Okana Wete

nº 134 of 256

The water that beat its three enemies — clouds, rock and roots — with Eshu: sacrifice against sudden death, the way the cockroach did not.

19 patakíes 5 eewó 7 ebbós and works 17 proverbs

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Okana Wete is Odù number 134 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Okana family. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 19 patakíes (3 with the full text), its proverbs, 7 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 134 of 256
Composition: Okana over Irete
Orishas that speak: Eshu · Ogún · Osanyin · Elenini · Olokun / the water divinity

What Ifá says in this sign

Okana Wete is the Ifá of the water that beat its three enemies — the clouds, the rock and the roots — when Eshu, armed with the machete, the hoe and the axe from the ebbó, opened its way: it rained for three days as never before. Its promise is exactly the same: you have three unbeatable enemies blocking your prosperity — with the sacrifice they come to nothing, and prosperity blooms.

Here Orunmila's lasting supremacy over Osanyin was sealed: in Elenini's test — seven days without food or water —, Orunmila won because, of God's 203 plants, he had only taught the herbalist 61. The lesson is a teacher's: teach generously, but never hand over the whole secret — and a student's: «an intelligent student is careful, not arrogant».

«The clouds, the rock and the roots swore to stop the water — and Eshu's ebbó opened its way.»The pulse of Okana Wete

Its geography of destiny is a parable: the childless priest spent three years looking for the Eye-Akoko bird without finding it — the destiny was the town of Akoko, where in three years he had a hundred children and the crown. What you are looking for as an object may be a place: move near the river or the sea when this odu calls for it, and do not mock whoever has nothing today — they may be tomorrow's king.

Its precautions: the cockroach did not sacrifice and died suddenly — do not put off the ebbó you are marked; the small, sarcastic person who can trick you (the squirrel gave the boa away); the woman from a royal family, forbidden — the princess of Ifé killed husbands with traps of law —; and the neighbors, painted without mercy: the ones across the street never look kindly on you, the ones on the left never think well of you, the ones on the right wish you dead. Live agreeably and sleep protected.

If you travel with company, sacrifice first — Oyekunle was saved because he carried in his bag what the road would ask of him. Serve your head with a guinea fowl, make offerings to the divinity of the water for children and prosperity: the water of Okana Wete always reaches the sea — when the ebbó opens the channel

The sign in one line

Clear your three enemies with ebbó, do not hand over the whole secret and look hard at your destiny — the Akoko of your hundred blessings may be where you least expected.

The prayer of Okana Wete · Yoruba

Okan re re re re, Babalawo anyinyan, odifa fun anyinyan. Okon rete rete rete, Awó oka, odifa fun oka.

Ifá says — what Okana Wete tells you

The Ifá of the water with an open way: the three unbeatable enemies blocking your prosperity come to nothing with the ebbó — and afterwards prosperity blooms. The Ifá of Orunmila's supremacy: he beat Osanyin in Elenini's test, because of God's 203 plants he had taught him only 61 — «an intelligent student would have been more careful and less arrogant». The Ifá of the town of Akoko: the bird he was looking for was a figure of speech — destiny is sometimes fulfilled where you think you are only passing through. The Ifá of the traveler with company: Oyekunle escaped the princess's trap because he carried in his bag exactly what the road would ask of him.
Sacrifice to avoid a sudden death: a hen, a rat, a fish, a rope and a cane — the ebbó the cockroach did not make.
Sacrifice so you are not tricked by a small, sarcastic person, like the squirrel who gives the boa away.
You have three unbeatable enemies fighting to block your prosperity: with the sacrifice, every one of your problems comes to nothing, and your prosperity will bloom.
Sacrifice with a ram or a goat to beat your enemies — above all a young person who thinks themselves better than you.
The man this Odù comes out for in Ugbodu will have an exemplary character and good conduct; he will leave the place where he took his Ifá and will go and settle in a new place, near the river or the sea.
Serve your head with a guinea fowl and offer adimús to the divinity of the water at the sea, for children and prosperity.
The man should not marry anyone from a royal family, and should be careful of a certain woman who declares her love for him.
Sacrifice if you mean to travel — above all if you will have company on the journey.
About neighbors: «the ones in the house across the street never look kindly on you; the ones on the left never think well of you; the ones on the right always wish you dead».
The boa who chose to hide instead of sacrificing: the squirrel gives her away, and the man cuts the club.
Whoever mocks the childless priest: yesterday's laughing stock may be tomorrow's king of Akoko.
Idagolo, the Awó who wept on seeing the hundred children: that same Ifá had come out for him and he did not know how to read the sacrifice — whoever reads it halfway loses the whole blessing.
The princess of Ifé who used the law to commit murder: her two previous husbands died from her traps with water and fruit.

Proverbs of Okana Wete · Òwe

“The squirrel shouts out where the boa is.”
“It is too early to shout.”
“The master keeps 142 plants back.”
“Carry in your bag what the road is going to ask of you.”
“The bird he was looking for was a town.”
“You win not when you want to, but when you deserve to.”
“Movement dissolves the sugar at the bottom of the glass.”
“All the birds eat the rice and the blackbird takes the blame.”
“Revenge is man's justice; forgiveness is Olorun's.”
“The impulsive one acts without thinking; the thoughtful one thinks before acting.”
“Whoever kills out of passion kills for pleasure.”
“It is easier for an ant to move a mountain than to move those in charge.”
“It is better to stop a madman than to push a fool.”
“The rich man is never satisfied; the poor man knows how to be content.”
“Whoever falsifies the measures in their own favor is like someone sowing stones to reap bread.”
“The rich man does not lack friends; everyone despises the poor one.”
“Dog does not eat dog.”

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

Iré and Osogbo

4 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 Okana Wete · Ìbí

The cockroach's call to her Babalawo.
She fell on her back spinning in circles and crying «Okan re re re re» — and her cries drew the hen that ate her.
The squirrel's warning against the boa.
God appointed her to shout out where the many-colored boa was — «Oka ka ka ka» — warning men and animals.
The water's open way.
It beat the clouds, the rock and the roots with the ebbó and Eshu's hand.
Orunmila's lasting supremacy over Osanyin.
He survived Elenini's seven days and refused to come out on the fourth — «the seven days had not yet passed».
The reign of Akoko.
The childless priest reached the town inhabited only by women: in three years, close to a hundred children, and the crown.

What is forbidden · Eewó

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

The bird called Akoko is forbidden to you.
Do not marry anyone from a royal family.
The princess of Ifé led her husbands to death with her traps.
Do not pick fruit and do not look for water while you are travelling.
That was the trap on the road to Ifé: carry your own things in your bag.
Do not hide instead of sacrificing.
The boa trusted its hiding place, and the squirrel gives it away to this day.
Do not celebrate victory too soon, and do not give up before the time is over.
Orunmila closed his mouth until the seventh day; Osanyin cried out on the third — and lost the supremacy forever.

Ebbós of Okana Wete · The sacrifices that open the road

Keeping death awayThe cockroach's ebbó🔒 The Notebook MoneyThe water's ebbó🔒 The Notebook Beating enemiesThe ebbó of supremacy🔒 The Notebook LossThe ebbó of Oyekunle's journey🔒 The Notebook LoveAkoko's thanksgiving sacrifice🔒 The Notebook

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

Works of Okana Wete · The workings of the sign

SpiritualYour own Ogún🔒 The Notebook LoveThe guinea fowl for the head and the adimús at the sea🔒 The Notebook

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

Patakíes of Okana Wete · The roads of the Odù

1The cockroach who did not sacrifice

Okan re re re re, Babalawo of the cockroach, marked her ebbó against a sudden death — sugar cane, rope, rat and fish — and she did not do it. One morning the servant was sweeping the house: with the broom she finished off some of the children and left the mother lying outside, belly up. On her back the cockroach cannot take flight, so she spun around in circles shouting the name of her Babalawo, and that racket brought the hen, which killed her and ate her.

The Awó read the cockroach and warned her that she had to sacrifice if she wanted to be free of a sudden death: sugar cane, a rope, rat and fish. She did not do it.

One morning the servant was cleaning and came upon the cockroach and her young. With the broom she finished off some of the children, and the mother ended up outside, belly up. Put on her back, the cockroach cannot take flight, so she stayed spinning around in circles while she shouted the name of her Babalawo: "Okan re re re re". That racket brought the hen, which killed her and ate her. In an ordinary reading: make sacrifice to be free of a sudden death — a hen, rat, fish, rope and a sugar cane.

2The boa and the squirrel

Okon rete rete rete, the boa's Awó, warned her to sacrifice so she would not be clubbed to death by humans. She did not: she chose to stay hidden, not knowing God had appointed the squirrel to shout out where she was — «Oka ka ka ka!» — warning men and animals about the many-colored boa. The announcement makes the animals flee and draws her worst enemy: the man cuts a club and often wins, since the boa does not flee from danger — she only moves when her tail is stepped on, and the intruder usually pays with his life. Sacrifice so you are not given away or tricked by a small, sarcastic person.

The Awó read the boa and warned her to sacrifice if she did not want to die under men's clubs. She did not do it. She chose to hide, not knowing that God had already given the squirrel the task of calling out where she was, so the other animals would be on notice of her evil watch. This is how the squirrel sings when the boa is near: "Wa wo oka o elewu obobo. Oka re o elewu obobo. Oka wa mbi elewu obobo. Oka ka ka ka ka ka".

That song warned men and animals alike that the many-colored boa was around the place. And the squirrel's cry not only made the animals move away from the area: it also brought her most feared enemy near, which is the human being. As soon as he hears it, the man cuts a club and goes for the boa, and most of the time he gets her, because she does not run from danger. She only moves if some unlucky intruder steps on her tail, and that slip very often costs him his life. In an ordinary reading: the person must make sacrifice so as not to be tricked by someone small and sarcastic.

3The water's three enemies

The water had three deadly enemies — the clouds in the sky, the rock and the roots that stick out — who swore to cut its life short by blocking its movements. Afraid, it went to Orunmila: a band of cloth, a goat, an axe, bean pudding with no fat, ekó, pigeons, a hoe and a machete — and it sacrificed without delay. There was a great drought, since Eshu was holding the rain back: having eaten his goat, he opened it — three days of rain as never before —, cut the clouds with the machete from the ebbó, used the hoe to build a way around the rock, and with the hoe and the axe pulled out the roots and uprooted the trees blocking the way: the water had a clear channel. Your three unbeatable enemies come to nothing with the sacrifice.

The Awó read the water so that it could beat the three enemies that wanted it dead: the clouds of the sky, the rock and the roots coming out of the trunks of the trees. The three had sworn together to end its life by blocking its way. The water, seeing itself more and more stuck, began to be afraid, and one day went to consult Orunmila to find out how to get free of the obstacles they were putting in its way. This was what was marked: a band of cloth, a goat and an axe, bean pudding with no fat, ekó, doves, a hoe and a machete. It sacrificed at once.

In those days the drought was great, because Eshu was holding back the rain. As soon as he ate his goat, Eshu let it go and it rained three days in a row; with the machete from the ebbó it split the clouds, and the downpour was like none seen before. The dry rivers ran again. Against the rock, Eshu took the hoe from the sacrifice and opened a way for it along one side; with that same hoe and with the axe he moved the roots of those trunks that had sworn together to stop the water, and so, with Eshu on its side, the water managed to tear out by the roots the trees that were blocking its way. From then on it ran with no trouble. In an ordinary reading: the person carries three untamable enemies set on closing off his prosperity; he must make sacrifice so that all his problems come to nothing, and after that his prosperity will flourish.

4Osanyin's challenge to Orunmila🔒 The Notebook 5The one who forgot to join with Ogún🔒 The Notebook 6The town of Akoko🔒 The Notebook 7Oyekunle and the princess of Ifé🔒 The Notebook 8The messengers of Adanu, Awó Oba Egun🔒 The Notebook 9Ire Adimula🔒 The Notebook 10The birth of the art of carving🔒 The Notebook 11The jumper🔒 The Notebook 12Agbeyami and Tolo Tolo🔒 The Notebook 13The road where Oyá beat Awó Oggon🔒 The Notebook 14Ayakua Tiroko, the diviner of the bush🔒 The Notebook 15The obini's betrayal🔒 The Notebook 16Ifá ni kaferefún Ogún, Ozain, Oduduwa and Oyá🔒 The Notebook 17All the birds eat the rice and the blackbird gets the name🔒 The Notebook 18Dog does not eat dog🔒 The Notebook 19The monkey, the fox and the hare🔒 The Notebook

16 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 Okana Wete in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Okana Wete

What does the Odù Okana Wete mean in Ifá?

The water that beat its three enemies — clouds, rock and roots — with Eshu: sacrifice against sudden death, the way the cockroach did not.

What number is Okana Wete among the 256 Odù of Ifá?

Okana Wete is Odù number 134 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Okana family.

Which orishas speak in Okana Wete?

In the Odù Okana Wete these orishas speak: Eshu, Ogún, Osanyin, Elenini, Olokun / the water divinity.

What is a proverb of the Odù Okana Wete?

One of the proverbs of Okana Wete says: «The squirrel shouts out where the boa is.».

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