Irete Suká

nº 224 of 256

Where you go from free to enslaved, like the Princess who ended up serving her own maid: Olofin does not bless a King's head with a child's brain.

32 patakíes 7 eewó 12 ebbós and works 16 proverbs

First time with an Odù? Learn how to read one →

Irete Suká is Odù number 224 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Irete family. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 32 patakíes (3 with the full text), its proverbs, 12 ebbós and works and the signs it shows in the consultation — with the full eewó in plain sight; the detail of iré and osogbo and the full recipes open with The Notebook, in English.

The sign at a glance

Order in Ifá: Odù 224 of 256
Composition: Irete over Otura
Orishas that speak: Odudúwa · Obatalá (Oshanlá) · Shangó · Elegbá · Azojuano (Dasoyi) · Naná Burukú · Oshosi · Oshún · Oyá (Yanzá)

What Ifá says in this sign

Irete Suká is the odu where you go from free to enslaved: the Princess who hid her son ended up working for her food for her own former maid. Here the secret service and military service were born — by iré you watch; by osobo, you are watched — and a sentence of Olofin that orders a whole life: Olofin cannot bless what has no head — a King's head, a child's brain.

Its scar is betrayal: Akopera Awó betrayed his godfather — you do not go into partnership with Irete Suká, and the godfather can undo a treacherous godchild. The root is confessed: you are given over to pleasure, and your curiosity is so great that it leads you to ruin — a hard head and disbelief make the Santos take the whip to you. The yoko Osha saves you: do it.

«By iré you watch, by osobo you are watched — the spy of Irete Suká lives by loyalty and dies of betrayal.»The pulse of Irete Suká

Your gift makes up for your shadow: you have a talent for pottery, for the arts, for medicine and for healing, and the Awó of this odu stands out for giving great readings of the Odù — though his memory fails him: works to fix things in place, and always count on Obatalá, wearing his necklace.

Mothers are your ministry: Irete Suká settles women's trouble — by birth or by the power of Ifá: the womb, the bleeding and the hard births are seen to — the Ibeyi are received, and no scrapings, since the mother can go mad from that. And your children, never in anyone else's care: they will play you false, like the turtle with the children of the jutía and of the tiger; the marriage is made one with two doves to Oshún before the love triangle breaks it.

Its poisons are literal and figurative: deadly bites, poisoning — including, figuratively, your partner — and the shepe of aguardiente with fermented red beans. Do not repeat your mistakes — that is the habit of this odu —, treat your wife well and do not doubt your children, because Shangó's anger drowns people that way: the loyal spy dies old; the traitor dies of his own curiosity.

The sign in one line

Make yoko Osha, do not betray whoever guides you and do not leave your children with anyone — Olofin does not bless a King's head with a child's brain.

The prayer of Irete Suká · Yoruba

IRETE SUKA APEKANKOLA ADIFAFUN AKOPERA EWERE ODDE OBINI KUAYE AWONIFA OBARABANIRESUN MOYARE OYEBI OYEBIFA ORUNMILA ORUGBO.

Súyere
ADAJA LIYE OFE AYO AIYE MONJE IKABELA SHASHEN IRETE SUKA OBASHE.

Ifá says — what Irete Suká tells you

An Ifá of betrayal: Akopera Awó betrayed his godfather Apekankola — Irete Suká is a traitor and you cannot go into partnership with him; the godfather can destroy and undo him for the godchild's betrayal. The Ifá of the secret service and of military service: people of this Odù are used as spies; by iré you are watching and by osobo you are watched. An Ifá of remedies for illness: the Awó does whatever is needed to avoid brushes with death, because through Ifá he knows how to choose the right road. The Ifá of the mother's salvation: Irete Suká settles women's trouble, by birth or by the power of Ifá.
You have a very hard head and are in danger of going from free to enslaved; you tend to disbelieve, and the Santos take the whip to you.
The woman can have trouble conceiving, or the children can be born with problems; she suffers from her womb and has bleeding: receive the Ibeyi.
Children can be taken or abandoned; the father leaves through a love triangle: do the works to make the marriage one, with two doves to Oshún.
The men are taken into the army.
The Awó stands out for knowing how to give great readings of the Odù of Ifá, but he has trouble with his memory and should do works to fix things in place.
You do not know your own ailments: skin and blood from birth, from what is in your family line.
You repeat the mistakes you make.
You always suffer over your children, and your partner is slandered because of them.
You can die from an animal bite, suddenly, or from poisoning — including, figuratively, your partner.
You are given over to the pleasures of life: your curiosity is so great that it leads you to ruin and turns you into a traitor to Orunmila and to your godfather.
Do not leave your children in anyone's care, since they will play you false, like the turtle with the children of the jutía and of the tiger.
The mother can go mad from trouble in childbirth or from ending a pregnancy on purpose: do not have scrapings done.
You have a talent for pottery, for the arts, for medicine and for healing.
Shangó's anger, or the anger of the Santos, can lead you to die by drowning: for behaving badly with your wife and for doubting your children.
The elders do not back Irete Suká and criticism is stirred up against him, as it was against Ogué.
The woman can go too far and strike the man, as in the days of Akamale Ashe.
Guard against the curse (shepe) through aguardiente: the secret of the shepe is otí with fermented red beans.
The Awó should always count on Obatalá so things go well for him, and wear his necklace.
Yoko Osha has to be made for the person to be saved.
The shell of the Santo Domingo mamey is used for money, as an Inshé Osain.
About Irete Suká's mapping of the world: the pot of Ifá Kadashe, with which he became the wise man of the court.
Parts of the mockingbird and the tomeguín are used to draw the woman in, as Oshosi learned.
Fish blood is given to Egun, with pepper — and the opposite work: fresh fish with Irete Suká, corojo, cocoa butter, cascarilla, corn, yam, okra and amalá, cleaning the Awó and giving blood to Egun, for good.
The river stone is fetched and a dove is given with the river jar and coconut at the door of the house.
About asking God with your whole heart: otherwise you will get nothing.
Here Orunmila keeps the world steady by Olofin's order, and the owner of this Ifá sets before Odudúwa, at the start of the year, 101 handkerchiefs of different colors.
The herbs of this Odù: don shayo, espanta muerto (aberikunló), male jagüey, guamá, palm and aroma.

Proverbs of Irete Suká · Òwe

“A King's head, a child's brain.”
“She goes from free to enslaved.”
“Life does not move with the movement of death.”
“Luck and fortune are hanging in the air.”
“The Awó rises above life because he knows the right road.”
“Ignorance turns a free man into a slave.”
“Do not ask of another what you would not be able to do yourself.”
“A mother is not only the one who gives birth, but the one who raises you.”
“Only the doctor knows the ailments of the body.”
“Whoever does not claim his inheritance loses it.”
“The troublemaker destroys everything.”
“Whoever lives in the street loses his house.”
“The parents' eye protects the children.”
“Whoever covers up a fault of his friend's will never be forgiven by him.”
“The vapors went to his head.”
“The honest man is fortunate, the stubborn one wretched.”

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

Iré and Osogbo

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

What is born in Irete Suká · Ìbí

Iyaremu, the mother of Odudúwa.
Her shadow protects the children of this sign.
Going from free to enslaved.
The Princess who hid her disgrace ended up working for her food for her own former maid.
That Olofin cannot bless what has no head.
Irete Suká presented the sacrifices with no head, learning nothing from experience: a King's head, a child's brain.
The monogram on clothing, the marks on the skin and the secret of the changing of the skin.
From the deer (agbani) who turned into a maiden.
The secret service.
From the Queen's spying on the King's servant.
Military service and the dance of death.
From the ebbó of the little canoe with the seven potatoes that saved the seven children of Irete Suká.
Part of the consecrations of Osha, by the hand of Odudúwa and Shangó.
In the land of Bebeli Iyá, Santo was made to send illness and death away.
Setting a metal gag before Eshu and before Obatalá.
From the ekuele of chest 99: so Irete Suká measures his words, which are a traitor's words.
That the ekuele of Irete Suká is made of ivory or turtle bone, with a gold chain, and lives in a silver chest with Orunmila.
That Elegbá was born deformed and Oyá lost her omodé.
Ayalala, the power of Irete Suká's sorcery: the secret pot of Gudoté, handed over by Jebioso and Azojuano.
The three tree-women — Wanko (of the Palm), Wanka (of the Guamá) and Wankarika (of the Aroma) — and the male Jagüey, their husband, who masters none of them.
Iwan Karigui, Iwan Karika and Iwan Kawanka: the three powers of Odudúwa's son, in the form of three agboranes.
The land of Eri Bawa Lode, «the great road of blessing», which Orunmila, Shangó and Obatalá give to Ogué through Egun.
That the son of Odudúwa who does not mount and has the makings of it is made Ifá directly; whoever mounts is made Oshanlá or Obanlá.

What is forbidden · Eewó

The full eewó of this Odù, open to everyone — with the road each ban came out of.

Do not steal from or betray your padrino, your elders, or your fellow people.
You are caught, like Irete Suká with chest 99; Eshu sees everything.
Do not tell your secrets, and guard yourself against betrayal.
Know how to keep the intimate secrets of your partner too: Oshosi lost the agbani through indiscretion.
Do not have curettages or terminations.
You cannot have a family afterward, and the mother can go mad.
Do not eat spoiled grains (beans), above all red ones.
The secret of the shepe is aguardiente with fermented red beans.
Do not ask the impossible of your partner, and do not mistreat her.
The Santos charge you for your bad behavior, like the Awó of the black clothes who died drowned.
Do not leave your children in anyone's care.
They will play tricks on them and can harm them; be careful with them even in your own house.
Guard yourself against aguardiente.
Drink and pleasures were the stigma that Irete Suká dragged all his life.

Ebbós of Irete Suká · The sacrifices that open the road

Keeping death awayEbbó of the little canoe (military service)🔒 The Notebook LoveInshé Osain to make the marriage one🔒 The Notebook MoneyInshé Osain for owó (Santo Domingo mamey)🔒 The Notebook LossEbbó of the luck hanging in the air🔒 The Notebook HealthWork for the memory (Ifá Kadashe)🔒 The Notebook

5 ebbós in this Odù, locked.Each full recipe: ingredients, preparation and where it goes.Unlock →

Works of Irete Suká · The workings of the sign

SpiritualThe ekuele of Irete Suká🔒 The Notebook SpiritualOsain of Irete Suká for the door (shilekún)🔒 The Notebook HealthStrengthening wine of Irete Suká🔒 The Notebook Beating enemiesThe 101 handkerchiefs of Odudúwa🔒 The Notebook SpiritualThe three agboranes of the son of Odudúwa🔒 The Notebook SpiritualOparaldo of Irete Suká🔒 The Notebook SpiritualThe loaded ogué (ox horn)🔒 The Notebook

7 works in this Odù, locked.Each full recipe: ingredients, preparation and where it goes.Unlock →

Patakíes of Irete Suká · The roads of the Odù

1The Princess goes from free to enslaved

The Princess hid her disgrace by sending her newborn son out to the bush, wrapped in the sheet with the royal emblem; the Prince, coming back from the war, disowned her and she was thrown out — the child was raised by the maid who had carried their messages, whom the Prince married, and the Princess ended up working for her for her food.

A Princess had a relationship with a Prince, and one of her maids served as the go-between. The Princess got pregnant and decided to hide her dishonor; in the meantime, the war forced the Prince into a long trip, and before leaving he asked her to take care of the child, because he was going to marry her.

When the boy was born, they wrapped him in a sheet marked with the emblem of the Royal House, and she ordered that he be taken to the bush. Some farmers lived nearby, and they saw him and picked him up.

Back home, victorious from the war, the Prince asked her for an account of the child. When he learned what had happened, he did not only reject her: the news ran among everybody, they threw her out of the house and she lost her royal rank. He had notices published to get the child back, and those farmers returned him.

The child was raised by the maid of the house, the same one who had been the go-between with the Prince and whom the Prince ended up marrying. With the years, the Princess fell into such poverty that she ended up at the maid's door, and the maid put her to work in exchange for food.

Note: on this road the person is very hard-headed and runs the risk of going from free to slave. She does not believe, and she is open to a whipping from the Santos.

2The secret service was born

The King had a son by a servant, and the Queen had them spied on and the child stolen; a poor man, with Orunmila's ebbó, found in the bush the basket with the child and a sack of money — the King rewarded him, pardoned the Queen who had ordered it and had the accomplices killed: the secret service was born.

A King wanted to have children, but his wife did not conceive; he went to Orunmila's house and they made ebbó for him there.

In the Palace there was a servant girl the King liked, and that is where the war started: the other servants told the Queen, and she had the girl watched. They were seen together in the street one day when the King was taking her to the doctor to be checked, so they would know what was wrong with her. The doctor ruled that she was pregnant. The King then said to her: "We are going to say that you are the wife of one of the coachmen or servants."

She gave birth at last, and it was a boy. The Queen found out and ordered that the child be stolen. They got him with a trick: they sent her to take care of something in the yard and, in the meantime, one of the Queen's servants wrapped him in a sheet and took him away.

When the King found out, he offered a reward to whoever found him. In that land lived a man in a bad situation, who went to Orunmila's house; Orunmila saw this Ifá for him and told him that his good fortune was a child he would come across in the bush, in a tree. The man made ebbó.

One day he went out to the bush and came across a basket. He came closer to look: inside were a bag of money and the child, with a paper, and that is how he knew it was the King's son. He kept the money at his house and then came before the King, who rewarded him. It came out that the one behind it had been the Queen; he forgave her, but he had the accomplices killed. Eregrigri was the Queen's name, and the poor man was called Ifá Kadashe.

Note: here the suffering is in the woman's womb, which bleeds. Receive the Ibeyi.

3Military service is born: the dance of death

When the King of Ibeyú declared war, all the men were taken into the army; Awó Irete Suká, with seven sons to be taken, made the ebbó of the little canoe with the seven potatoes — the magic made the generals believe the young men were dancers under Dambé's protection, and they sent them back to their land with gifts of gold and silver.

When Abesemo was King of Ibeyú, he declared war on the kingdom of Iborín. Because of that, all the men of that city were called to the front, not even leaving out those who lived in the temple; that is what the kekenkuá of the place ordered.

There lived an Awó named Irete Suká, father of seven sons who were going to be taken away. Osode was made for him and this Ifá came out, his own sign, which spoke to him of the canoe on the river and of the dance of death.

The rogación he was told to make had: a small canoe, white, red and black cloth, a goat, two roosters, two osun dambé and two dambé jars, seven potatoes, a lead staff and seven silver reales, a canoe paddle and a dog, jutía, fish and corojo.

He baptized each potato with the name of one of his sons and put them, along with the seven reales, into the dambé jars. With the ebbó finished, he arranged it all inside the small canoe, put it in the river and pushed it from the bank while he sang: ENI BEKOTARA NI FERA ILU (life does not walk at the pace of death).

The small canoe touched the opposite bank, and the seven sons of Irete Suká left for military service, also in a canoe. When they got to their destination the father's magic worked: because of the ebbó canoe, the generals of Ibeyú thought that the ones from the other bank were dancers under the protection of Dambé. They saw the seven of them coming, singing and dancing, and ordered them to go back to their lands; on top of that they gave them gifts of gold and silver.

And from that day on, Irete Suká and his sons long for Dambé.

4Part of the consecrations of Osha are born🔒 The Notebook 5The world is what the pot paints (Ifá Kadashe)🔒 The Notebook 6The tiger's ignorance with the snake🔒 The Notebook 7A King's head, a child's brain🔒 The Notebook 8The jutía, the turtle's comadre🔒 The Notebook 9The jutía is killed with the irofá🔒 The Notebook 10The luck is brought by Obatalá🔒 The Notebook 11Obatalá blessed the young Awoses🔒 The Notebook 12Obatalá looked down on the Earth🔒 The Notebook 13Naná Burukú, the serpent and the lover🔒 The Notebook 14The brushes with death🔒 The Notebook 15The traitor (Akopera and Apekankola)🔒 The Notebook 16The son of Obatalá and chest number 99🔒 The Notebook 17The turtle eats the dog's food🔒 The Notebook 18The turtle killed the tiger's son🔒 The Notebook 19Elegbá was born deformed🔒 The Notebook 20Yanzá threw Eshu out for being deformed🔒 The Notebook 21Oyá and the unborn child🔒 The Notebook 22Omobitasa, Azojuano's favorite son🔒 The Notebook 23Dasoyi took the road to Dahomey🔒 The Notebook 24The swearing in at Gudoté (the sorcerer's pot)🔒 The Notebook 25The torment of the tears of Irete Suká's wife🔒 The Notebook 26The agbani (the deer maiden)🔒 The Notebook 27The three tree-women and the male Jagüey🔒 The Notebook 28Iwan Karigui, Iwan Karika, Iwan Kawanka🔒 The Notebook 29The forbidden land🔒 The Notebook 30The son of the sacrifice🔒 The Notebook 31The land of Eri Bawa Lode: the great road of blessing🔒 The Notebook 32Awó Obé Ifá Bogunmbe🔒 The Notebook

29 more patakíes in this Odù, locked.Read every road in full with The Notebook.Unlock →

The full treatise is in English. With The Notebook, the whole sign opens on this page in English: the full text of every patakí, the recipes for the ebbós and works, and the iré and osogbo readings. · This page is also available in Spanish: See Irete Suká in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Irete Suká

What does the Odù Irete Suká mean in Ifá?

Where you go from free to enslaved, like the Princess who ended up serving her own maid: Olofin does not bless a King's head with a child's brain.

What number is Irete Suká among the 256 Odù of Ifá?

Irete Suká is Odù number 224 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Irete family.

Which orishas speak in Irete Suká?

In the Odù Irete Suká these orishas speak: Odudúwa, Obatalá (Oshanlá), Shangó, Elegbá, Azojuano (Dasoyi), Naná Burukú, Oshosi, Oshún, Oyá (Yanzá).

What is a proverb of the Odù Irete Suká?

One of the proverbs of Irete Suká says: «A King's head, a child's brain.».

Unlock the 256 Odù See all the Odù See something to correct? Write to us with your source

← Irete Batrúpon Index Irete Otún →