Seven further divinities' praise texts, from the ancestral founder to the deified river of a jealous co-wife, including two conflicting sources for the goddess of wealth.
The Yorùbá wey dem quote, the proverbs, oríkì, ẹsẹ Ifá, word list headwords, Odù names and citations dey exactly as the corpus record dem, for every language.
Dis file dey close dis section im òrìṣà material with texts for seven other divinities: Odùduwà, di ancestral founder-figure; Ìyámi Òṣòròngà, di powerful mothers; Ìbejì, di sacred twins; Ajé, wealth, inside two texts from different sources; Aganjú; Òrìṣà Oko; and Ọba, di river-goddess and third wife of Ṣàngó. 06-orisa and 23-orisa-deep hold di theology for each one of dem; dis file present only di oríkì.
Odùdúwà ibá. Bàbá mi a dá ìwa. Odúà, a um ìwa gun. Olóotu Ifẹ̀. Jagunjagun, a fí wò ojú ọjọ́ bàbá mi jí l'ọ́wùúrọ̀ kùtùkùtù. Ó bẹ́ ẹ, yerí yerí l'óde Ifẹ̀. Odúà, a jagun sẹ́gun.
Dem present am with di tone marking as dem print am for inside di source, wey no balance for some places (dem mark some words complete, but dem no mark others) [S1].
Odùduwà, hail. My father who created existence. Odua, who firmly established true character. Sole ruler of Ifẹ̀. Warrior who watches over each day, my father who wakes early in the morning. He arose, walking about the town of Ifẹ̀. Odua, who wages war and is victorious.
Dem no mention di translator name specifically; dem credit di source to "Oluwo Ifágboàlà," wey write for di Instituto de Pesquisa Yorùbá, one Brazil-based Yoruba research institute, 2011 [S2].
Wetin e talk. Dem address Odùduwà as both cosmological founder ("person wey dey create existence") and as real-life father figure and warrior-king specifically for Ifẹ̀, wey combine di mythic-ancestor and historical-conqueror parts wey 06-orisa/09-oduduwa.md and di towns section treat as separate traditions about di same name.
Significance. Dis na one of di few texts for inside dis section harvest wey come from one Brazil-based Yoruba religious research institute instead of Nigerian, European, or North American scholarship, and e document say Odùduwà im oríkì dey circulate well-well inside di Brazilian Yoruba-derived religious community, one diaspora-side data point wey 08-diaspora and 27-diaspora-deep fit find useful and wey dis file no expand further.
How dem perform am. Di source no state am clearly pass say dem classify am generally as liturgical/praise poem.
Dem no mention any individual translator name, and di source na devotional blog instead of peer-reviewed publication. Confidence: medium-to-low. Di tone marking inside di Yoruba text wey dem gather no balance by itself, and dis corpus reproduce am exactly as dem print am instead of to regularise am, because to regularise am go mean say dem dey supply tone marks wey di source no provide complete.
Ìbà ẹ̀yin ìyá mi Òṣòròngà Alágogo ẹ̀ṣùrú Alájọ̀gún ẹyẹ Ìyá mi Àtẹ́dọ̀jọ́kan Òpèpè a-tẹ́lẹ́bìn o Ó torí epo ó ṣ'ọwọ́ gbọgbọrọgbo Gbogbo yín kí ẹ ẹ fún mi l'áwo ṣe é Ìbà o
Homage to you, my mother Oshoronga. Owner of the bell of eshuru. Co-owner of the bird. My mother Atedojokan. Opepe, one who spreads out [her covering], oh. Because of palm oil she extends her hand widely. All of you, give me the tray so I can prepare it. Homage, oh.
Translation as Babatunde Lawal document and analyse am inside The Gẹ̀lẹ̀dé Spectacle (1996), wey present di transcribed Yoruba text, epithet-by-epithet annotation, and English translation of di Gẹ̀lẹ̀dé ìbà/oríkì wey dem direct to Ìyámi Òṣòròngà [S3].
Wetin e talk. One formal homage sequence, wey start with direct maternal address "my mother," pass through specific totemic and ritual-object epithets (di bell, di bird, palm oil), and end with practical ritual request for di divination tray.
Significance. Dis na one of di texts with di highest confidence inside dis section im òrìṣà material: Babatunde Lawal im The Gẹ̀lẹ̀dé Spectacle na major scholarly monograph specifically on di Gẹ̀lẹ̀dé masquerade tradition, wey directly concern how to appease Ìyámi Òṣòròngà and di "powerful mothers," and di source get credit say e provide no be just translation but line-by-line annotation. 23-orisa-deep/26-ìyámi-òsòròngà.md and 06-orisa/21-gelede.md hold di institutional and theological treatment of Gẹ̀lẹ̀dé and Ìyámi; dis text na di liturgical material wey dat tradition dey perform.
How dem perform am. As di ìbà/oríkì wey dey open Gẹ̀lẹ̀dé performance, addressed to Ìyámi Òṣòròngà [S3].
Wíníwíní lójú orogún Ejìwọ̀rọ̀ lojú ìyá ẹ̀, Ẹ̀jìrẹ́ ará ìṣokún, Ẹdúnjobí, ọmọ a gbórí igi rétẹréte, Ọkàn ń bá bí méjì ló wọlé tọ míwá, Ọ́bẹ́kíṣì bẹ́kéṣé, Ó bé sílé alákìísa, Ó salákìísà donígba aṣọ. Gbajúmọ̀ ọmọ tíí gbàkúnlẹ̀ ìyá, Tíí gbàdọ̀bálẹ̀ lọ́wọ́ baba tó bí í lọmọ.
Very delicate in the eyes of the contenders, very awesome in the eyes of the mother, twins, the natives of Isokun (an ancient Yoruba town close to Oyo Alaafin), born of the species of Gorillas and Monkeys, children living atop different spreading trees. I would have given birth to...
Jadesola Taiwo Babatola na im translate am, inside "Oríkì Ìbejì: The Yoruba Prose for the Twins" (2018) [S4].
Wetin e talk. Dem praise twins say dem be source of difficulty/trouble (to jealous rival wife) and wonder (to dem own mama), link dem to Ìṣokun town near Ọ̀yọ́, and credit dem with special power to turn poverty to wealth (rag to two hundred clothes) for house wey honor dem well, and e end with claim say twins deserve special kind respect, where even the papa must prostrate flat on the ground for dem.
Why e dey important. 06-orisa/16-ibeji.md treat the cultural and religious importance of how dem dey honor twins for Yoruba society; this text na documented example of liturgical/praise worship for action, including the specific claim about financial blessing (turning the condition of poor family around) wey be one of the common practical reasons dem dey give twins dedicated ceremony.
Where dem dey do am. Naming ceremony (ìkómọ) for twins, weekly or yearly appeasement rituals, and rituals to feed and care for twins [S4].
Note on top the translation. The direct translation wey talk say "born of the species of gorillas and monkeys" (from the source own English rendering, wey dey inside the harvested record) na strong image wey dem no explain, wey this corpus just report instead of to interpret am; across wider Yoruba scholarly work (wey dem document for 06-orisa/16-ibeji.md), dem dey connect twins specifically with vervet monkey as totem, and this line fit be say e dey reflect that connection instead of to be insult, but this corpus no claim that meaning without source wey state am clearly.
Samuel Àjàyí Crowther 1852 A Vocabulary of the Yoruba Language record material about Ajé Ṣàlúgà as part of im dictionary documentation of nineteenth-century Yoruba religious vocabulary [S5]. yoruba-oriki inside 02-language don already cite Crowther dictionary as "a primary artifact of missionary lexicography" for different entry (ológbò), and this corpus use that same framing here: dem present Crowther material as documented historical artifact of missionary-era dictionary work, no be as neutral ethnography, according to the rule of this corpus to separate wetin the tradition talk about itself from wetin colonial-era sources record about am. The specific oríkì content wey dem link to this entry inside the collected record small (na subject label instead of transcribed praise text), and this corpus no present text wey full pass wetin the source really support.
Ajé káàrọ̀ o, Ajé Olókun Ògúgúlùṣọ̀, Ajé onísọ̀ ibòji, aṣèwe dàgbà, aṣàgbà déwe, ẹni tí ẹrú àti ọmọ ńfi ojojúmọ́ wá kiri, ìwọ ni labọmọ tí borí ayé, Ajé ìwọ lajíkí, Ajé ìwọ lajígé, Ajé ìwọ lajípe.
Good morning, Aje; Aje of Olokun, Oguguluso; Aje, owner of the shaded stall; one who makes the young mature and rejuvenates the elderly; the one whom both servants and children search for daily; you are the sanctuary that covers the world; Aje, you are the one we rise to greet...
Na "Babalawo Ojedayo / Traditional Yoruba Liturgical Corpus" (2023) get credit for the translation, from source wey get title "Oríkì Ajé: Praise Poetry and Invocations for the Goddess of Wealth" [S6].
Wetin e talk. Monday-morning prayer structure (Ọjọ́ Ajé, the day wey dem name after Ajé), wey dey build series of lines wey dey go up on "na you we dey wake up..." around business, market, and how wealth dey reverse normal hierarchy of age.
Why e dey important. This document show how dem dey practically use Ajé oríkì for everyday prayer especially at the start of the trading week, connecting the divinity directly to market life in a way wey 06-orisa/15-the-smaller-orisa.md fit treat more briefly; the text itself na the main evidence for that connection.
Where dem dey do am. Early morning every day by followers, during Monday morning (Ọjọ́ Ajé) rituals, when dem dey bless business space, and during yearly Ajé festivals [S6].
Note on top source. The source only get ordinary "facebook.com" URL and the person wey translate am carry title "Babalawo" (title of Ifá priest) instead of scholar name, wey mean say confidence level for this text dey medium-to-low, just like the Ọ̀sanyìn Medium.com text inside the previous file. Dem keep am because the Yoruba text make sense, e match wetin dem document about Ajé practice for other places, and internally na im be the strongest-sourced Ajé praise text wey this harvest turn up; but make readers still place am below the documentary status of Crowther dictionary entry and below the scholarly-monograph material for other parts of this section.
Aganjù s'ọlá kíní 'ba kíní 'ba s'òògùn. A yà ròrò kíní 'ba 'ko, ẹ gbé mi ní yó. Ètélà bò júbà, gàdàgbà a júbà. Àṣẹ.
Aganjú creates wealth, greetings to the first leader who makes medicine. We turn with serenity to the primary master of the cultivated earth; you sustain and carry me to total fulfillment. Thirteen times we return to offer homage; openly and boldly we pay homage. Àṣẹ.
Dem talk say na "traditional liturgical rendering," wey dem document inside comparative liturgical and devotional anthologies with cross-reference to John Mason own Orin Òrìṣà (1992) [S7].
Wetin e talk. Na short homage text wey mention Aganjú, wey different scholars (wey dem treat inside 23-orisa-deep/17-aganjú.md) understand for different ways as divinity of volcanic land, wilderness, or, for some diaspora traditions, as Ṣàngó's papa, and wey connect am here with wealth, medicine, plus cultivated and wild land.
The idiomatic rendering wey talk "thirteen times we return to offer homage" no get clear word wey match am for the literal gloss above, and this one dey suggest say either the translator add interpretive meaning or the Yoruba source text complete pass the short part wey dem collect; this corpus point out the difference instead of trying to resolve am. Confidence: medium-to-low.
Where dem dey perform am. Ritual invocations, propitiations, libations, festival ceremonies, and consecrations wey dem dedicate to Aganjú, together with Ṣàngó-associated rites [S7].
Òrìṣà Oko. Aní ọ̀pá owó. Òrìṣà Oko. Òní ẹja nílé jẹun àsán. Àjàlọ́run. Òrìṣà ọdẹ. Mọ́ padà lẹ́yìn mi. Òrìṣà Oko ṣe pẹ̀lẹ́ pẹ̀lẹ́.
Òrìṣà Oko, he who holds a staff decorated with cowrie shells, Òrìṣà Oko, he who has fish at home but chooses to eat food without meat, one whose effect is felt in heaven, Òrìṣà of hunters, do not withdraw your support from me, Òrìṣà Oko, keep cool.
Na Amanda Villepastour translate am, together with Chief Alhaji Rábíù Àyándòkun, from Ancient Text Messages of the Yorùbá Bàtá Drum: Cracking the Code (2010), the same source wey give this section Ọya bàtá text inside oriki-orisa-osun-yemoja-oya [S8].
Wetin e talk. Dem praise Òrìṣà Oko, the divinity of farming and earth fertility, through ascetic image, say e get fish for house but choose to chop plain food, before direct petition say make e no comot support, and e end with the same "ṣe pẹ̀lẹ́ pẹ̀lẹ́" gentleness formula wey the Ọya bàtá text also use.
Significance. As the exact closing formula "ṣe pẹ̀lẹ́ pẹ̀lẹ́" repeat across this text and the Ọya bàtá text, wey two of dem come from the same drummed-text source, e show say this na standard closing convention inside the bàtá praise repertoire specifically, no be coincidence say two different translations just end up with the same English phrase.
Where dem dey perform am. Bàtá drum invocations, devotional rituals, and festival celebrations wey dem dedicate to Òrìṣà Oko [S8].
Ọba, Ọba, Ọba. Ojúowú òrìṣà, ẹkẹta aya Ṣàngó. Ó torí owú, ó kọlà sí gbogbo ara. Olókìkí ọkọ. A rìn lógànjọ́ pẹ̀lú àwọn àjẹ́. Ọba onísùúrù, a jí jẹ́wúrẹ́.
Ọba, Ọba, Ọba. Jealous deity, third wife of Ṣàngó. Out of jealousy, she marked her entire body with incisions. She who proclaims the renown of her husband. She who walks at midnight in company with the àjẹ́. Patient Ọba, who wakes early to receive the consecrated...
Na Pierre Fatumbi Verger translate am, from im 1957 Bahia field study, wey dem also cite for the Ṣàngó and Ọba material wey this corpus diaspora and Ọya files use [S9].
Wetin e talk. Dem praise Ọba, the deified river, through the specific myth story of jealousy toward co-wife (inside the wider tradition, usually na Ọ̀ṣun) wey lead to self-mutilation, alongside claim of nocturnal association with the àjẹ́, the powerful women wey dem carefully explain Yoruba idea about dem without using the flattening "witch" label inside 18-women and 04-cosmology.
Significance. This text document Ọba's oríkì as something wey dem no fit separate from specific narrative (the myth of co-wife rivalry), wey 06-orisa and 23-orisa-deep/13-oba.md treat with fuller mythic detail; the oríkì here dey function like compressed reference to story wey dem assume say the audience already know, exactly the allusive mechanism wey yoruba-oriki and oriki-poetics-and-untranslatability describe as characteristic of the genre: four words wey carry whole incident for person wey already get the context.
Where dem dey perform am. Yearly festivals for Ọba and Ṣàngó, weekly shrine worship days, and initiation ceremonies [S9].
Notes. The word àjẹ́, wey dem explain neutrally here as "powerful women" instead of "witches," dem treat am well inside 18-women for wetin e really mean inside Yoruba cosmology as different from the negative Western association; this file use the neutral explanation on purpose and refer readers go that fuller treatment instead of repeating am.
[S1] Oluwo Ifágboàlà, "Oríkì Odùduwà," Instituto de Pesquisa Yorùbá (2011). https://ipesquisayoruba.wordpress.com/2011/06/17/oriki-oduduwa/
[S2] Same as [S1].
[S3] Lawal, Babatunde, The Gẹ̀lẹ̀dé Spectacle: Art, Gender, and Social Harmony in an African Culture (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1996).
[S4] Babatola, Jadesola Taiwo, "Oriki Ibeji: The Yoruba Prose for the Twins" (2018).
[S5] Crowther, Samuel Àjàyí, A Vocabulary of the Yoruba Language (London: Seeleys, 1852), entry material relating to Ajé Ṣàlúgà. https://archive.org/details/vocabularyofyoru00crow Cited as a primary artifact of missionary lexicography, as yoruba-oriki treats Crowther's dictionary generally.
[S6] "Oríkì Ajé: Praise Poetry and Invocations for the Goddess of Wealth," attributed to Babalawo Ojedayo (2023). Confidence: medium-to-low.
[S7] Traditional liturgical rendering, cross-referenced with Mason, John, Orin Òrìṣà: Songs for Selected Heads (Brooklyn: Yoruba Theological Archministry, 1992). Confidence: medium-to-low.
[S8] Villepastour, Amanda, with Chief Alhaji Rábíù Àyándòkun, Ancient Text Messages of the Yorùbá Bàtá Drum: Cracking the Code (Farnham: Ashgate, 2010).
[S9] Verger, Pierre Fatumbi, Notes sur le culte des orisa et vodun à Bahia, la Baie de tous les Saints, au Brésil et à l'ancienne Côte des Esclaves en Afrique (Dakar: IFAN, 1957).
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A comprehensive scholarly analysis of Aganjú as an ancient Oyo monarch, wilderness divinity, and transformed Afro-Atlantic deity across West Africa, Cuba, and Brazil.