ọ́jọ́

Reverence to the Dawn that ushers in a new day

Ìbà àtiwọ̀ Oòrùn

Reverence to the sunset

Àdáṣe níí hun ọmọ o

Unsupported actions bring evil repercussions

Ìbà ò gbọdọ̀ hun ọmọ o

But reverence before actions cannot bring evil repercussions

Báa bá fẹ́mọ lójú

When we blow off the dirt from the eye of a child

A ríran

He definitely must see

Ǹjẹ́ Ifá ọ̀hún rèé o

Therefore this is the Ifá that will speak

(Bí àwọn Babaláwo bá ń bẹ níbẹ̀ gbogbo wọ́n ó si dáhùn pé àdáṣẹ!)

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) Olódùmarè,

Reverence (or my reverence) to God,

Oba a te rere k’aye

She who spreads (presides) all over the universe

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) àtiyọ ọjọ

Reverence (or my reverence) to the dawn (sunrise)

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) àtiwọ̀ oòrùn

Reverence to the sunset

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) Ilẹ̀ ọ̀gẹ́ẹ́rẹ́ a f’ọkọ́ yẹ’rí.

Reverence to Mother Earth

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) Ọ̀rúnmìlà Ẹlẹ́rìí Ìpín

Reverence to Ọ̀rúnmìlà, Witness to Creation

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) igba Irúnmọlẹ̀ ojùkọ̀tún

Reverence to the 200 deities on the right side of God

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) igba Irúnmọlẹ̀ ojùkòsìn

Reverence to the 200 deities on the left side of God

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) ọ̀kànlé-ni Irinwó Irúnmọlẹ̀

Reverence to the 401 Irúnmọlẹ̀

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) Akọ́dá

Reverence to Ọ̀rúnmìlà’s first student

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) Aṣẹ̀dá

Reverence to Akọ́dá’s first student

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) Àràbà lótù Ifẹ̀

Reverence to the chief of all Babalawos & Iyanifas worldwide

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) àwọn Ìyá afín’jú ẹyẹ

Reverence to the Mothers, the Beautiful birds (the Witches)

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) Egún Ilé

Reverence to my Ancestors (insert your Ancestors names)

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) Bàbá (insert your father’s name)

Reverence to my Father

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) Yèyé (insert your mother’s name)

Reverence to my Mother

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) Olúwo (insert your godfather’s name)

Reverence to my Godfather

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) Ojugbona

(the Ojùgbọnà is the one who assists your godparent in initiating you)

Ìbà (or Mo júbà) Awon Alaseku

Reverence to all who performed the sacred rites successfully before

IWURE - the Structure of Traditional Yorùbá Prayer, part 1: IJUBÀ

The second post for Orì propitiation was getting very long so I’m going posting two posts on IWURE or the IṢẸSE concept of PRAYER first.

In order to teach a Western audience how to propitiate Spirit in the manner of the indigenous Yoruba, I’m going to introduce a few practical concepts.

IWURE, IBÀ and ORÍKÌ

IWURE is a broad general term for prayer in tradition of Isese. You might of heard of the word ALADURA, which is prayer in first the Islamic manner, then applied to Christianity. We don’t use the word ALADURA in our practice.

IWURE is used as an appeal to a particular spirit, whether it be an Ancestor, Òrìṣà, Ẹgbe Orùn, Awon Iyáàmi Osoronga or one’s own Orì. Implied in IWURE is an offering, some sort of sacrifice, however small, since our ancient Yoruba Ancestors lifestyle was based on RECIPROCITY. It is of the utmost impudence to ask for something and not offer something as at least a gesture of humility, respect or love.

When using IWURE to entreat Orisa, Èegun, Awon Iyáàmi Osoronga, Egbe Orun or Ori, there is a general structure. The main components almost always used in the context of IWURE as ritual are IBA and ORIKI

IBÀ

IBÀ means literally homage or praise. IJUBÀ translates to: “We give homage and praise”, MOJUBÀ is “I give homage and praise”. IBÀ is important since in order to request divine and conscious forces to lend support to our requests we must show humility and respect. IBÀ is the way our ancient Yoruba Ancestors taught us to acknowledge the spirits that bring blessings and abundance so as to elicit Their support.

ORÍKÌ

ORÍKÌ is the lyrical celebration of the qualities and accomplishments of someone. There are ORIKI for public heroes, chiefs, family lineages, towns and of course Òrìṣà. ORIKI is the poetic base of all Yoruba cultural verbal art. That’s not hyperbole. There’s a ton of scholarship on it. For our purposes, ORIKI are to be collected and learned to be used to influence and attract particular spirits to petition for Their support and blessings in our IWURE. ORÍKÌ are important because outside of ESE IFA (Ifá verses) they relate all the qualities and exploits of the Òrìṣà, and Egungun. Knowing ORIKI is to know your Òrìṣà and identifies the situations and circumstances they can assist one in outside of divination.

New Post has been published on http://ooduarere.com/art/a%e1%b9%a3a-yoruba/iwure-eyonu-awon-agba/

Iwure Eyonu Awon Agba

Edumare,Oba Ajiki,Ajige,Oba toto bi aro.

Awa dupe lowo re ,pe o yo nu si wa lati atete ko se titi di oni oloni. Jowo Baba Alanu ,masai ko Anu re kuro Lori wa (mi). Jowo Baba ologo lola ,je ki gbogbo awon ti o ko ile aiye le lowo kan ma Yonu si wa(mi). Nitoripe:Olubinuyo loruko ti won pe baba alawo. Osaworomoja loruko ti won pe Esu odara. Osese aya’ba loruko ti won pe ajuni lo. Onyo lo ni ki won ma Yonu si mi. Ekuku lo ni gbogbo ohun ti n ba se (do),ti o ba ku die k’ato ,ko bami ku danu. Nitori sese l’omode yo mo eiye ,sese. Sese l’agbalagba yo mo eiye,sese. Nje Edua je kii gbogbo awon ti won ni ile aiye ma Yonu si mi. Ki emi le ma yin e ,laiye yi ati nigba gbogbo!!!! Aseeeee.

Lilo:owurokutukutu lo ti dara ju lati ma pe.