Odù 178 of 256 · Ika family

Ika Foguero

The parents' unease about their children: the king who did not make ebbó was given away by his own dog — strength is in sticking together.

Ika Foguero is Odù number 178 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Ika family. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 14 patakíes (3 with the full text), its proverbs, 9 ebbós and works and the signs it shows in the consultation; the detail of iré and osogbo, the eewó and the full recipes open with the Babalawo plan — that locked part is still written in Spanish.

The sign at a glance

Order in Ifá
Odù 178 of 256
Composition
Ika over Otura
Orishas that speak
Oyá · Obatalá · Olorun · Oduduwa · Olokun · Eshu · Egun · Oshún

What Ifá says in this sign

Ika Foguero is the sign where the parents' unease about their children's future was born — and where the ace was born too: the card that wins. Its twin is Otura Ka, and they share one sentence: disobedience costs a life — the king who did not make ebbó was given away by his own dog.

Its remedy for a parent's unease is set at the altar and at the table: give food to the earth, to Olokun and to Olorun — so the house grows strong and the children obey: a child's obedience is cooked by feeding the elders of heaven. And the child who does not eat well needs double attention: body and head.

«The disobedient king was given away by his own dog — in Ika Foguero, disobedience costs a life.»The pulse of Ika Foguero

The mirror of the swimmer grown old asks for honesty: he could no longer swim, because his breath and his strength were gone — the older man with the young girl cuts a poor figure, and the young man who forces the machine falls into impotence: every age has its own stroke — swim yours. The groin that aches, to the doctor; and if you are a woman, it can be a pregnancy.

Your spiritual upkeep is a regular job: oparaldo often, and blood to the earth so you do not fall — because this odu, in old age, goes lame from the waist down and dies of the heart: today's works are tomorrow's legs. No riverbank and no seashore without care, no greed, and no torn underclothes: dignity starts underneath.

And the order that crowns it, for the trade itself: it commands the Babalawos to close ranks — strength is in sticking together: the ace of this odu is not played alone. The dream about Oyá was real: her necklace and Obatalá's worn, food for Olorun, and the crossed unfaithfulness this sign marks is settled with a rogation for both of them: the ace of Ika Foguero takes the hand — when the whole table plays together.

The sign in one line

Feed the earth for your children, swim the stroke your age allows and close ranks with your brothers — the ace of Ika Foguero wins as a team.

The prayer of Ika Foguero · Yoruba

Ika Foguero Kombu Kumbo Adifafun Oñi Bini Eyele Lebo Kaferefun Oya, Ala Ati Olorun.

Súyere
Sarayeye Ikú, banikú lona — sarayeye Ikú, banikú lona.

Ifá says — what Ika Foguero tells you

Proverbs of Ika Foguero · Òwe

13 proverb interpretations in this Odù, locked.Every proverb explained: which road it comes from and how it applies. Written in Spanish for now.Unlock →

Iré and Osogbo

5 iré and osogbo readings in this Odù, locked.The iré and osogbo of the sign, sorted by subject — health, money, love, death, loss… Written in Spanish for now.Unlock →

What is born in Ika Foguero · Ìbí

What is forbidden · Eewó

4 eewó (taboos) in this Odù, locked.What the child of this sign must not eat, do or wear. Written in Spanish for now.Unlock →

Ebbós of Ika Foguero · The sacrifices that open the road

Vencer enemigosThe ebbó of the jaw🔒 Babalawo
EspiritualThe secret ebbó🔒 Babalawo
AmorEbbó to come to know your child🔒 Babalawo
Alejar la muerteThe ebbó of the sixteen doves🔒 Babalawo
Vencer enemigosThe ebbó of Eruru's dog🔒 Babalawo
DineroThe ebbós of this Odù🔒 Babalawo
6 ebbós in this Odù, locked.Each full recipe: ingredients, preparation and where it goes. Written in Spanish for now.Unlock →

Works of Ika Foguero · The workings of the sign

EspiritualThe ceremony of giving food to Olorun🔒 Babalawo
SaludThe secret of Oyá (the palm and the plantain)🔒 Babalawo
EspiritualThe igba of the hens of Orunmila and Oyá🔒 Babalawo
3 works in this Odù, locked.Each full recipe: ingredients, preparation and where it goes. Written in Spanish for now.Unlock →

Patakíes of Ika Foguero · The roads of the Odù

1The dog gives away the king

A king had a dog, and Orunmila told him to make ebbó with it to save himself from a war that was coming; the king did not do it. When he least expected it, the war came and he lost it, and to save himself he got into a big jar and turned it upside down. Everyone was looking for the king and could not find him — but the dog gave him away, running back and forth from where he was to where the people were, until he drew their attention: they pulled the king out and killed him. A rooster to Eshu, and if you have a dog, bring it for the ebbó.

There was a king who had a dog, and Orunmila told him to make ebbó with it to save himself from a war that was coming; but the king did not do it.

Time passed, and when he least expected it, the war came and he lost it; and to save himself he got into a big jar and turned it upside down.

Everyone was looking for the king and could not find him; but the dog gave him away, because he kept running back and forth from where the king was to where the people were, until he drew their attention: and they pulled the king out and killed him.

Note: a rooster to Eshu, and if you have a dog, bring it for the ebbó. They want to take your husband from you.

2Eruru's dog

Eruru was always speaking badly and starting trouble, and he had to flee to the bush with his dog. Out in the bush he found a big jar and got into it, leaving the dog outside. The dog, alone and hungry, went back to town; Eruru's enemies fed him and then let him loose so they could follow him — until he led them to the jar. Then they pulled Eruru out and killed him. A loyal friend can hurt you without meaning to.

Eruru was always speaking badly and starting trouble, and he had to flee to the bush, with his dog for company.

As he was going through the bush he found a big jar and got into it, leaving the dog outside. The dog, finding himself alone and hungry, went back to town. Eruru's enemies fed him, then let him loose so they could follow him, until he led them to the jar. Then they pulled Eruru out and killed him.

Note: this Ifá says that you call on charity when you lie down and when you get up, and that you owe something: give two hens or gofio to Obatalá and to Eshu, and dog hair to the ebbó. A loyal friend can hurt you without meaning to.

3Strength is in sticking together

In the land of Ayegbi Oshe lived Awó Akua Roro, who had seven very discontented children, even though he always tried to give them everything. He lived worried about their future and prayed to Oduduwa, setting sara ekó before him: «Do not worry, your children are going to come together» — «I am ill in my heart and in my head, my back hurts, and when I die I have nobody to hand my secret to.» Oduduwa took him to Awó Buyoko (Orunmila): «You have to give food to Olorun so your land grows strong and your children obey you.» He made the circle of efún and orí with the board divided in four with the Meyi, the gourd of cow's milk over Ika Otura, the sixteen candles, and he called Olorun with the agogó. Olorun appeared and was given two doves and two white hens; Oduduwa gathered it all up, covered it with white cloth and took it to the top of the hill. By the power of Olorun that land grew strong, the children mended their ways and came together, and nobody could get the better of them any more. Awó Akua Roro lived in peace, charged with repeating the ceremony often and with receiving Oduduwa, who stayed on living in that land. This Ifá commands the Babalawos to close ranks for the iré ashegun otá.

In the land of Ayegbi Oshe lived Awó Akua Roro, who had seven children who were very discontented, even though he always tried to give them everything they wanted. He lived with a great worry about his children's future, and all he could do was pray to Oduduwa so that his children would come together and be able to save themselves and live well in the future.

He always set sara ekó before Oduduwa and prayed like this: «Oduduwa ori maya ofoyude omo lekun Awo Akua Roro sokun Baba.» Then Oduduwa would come and say to him: «Do not worry, your children are going to come together.» And the man would answer: «I am ill in my heart and in my head, and my back hurts a great deal; and when I die, I have nobody to hand my secret to, since my children each live in their own way.»

One day when he was with Oduduwa, Oduduwa said: «Let us go to Orunmila's house (Awó Buyoko Awalele Ifá), to see whether he can finally settle your problem.» And they set out on the road singing: «Ifa layeo Ifa layekun Baba Olorun, Awo Akuaroro Awo Buyoko iran lowo lemi.»

When they arrived, Awó Buyoko told them: «You have to give food to Olorun, so your land grows strong and your children obey you.» Awó Akua Roro made a circle on the ground with efún and orí and set down the board of Ifá; he divided it in four and set the Meyi on it, and sang to it: «Ogba de nifa Oddun bowa omo oyu opon Baba Eyiogbe Oddun bowa.»

Afterward, in the center of Baba Ejiogbe he set a gourd of cow's milk over the mark of Ika Otura, with sara ekó, orí and efún. Then he set his loose Ifá on the board, lit sixteen candles and began to call Olorun, sounding the agogó: «Olorun ogdobale Baba Olofin, Olorun ladeo Ifa laye Baba ni Olorun, Baba ashe omo layereo, Baba Olorun Olofin layereo.»

Then Olorun appeared, and he gave him there two white doves and two white hens, and sang: «Abele bele adie Ifa sinifikura bobao, Orunmila abele adie Ifa sinifikura.»

At which Oduduwa gathered it all up and covered it with white cloth, and took it to the top of the hill (lerí oke), where he sang: «Awo Layogbi Ifa Awo Akua Roro leri oke, Awo Buyoko omo Olofin layireo okua Baba.»

Then, by the power of Olorun, that land grew strong, and the children mended their ways and came together, and nobody could get the better of them any more.

And that is how the worry Awó Akua Roro carried about his children's future was lifted from him, and he was able to live in peace and with more strength. And Awó Buyoko and Oduduwa told him: «You have to do this ceremony often, so your land does not go cold and Olorun keeps giving it life» — for which he has to receive Oduduwa. Oduduwa stayed on living in that land so things would go right.

Note: this Ifá commands the Babalawos to close ranks for the iré ashegun otá.

4The enemy inside the house🔒 Babalawo
5The parents' worry about their children's future is born🔒 Babalawo
6The food of the secret of Oyá (the plantain tree and the palm)🔒 Babalawo
7The son of Obini Boche🔒 Babalawo
8The ungrateful ones🔒 Babalawo
9The son of Oyá and Eziza🔒 Babalawo
10The disobedient slave🔒 Babalawo
11The quail🔒 Babalawo
12The adultery🔒 Babalawo
13Etu Odo Oshun🔒 Babalawo
14The funeral rites🔒 Babalawo
11 more patakíes in this Odù, locked.Read every road in full with the Babalawo plan. Written in Spanish for now.Unlock →
Before you subscribe: everything you read on this page is in English, but the locked part of the treatise — the full text of the other patakíes, the recipes for the ebbós and works, the iré and osogbo readings and the eewó — is still written in Spanish. We are translating it. · This page is also available in Spanish: See Ika Foguero in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Ika Foguero

What does the Odù Ika Foguero mean in Ifá?

The parents' unease about their children: the king who did not make ebbó was given away by his own dog — strength is in sticking together.

What number is Ika Foguero among the 256 Odù of Ifá?

Ika Foguero is Odù number 178 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Ika family.

Which orishas speak in Ika Foguero?

In the Odù Ika Foguero these orishas speak: Oyá, Obatalá, Olorun, Oduduwa, Olokun, Eshu, Egun, Oshún.

What is a proverb of the Odù Ika Foguero?

One of the proverbs of Ika Foguero says: «Strength is in sticking together.».

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