Odù 160 of 256 · Osa family

Osa Kuleya

Where Oyá handed her ram to Shangó to save her children: the moyugbar and the Throne of Ifá were born here, the seat of wisdom.

Osa Kuleya is Odù number 160 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Osa family. This page brings together its prayer in Yoruba, 31 patakíes (3 with the full text), its proverbs, 14 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 160 of 256
Composition
Osa over Ogunda
In the Diloggún
9-3 · Osá tonti Ogundá
Orishas that speak
Oyá · Shangó · Ogún · Yemayá Ashabá · Orunmila · Eshu · Egun

What Ifá says in this sign

Osa Kuleya is the sign of a mother's sacrifice: Oyá gave up eating ram forever and handed it to Shangó, to save her children — the great sacrifices are made by mothers. Here her name Iyanzá was born, and the moyugbar said before every ceremony, and the Throne of Ifá: the seat of wisdom — which only holds up whoever studies.

Because the libraries of Ifá were born here too — the Awoses who keep secrets on paper and never study them: whoever thinks they know everything and will not credit anyone else ends up living humiliated. Study what you keep: an archive nobody reads is an empty throne.

«Oyá gave up eating ram to save her children — the great sacrifices of Osa Kuleya are a mother's.»The pulse of Osa Kuleya

Your chain has been identified: this is an Ifá of slavery — you are a slave to your partner, your work, your enemies or a vice: name your master, and start buying your freedom back with work. A hot head and a bad temper call for Ifá received, and Ashabá's runaway boat needed a chain and an anchor: settle down.

The cautions are exact: the Awó of this sign does not go about alone — there is someone in your house watching for you to leave so they can rob you; no going deep into the bush, no letting heavy rain fall on you, no visiting prisoners these days. Your voice is a fragile treasure — it can go from a fright or from something worse: see to it —, vertigo forbids heights, and the fat enemy who cannot stand the sight of you can go on watching.

Your spiritual inheritance needs an inventory: prendas and Orishas from ancestors, an egun capable of destroying the family if it is not attended to — and a spirit who was a doctor speaking to you: put that legacy in order. For the woman, this sign's warnings — the son of Shangó who promises and does not deliver, the pregnancy with ebbó, care about who you go out with —, and for everyone: the mother who sacrifices like Oyá saves them all — and whoever moyugbas first arrives blessed

The sign in one line

Study what you keep, name your master and buy your freedom back with work — the Throne of Ifá belongs to whoever moyugbas and learns.

The prayer of Osa Kuleya · Yoruba

Osa Kuleya wara wara aye wara wara orun adifafun Oshumare akuko lebo, ahun ajapa tiroko afetu afolopo adifafun umbo oun batinlo loko ode gbogbo tenuyen lebo bobayo Oluwo laki Oyubona labere adifafun aretin shomo bani Orunmila oma kure lebo.

Súyere
Olomide tire eguado lerí ayapa Osa Kuleya.

Ifá says — what Osa Kuleya tells you

Proverbs of Osa Kuleya · Òwe

18 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

6 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 Osa Kuleya · Ìbí

What is forbidden · Eewó

9 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 Osa Kuleya · The sacrifices that open the road

LoveThe pregnant woman's ebbó🔒 Babalawo
Beating enemiesThe ebbó of the drum and the machete🔒 Babalawo
Law troubleShangó's turtle🔒 Babalawo
SpiritualThe four ebbós of the Throne of Ifá🔒 Babalawo
SpiritualThe ebbó of Ogún holding up the world🔒 Babalawo
SpiritualThe ebbó of Eyá and Aún🔒 Babalawo
MoneyThe ebbó of the boy with the drum🔒 Babalawo
MoneyThe ebbó of the luck that left🔒 Babalawo
Beating enemiesThe ebbó of the great turtle🔒 Babalawo
9 ebbós in this Odù, locked.Each full recipe: ingredients, preparation and where it goes. Written in Spanish for now.Unlock →

Works of Osa Kuleya · The workings of the sign

Beating enemiesOyá's lamp🔒 Babalawo
LoveThe nine loaves of glory🔒 Babalawo
HealthThe inshé Osain of the turtle🔒 Babalawo
LoveOyá's hen with Shangó🔒 Babalawo
SpiritualOgún's omiero🔒 Babalawo
5 works in this Odù, locked.Each full recipe: ingredients, preparation and where it goes. Written in Spanish for now.Unlock →

Patakíes of Osa Kuleya · The roads of the Odù

1The toad and the boa

The toad went to Orunmila: the boa was saying that wherever he saw him, he would swallow him. Orunmila marked him ebbó with a rooster and two pigeons, and told him to play humble so he could win. The toad met the boa again, and although the boa swallowed him, the toad — with his ebbó already made — did him harm inside his belly: the boa had to vomit him up, and died.

The toad went to Orunmila and told him the boa was saying that wherever he saw him, he would swallow him. Orunmila answered that he should make ebbó so death (Ikú) would not catch him — the ebbó: a rooster, two pigeons and the other ingredients — and that he should play humble so he could win.

The toad met the boa again, and since he had already made ebbó, although the boa swallowed him, the toad did him harm inside his belly, and he had to vomit him up — and the boa died.

2The king's son who did not listen to Orunmila's advice

Orunmila warned the king not to let his son hunt, and the king set servants to watch him. Behind their backs, the boy made a sling, killed a pigeon that fell into the river, and trying to get it he fell in too. A turtle offered to save him in exchange for his becoming her slave: she put him inside a drum and went about saying she owned a drum that played by itself. The king, desperate, called Orunmila: a great feast, summoning every musician in the city. When the turtle's turn came, the boy sang from inside and everyone heard him: they sent the musicians away leaving the instruments behind, took the boy out of the drum — and put a crow in his place.

Orunmila told the king that he had a son and not to let him hunt. The king set servants on his son to watch him always, because the boy was very fond of hunting. One day, behind his guards' backs, the boy made a sling, and taking advantage of his guards being busy talking, he saw a pigeon go by, took a stone, put it in the sling and aimed so well that he killed it. The pigeon came spinning down through the air and fell into a river that was nearby. The boy, seeing the current carrying off his pigeon, tried to get it, slipped and fell into the river too.

Desperate by then, a turtle appeared to him and offered to save him in exchange for his becoming her slave; the boy agreed. The turtle saved him and put him inside a drum she had. The boy would sing his songs now and then, and the turtle went about saying she owned a drum that played by itself.

The king, desperate over his beloved son's fate, sent for Orunmila, who read for him and told him that if he wanted his son to turn up, he had to hold a great feast and invite every musician in the city: his son would appear there. The king did so. He summoned all the musicians, who came one by one and played their instruments before the king and Orunmila. When the turtle's turn came, she appeared with a drum, and at that moment the boy inside began to sing, and everyone there heard him.

Orunmila told the king to send the musicians away, but to have them leave their instruments, so they could come back the next day to collect their prizes. When everyone had gone, they took the boy out of the drum and put a crow in.

3The power of Oyá, Shangó and the ewe

Oyá — Aguadai Iyá — received a great secret from Olofin, and from Obatalá a red and white necklace, two horns and a stone, with the warning not to go near where ceremonies were being made with a ram. She prided herself on being wise, and her land lived in terror of her; she looked down on Orunmila, and Shangó swore before Olofin to avenge him. With the ebbó and the ewe, Shangó drew her into the bush with a song: Oyá cleaned her head with the ewe, gave it to the earth and was left senseless — the moment Shangó used for ofikale trupon, leaving her pregnant, and he took her two ogué and the necklace. Obatalá ruled: «you failed in your respect for me: when your son is 7, take him to Orunmila to have Ifá made, or you will not get your luck back». So it was done, and on the seventh day Shangó, eating the male turtle Orunmila handed him, forgave her: «you are now forgiven for the wrong you did Orunmila, and here is the secret of your defense».

On this road, Oyá was called Aguadai Iyá, and Olofin had given her a great secret so everyone would respect her and she would live well in her land, which was called Iwade Inle. Obatalá always went to give her advice, and one day he brought her a necklace painted red and white and told her: «With this necklace, these two horns and this stone you will have a great defense and everyone will respect you». Oyá was very glad, gave Obatalá moforibale and began to sing: «Baba ashe bo ashe iña ashe bo ashe». Obatalá gave her his blessing and told her to respect that secret well, and that when she saw anyone making a ceremony with a ram, she was not to go near.

Oyá prided herself on being wise, and in the land of Iwade Inle everyone lived in terror of her. One day Orunmila came to that land, and noticing that Oyá looked down on him, he left worried. On the road, entering the land of Obá Ishe, he met Shangó, who gave him moforibale and asked what was wrong; Orunmila told him what had happened with Oyá. Shangó was carrying a chain in one hand and in the other a coconut painted white with the Odù of Osa Kuleya painted on it in osun, and he told Orunmila: «I will settle the trouble with Oyá right now», and went to Ilé Oke to speak with Olofin, singing: «Baba Olofin omo siwayú, Olofin moyara Ifá omoyare». Olofin came out and asked him what he wanted; Shangó told him everything Oyá had done to Orunmila, adding: «I am going to avenge him». Olofin replied: «You have never told me a lie, but I do not believe that of Oyá». Shangó, annoyed, answered that he would prove it to him.

Shangó went to Orunmila and told him: «I want you to make me ebbó with these things I am bringing you, and you will see what happens». Obatalá was at Orunmila's house while they were making the ebbó, and he told Shangó: «I want you to know that Oyá is my daughter, that she is unmarried, and that you are to respect her». Shangó answered nothing: he walked out, went into the land of Iwade Inle, and in the middle of the bush he opened a hole and threw the ebbó inside; he took a coconut in his hand, passed his hand over the ewe and sang: «Oyá siweire omo laoyo umbo, Oyá siweire omo anya Shangó».

Oyá, hearing something so beautiful, wondered who could be calling her, and went out into the bush to find out who it was. She saw Shangó, who let the ewe loose; Oyá caught it, and passing her hand over it she brought it to Shangó. He put the coconut in the hole and told Oyá: «Clean your head well with the ewe». Oyá did so, and then gave the ewe to the earth, throwing it into the hole too, and Oyá was left senseless — the moment Shangó used for ofikale trupon, leaving her pregnant. He took her two ogué and kept them along with the red and white necklace; then he cleaned Oyá with the two hens from the ebbó and gave them to the earth, and Oyá came to herself and went off without realizing anything.

Three months later she felt unwell and went to Obatalá, and told him what had happened to her. He told her: «You failed in your respect for me, and now, until you give birth and that child is 7 years old, you will wait; you will take him to Orunmila to have Ifá made for him, because otherwise you will not get your luck back». Oyá went everywhere asking after Shangó, and nobody could tell her anything. She gave birth, and when the child was 7 she took him to Orunmila, and he saw this Ifá for him, Osa Kuleya, and told her: «For you to get all your strength and your luck back, you have to have Ifá made for your son».

On the seventh day Shangó appeared, because Orunmila had sent for him; Shangó did not want to go, but Olofin told him to. Shangó reached the foot of the Igbodun, and Orunmila handed him a male turtle (ayapa tiroko); Shangó ate it and told Oyá: «You are now forgiven for the wrong you did Orunmila, and here is the secret of your defense».

Note: a hen is given to Oyá, Shangó is set beside her, six wicks are lit for Shangó, plenty of honey is poured on him and the request is made. When this Ifá comes out, if the mother of the one making Ifá is alive, a guinea fowl has to be given to Ogún, and if she is dead, to the mother's egun; and the person is sent to bathe with rainwater or with water from Yemayá's tureen.

4Tie up the boat so it does not drift🔒 Babalawo
5Where Oyá gave up eating ram🔒 Babalawo
6The boy and the drum🔒 Babalawo
7When the luck left🔒 Babalawo
8The drum🔒 Babalawo
9The great turtle🔒 Babalawo
10Shangó and the ram🔒 Babalawo
11When Ogún held up the world🔒 Babalawo
12Where they tried to kill Orunmila🔒 Babalawo
13The Throne of Ifá🔒 Babalawo
14Eyá and Aún — the secrets of the turtle and the fish🔒 Babalawo
15The seizing of the Alawó to make Ifá🔒 Babalawo
16The descent of Hoo at the moment of creation🔒 Babalawo
17What goes away comes back🔒 Babalawo
18Ogún and the war🔒 Babalawo
19If war with the living is bad, with the dead it is worse🔒 Babalawo
20The birds' feast🔒 Babalawo
21Osa Kuleya uncovered the deceit🔒 Babalawo
22The woman does a working on the man🔒 Babalawo
23Osa Ogunda can fight🔒 Babalawo
24The reading made for Aikujegunre🔒 Babalawo
25The reading made for the hunter🔒 Babalawo
26The green medicine🔒 Babalawo
27From strutting to death🔒 Babalawo
28The power of the birds and the tortoise🔒 Babalawo
29The antelope woman🔒 Babalawo
30The white elephant and the envious tortoise🔒 Babalawo
31The donkey and the flute🔒 Babalawo
28 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 Osa Kuleya in Spanish →

Frequently asked questions about Osa Kuleya

What does the Odù Osa Kuleya mean in Ifá?

Where Oyá handed her ram to Shangó to save her children: the moyugbar and the Throne of Ifá were born here, the seat of wisdom.

What number is Osa Kuleya among the 256 Odù of Ifá?

Osa Kuleya is Odù number 160 of the 256 in Ifá, part of the Osa family.

Which orishas speak in Osa Kuleya?

In the Odù Osa Kuleya these orishas speak: Oyá, Shangó, Ogún, Yemayá Ashabá, Orunmila, Eshu, Egun.

What is a proverb of the Odù Osa Kuleya?

One of the proverbs of Osa Kuleya says: «War with the living is bad; with the dead it is worse.».

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