BENIN OLOKUN SYMBOLISM AND THE DEPTH OF BEING 3
Toyin Adepoju
Igha-ede is first drawn on the ground with Osanobua, the Creator...represented at the center, surrounded by the deities whom the ohen ( Olokun priest/priestess) contacts. In this case, Eziza, Olokun, Sango, Ogun, Orunmila, and Esu are all indicated.
Obeisance to the honoured feet of [my teacher] Marpa the Translator!
May I be far renmoved from arguing creeds and dogmas.
E'er since my Lord's Grace entered in my mind,
My mind hath never strayed seeking various distractions.
Accustomed long to contemplating Love and Pity,
I have forgot the difference between myself and others.
Acuustomed long to meditating on my Guru as enhaloed o'er my head,
I have forgot all those who rule by power and by prestige.
Accustomed long to meditating on my Guardian Gods as from myself inseparable,
I have forgot the lowly fleshly form.
Accustomed long to meditating on the Whispered Chosen Truths,
I have forgot all that is said in written and in printed books.
Accustomed,as I've been,to contemplating the Three Bodies as inherent in myself,
I have forgot to think of hope and fear.
Accustomed,as I've been,to meditating on this life and the future life as one,
I have forgot the dread of birth and death.
Accustomed long to studying,all by myself,mine own experiences,
I have forgot the need of asking the opinions of friends and brethren.
Accustomed long to application of each new experince to mine own growth spiritual,
I have forgot all creeds and dogmas.
Accustomed long to meditating on the Unborn,the Indestructible and the Unabiding,
I have forgot all definitions of this or that particular Goal.
Accustomed long to meditating on all visible phenomena as the Dharma-Khaya,
I have forgot all mind-made meditations.
Accustomed long to keep my mind in the Uncreated State of Freedom,
I have forgot conventional and artifical usages.
Accustomed long to humbleness,of body and of mind,
I have forgot the pride and haughty manner of the mighty.
Accustomed long to regard my fleshly body as my hermitage,
I have forgot the ease and comfort of retreats in monasteries.
Accustomed long to know the meaning of the Wordless,
I have forgot the way to trace the roots of verbs and source of words and phrases;
May thou,O learned one,trace out these things in standard
books.
[This Igha-ede image] shows [an]elaborate drawing, rich with various uses of line.
The ohen explained that the additions call upon various deities to accept gifts and respond with aid. A complex design like this one can be executed only by an ohen of many deities. Without proper initiation into their cults, it would not be possible to communicate effectively with them.
[The] igha-ede is first drawn on the ground with Osanobua, the Creator God, represented at the center, surrounded by the deities whom the ohen contacts. In this case, Eziza, Olokun, Sango, Ogun, Orunmila, and Esu are all indicated. She then puts leaves onto the design that are specific to igha-ede.
After praying, using a kola nut split into many msmall pieces, she places the kola bits along with alligator pepper seeds within the quadrants of the design. Then a cock is slaughtered and the blood placed on the leaves. Its cooked liver, heart, and breast are split and divided on the design, along with obobo. A special white obobo is placed in the center as food for Osanobua.
Igha-ede image and explanatory text from Norma Rosen, "Chalk Iconography in Olokun Worship"African Arts, Vol. 22, No. 3 (May, 1989), pp. 44-53+88:
"Song to the Geshe" by Jetsun Milarepa in Tibet's Great Yogi,Milarepa, trans. by the Lama Kazi Dawa-Samdup.ed.by W.Y.Evans Wetz.Oxford:Oxford UP,19 245-247.1969.
Obeisance to the honoured feet of [my teacher] Marpa the Translator!
May I be far renmoved from arguing creeds and dogmas.
E'er since my Lord's Grace entered in my mind,
My mind hath never strayed seeking various distractions.
Accustomed long to contemplating Love and Pity,
I have forgot the difference between myself and others.
Acuustomed long to meditating on my Guru as enhaloed o'er my head,
I have forgot all those who rule by power and by prestige.
Accustomed long to meditating on my Guardian Gods as from myself inseparable,
I have forgot the lowly fleshly form.
Accustomed long to meditating on the Whispered Chosen Truths,
I have forgot all that is said in written and in printed books.
Accustomed,as I've been,to contemplating the Three Bodies as inherent in myself,
I have forgot to think of hope and fear.
Accustomed,as I've been,to meditating on this life and the future life as one,
I have forgot the dread of birth and death.
Accustomed long to studying,all by myself,mine own experiences,
I have forgot the need of asking the opinions of friends and brethren.
Accustomed long to application of each new experince to mine own growth spiritual,
I have forgot all creeds and dogmas.
Accustomed long to meditating on the Unborn,the Indestructible and the Unabiding,
I have forgot all definitions of this or that particular Goal.
Accustomed long to meditating on all visible phenomena as the Dharma-Khaya,
I have forgot all mind-made meditations.
Accustomed long to keep my mind in the Uncreated State of Freedom,
I have forgot conventional and artifical usages.
Accustomed long to humbleness,of body and of mind,
I have forgot the pride and haughty manner of the mighty.
Accustomed long to regard my fleshly body as my hermitage,
I have forgot the ease and comfort of retreats in monasteries.
Accustomed long to know the meaning of the Wordless,
I have forgot the way to trace the roots of verbs and source of words and phrases;
May thou,O learned one,trace out these things in standard
books.
[This Igha-ede image] shows [an]elaborate drawing, rich with various uses of line.
The ohen explained that the additions call upon various deities to accept gifts and respond with aid. A complex design like this one can be executed only by an ohen of many deities. Without proper initiation into their cults, it would not be possible to communicate effectively with them.
[The] igha-ede is first drawn on the ground with Osanobua, the Creator God, represented at the center, surrounded by the deities whom the ohen contacts. In this case, Eziza, Olokun, Sango, Ogun, Orunmila, and Esu are all indicated. She then puts leaves onto the design that are specific to igha-ede.
After praying, using a kola nut split into many msmall pieces, she places the kola bits along with alligator pepper seeds within the quadrants of the design. Then a cock is slaughtered and the blood placed on the leaves. Its cooked liver, heart, and breast are split and divided on the design, along with obobo. A special white obobo is placed in the center as food for Osanobua.
Igha-ede image and explanatory text from Norma Rosen, "Chalk Iconography in Olokun Worship"African Arts, Vol. 22, No. 3 (May, 1989), pp. 44-53+88:
"Song to the Geshe" by Jetsun Milarepa in Tibet's Great Yogi,Milarepa, trans. by the Lama Kazi Dawa-Samdup.ed.by W.Y.Evans Wetz.Oxford:Oxford UP,19 245-247.1969.
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