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3: Ewé and the making of Omi Èrọ

3: Ewé and the making of Omi Èrọ

The process, Ifa verses and songs used in feeding leaves as part of preparing omi ẹ̀rọ.

Ifagbenosola Popoola
October 25, 2024

In Yorubaland, the leaves gathered for omi ẹ̀rọ are called igba ewe, the sacred bath needs about 200 different leaves but if one can gather seven, that is considered enough. Some ewé include;

Òdúndún
Tètè
Rinrin
Pèrègún
Ètípónnlá
Réré
Àbámodá
Ewé Ìrókò
Ewé Ògèdè
Abílèré
Ewé Oóyó
Àsùnwòn
Kókò
Ìranjé
Ìyeyè
Ewé Obi
Aréyìngbómopòn
Ewé Èéwú
Òjíjí
Olówànrànsánsán
Àyùnré
Ewé Eru
Òmísínmisìn
Ewé Kọ̀lọ̀bọ̀
Imò Òpe
Ewé Ogbó

Process of washing Ifa with Ewé Ifa (Ifa leaves)

We would have gotten all the leaves we want to use to wash the ikin ifa or Orisa icon and placed them on the floor in front of the Babalawo leading the process of ewé feeding. We are going to keep the following aside:

Obi(kolanut)
Orogbo (bitter kola)
Ataare (alligator pepper)
Oti (dry gin)
Omi tutu (cool water)

STEP ONE: FEEDING EWÉ

We are going to cut the orogbo and throw as we do when feeding Ifa/Orisa. We will also open the obi and throw it. Once both are accepted, we are going to use our teeth to cut the obi and orogbo. We will chew it and as we are chewing, we will start splashing and blowing it on the ewé and be singing:

Wa gb’obi je o

Igba ewe eluju wa gb’obi je o

Igba ewe eleju

Come and eat some kolanut

200 Ifa leaves, take kolanut and eat

200 Ifa leaves

Wa gboogbo je o

Igba ewe eluju wa gboogbo je o

Igba ewe eluju

Take bitter kola and eat

200 Ifa leaves, eat this bitter kola

200 Ifa leaves

We will drink the gin and splash it on the leaves, and do the same thing with the water.

Wa gb’oti mun o

Igba ewe eluju wa gb’oti mun o

Igba ewe eluju

Drink some gin

200 Ifa leaves, take this gin

200 Ifa leaves

Wa gb’otun mun o

Igba ewe eluju wa gb’otun mun o

Igba ewe eluju

Come and drink cool water

200 Ifa leaves, take cool water

200 Ifa leaves

STEP TWO: TRANQUILLITY AMONG ALL AWO

After all this had been done and said, the officiating Babalawo will take odundun leaf and put shea butter inside it. He’s going to take a little out of the shea butter with his finger and put it on his abdomen, then he will pass it around so everybody does the same. As they are doing this, they will be singing.

E gba mo’nun o ke ma ja o

Omo Awo oooo

E gba mo’nun o ke ma ja

Omo Awo

Put shea butter on your abdomen so that you won’t fight

Omo Awo

Put it on your abdomen and do not fight

Omo Awo

STEP THREE: SOLUTIONS AND INVOCATION OF EWÉ THROUGH SONG

The first leaf we are going to start with is tete. We will first make salutations (Iba) with Iyere (tonal poetry) then we do Iyere with the Ifa verse for tete. This is all before we move on the song.

It’s important we also note that the songs we sing for Ewé Ifa songs are classified into two. We have “Ero”, the slow part that we will start with and then we have “Lokele” which is the fast part of the songs.

We are going to recite Ifa for Tete.

Ifa ni ka daa ni tutu

Ka tee ni tutu gbogbo Babalawo

K’afefe o fe si

Ko lera gbagigbagi

Adifa fun Tete

Eleyi ti n s’Awo rode Ipapo

Ebo won ni ko se

O gb’ebo o ru’bo

Nje ta le si o

Onile o

To pe Tete o ma te

Tete o ma te’le yi pe o

Translation:

Ifa says we should cast with calm

And initiate with calm

Let there be breeze

So everything can be solid

Casted Ifa for Tete

When going on Ifa mission to Ipapo town

It was advised to offer Ebo

It complied

Who is that?

A land owner

That asks Tete not to press the land

Tete will definitely step on this land

The audio file above contains the Ifa verse for Tete as well as the songs for all the leaves below which are sung very slowly in Ero.

Ewé Tete song

Tale sin o

Onile eeeeeee

To pe Tete o o ma te

Tete yi o, yi o ma te’le ooo

Translation

Who is that?

A land owner

That asks Tete not to press the land

Tete will definitely step on this land

Ewé Òdúndún song

Ewe Odundun o

Ifa mo le tee te wure eeee

To ba da da modun ooa

Awo a le tewu Taso

Onifa o Odundun o

Translation

Ewe Odundun o

Ifa I want more blessings

By this time next year

Awo’s blessings should have increased

Onifa o, Odundun o

Ewé Pèrègún song

Peregun de ooo

O de alawo Awo Awo oo

Ko to da modun o

Awo a lawo wo tuntun

Onifa o Peregun de o

Here comes Peregun

With a lot of beautiful colours on its skin

Before this time next year

Awo will have more new blessings

Here comes Peregun

Ewé Ètípónnlá song

Etiponla ooooo

O de on’ifa Ifa Ifa aaaaa

Aje bo ba fa to wole o

Dakun ma e fa a jade

Onifa o Etiponla

Etiponla ooo

Etiponla!

Here it comes with many favours and free gifts

Wealth, you enter my house

Please do not ever leave again

Onifa o, Etiponla o

Etiponla!

Ewé Ìrókò song

Were n’Iroko mi so oooo

Ero were n’Iroko ko miso oooo

Ero

Eji Ogbe Ifa jowo o ma s’ele o

Ero ro were n’Iroko ko miso

Ero

It’s calmness that Iroko brings forth

Cool and peace are what Iroko always brings

Calmness

Eji Ogbe, Ifa please do not bring hardship

It’s calmness that Iroko always bring forth

Peace

Ewé Oóyó song

Ooyo o de

Ewebe be oko

Ooyo de ooooo

Ewebe be Oko oooo

Gbogbo oun T’awo base

A d’eyonu ooo

Here comes Ooyo

The draw soup

Here comes Ooyo

The draw soup leaf

Whatever Awo does

He will be forgiven

Ewé Àsùnwòn song

Aye wa yi o sunwon

Ju tiwon lo ooooo

Aye wa yi o sun won

Ju tiwon lo

Aye Asunwon sunwon

D’oyinbo oooo

Ifa doyinbo

Aye wa yi o sunwon

Ju tiwon lo

Our life will be prosperous

More than theirs

Our life shall be prosperous

More than theirs

The life of Asunwon is prosperous

All over the world

May our lives be prosperous

More than theirs

Ewé Ìyeyè song

Awa ye ye n’igbo ooo

Awa ye ye l’odo ooo

Ewe Iyeye

Se boun la jabo bo Awo

We are vindicated in private

We are vindicated by the riverside

Iyeye leaf

It’s what Awo use to be vindicated

Ewe Iyeye Igba ni o

Ewe Iyeye igba ni

Aje ti mo ni o ko I to o

Ewe iyeye igba ni

Ewe Iyeye is 200

Iyeye leaves are 200

The wealth that I have is not enough

Iyeye leaf is 200

Ewé Aréyìngbómopòn song

Areyin gb’omo pon

Ni t’Awo ooo

Areyin gbomo pon

Ni t’Awo

A kii r’agan ninu Adan ooo

Ninu Adan

Areyin gbomo pon

Ni t’Awo

To give birth and back children is the portion of Awo

To be able to give birth to children is the way of Awo

No Bat is ever barren

To give birth to a child and back it

Is the portion of Awo

Ewé Olówànrànsánsán song

Alubi a di a r’eluju oo

Alubi a di a r’eluju

Igba l’ewe olowanransansan o

Alubi a di a r’eluju o

May all negativity pack up and leave immediately

May all bad spirits pack and get out

We have used 200 olowanransansan leafs

May all negativity pack up and leave immediately

Ewé Àyùnré song

Ayunre oooo

Oloye eeeeee

Iwo oyeye ye’ku lo

Oye ya y’arun lo oooo

Ayunre ooo

The rejector of bad things

Oyeye, please avert death

Oyeye, please avert sickness

Ewé Eru song

Ko dide o

Eru ogale

Ko dide o

Eru ogale

Let it stand up

Eru Ogale

Stand up

Eru ogale

Ewé Òmísínmisìn

Iwere ni jeje o

Pakun Obarisa

Iba Awo Akoda a

Iba Awo Aseda a

Iba a a Baba a

Iba a a Yeye e

Iba o Oluwo o

Ifa mojuba ojugbona

Ifa l’oluwa mi

Afedefeyo

Aya se bii mo da se o

Koro mo sai gba

Olowo o gba a l’aye eeee

Won o gba bo d’orun

Ifa l’oluwa mi

Afedefeyo

Aya fi bii mo da se o

Koro mo sai gba o

Iwere jeje

The rope for Obarisa

I salute Awo Akoda

I salute Awo Aseda

I salute my father

I salute my mother

I salute my Oluwo

Ifa, I also salute Ojugbona

Ifa is my lord

He who speaks different languages

As long as I did not do the ritual alone

Let my rituals be accepted

Let it be accepted on earth

Let it be accepted in Orun (heaven)

Ifa is my lord

He who speaks different languages

As long as I didn’t do the ritual alone

Let all our prayers be accepted

Below are the song with as Lokele, they are sung in a faster pace than the ones above.

Ewé Ògèdè (plantain leaf)

Ogede p’agbo ma jo o x2

Șè b’owo la mún wàgún Awo

Plantain called for a party but didn’t dance

Money is the essence of life

Ewé Obi

Obi so, obì so

Ká rí n mún b’èdú, Obi so

Obi so, obì so

Ká rí n gbé’yàwó, Obi so

Obi so, obì so

Obi, please germinate

Obi, kindly bring out fruit

So we can give you as offering to Ifa

Obi, please germinate

So we can gift you during wedding ceremonies

Obi, please bring out fruit

Ewé Kókò

Ewe kókò

Ẹ bá mámà j’áwo ó bàjé o

Ẹ mámà j’áwo ó bàjé o

Șe b’éwé kókò la fi sàmìn opẹ o

Koko leaf

Please, do not let the practice of Ifa be destroyed

We have used koko leaf as a symbol of respect to Ifa

Ewé Arère

Mojúbà arère

Mojuba arere l’oni o

Arere igi igbo o

Mojuba arere loni o

I pay homage to Arere leaf

I give salutation to Arere leaf today

Arere, the tree that dwells inside the bush

I pay homage to Arere leaf today

Ewé Ìyálóde

Abílèré olode

Olode ò mà pé á má seré o

Abilere leaves own the town

The owner of the town doesn’t stop us from performing

Ewé Kọ̀lọ̀bọ̀

F’ẹnu rẹ súre

Kolobo

F’ẹnu rẹ súre

Kolobo

Ire ló wùn ẹ o wí

Kolobo

F’ẹnu rẹ súre

Kolobo

Use your mouth to pray

Kolobo leaf

Use your mouth to pray

Kolobo

If it’s Ire (blessings) you want, say it!

Kolobo

Use your mouth to pray

Kolobo

Finally we have the Ifa verse for omi ẹ̀rọ

Jógbódo léèfo l'orúko t'Ífá njé

Èrò wò l'oyè e tètè

Ayé ko'pá

Èsò Ló gbà

Èlé ti tán l'ayé

Èrò Ló kù

D'ífá fún Ìrókò Èlùjù

Tí wón ní ó máa so Okùn

Kó tún máa so Oyinde

Ìrókò kóo má so Èlé

Èrò wéré ni Ìrókò nso

The spice of the vegetable is the name which ifa bears

Peace is the title of Tètè leaf

The world rejects forcefullness

And embraces meekness/gentility

Violence is no more of this world

There remains only peace

These were Ifa declarations to the Ìrókò tree of the wilderness

The one that was asked to spring forth Okùn beads

And brass ornaments

Ìrókò please do not spring forth violence and hardship

Peace is what the Ìrókò has been ordained to germinate.