Osun across the Waters: A Yoruba Goddess in Africa and the Americas

4. Òrìṣà Ò̭ṣun: Yoruba Sacred Kingship and Civil Religion in Òṣogbo, Nigeria

c h a p t e r f o u r
Òrı̀s .à O .̀ s .un Yoruba Sacred Kingship and Civil Religion in Òs .ogbo, Nigeria Jacob K. Olupona Invocation Aládékojú, I am calling on you Hail My Beloved Mother Aládékojú The Beloved one from the town of E .̀ fo .̀n Èkı̀tı̀ Hail the Powerful Mother Aládékojú, The descendent of the one who uses the crown made of brass 5 We travel to the town of Èjı̀gbò Where we visited the Ògı̀yan (the O . ba of Èjı̀gbò) The one who dances with the jingling brass My wondrous Mother! Who owns plenty of brass ornaments in the town of E .̀ fo .̀n 10 She moves majestically in the deep water Oh spirit! Mother from Ìje .̀s .àland The land of the tough and brave people Men who would fight to secure their wives Even to the point of killing themselves 15 Along with their wives if everything fails Hail the great Mother O .̀ s .un Whose whole body is adorned with brass She joins the Owá (Ìje .̀s .à O . ba) to celebrate his festival She shares her holy day (Friday) with S .àngó 20 My confidante She waits at home to assist barren women to bear children O .̀ s .un has plenty of cool water to heal diseases Death to the Tapa (warriors from the North) O .̀ s .un surrounds her whole body with Edan 25 With the shining brass as a Lantern at night, She very quickly moves round the house To fetch her sword, ready for battle Hail the Mother, O .̀ s .un Òs .ogbo My mother, the marvelous cook 30 My Mother who makes succulent fried bean pattie (àkàrà), bean cake (o .̀le .̀le .̀), and corn cakes (èkuru) as well Those who refuse to hail my Mother Will be denied tasteful bean cakes and corn cakes My mother who provides bean cake for the E .̀ fo .̀n people 35 When my mother wakes up, she prepares food for her household My mother will then proceed to the kolanut stall As she trades in kolanut, She is also carrying her corn to the mill to grind At the same time she is also dying clothes (adire) by the sideway 40 There is no task my mother cannot do She even keeps a stable for rearing horses My mother lives in the deep water And yet sends errands to the hinterland Aládékojú, my Olódùmarè (supreme Goddess) 45 Who turns a bad destiny (orı́) into a good one O .̀ s .un has plenty of brass ornaments in her storage Òrógùn, Orógùngunǹdá, The favorite wife of O .̀ rúnmı̀là (god of divination) The owner of the indigo pigeon 50 In vivid colors of the rainbow, Her image appears brightly dressed on the river bank Aládékojú, the owner of the mortar made of brass O .̀ s .un fights for those she cares about Human beings (ènı̀yàn) do not want us to eat from a china plate 55 (àwo táńganran) Ògbónmèlé, do not allow the evil world (aye) to change our good fortune into a bad one Do not let the wicked persons overcome us Once, O .̀ s .un was plucking medicinal leaves 60 O .̀ sanyı̀n (herbal god of medicine) was also plucking his own leaves Before O .̀ sanyı̀n turns around, O .̀ s .un had taken O .̀ sanyı̀n’s leaves from the grinding stone Only O .̀ s .un can mold my destiny (orı́) So that it becomes as strong as rock 65 O .̀ s .un Òs .ogbo, I greet you Òs .ogbo oròkı́ emerges from afar off, And the crowd in the market went wild with joy The O . ba’s beloved water, do not forget me O .̀ s .un who stands on the hill 70 And beckons at the kolanut seller in the market to bring kolanut Ládékojú stands on the river bridge And calls the seller of honey in the market She beckons at the palm wine seller to bring her wine Òrı̀s .à O .̀ s .un 47 The palm wine sells at an exorbitant price; 75 But my mother does...