Ogunda Rete

Also called Oggunda Kete, Ogunda Irete, Ogunda Kete

nº 149 of 256 · Edited by Ricco Ledesma

The Ifá of public shame, where the moral laws and the power of Orí speak: here the Fifeto ceremony is born, and your morals are your only armor.

25 patakíes 8 eewó 11 ebbós and works 16 proverbs

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Ogunda Rete is Odù number 149 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Ogunda family. It is also written as Oggunda Kete or Ogunda Irete or Ogunda Kete. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 25 patakíes (3 in full in plain sight, with their teaching, ebbó and chants), its proverbs, 11 ebbós and works and the signs it shows in the consultation — with the full eewó in plain sight; the rest of the iré and osogbo and the full recipes open with The Notebook, in English.

The sign at a glance

Order in Ifá: Odù 149 of 256
Composition: Ogunda over Irete
Orishas that speak: Obatalá · Ogún · Orunmila · Oshún · Elegba · Egun · Yemayá y Olokun · Babalú Ayé (Azowano) · Iroko y Agayú

What Ifá says in this sign

Ogunda Rete, also known as Ogunda Irete and Ogunda Kete, is a sign of public shame: the moral laws of life rule in it, and their judgment falls on how you treat others and how they treat you. Here were born the Fifeto ceremony, which closes the sacrifice of Osha, the secret of Zomadonu, religious separation, sodomy and the oath that seals the oriolo. Its ruling is clear: lead an honest and decent life, because otherwise tragedy and gossip will not leave you. Adodi absorb the secrets of the religion with ease, but their consecrations turn, sooner or later, against themselves; if by Ifá's command the awó must make Ifá for an adodi, the greater oath that seals the oriolo is made, and the awó who later becomes an adodi pays with his life.

Through this sign Ogún was found praying to his own head: care for your Ori and your Egun. You have three enemies, and the strongest are women, but if you prepare yourself you will see those who wish you harm fall first and you will defeat them one by one. Receiving Orunmila improves your luck. At work you are like Olofin's barber, who saw his secret and kept quiet: your discretion wins you a position of trust, though for that very reason they envy you.

«Even Ogún was found doing his head rogation: the power of Orí rules Oggunda Kete.»The pulse of Ogunda Rete

The osogbo is betrayal and ambition without limit, that of the prince who stabbed his father in the back: watch the hunger for greatness in your children. A friend wants to kill you: do not go around armed or answer any call to settle a matter, because a tragedy comes from it and they strike you with a piece of iron. If you hit someone, you will end up before the law. Be careful with drink, watch the entrance of your home, where they throw witchcraft, and do not leave Orunmila for a sorcerer who only holds you back.

In love, beware of jealousy and of whatever you may have taken from another, a woman or money, because there may be a death. Two women in the same neighborhood are your ruin, and there are women who create problems for you that can drive you to madness. The sign recommends that you be careful with people of undefined sex, so that you are not mistaken for one of them. There are binding works between husband and wife, and between adodi and alakuata. You are stubborn and weak of character: review your failures so you do not repeat them. Watch the conduct of the children in your home, and if your mother is alive, care for her, since she is ill.

In health, take care of your kidneys, heart, bones, throat, stomach and, in a woman, the cervix. Getting angry harms your heart and pride makes your head ill. Your skin is thin and suffers burns and rashes, like the hare that lost its own for telling a secret of Obatalá. Keep what is entrusted to you and live with humility: that way, like the Iroko, you will reach a peaceful old age without knowing harm.

The sign in one line

Do not trade Orunmila for the bush, look after your mother who is crying and do your head rogation, for the morality of Kete is your only armor.

The prayer of Ogunda Rete · Yoruba

Ogunda Kete kunigui Awo ori era akanarigbo Awo ora ashi tentere Awo oun metata ni shona Iku Ifá Orunmila.

Súyere
Alado funi oni leni apuepue. Temishe leri, temishe kuishara.

Ifá says — what Ogunda Rete tells you

Watch over the young people and their direction in life, so that they do not go astray morally.
You must not strike anyone: that would bring you serious problems, even with the law. It also speaks of a robbery, for which you could be jailed.
Beware of drink.
Be careful when walking with an Awó of this sign: they can steal your luck.
The woman who was operated on internally because of a pregnancy and cannot have children; and frigidity, which is treated by washing with bitter güiro, romerillo and honey.
You live or lived in a place with several plants in the yard, among which a coconut palm dried up.
Loss and decline of your house and of everything you own: do a cleansing ebbó.
Take care of your hair, because it is a source of pride for you; do not give away or lend hats or clothes.
You have three arayés who do all they can to harm you; your most powerful enemies are women: wear white caps.
The witch moth speaks, the one that seeks light at night: through those insects the evil acts of the mayomberos arrive, which can leave a person dazed, disabled or dead. If it enters your house, do not kill it or throw it away.
Little firmness of character; a stubborn, obstinate person who does not analyze earlier failures and falls into them again.
Women who create great problems with witchcraft, to the point of madness; beware of binding spells (amarres), between husband and wife, and between adodi and alakuata.
If your mother has already died, have a mass said for her in the church; if she is alive, look after her, since she is ill and could die. You dreamed of your mother and she is weeping for you.
Take great care of the door of your house: they are always casting witchcraft on it to harm you.
Be careful of a tragedy born of jealousy or of something you took from another (a woman, money): there may be a death. Live with honesty and decency so as not to suffer tragedies or gossip.
Food must be eaten without salt. There are ailments of the kidneys, the heart and arthritis; the stomach, the cervix and the throat are also affected.
A woman may come to have two husbands under one roof; the awó is forbidden to have two women within one town or neighborhood, because that is his ruin.
You are ten siblings: seven have the same father and the other three a different one; usually three die and seven live, and all are children of Obatalá.
The awó must take care of his skin, which is too delicate: there are burns and rashes; in this sign Obatalá skinned the hare because it revealed the secrets.
When this sign comes out in atefá, the godfather may be ruined or fall into poverty: he must do the work of the dove to the earth and the hens to the head on his Ifá.
The moral rules that govern human life, and the power of Orí.
The red earth and the black earth.
The witch type of butterfly.
Your Guardian Angel is displeased with you. It is claimed that you lack their qualities and cannot match their deeds, but little by little you will defeat them all.
That you were given an Osain and you are not satisfied with it: do not think of throwing it away.
That a friend of yours wants to kill you: do not be afraid, because they will die before you.
That your heart is oppressed, and Obatalá is pursuing you.
That you should not carry weapons on you: they will come to get you for an inquiry; do not go, because a tragedy will break out and you will be struck with a piece of iron.
That you should not mock anyone or play rough jokes on anyone, and should not be stubborn, so as not to be lost.
That there is a scar on your body, and it is not from here.
That on your path there is a tragedy, loss and a lot of gossip.
That you should raise doves: as they multiply, so you will prosper; and if you are a man, women will seek you out in the same measure; if you are a woman, men will seek you out.
That you should feed the earth and Olofin, and offer a fresh fish to your head.

Proverbs of Ogunda Rete · Òwe

“He who imitates fails.”
“Whoever entrusts his secret to another becomes his slave.”
“Close friend, close enemy.”
“Discretion is what gives a man the most value.”
“Gratitude filled the good man with blood.”
“Iroko and ewe ayo will see the contemplative state of old age without knowing evil.”
“The agreeable person has an appropriate and timely answer for everything.”
“The house of the proud will be destroyed and that of the widow protected.”
“He who lies deceives himself.”
“Whoever lives by “what will they say” dies of “what will they find out.””
“It is the problem of whoever picks up what another throws away.”
“In a house, the first to leave and the last to enter lives in distress.”
“Tell me how you think and you will know how I use you.”
“The wise man, sitting at his door, sees the corpse of his enemies pass by.”
“Whoever kills by iron dies by iron.”
“A little malice is stronger than wicked plans.”

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

Iré and Osogbo

Three iré and three osogbo of this sign, open to everyone.

Iré · what the sign brings

If they prepare against their three enemies, they see the end of them: they die before they do, and little by little they defeat them all.
Receiving Orunmila improves their luck.
If they raise two doves, their prosperity grows as the doves multiply, and people seek them out.

Osogbo · what the sign warns

It is a sign of shame: their faults of conduct toward others, or those of others toward them, embarrass them.
The children in their home may go astray in their morals.
If they raise a hand against someone, they have trouble with the law, and for theft they may end up in jail.

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

What is born in Ogunda Rete · Ìbí

That one hip of the daughters of Elegba sits higher than the other.
Giving pig to Ogún, and giving peacock (agbanami) to Oshún.
The rite of Fifeto, whose moment is the end of the slaughter of Osha.
It is done in memory of Toshe, daughter of Olokun, and out of consideration for her father, after Ogún beheaded her.
The secret of Zomadonu.
The tohosu of the lagoon of Dahomey, who demanded worship of Azowano to remove the mortality from the Arará land.
The sealing of the oriolo, and sodomy.
The great oath described in this Odù: whoever receives it and breaks it loses his life.
Religious separation.
Ogún abandoned Olofin for the quimbisa of the bush, and Olofin cursed him.
The split between the Orthodox church and the Catholic church.

What is forbidden · Eewó

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

Do not lend or give away your hat, your cap, or your clothes.
The hat is his crown and his command: with it the supreme chief won the war; lending it is lending your luck.
Avoid having two women within the same town or the same neighborhood.
It is the ruin of the Awó of this sign: that is why Oggunda Kete went to prison.
Do not keep animals with a crown in the house.
Do not eat with salt.
You suffer in the kidneys and in the heart.
Do not raise your hand, and do not walk around carrying weapons.
They will come looking for you for an investigation and tragedy will start.
Do not kill or throw out the butterfly that comes into your house.
Through those insects come the works of the mayomberos: you work, you do not attack.
Do not argue with your teacher or with your elders.
The three sons of Orunmila died for believing there was a power greater than Ifá.
Do not go to the palero and leave Orunmila.
Here the religious separation was born: the witch doctor holds you back.

Ebbós of Ogunda Rete · The sacrifices that open the road

HealthThe ebbó for the illness to go (arun unlo)🔒 The Notebook SpiritualThe ebbó of the nine-colored oparaldo🔒 The Notebook Overcoming enemiesThe ebbó of the wooden anvil🔒 The Notebook LossThe godfather's ebbó🔒 The Notebook MoneyThe ebbó of raising pigeons🔒 The Notebook

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

Works of Ogunda Rete · The workings of the sign

HealthOgún's seven coconuts and seven ribbons🔒 The Notebook SpiritualThe otá from the river🔒 The Notebook HealthThe prayer of the 16 ayúa leaves🔒 The Notebook SpiritualThe secret of Zomadonu🔒 The Notebook SpiritualThe inshé of Iroko for the pillow🔒 The Notebook Overcoming enemiesThe inshé-Osain of Iroko🔒 The Notebook

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

Patakíes of Ogunda Rete · The roads of the Odù

1Awó Oribaye and the shadow of Iroko

Awa Eri was the country of the Iroko and the ewe ayo. In it lived Awó Oribaye, omo Oggunda Obetete, who had made a pact with the tree and with the herb: for all his life they would take care of him and keep any harm far away. Apart from him, under the Iroko and away from the rest, lived Oluwere Orun, the shadow of Agayú.

People whispered that Oribaye was strange, because he always worked in secret. Since he was not like the other Awoses, everyone wanted to discover his method and suspected that some hidden power guided him. That watching bothered him so much that he ended up casting a curse, in the old language, against the town. From then on, everyone fell ill, the children of Obatalá were losing their good luck, the shadow of Oluwere Orun moved away from Oribaye, and poverty reached him. The whole land sank into misery and there was not a single healthy person.

Elegba suffered when he saw this, especially for the children of Obatalá, and set out for Oshagriñán to tell him what had happened in Awa Eri. The two arrived and saw Oribaye disoriented, surrounded by sick children of Obatalá.

Oshagriñán consulted for Oribaye with osode and Oggunda Botete came out. He made clear that the reason was the departure of Oluwere Orun, his shadow. He made an ebbó for him and proposed going to the foot of the Iroko to call it so that it would accompany him always.

They walked there and arrived at midnight. Oshagriñán placed leaves of Iroko on Elegba's head, and also gave him coconut, fresh water, and a beautiful colorful cap, and explained that this way he could help him raise that land. Then, with the rooster in his hand, he called Oluwere Orun with a prayer in the old language. He left two roots, one from the west and one from the east, together with all the contents of the ebbó, and summoned Oluwere Orun and the Egun. He offered them the rooster while singing.

The shadow of Oluwere Orun came down again. Using the secret of the Iroko, Oshagriñán did the rogación of the head for Oribaye, and he felt relief at once. Then he put together an inshé and gave it to him, telling him to keep it inside his pillow, to stay in contact with Oluwere Orun.

There was so much shepé in that place that Oshagriñán became furious. Elegba brought him ewe ayo so that he could bathe, placed tete herb on his head, and offered him a white dove; with that, calm returned. Then he took more leaves of Iroko and gave the Awó a remedy so that all the inhabitants would heal.

Oribaye did as instructed. Little by little the people were cured and respected him again, because Elegba and Oshagriñán had brought the shadow of Oluwere Orun back to his side.

Before leaving, Oshagriñán told Elegba that they had to carry out a great secret so that none of the arayés of the place would pursue them. They did it before Ifá, with doves and a song, and in this way all the arayés died. Clean, Elegba and Oshagriñán left, and Awa Eri was left without arayés, under the protection of the shadow of Oluwere Orun.

For the godfather this Ifá is complicated: it can ruin him or leave him in poverty. If it appears in an atefá, the godfather must do a cleansing and make some offerings for his Ifá, with a súyere in the old language.

What it teaches

Answering the curiosity of others with a curse brings illness and poverty on everyone. Joining again with what protects a person, and cleansing the land, brings back health and esteem.

To call the shadow of Oluwere Orun

After Awó Oribaye's ebbó, go with Elegba to the foot of the Iroko at midnight. Bring leaves of Iroko for Elegba's head, coconut, fresh water, a colorful cap, a rooster, two roots, one from the west and one from the east, and the rest of the ebbó. With the rooster Oluwere Orun and the Egun are called, and it is given to them.

To calm Oshagriñán's anger

Ewe ayo for the bath, tete herb on the head, and a white dove.

To heal the town

This path has a remedy with leaves of Iroko to heal the town; its preparation is in the complete treatise.

When this Ifá comes out in an atefá

When this Ifá comes out in an atefá, there is a cleansing for the godfather and some offerings for his Ifá and his head; they are in the complete treatise.

Inshé and secret of this path

This path has an inshé to communicate with Oluwere Orun and a secret with doves so that the arayés do not follow whoever does it. Their elements are in the complete treatise.

Awó Oribaye's curse against the people of the land

Odogun ofofo iña shekue buruku omo ile Owa Eri

Oshagriñán's prayer with the rooster to call Oluwere Orun

Iroko Ouwere Oshagriñan igi ogadifan Agayu Ifa eku mayele ogba leri oma oshe igbo Iroko umbo ori ire Awo Oribaye ebonike ori botete ori ire

What Oshagriñán sang when he gave the rooster to Oluwere Orun and the Egun

Ero omi Iroko onifa Iroko masofun ele igi Orun igboye Iroko Egun mayawa

The song Oshagriñán and Elegba sang when they gave the doves to Inle Oguere

Eye eyele inle asheo, ire Awo ire, eye eyele inle asheo

The súyere for the hens at Orunmila's meal, when this Ifá comes out in an atefá

Adie manya ori teun, adele nifa manya ileo

Prayer of this path

Oggunda botete adifafun Awo Oribaye iropo oloko agada agba alawo ori ebo niki oba eri Inle Iroko umbo ire Egun maso fun ele ewe ayo gbogbo igba tigbude odi Iroko oshale nigba owodoke intori okue eri igi abamini wewe Awo owunko odo she leri owa Awo Oluwere Orun lodafun baba Osagriñan kaferefun Elegba y Orunmila.

The prayer used to take out the root of the Iroko, calling Oshagriñán Aluwere Orun

Iroko Olowere Orun Osagriñan igi agadifan Agayu Ifa Egun mayele owa ori oma osha igbo Iroko umbo ori ire ebo nike oribo tete ori laye

The song when giving the rooster and calling the Egun, in the note of this path

Ero ni Iroko oni Ifa Iroko masofun eleigi Orun igboye

This path keeps 6 awó secrets in the complete treatise.🔒 The Notebook

2Olofin's Barber

The land of Ikoke had a barber, Oggunda Kete, whose duty it was to attend each of the initiations of the place. Other important people felt such envy that they harassed him without rest, until he decided to leave.

When he found out, Olofin refused to let anyone else cut his hair. He had a hidden birthmark on agogorí, which is the center of the head, and did not want to show it to anyone. Oggunda Kete was the only one who knew it, and he had never revealed it. With the barber gone, no more consecrations were held and illness took hold of the region. They met with Olofin and concluded that the only possibility was to bring Oggunda Kete back and leave him forever as the barber of Ifá, a position of trust created by Olofin. For that reason, to this day, it is done this way at every consecration of Ifá.

What it teaches

Discretion gives a person value. The one who kept Olofin's secret became indispensable, and his absence, caused by the envy of others, left the whole land sick until he was called back.

Ebbó of this path

This path has its own ebbó; the full list is in the complete treatise.

This path keeps 1 awó secret in the complete treatise.🔒 The Notebook

3The jeweled dagger

In this path, the land of Takua was ruled by a king who had only one son. He wanted to train him so that in time he would take charge of all the territories under his rule.

The years passed and the prince became a man. His father gave him, as a sign of affection, a dagger whose handle and sheath were covered with precious stones. It was at once a sign of rank and a true work of the jeweler's art. He also handed over half of his domains so that the son would learn to govern them.

But on finding himself with so much power, the prince, who was ambitious by nature, thought of how to get rid of his father and remain the sole owner of those great territories. He gathered his army and went to visit him. When he arrived, the king was told that his son was approaching. The king mounted his horse, went out with his retinue to receive him and gave him the honors due.

After the greetings, the two set out to tour the place. As the king rode ahead, with his back to him, the prince seized that moment and plunged the dagger into his back. In this way he carried out the plan he had devised, driven by his excessive desire for greatness and power. The passage closes with a greeting to Eshu.

This Ifá speaks of treason, ingratitude, spilled blood and ambition without restraint.

What it teaches

Giving power to someone whose desire has no limit can cost the life of the one who gives it. For this reason it is wise to watch the ambition of children and godchildren, and not to rely on affection alone.

When this path comes out

The desire for greatness of descendants must be watched, and also that of the children of the religion.

Greeting to Eshu that closes the passage

To Iban Eshu

This path keeps 2 awó secrets in the complete treatise.🔒 The Notebook

4The illness of Obatalá🔒 The Notebook 5Osain, turned into a mouse, saves Agbani from the Egun Adodi🔒 The Notebook 6Zomadonu, the rejected son who punished Dahomey🔒 The Notebook 7Where Yemayá discredited Orunmila🔒 The Notebook 8The birth of the Fifeto🔒 The Notebook 9Obatalá and his drum: the skin of the hare🔒 The Notebook 10Obatalá goes to live at the top of the Iroko🔒 The Notebook 11Where Oggunda Kete was imprisoned🔒 The Notebook 12When the king did not make ebbó🔒 The Notebook 13The children of Orunmila and the pot of Elegba🔒 The Notebook 14The supreme chief🔒 The Notebook 15The united brothers🔒 The Notebook 16When Obatalá eats together with Orunmila🔒 The Notebook 17The fishermen and the sacrifice that reaches heaven🔒 The Notebook 18When Ogún did the work of Iyalorde🔒 The Notebook 19The wife of the palero🔒 The Notebook 20Ogún, the admiral🔒 The Notebook 21The messenger of peace🔒 The Notebook 22The bull between two lands🔒 The Notebook 23The camel and the flea🔒 The Notebook 24The crocodile and the dog🔒 The Notebook 25The hen and the owl🔒 The Notebook

22 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 Ogunda Rete in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Ogunda Rete

What does the Odù Ogunda Rete mean in Ifá?

The Ifá of public shame, where the moral laws and the power of Orí speak: here the Fifeto ceremony is born, and your morals are your only armor.

What number is Ogunda Rete among the 256 Odù of Ifá?

Ogunda Rete is Odù number 149 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Ogunda family.

Which orishas speak in Ogunda Rete?

In the Odù Ogunda Rete these orishas speak: Obatalá, Ogún, Orunmila, Oshún, Elegba, Egun, Yemayá y Olokun, Babalú Ayé (Azowano), Iroko y Agayú.

What is a proverb of the Odù Ogunda Rete?

One of the proverbs of Ogunda Rete says: «He who imitates fails.».

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