The Orishas in the Odù of Ifá

Owner of the roads and the crossroads: he opens and closes the doors of destiny. He is the first to eat and the first to be greeted.

In yoruba land he is Èṣù, the divine messenger: the one who carries the ebbós where they must go and tests the hearts of men. He is present in all 256 signs — without his permission nothing moves in the oracle. In Cuba he settled behind the door, in the otá or the loaded head the babalawo builds, and his roads are counted by the dozens — from Eshú Laroye, the talker who lives with Oshún, to Eshú Ñíkí Ñíkí. He is syncretized with the Holy Child of Atocha and with Saint Anthony of Padua, and his number is 3 (and 21, «the one with the most roads»).

Eyiogbe · Oyekun Meyi · Iwori Meyi · Iroso Meyi · Ojuani Meyi · Obara Meyi · Okana Meyi · Ogunda Meyi · Osa Meyi · Ika Meyi · Otrupon Meyi · Otura Meyi and 205 more — see the index

• That Eshú ate rooster for the first time. — in Okana Meyi
• That Elegba ate biajaca fish (eyá Osun). — in Ogbe Wanle
• That when Elegba's stone (okutá) is split, an Elegba cannot be mounted on every piece. — in Ogbe Wanle
• Eshú Larufa, son of Inle and Ikú. — in Oyekun Bedura (Ofun)
• …and 55 more births in the treatise.

Owner of thunder, fire and the drum: royalty, manhood and the word that comes true. He was the first owner of the board of Ifá.

A historical king made divine: the fourth Alaafin of Òyó, the one who spat fire. He was the first owner of the board of Ifá and traded it to Orunmila for the drum and the power of the dance: that is why the añá belongs to him. His weapons are the double axe (oshé), the okumambo — the club he defends himself with — and the horns of Ogué that announce him. He lives in a wooden batea set on its pilón and is syncretized with Saint Barbara (December 4).

Eyiogbe · Oyekun Meyi · Iwori Meyi · Odi Meyi · Iroso Meyi · Ojuani Meyi · Obara Meyi · Okana Meyi · Ogunda Meyi · Osa Meyi · Otrupon Meyi · Otura Meyi and 190 more — see the index

• The secret of giving Ejá-Tuto (fresh fish) to Shangó. — in Oyekun Meyi
• Afeke, the defense of Shangó. — in Okana Meyi
• That Shangó sees everything on the earth and the seas. — in Ogunda Meyi
• Oshe, the virtue of Shangó, and his ashé. — in Osa Meyi
• …and 51 more births in the treatise.

Owner of all heads and of everything white: peace, purity and calm. Father of many orishas and sculptor of the human body.

In Ilé-Ifẹ̀ he is Òrìṣàńlá, the sculptor who shapes the bodies in the womb before Oloddumare breathes in the life. Owner of everything white — silver, cotton, the snail — and of all heads: every child of santo owes him theirs. He has many roads, from the trembling old man Oshanlá to the young warrior Ayáguna. He is syncretized with Our Lady of Mercy (September 24) and his number is 8.

Eyiogbe · Iwori Meyi · Odi Meyi · Iroso Meyi · Ojuani Meyi · Obara Meyi · Okana Meyi · Ogunda Meyi · Osa Meyi · Ika Meyi · Otrupon Meyi · Otura Meyi and 157 more — see the index

• That Ayalá Obbatalá, builder of heads, receives offerings in the sacrifices. — in Ogbe Yono
• That Oduduwa, Obatalá Ayaguna and Oshagriñán eat palm oil (epo). — in Odi Okana (Odi Kana)
• The strength of Obatalá, and the rage that, once it blinds him, finishes even his own children. — in Odi Otura (Odi Atakofeño)
• The sorcerer of Obatalá, Obiroso-Osanyin. — in Odi Otura (Odi Atakofeño)
• …and 33 more births in the treatise.

Owner of the river, of love, of gold and of honey: the sweetness of the world and the power of what is won by charm.

Owner of the river that carries her name: the Òṣun of the city of Òṣogbo, whose sacred forest is today a World Heritage site. She is the youngest of the orishas and the one who saved the world when, dressed as a buzzard, she went up to heaven to carry the plea of humankind to Olofin. In Cuba she is la Caridad del Cobre, patron saint of the island (September 8): the owner of love, of gold, of honey and of laughter. Her number is 5.

Eyiogbe · Oyekun Meyi · Iwori Meyi · Odi Meyi · Iroso Meyi · Ojuani Meyi · Obara Meyi · Ogunda Meyi · Ika Meyi · Irete Meyi · Oshe Meyi · Ofun Meyi and 145 more — see the index

• That the children of Oshún always wear their bracelets. — in Odi Meyi
• Oshún Ibu Iyumu. — in Odi Meyi
• The power of Oshún (omiloba) in the worship of Eggún. — in Ojuani Meyi
• The Àdàn of Oshún's crown (the little bells of her outfit). — in Ogbe Yeku
• …and 35 more births in the treatise.

The great diviner and witness of destiny: owner of the oracle of Ifá. He was present when each head chose its path.

Eleri Ipin, the witness of the choosing of destiny. Only the babalawos seat him, and his consecrated daughters are the apetebíes. His colors are green and yellow, his voice is the ikines — the sacred palm nuts — and his word is these 256 Odù. He is syncretized with Saint Francis of Assisi (October 4).

Eyiogbe · Oyekun Meyi · Iwori Meyi · Odi Meyi · Iroso Meyi · Ojuani Meyi · Obara Meyi · Okana Meyi · Osa Meyi · Ika Meyi · Otrupon Meyi · Otura Meyi and 129 more — see the index

• That the awó does not kill animals without asking Orunmila first. — in Eyiogbe
• That Orunmila eats only black hen. — in Eyiogbe
• That Orunmila withdrew and left the adele. — in Iwori Meyi
• The use of omi tuto (fresh water) in the worship of Orunmila and the orishas. — in Ika Meyi
• …and 72 more births in the treatise.

Owner of iron, of the woods and of all work: the force that clears the road and the blade that sacrifices.

He was the first to open the road for the orishas with his machete when they came down to the world, and that is why everything that cuts and everything that works belongs to him: the blacksmith's forge, the train rail, the surgeon's scalpel. In Nigeria he was king of the city of Iré — «Oggún Onile» — and in Cuba he lives in an iron cauldron with his tools, next to Oshosi. He is syncretized with Saint Peter.

Eyiogbe · Oyekun Meyi · Iwori Meyi · Odi Meyi · Ojuani Meyi · Obara Meyi · Okana Meyi · Ogunda Meyi · Ika Meyi · Otrupon Meyi · Otura Meyi · Irete Meyi and 126 more — see the index

• The enslavement of man by the prenda of Oggún. — in Ogunda Meyi
• The scythe of Oyá and its consecration with Oggún. — in Irete Meyi
• Making Osha: Yemayá handed over the dilogún. — in Oshe Meyi
• The slave trade paid in cowries — and the end of trading with the dilogún. — in Oshe Meyi
• …and 39 more births in the treatise.

The family dead and the ancestors: before the santo, Egun is served. «Ikú lobi Osha»: the dead one gave birth to the santo.

The dead light the way for the santo: no lukumí rite begins without giving them coconut and words. They are served with their roof tile, their staff and their own place, apart from the orishas. This treatise records in Oyekun Meyi their greatest sign: the Odù in charge of the Ituto, the ceremony that sends off the dead.

The Odù Isalaye — the sign they came down to earth by — is Oyekun Meyi, as this treatise records.

The treatise also records in Ojuani Bosa the Odù Isalaye of Oro (Orisha Arufin), the sacred voice of the ancestors.

Oyekun Meyi · Iwori Meyi · Odi Meyi · Ogbe Weña · Ogbe Iroso · Ogbe Sa · Ogbe Ate · Oyekun Nilogbe · Oyekun Juani · Oyekun Bara · Oyekun Peleka (Polokana) · Oyekun Tekunda and 113 more — see the index

• Feeding Egungun. — in Oyekun Meyi
• The tile of Eggun. — in Ogbe Wanle
• That the three Eggun kings are consecrated: Oba Erun, Oba Oyigbo and Oba Kukunduku. — in Ogbe Sa
• The paagugú, the staff of Eggun. — in Oyekun Nilogbe
• …and 32 more births in the treatise.

Owner of the woods and the herbs: the ashé of every stick and every leaf. Without Osain there is no medicine and no consecration.

He was born of no mother and no father: he sprang from the earth itself. He has one eye, one leg, one arm, one big ear that does not hear and one small ear that hears everything. He is the owner of every herb in the woods — without his omiero no consecration is possible — and he lives in a hanging gourd. His helper is Aroní; he is syncretized with Saint Sylvester.

Eyiogbe · Oyekun Meyi · Iwori Meyi · Ogbe Weña · Ogbe Di · Ogbe Iroso · Ogbe Wanle · Ogbe Sa · Ogbe Ka · Ogbe Tumako · Oyekun Nilogbe · Oyekun Biroso and 100 more — see the index

• That the Osain pot for the santo carries no fire. — in Eyiogbe
• The oath of Osain with iron in the Mandinga land. — in Ogbe Weña
• The head of Asonyin (Osain) and his pot or jar. — in Ogbe Sa
• The charcoal of Osain (his firebrand). — in Ogbe Tumako
• …and 42 more births in the treatise.

Owner of motherhood and of the salt waters: mother of worlds. Her children are all of humankind.

The great mother: in Nigeria she owns the river Ògùn, and when she crossed the ocean with her enslaved children she became owner of the whole sea. Many orishas were born from her womb, and her roads — Asesú the forgetful, Okute the warrior, Mayelewo the trader — run through all the waters. She is the Virgin of Regla, the one who watches over the port of Havana (September 7), and her number is 7.

The Odù Isalaye — the sign it came down to earth by — is Iwori Meyi, as this treatise records.

Eyiogbe · Iwori Meyi · Odi Meyi · Iroso Meyi · Ogunda Meyi · Osa Meyi · Ika Meyi · Otura Meyi · Oshe Meyi · Ogbe Iroso · Ogbe Kana · Oyekun Bara and 90 more — see the index

• Being the Odù isalaye of Yemayá. — in Iwori Meyi
• Making Osha: Yemayá handed over the dilogún. — in Oshe Meyi
• Where Yemayá's power was taken from her. — in Ogbe Kana
• That Oggún had to accept Shangó's power and acknowledge his mother Yemayá Okute. — in Iwori Kana
• …and 18 more births in the treatise.

Owner of epidemics and of their cure: the sickness that punishes and the hand that lifts the sick.

He comes from the arará land — the old Dahomey, today Benin — where he reigned after being driven out of lukumí land, as this treatise records. He is the owner of smallpox and of every epidemic: the sickness that punishes and the hand that lifts the sick. He walks with his dogs and his já, the broom of palm ribs he spreads or gathers the harm with. His day is December 17: San Lázaro, the one of El Rincón.

Oyekun Meyi · Odi Meyi · Ojuani Meyi · Ogunda Meyi · Otrupon Meyi · Irete Meyi · Oshe Meyi · Ogbe Yono · Ogbe Tumako · Ogbe Tua · Ogbe Ate · Oyekun Biroso and 76 more — see the index

• The ceremony of the Ja of Azojuano (San Lázaro). — in Ojuani Meyi
• That Ifá was made for Babalú Ayé, and he was called Oluwo Popo. — in Ogbe Yono
• The secrets of Azowanu. — in Ogbe Tua
• Why San Lázaro is not washed with omí, and that his children have Aggayú and are born with Orishaoko and the Ibeyis. — in Oyekun Biroso
• …and 30 more births in the treatise.

Owner of the depths of the ocean: immense wealth and the mysteries of the bottom that no eye has seen.

The owner of the bottom of the sea, whom no eye has seen whole: he is pictured chained to the depths, half fish, surrounded by a court of mermaids. He is immense wealth — «the sea gives more than the land gives» — and the mystery that has no floor. In Cuba he is received in a clay vessel, and this treatise records his presence beside Yemayá in dozens of signs.

Eyiogbe · Odi Meyi · Iroso Meyi · Osa Meyi · Otura Meyi · Irete Meyi · Ogbe Ate · Ogbe She · Oyekun Peleka (Polokana) · Oyekun Pakioshe · Iwori Bogbe · Iwori Wode and 62 more — see the index

• Akaro Opa Okun, the Eggún spirit of Olokun. — in Ogunda Meyi
• The bull's head for Olokun, and the nose ring. — in Irete Meyi
• The ceremony of Olokun, where the spirit of Efe Akaro is called. — in Ogbe Ate
• The transformations of Olokun and the different shapes of the human being. — in Iwori Bogbe
• …and 19 more births in the treatise.

Owner of the lightning bolt, the winds and the gate of the cemetery: the warrior woman who walks with Egun.

Owner of the Niger — Odò Oya, her yoruba name — and of the lightning bolt: the warrior woman who fights with two swords at Shangó's side, wrapped in whirlwinds. She is «Iyansá», mother of nine, and the gatekeeper of the cemetery: with her horse-tail iruke she sends off the dead. She is syncretized with the Virgin of la Candelaria (February 2) and with Saint Teresa; her number is 9.

Oyekun Meyi · Okana Meyi · Ogunda Meyi · Irete Meyi · Ogbe Sa · Oyekun Bedura (Ofun) · Iwori Bogbe · Iwori Tuanilara · Odi Ogbe (Odigbere) · Odi Yeku · Odi Ojuani (Odi Omoni) · Odi Osa (Odi Sa) and 59 more — see the index

• The scythe of Oyá and its consecration with Oggún. — in Irete Meyi
• The asheré of Oyá. — in Ojuani Yeku
• That Oyá hand Osanyin the power of afefé (the wind), and that Osanyin hand her the goat-hair iruke. — in Ojuani Batrupon
• Why Oyá dresses in nine colors. — in Obara Trupon
• …and 14 more births in the treatise.

The government of the world: the face of Oloddumare that handles the affairs of the earth and before whom the Odù present themselves.

The face of Oloddumare that governs the affairs of the earth: the old one before whom the 256 Odù presented themselves and before whom everything consecrated is still presented. His fundamento is received only by the elder babalawos.

Eyiogbe · Oyekun Meyi · Obara Meyi · Okana Meyi · Ika Meyi · Otrupon Meyi · Otura Meyi · Oshe Meyi · Ogbe Yeku · Ogbe Bara · Ogbe Ka · Oyekun Di and 52 more — see the index

• That Olofin leaves the room of Ifá on the sixth day, after his meal. — in Eyiogbe
• The hierarchy of Olofin. — in Otrupon Meyi
• The secret of the crown of Olofin. — in Irete Meyi
• Where Shangó eats quail together with Olofin. — in Ogbe Tua
• …and 44 more births in the treatise.

Owner of the secrets of death and of the creation of the earth: the king of the mysteries, head of the worship of the elder ancestors.

The first king of Ilé-Ifẹ̀ and father of all the yoruba dynasties: every crowned oba descends from him. The myth shows him coming down from heaven on a chain to create firm land over the waters. In Cuba he is the great mystery the babalawos hand over: the king of the elder Egun, whose head — this treatise records — only Odi Ka saw rise from the sea.

The Odù Isalaye — the sign it came down to earth by — is Odi Ika (Odi Ka), as this treatise records.

Ogbe Yeku · Ogbe Kana · Ogbe Yono · Ogbe Tua · Ogbe Fun · Oyekun Nilogbe · Oyekun Wori (Piti) · Oyekun Peleka (Polokana) · Oyekun Bika · Iwori Bogbe · Iwori Yeku · Iwori Koso and 45 more — see the index

• Where Oduduwa was sacrificed. — in Ogbe Kana
• That whoever has Oduduwa must never eat ram (Abó). — in Ogbe Sa
• That Oduduwa, Obatalá Ayaguna and Oshagriñán eat palm oil (epo). — in Odi Okana (Odi Kana)
• Oduduwa at the foot of the Ceiba, and Tente Orun. — in Odi Ika (Odi Ka)
• …and 6 more births in the treatise.

Owner of the hunt and of justice: the arrow that never misses. He lives with Oggún in the same cauldron.

The hunter from the land of Ketu, the arrow that never misses. He is also the owner of justice and of the jails: people pray to him to stay clear of them, and his pact with Oggún — one opens the woods, the other takes the prey — is one of the most told in the patakíes. He lives in the same cauldron as Oggún and is syncretized with Saint Norbert.

Eyiogbe · Ogunda Meyi · Ogbe Bara · Ogbe Ka · Ogbe Tumako · Oyekun Juani · Oyekun Berikusa · Oyekun Birete · Iwori Boka · Odi Okana (Odi Kana) · Odi Oshe (Odi She) · Iroso Ka and 28 more — see the index

• Ode (Oshosi the hunter). — in Oyekun Birete
• That Ode's mother lives in the deer's brow and Ode in its antlers. — in Ojuani Shidi
• Why the dilogún of Ogún and Oshosi is handed to the omó of Elegbara when they make Santo. — in Okana Sodde
• That Ogún and Oshosi traveled together. — in Oggunda Koroso
• …and 8 more births in the treatise.

The sacred twins: the joy that defeats evil. Children of Shangó, they protect children and undo traps.

Taewo and Kainde, the sacred twins: children of Shangó raised by Yemayá. Their most famous patakí is also recorded in this treatise: they defeated Abita by dancing without rest until they wore him out. The yoruba people have the highest rate of twins in the world, and their worship of the ibeji is famous. They are syncretized with Saint Cosmas and Saint Damian (September 26).

Obara Meyi · Okana Meyi · Ika Meyi · Otrupon Meyi · Ogbe Wanle · Oyekun Nilogbe · Oyekun Wori (Piti) · Oyekun Biroso · Oyekun Bedura (Ofun) · Odi Irete (Odi Leke) · Iroso Gan · Obara Koso and 16 more — see the index

• The twins (Ibeyi). — in Oyekun Meyi
• Why San Lázaro is not washed with omí, and that his children have Aggayú and are born with Orishaoko and the Ibeyis. — in Oyekun Biroso
• The secret of the load of the malaguidí of the Ibeyis, and the ruling that parties be held for children to change the road and m… — in Oyekun Biroso
• The separation of the Twins into woman and man. — in Okana Yabilé
• …and 2 more births in the treatise.

Owner of the farmed land and the fertility of the fields: the plow, the harvest and the oath sworn on the earth.

The first farmer: the orisha of the plow, of the oxen and of the harvest. Oaths on the land are sworn before him, because the earth sees everything and collects on everything; his symbols are the painted roof tile and the plow. In Nigeria his worship comes from the city of Ìràwọ̀. He is syncretized with Saint Isidore the Farmer (May 15).

The Odù Isalaye — the sign it came down to earth by — is Iwori Wode, as this treatise records.

Otura Meyi · Iwori Wode · Iwori Bosaso · Odi Obara (Odi Bara) · Odi Okana (Odi Kana) · Odi Irete (Odi Leke) · Iroso Batrupon · Oggunda Koroso · Osa Yeku · Osa Woriwo · Osa Bara · Osa Fun and 14 more — see the index

• Why San Lázaro is not washed with omí, and that his children have Aggayú and are born with Orishaoko and the Ibeyis. — in Oyekun Biroso
• That tribute be paid to the Earth (Orishaoko). — in Osa Yeku
• That Olofin gave Orishaoko the moruro staff. — in Osa Woriwo
• The first man who worked the land (Orishaoko). — in Irete Kután
• …and 1 more births in the treatise.

The believer's watchman and Orunmila's staff: he holds up the head and warns of danger when he wobbles.

The fourth warrior: the staff crowned by a rooster that is handed over with Elegbá, Oggún and Oshosi. He stands for the very life of his owner: he is kept up high, never lying down, and when Osun wobbles or falls, he is warning of danger or death. He is the watchman of Obatalá and the messenger who goes with Orunmila.

Iroso Meyi · Okana Meyi · Oyekun Wori (Piti) · Oyekun Di · Iroso Ojuani · Iroso Gan · Iroso Kanlú · Iroso Ka · Ojuani Hermoso · Ojuani Obara · Ojuani Bosa · Obara Bogbe and 13 more — see the index

• The tree and the spirit of Ozun, and the ashé Ozun naburuku. — in Iroso Meyi
• Raising Ozun with Ifá when it is received. — in Iroso Meyi
• That Elegba ate biajaca fish (eyá Osun). — in Ogbe Wanle
• Oggún Zarabanda and Osun. — in Ogbe Ate
• …and 17 more births in the treatise.

The divine doctor, owner of fishing: the health that comes from the river and the sea.

The divine doctor: half fisherman, half hunter, he lives where the river meets the sea. His staff — two serpents coiled beside the fish — is brother to the symbol of medicine. In Nigeria he is Erinle, owner of the river of the same name. He is syncretized with Saint Raphael the Archangel (October 24).

Eyiogbe · Oyekun Bedura (Ofun) · Odi Iwori (Odi Oro) · Iroso Umbo · Iroso Batrupon · Okana Sodde · Okana Di · Oggunda Koroso · Osa Trupon · Osa She · Ika Yeku · Ika Oggunda and 6 more — see the index

• Eshú Larufa, son of Inle and Ikú. — in Oyekun Bedura (Ofun)
• Feeding the earth (Inle Oguere). — in Odi Oshe (Odi She)
• Inle Abata. — in Okana Sodde
• Receiving Inle with Itá. — in Okana Di

The beyond made deity: the kingdom where Olofin and the ancestors live. Its worship goes hand in hand with Oduduwa and with Egun.

The kingdom of the beyond: the vault where Olofin and the ancestors live. It is received from the hands of the babalawo together with Oduduwa, and its worship always goes with that of Egun.

Ofun Meyi · Ogbe Wanle · Odi Ika (Odi Ka) · Odi Otrupon (Odi Batuto) · Iroso Batrupon · Ojuani Tanshela · Okana She · Oggunda Kuaneye · Otura Adakoy · Irete Untelu · Irete Yero · Irete Wan Wan and 5 more — see the index

• That Orun received Ifá. — in Ogbe Wanle
• Orun Kantarí (the setting of the Sun). — in Oyekun Di
• Oduduwa at the foot of the Ceiba, and Tente Orun. — in Odi Ika (Odi Ka)
• Orun Belekun Orun, the tears of the great spirit of Orun Laye. — in Odi Otrupon (Odi Batuto)
• …and 6 more births in the treatise.

Owner of solitude, chastity and the grave: she lives among the tombs, where the flesh ends.

The consecrated virgin, daughter of Oduduwa: she lives inside the cemetery, over the tomb, where she receives the body before handing its bones to the earth. Her daughters are famous for their uprightness. She is one of the most severe and secret deities of the religion; she is syncretized with Our Lady of the Forsaken.

Iroso Meyi · Ogbe Sa · Ogbe Fun · Iwori Obere · Iwori Tuanilara · Odi Ogbe (Odigbere) · Odi Otrupon (Odi Batuto) · Iroso Matelekún · Iroso Ojuani · Iroso Ate · Okana Roso · Okana She and 5 more — see the index

• The hunting of Ikú and the foundation of Yewá. — in Ogbe Sa
• Yewá, and where the Idefá is placed. — in Ogbe Fun
• The drum of Yewa. — in Odi Otrupon (Odi Batuto)
• The secret of Yewá and the milk of the nangareo. — in Otura Mo

Death: the power that collects on everything. She is not worshipped — she is known, she is respected and, when Ifá calls for it, a pact is made with her.

She has walked since the beginning of the world collecting what is hers, but Ifá keeps the memory of her pacts: Orunmila sat her at his table, and since then death respects whoever has made ebbó. «Ikú lobi Osha»: without death there would be no santo.

Oyekun Meyi · Odi Meyi · Obara Meyi · Irete Meyi · Ofun Meyi · Ogbe Fun · Oyekun Biroso · Oyekun Bedura (Ofun) · Iwori Yeku · Iroso Matelekún · Iroso Ka · Osa Fun and 4 more — see the index

• Ikú (death) in the world. — in Oyekun Meyi
• The pact and the dance of the Awó with Ikú on the Atena. — in Obara Meyi
• That Ikú respects chickens. — in Irete Meyi
• The pact of Ikú with Orunmila. — in Irete Meyi
• …and 24 more births in the treatise.

Owner of the volcano, of the mighty river and of the strength that carries: the giant who carries travelers from one bank to the other.

The giant of the river: the ferryman who carried travelers from one bank to the other on his shoulders — that is how, without knowing it, he carried his own son. He is the force of the volcano, of the burning sun and of the mighty current; father of Shangó on many roads. In Havana he is syncretized with Saint Christopher, patron saint of the city (November 16).

The Odù Isalaye — the sign it came down to earth by — is Osa Bara, as this treatise records.

Iroso Meyi · Ogbe Yeku · Iwori Koso · Iwori Boshe · Odi Iroso (Odi Roso) · Iroso Güiro (Iroso Wori) · Iroso Fun · Obara Sa · Oggunda Kete · Osa Bara · Otrupon Kana · Irete Lazo and 4 more — see the index

• That the Oshe (soap) is taken off at the shaving of the omo Aggayú. — in Ogbe Bara
• Why San Lázaro is not washed with omí, and that his children have Aggayú and are born with Orishaoko and the Ibeyis. — in Oyekun Biroso
• Agayú's possession of the river. — in Iroso Güiro (Iroso Wori)
• The war of Obatalá and Agayú over the rule of the heads. — in Iroso Fun
• …and 7 more births in the treatise.

Supreme God: Oloddumare is the source of all existence and Olorun is his manifestation in the sun, the life force that holds everything up.

The source of all existence. Oloddumare is not seated and does not receive offerings directly: he is reached through the orishas. Olorun is his visible manifestation — the sun — and he is greeted every morning with open hands: «Olorun alabosudayé».

Eyiogbe · Oyekun Meyi · Otura Meyi · Okana Sa · Okana Ká · Ika Foguero · Otrupon She · Otura Niko · Otura Alakentu · Ofún Susú · Ofún Bíle

• That the crown of Olodumare is prepared. — in Ogbe Sa
• The greeting and the plea to Olorun. — in Ogbe She
• Eruba, fear, and Okunmolorun, the one who creates terror (stupor). — in Ogbe Fun
• Olorun's ashé for making white cloth shine. — in Ojuani Batrupon
• …and 5 more births in the treatise.

The force of the dark, with which power is traded for destiny: the tempter of the patakíes, also called Alosi.

The shadow that walks through the patakíes: the one who offers power, riches or revenge in exchange for the destiny of whoever signs. His mother is Ará Unlá, who is born in Ogbe Ate, as this treatise records. The Ibeyis defeated him by dancing; the signs where he speaks are signals of pacts and of greater dangers. He is not worshipped: he is known, so you can keep away.

Oyekun Biroso · Odi Okana (Odi Kana) · Odi Ika (Odi Ka) · Odi Otrupon (Odi Batuto) · Iroso Gan · Okana Kuña · Osalo Fobeyo · Ika Oggunda · Otura Di · Ofún Batrúpon

• The mother of Abita, Ará Unlá. — in Ogbe Ate
• That all the Oshas, at some given moment, do a work for ill under Abita's influence, harming their own protected ones. — in Oyekun Biroso
• The six evil shadows Alosi works with. — in Odi Otrupon (Odi Batuto)
• That nobody eats in the room when this Odù is on the atena or written on the board. — in Obara Fun
• …and 3 more births in the treatise.

Owner of the home and of a wife's sacrifice: the faithful wife who gave her ear for love.

Shangó's first wife and the most faithful: deceived, she cut off her ear to serve it to him in the amalá, and when the king turned her away she went off to live alone. She is the owner of the home and of a wife's sacrifice; with Oyá and Yewá she forms the trilogy that guards the cemetery. She is syncretized with Saint Rita of Cascia, the advocate of the impossible.

Ojuani Dawán · Obara Lorí · Obara Dila · Oggunda Lenin · Otrupon Ñao · Otrupon Baraife · Otura Tikú · Ofún Yemiló

• Crowning Oshún on the heads of Obá's children. — in Ojuani Dawán
• That the goat wanted to be Obá and the rooster a general. — in Irete Kanlú
• That Oshé Yeku is the foreman of the Obá Egun of ara onú. — in Oshé Yeku
• The farewell of the Obá, with the ceremonies owed to him. — in Ofún Yemiló
• …and 1 more births in the treatise.

The night power of primordial witchcraft: Ifá teaches to respect them and keep them calm, never to challenge them.

The owners of the night bird: the primordial female power of witchcraft, older than the orishas themselves. Ifá does not order them fought, but respected and kept content: no sensible Awó challenges them.

Okana Meyi · Osa Meyi · Otrupon Meyi · Ofun Meyi · Okana Ká · Otura Adakoy

• The universal offering to the Elders of the Night. — in Osa Meyi
• That the Elders of the Night (the witches) swore on the Ground. — in Oshé Masá

The ancient mother of the still fresh waters: owner of the springs and of the old moon.

The grandmother of the waters: older than iron, her animals are sacrificed with a knife of bamboo or stone, never metal, because of her old quarrel with Oggún. In the arará and fon tradition she is the mother of Azojuano. Owner of the still springs, the marshes and the old moon; she is syncretized with Saint Anne.

Otrupon Meyi · Oggunda Koroso · Oggunda She · Irete Suká · Ofún Tempolá

• That Babalú Ayé and Naná Burukú founded their first arará town. — in Ofún Tempolá

The head as a personal divinity: the destiny each one chose kneeling before Oloddumare.

The most personal divinity there is: your own head. Each one chose theirs kneeling before Oloddumare — and Orunmila was the witness. That is why the head prayer (koborí eledá) is the one ceremony no believer can skip: without a firm Orí, no orisha can help.

Obara Kusheyó · Otura Alakentu · Oshé Páure · Ofún Bíle

• The Oriaté (Orí-Até): the head of the mat. — in Ojuani Hermoso
• The head rogation (kobo-orí) with cotton leaves. — in Otura Alakentu
• That Orí is Olofin in every human being. — in Oshé Páure
• The making of sperm and the ashé of Orí. — in Ofún Nágbe
• …and 3 more births in the treatise.

The sacred ceiba: the orisha who lives in the tree where all the dead and all the santos are greeted.

The orisha who lives in the sacred tree: the African ìrókò, which in Cuba became the ceiba. At its foot all the dead and all the santos are greeted, people walk around it and make promises to it: it is the tree-throne of the whole of heaven.

Ika Meyi · Ojuani Boshe · Oggunda Kete

• That the traveler's legs grow tired and he rest under Iroko. — in Ojuani Boshe
• Bathing with iroko leaves to send the Egun away. — in Ojuani Boshe

The deity of the obstacle and of forgetting: Olofin's jailer, the one who undoes what was about to be won.

Idoboe, the deity of the obstacle: the one who makes you forget, stumble and lose what was already won. The patakíes show her as Olofin's jailer. She is calmed so she will let go of the road.

Iroso Ate · Okana Sodde · Okana Wete

Owner of the hills and the heights: the firmness of the mountain.

The mountain made orisha: firmness, eternity and height. He is received as an otá that lives beside Obatalá, whose inseparable guardian he is.

Ofun Meyi · Iwori Ojuani · Osa Loni

The power of the horns: the horns that walk ahead of Shangó announcing his arrival.

The two horns that walk ahead of Shangó: the power that announces the king before he arrives. He is received together with Shangó and lives with him; this treatise records in Irete Suká the land that Orunmila, Shangó and Obatalá handed to him.

Obara Kuña · Oggunda Dio

• That Ogué lives inside Shangó, and that one Ogué is the elder and the other the younger. — in Obara Kuña
• That Ogué lives inside Shangó's vessel. — in Oggunda Dio
• The land of Eri Bawa Lode, «the great road of blessing», which Orunmila, Shangó and Obatalá give to Ogué through Egun. — in Irete Suká

The older sister who raised Shangó: owner of curly hair and of the crown of cowries.

Shangó's older sister: the one who took him in and raised him as a child, as this treatise records. She is the owner of curly hair and of the crown embroidered with cowries; children born with curled hair are hers.

Odi Obara (Odi Bara) · Okana Sodde

• That Azojuano gave Dada Agbañi leprosy. — in Obara Koso
• That Babaluayé made Dada ill, Shangó's sister and Agayú's adopted daughter. — in Irete Oba

The guardian of the secrets of Oduduwa and companion of Yewá: dry bones and the dryness of the desert.

The guardian of the secrets of Oduduwa and the inseparable companion of Yewá: dryness, dry bones and the sand of the desert. He is received as a guardian when those mysteries are handed over.

Oyekun Bika · Otura Tiyú

The rainbow: the serpent that climbs up to give the sky water to drink. The cycle, the movement, and the wealth that comes and goes.

The rainbow serpent: the one who climbs from the river to the sky to give it water to drink, and holds up the cycle of the rain. He is the wealth that comes and goes and the movement that never stops. His worship is strongest in the land of Brazil; in the lukumí treatise he appears only here and there.

Osa Loni

• The rainbow: Oshumare. — in Osa Loni