The Life of Baba Ejiogbe
The continuous biography of this odù's own spiritual evolution — celestial works, then earthly works — told as one unfolding life. Click any title to read it.
Ejiogbe at Fifteen: The Prodigy of the Marketplace
El milagro en el mercado.
On his way to the market, he met a woman, stopped her, and told her she had a problem. As she was about to speak, he told her not to bother --- he knew her problems better than she did. Ejiogbe told the woman that she had been pregnant for three years, but the pregnancy had not developed. He told her to perform sacrifice with 16 cowries, a hen, a dove, 5 kola nuts, a snake, and honey. He likewise told her to use a male goat, akará (bean cakes) and ekó to make the sacrifice to Eshu. The woman brought the materials, and after the sacrifice was performed, Ejiogbe assured her that her problem was over. However, he told her that after she had given birth without difficulty, she should bring a small boa --- a constrictor (called oka in Yoruba and arunwoto in Bini) --- to offer in thanksgiving to Orunmila. He told her to add a snail and any other thing she might be able to. The woman performed the sacrifice and went on her way.
The Patakín Corpus — 1 to 70
Presented in strict numerical order as in the source Tratado. Click any title to read it.
01Three Visitors at Orunmila's Door
1.- Los tres personajes.›
For several nights Orunmila could not sleep because of a strange noise. One night he discovered it was Ekute (the rat), who said to him: "Tomorrow three persons will come to visit you. To the first, tell him to take his place --- for he is Eshu. To the second, give eku and eya --- for he is Oggun. The third is a woman, daughter of Oshun --- prepare her oshinshin."
The patakín teaches the Awo that every visitor at the door of Orunmila is a divinity in disguise. The first knock is Eshu, claiming his seat. The second is the warrior Oggun, who eats rat and fish. The third is the cool feminine power of Oshun, who is fed oshinshin (her sacred dish of greens, shrimp, and palm oil). The order is the order of the universe: opening, struggle, sweetness.
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