BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION THIS THURSDAY PLEASE READ AND BE READY

This Thursday September 11th 2014 in our book club discussion, Blogger Cami will be the moderator, she has also provided the Subject matter. This discussion will be based on a movie,you will find the movie posted below, please be here and ready. I will provide some patakis (stories) for you later or in the coming week  which will give you an insight of Osun (Oshun) and her function as an Orisha for all those who are unfamiliar with her, I am an initiate of Osun, she is my mother. Oore Yeye oooooo! (hail to my mother Osun!) We thank Ty for a job well done last night and although certain people (mi ah throw wud, lol…Yazzy oooo) did missing, we had a great time. Again thank you for showing up, although some was missing, but the interaction was outstanding, kudos to you all. Knowledge is Key and so we push forward to the next, please be on time as we aim to begin @ 8 pm.

https://youtu.be/i-oYJ8stHLU

In this movie the woman is an Arugba (Ah-roog-bah). Please read this Article I found to further support your understanding of what an Arugba is and how important she is to our tradition and to Our mother.

https://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/osun-oshogbo-tale-of-a-maiden-and-an-ancient-myth/123749/

There is also another video I will post along with supporting stories of this wonderful Orisha with whom I and my children are blessed to be initiates of. And I will be following up hopefully by tomorrow some stories which will allow you great insight of Osun, Oore re Yeye O, Osun oooooo….The patron Orisha of Jamaica along with Ogun!

Also read what I have already written on Osun here

I am not pleased with the word voodoo here, not that there is anything wrong with Voodoo or the word but because it is not a Yoruba word.

This one is in Yoruba, but just watch the video

Please Watch one after each other, Osun ooooo!

https://youtu.be/KCvMf4aF9yY

https://youtu.be/bFFjRfqnnJc

Whenevr you going through Fern Gully in Jamaica, bawl out Oore Yeye OOOO!, Osun OOOO!, or if you should visit any river. Osun Loves ferns, that is one of her favorite plants. The peacock and the Grey Parrots are her birds! Yeye ooooo!, who can si sey mi proud sey she is mi madda?

Here is a pataki which God Bless Ty typed up for me, what would I do without all of you!

In this story you will see the goodness and strength of Orisha Osun…Oore Yeye OOOOO!

Irunmoles (E-roon-mo-lays), another name for Orisha.

Ase (Ah-shay), power word, or a word said after each prayer so as to seal its delivery to God and make whatever petition manifest. more powerful in its vibration than Amen

The Irunmoles were sent by the Almighty Olodumare down to this planet earth. Osun was one of the female Orisaas among them. The power known as ASE was given to them. And Osun was made by Oludamare to be the seventeenth n position among the four hundred and one Orisas. They were told to be in harmony and to have co-operation as their emblemto give way to positive accomplishment. All of them unamimously promised to abide by the advice given by their commander- never to discriminate in any ramification for internal disorder give way to failure. But when they got to earth, things were not as it was fixed as recorded in the verse fron Odu Ifa Osetura:

Ko won koro awo Ewi Ado

Orun mi dede knale awo ake ijero

Alakan ni nbe Iodo

On laakaara aya pee pee pee

Awo ile Olueri

A difa fun Igba Irunmole Ojukotun

A bu fun Igba Irunmole Ojukosi

A difa fun Bara Agbonniregun

Oloja laaron Ebora

To won n torun ro waye

Won dele aye tan

Won lagbo oro won lagbo opa

Won lana gbooro ibii ese n to

Won gbimo won ko fi ti Osun se….

Ko won koro the sage of Ewi Ado

Orun mi dede kanle the sage of Oke Ijero

Alakan ni nbe lodo

O n laakara aya pee pee pee

 Translation

The sage in Olueri’s household

Cast Ifa for Igba Irunmole Ojukotun

Cast Ifa for Igba Irunmole Ojukosi

Cast Ifa for Bara Agbonniregun

The chief among Eboros

When coming from heaven

They arrived on Earth

They prepared groves

They made pats

All without the consent of Osun…

On getting to Earth, the Irunmoles, not forgetting the advice, took it with levity. The policy of sex discrimination was either knowingly or mistakenly adopted. The female Orisas were made caterers: They were to prepare food; wash cloth, wash plates, and do other domestic works. Whenever they were having meeting, the female Irunmoles would be given kitchen works so that they would not participate in the deliberation. If they went somewhere to carry out any task, the female Orisas must  stay at home for domestic jobs. They had forgotten they were all the same.

Undoubtedly, if you are cheated, you would not keep mute. The Orisas concerned clamoured for their right. They pleaded to the opressors but they listened not. They dialogue time upon time but to no avail. They all believed that the male Orisas would never listen to them if nothing tangible was done. Their ordeal then was who to bell the cat. Although they were all oppressed, the gravity differed from one Orisa to another. Osun, being in higher position, the highest among the female Orisas, the seventh overall position, saw the situation as a slap on her face. And she tried several times to make her mind known but the oppressors would never listen.

Osun did not go for dialogue again. She thought over what to do for dialogue could not work. She knew power can only be subdued by super-power. One can only kick against powerful oppressor with super power. Osun, the woman with coral comb, perceived it mandatory to possess more power and she went back to heaven where she met one heavenly Irunmole kwon as Agberegede Ajuba:

Agberegede Ajuba

Ajuba naa aboju gberegede

A difa fOsun sengise Olooya iyun

To n gbe koko bebo Irunmole je…

Agberegede Ajuba

Ajuba naa aboju gberegede

Translation

Cast Ifa for Osun sengese

One with the coral comb

Who secretly rendered Irunmoles’

Sacrifice ineffective…

She said ‘it is one’s friend that delivers one on the day of tribulation”. Osun and Agberegede Ajuba were cordial friends before the former descended to earth. Nothing was hidden from him by Osun and she begged him for assistance.

With the love that Ebora had for Osun, he could not leave her unhelped. He asked Osun to present needles, big rats, abamoda leaves, chameleon, each in two hundred and one. After the presentation of the items, Ase was prepared for Osun, one to be swallowed and the other to be handling. Without wasting any time, she returned back to earth.

Hardly has Osun arrived when he summoned meeting of female Orisas. She let them realize they were they were quiet at the face of oppression for they were cowards. She said no bush fowl is taller than another unless it mounts heap. And whoever cannot behave radically can not emanciate himself. It was unanimously agreed that the male Orisas should be called to meeting. They did so but the male Orisas refused to attend the meeting, for they could not imagine themselves sitting together, discussing or having dialogue with the females. Hence the invitation was turned down. And the female Orisas were given a warning never to do such a rude thing.

Oyeeye nimo, my mother voluntarily went to the males one day. She met them having meeting, she greeted them and told them she would like to discuss a vital issue with them. They listened not and told her to excuse them for they were having an important meeting. She could not help anger any longer, therefore, she told then they were playing with fire and that they soon realize their mistake. Instead of taking her words serious, they only laughed at her. In anger she went out.

On getting home, she informed other female Orisas what had happened and that they should be silent and be watchful. She said they should leave her alone with them . They weretold that all Orisas are equal and she is even more powerful than most of them. Other female Orisas were surprised for they did not understabd what Osun meant by saying “she is even more powerful than most of the male Orisas” but they knew she is not the kind of person that would boast without any step. Their only concern was about Obatala and Orunmila because the two are very powerful. Obatala is the head of the Orisas, both male and female, while Orunmila is the owner of the wisdom who can be seen as chief spiritual adviser to all. One would wonder why Orunmila did not tell the male Orisas the right thing then.

Being intoxicated by Ase, the power given to her by Agberegede Ajuba, she started using her power over the Orisas. She conjured the unseen spirit that destroyed whatever the male Orisas did: hey could no more agree on a unanimous decision; they fought one another; they did nothing successfully; they invoked unsuccessfully; he power known as Ase given to them became ineffective; the co-operation among them turned to disharmony. Their relationship became that of cat and mouse.

Belatedly, they asked Orunmila to consult Ifa for them. The Ifa consultation was made but nothing could be seen or understood by the interpreter (Orunmila) himself. Orunmila told others that the only solution to their predicament was to go back to heaven for Olodumare’s advice:

Their agreement was that they could not go en –masse. Insteadthe sixteen principal Orisas namely Obatala, Orunmila, Oramfe (Sango), Ogun, Egungun, Obaluaye (Sanponna), and Esu to mention a few should go. The female Orisas were not informed for proudness and over confidence would not let the carry females along.

Olodumare, the king of Orisas would not be surprised to see them. He knew all that had been happening for He knows more than they know. Their predicament was not oblivious to Him, the reason sd well as the solution. Olodumare knew who was guilty and who was not guilty. He did not say anything on their arrival, instead, He asked for the purpose of their coming. They explained how they had done things successfully on earth and the recent negative change of things. The king laughed and said “ what was my advice when you were going”. Hey replied “You advised us against discrimination , oppression, exploitation, proudness, over confidence and selfishness.

The king, Olodumare asked the whereabouts of their female counterparts. They told Him all Orisas chose the principal Orisas as their delegates. Then Olodumare said “where is the principal one among the females?” They said there was no principal one among females. Olodumare then said where was Osun, the seventeenth Orisa. They said she was on earth. And the King asked them whether Osun was carried along or not. They answered negatively. Olodumare finally told them the only solution to their problem was to go back to earth and beg the female Orisas, Osun in particular. Though they were not happy, they could do nothing else:

Olodumare ni eniketadinlogun yin nko?

Won no nbe nile aiye obinrin ni

O ni e lo ree be e…

                           Translation

Olodumare requested for the seventeenth person

They said “She is on earth for she is female”

He said “go and beg her”…

Grave astonishment caught the female Orisas on hearing the announcement of the general meeting from the males. They did not knowwhat the agenda would be. They all went except for Osun. With her absence, it was then obviously clear that Osun was not taking the matter with levity. They thought Olodumare has betrayed them by giving more power to Osun, an ordinary female according to them. The source of Osun’s power became unknown to them when Orunmila made them realize that Olodumare could never do such a thing. He said, she got it from somewhere else. Nothing was discussed at the meeting. The males told the females that they would like to talk to Osun. Hey dispersed and moved en-masse to her abode.

The maly woman welcomed them politely and she asked for the purpose of their coming. They asked whether she was awre of the meeting or not. She said yes but she could not come for such a meeting wherby female and male Orisas would sit together was an unbelievable story. She however apologized in a humble manner.

The male Orisas asked Osun what she knew and felt about the situation of things. She sadi she knew nothing. Ogun then reminded her of the implication of telling a lie. It was then she reconsidered and said “let no one deny another his right. We are all equal. If one feels cheated, he should fight against oppression, otherwise, the oppressors will not stop oppressing him”. They all understood. She continued by saying they had down graded the female Orisas by turning them domestic slaves and house maids. As the Ifa verse reveals, she said:

Gunyangunyan ode ido obinrin ni

Iroka ode ido obinrin ni

Iroko ode ido obinrin ni….

 Translation

Pounded yam pounder of this settlement is female

This settlement’s yam flour meal prepare is female

Corn meal producer of this settlement is female…

The female Orisas had no say in any discussion, but only to prepare food, wash plates, and sweep floor. When ever the males are talking about pumpkins and a woman aks what they are talking about, they will say it is a man’s talk. But when they gather fruits, they will later give it to the woman they have insulted to cut them up and cook them. Orunmila then stood up and said “Let us all bow for the females; they are our mothers without them we can do but nothing”. They all bowed and apologized for their past misbehavior especially to Osun. And it was laid down as a rule to always carry the females along whenever anything is to be executed. Anything done without the consent of the females cannot be fruitful. All the male Orisas apologized:

Iye wa a ba won pe nimo

A fimo je tosun

Iye wa a ba won pe nimo

Translation

Our mother, in whose absence nothing is achieved

Osun, we seek your consent

Our mother, in whose absence nothing is achieved

The prestige and honor due to female Orisas have been given to then since. Osun has won their honor back to them. Since then, all the discussions and deliberations were done with the presence of Osun and other female Orisas. But among those female Orisas, it was Osun and only her that acted manly then. In her life history, we shall still see some other strategies she used to fight the male Orisas.

ATTENTION EVERYONE, A MESSAGE FROM BLOGGER CAMI!

Comment: Unfortunately, my occupation has it’s moments for on call, so I’ll be a bit behind or distracted during this evenings book club. But, never fail there is someone who has literally “Embrace Spirituality” and have knowledge of our divine Mother and Goddess, Osun. Our esteemed blog member, Ty, will be assisting with tonight’s book club?

After watching the movie and reading from the link given I have a few questions to provoke your thoughts. I am well aware of the attachment many have to the “good book” and that it’s hard to let go, therefore, I will attempt to ask the questions in a manner not too far from what you’ve embraced for so long.

1. What scenes in the movie can you relate to your Christian teachings?

2. If you were able to associate any scenes from the movie to your Christian principles how are you able to relate them to the TRADITION that we are about on this blog?

3.Would any of you, ladies, able to live the life of the main female characters in the film?

4. Who doubt the powers of Osun?