Meal Offerings?

[LithiumViolets]

Well...recently I consulted my Madrina (Ocha/Santeria priestess) and was told to make food offerings to Shango and Ogun to placate them but also it seems my head/mother is Oya and because She's been blessing me lately (well really always lol), I wanted to make something for her as well. I was going through the farmer's market yesterday-- which I love and that place, I swear, is magical with all the international fresh foods and spices-- and I saw two amazing looking eggplants and I know Oya likes eggplant so I bought them and wanted to make a meal with them. However, I don't have any recipe that Oya would like and in my research it just says she likes offerings of eggplants but I didn't want to prepare it in a way She wouldn't like.


Basically I was wondering if anyone could suggest ideas of meals I could cook for Oya, Shango and Ogun, and Ellegua/Eshu/Exu?

Part two of the question: once having made these meals for offering, what is an appropriate place to leave it for them?

Any help would be greatly appreciated :)

[LithiumViolets]

bumpity bump?

[~Elise~]

why not ask your Madrina?

[Teresa]

Ogun: Rice, Beans, Baked Yams, Potatoes, Palm Oil, Kola Nuts

Shango: Apples, Yams, Corn, Peppers

Oya: Eggplant, Rice, Black Beans, Star Fruit, Dark Grapes, Chocolate Pudding. All her food should be liberally laced with cocoa butter ( Do not offer her any Palm Kernel Oil !)

Eshu: Red Beans, Rice, Hard Candies, Rum, Cigars, Bananas, Spicy foods, Apples.

As I am not a Follower or Lucumi or Santeria, I would say to consult your Madrina about the food offerings and also the place you would leave the offering. I personally have Altars for Ogun and Osun. My food offerings are left on the altar for these. For Eshu, I go to a special place at the crossroads to leave the food offering sometimes. Other times I erect an altar for Eshu too same thing for Yemanja as needed to pay my respects.

[LithiumViolets]

why not ask your Madrina?

:) very good question!

but really, my Madrina (or possibly soon-to-be my former Madrina) is in quite a state right now, mentally and emotionally. My godsister in her House and I have been actually looking for ways to help her with what she's going through and in her house-- her physical house-- there's alot going on, alot of confusion, stress, even uncleanliness in a health department bad kind of way :(

She's been like this a couple of weeks to the point where her house doesn't even have the energy it used to and the Ocha temple she has isn't even being kept up, offerings are left and insects have taken over, trash is everywhere. It's really sad. I couldn't even bring myself at this point to bother her to ask her about these things because I know she's handling her own stuff and, what's more, with her house/temple being in the state it's in, I wouldn't even want to leave my offerings there, hence why I asked an appropriate alternative to leave my offerings.

I'm really looking for another House or another teacher/Madrina/Padrino locally or even people to talk to online to learn from-- hence my posting on here more and mysanteria.com-- because she's really not even in the state to teach or instruct or even clean anyone and she's not where she used to be. My godsister and I are looking for help for her but we've kind of agreed for right now we'll be looking for another house/teacher....

[LithiumViolets]

Ogun: Rice, Beans, Baked Yams, Potatoes

Shango: Apples, Yams, Corn, Peppers

Oya: Eggplant, Rice, Black Beans, Star Fruit, Dark Grapes, Chocolate Pudding. All her food should be liberally laced with cocoa butter ( Do not offer her any Palm Kernel Oil !)

Eshu: Red Beans, Rice, Hard Candies, Rum, Cigars, Bananas, Spicy foods, Apples.


thanks so much! *hugs*

but, quick question, when you say Oya's food should be laced with cocoa butter, is there an edible kind of cocoa butter you can buy or do you mean the block or stick kind that most people use on the body? I know it sounds silly but I wasn't aware if there was an edible kind of cocoa butter...

[plumedsnake]

Wow! The situations you've described above sound heavy. I hope she's not under some kind of spiritual attack because sadly that kind of thing happens in the orisha/ATR community.

As regards just how you make an offering it is essential that you use divination. Ibo is a means of divination that can be used to ascertain yes or no answers. So you can asked if she likes it like this: yes or no, whether she wants it at all: yes or no . . .etc.


Another very important thing about Ebo is that it is a SHARED MEAL. Okay, not always but when it isn't is rare and the orisha specifically states that it won't share.
Otherwise you are supposed to eat of the offering too, and also very importantly you are supposed to share the offering with a bunch of guests.

Agbongbon, the awo of the city of Iloree
Agbayangidi, the awo of the city of Ijesa
. . .
. ...
divined for Olooyimefun . . .
He was asked to offer to the Eegun of his home
He offered to the Egun of his home
It was unproductive
He was told to make offering to the Oosa in the market
He offered to the Orisha in the market
Nothing came of it
He was told to offer to Ori
He offered to Ori
To no Avail
He was told to offer to Earth
He made offering to Earth
Earth offering was futile
THEN he was told to offer to Olu-bobo tiribo the King of Ebo
He responded: now I know that one's father is the Eegun at home
and I know that one's mother is the Oosa in the marketplace
and I know full well that Ori is what sits on top
and the Earth is what lies beneath
But I ain't ever heard of this Olubobotiribo, King of Ebo

The Mouth they told him
The mouth is Olubobotiribo, King of Ebo
Afterall what do we offer to in Ife?
Their mouths
It is to their mouths that we make offerings in Ife
Their mouths
May their mouths not attack us
Their mouths
This is what we make offerings to in Ife.

This verse is from Owonrin Meji.

A similar point is made in a verse from Ofun Okanran:
The bell calls out -'gather yourselves together'
Aran geje cries out ' I gather children together'
was divined for Koori
who was in tears on account of wanting children.
She was told to sacrifice.
A mature hen is the sacrifice
She killed the hen alone
and on that spot ate it all alone.
She got no child

She came again
same thing, she killed another hen
and ate it all alone
No baby

Third time, she went to orunmila
Why such misery, she cried
I have twice made a sacrifice of a hen
yet they say that I have children following me
"But you haven't done as you were told', Orunmila responded.
Yes you killed the hens, but you ate them alone.
. . . .
. . . .
You must not eat of the chickens cos if you do the children won't come to you.'

So now, koori followed the advice
She Gathered the people together
But she didn't eat of it herself
and indeed the babies started coming
one childbirth after another
and she started to dance and rejoice
She would praise her babalawos
and her bAbalawos would praise Ifa
She affirmed that it was thus her Babalawos had said:
The bell calls out -'gather yourselves together'
Aran geje cries out ' I gather children together'
.. ...
.. . . . .


Of course there is the slight difficulty of your guest having different religious beliefs than yours. I know that in christianity there is a big deal made in the bible about eating food that has been offered to Idols. I think that it is only respectful to let your guests know (especially if they are christians) that the meal has been offered to an orisha prior to being set on the table. http://www.studylight.org/dic/hbd/view.cgi?number=T2089

Also st. Paul states that it's no big deal for a christian to eat food that has been offered so they are welcome to my dinner if they are hungry enough. The difficulty for me is that I know so many christians and often there is hardly anything to eat in my home that hasn't been consecrated first.


Book of 1 Corinthians
Chapter 10 - Click for Chapter Audio
10:28 - [ In Context | Read Chapter | Discuss this Verse ]
[ Original: Greek | Multi-Translation | Make Poster ]
But if R404 anyone says to you, "This is meat sacrificed to idols," do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience' sake;


Book of 1 Corinthians
Chapter 10 - Click for Chapter Audio
10:23 - [ In Context | Read Chapter | Discuss this Verse ]
[ Original: Greek | Multi-Translation | Make Poster ]
All R397 things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. R398

10:24 - [ In Context | Read Chapter | Discuss this Verse ]
[ Original: Greek | Multi-Translation | Make Poster ]
Let no one seek R399 his own good, but that of his neighbor. F110

10:25 - [ In Context | Read Chapter | Discuss this Verse ]
[ Original: Greek | Multi-Translation | Make Poster ]
Eat R400 anything that is sold in the meat market without asking questions for conscience' sake;

10:26 - [ In Context | Read Chapter | Discuss this Verse ]
[ Original: Greek | Multi-Translation | Make Poster ]
FOR THE EARTH IS THE LORD'S, AND ALL IT CONTAINS.

10:27 - [ In Context | Read Chapter | Discuss this Verse ]
[ Original: Greek | Multi-Translation | Make Poster ]
If one R402 of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, eat R403 anything that is set before you without asking questions for conscience' sake.

10:28 - [ In Context | Read Chapter | Discuss this Verse ]
[ Original: Greek | Multi-Translation | Make Poster ]
But if R404 anyone says to you, "This is meat sacrificed to idols," do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience' sake;

10:29 - [ In Context | Read Chapter | Discuss this Verse ]
[ Original: Greek | Multi-Translation | Make Poster ]
I mean not your own conscience, but the other man's; for why R405 is my freedom judged by another's conscience?

10:30 - [ In Context | Read Chapter | Discuss this Verse ]
[ Original: Greek | Multi-Translation | Make Poster ]
If I partake with thankfulness, why R406 am I slandered concerning that for which I give R407 thanks?

10:31 - [ In Context | Read Chapter | Discuss this Verse ]
[ Original: Greek | Multi-Translation | Make Poster ]
Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever R408 you do, do all to the glory of God.

[LithiumViolets]

thanks alot plumedsnake! where did you get the Odu verses? that's awesome that you transcribed them-- very helpful, as were the references to sharing food offerings in the Bible :thumbsup:

[plumedsnake]

thanks alot plumedsnake! where did you get the Odu verses? that's awesome that you transcribed them-- very helpful, as were the references to sharing food offerings in the Bible :thumbsup:

I get them from a wide variety of sources. There are many books out there and I had a padrino/oluwo who taught me a few. Plus, whenever I get a chance and meet awo gathered together I ask if I can record the recitations. I've got friends who do the same and we share resources.

The books out there that I know are:

Ifa-a complete divination by Ayo Salami

Ijinle ohun Enu Ifa by Wande Abimbola (though this is in yoruba and there're no translations)

The Odu of Lucumi by James Kulevich (this doesn't have the verses but interpretations of the verses. The problem is that you don't know how he's come about the exegesis cos he hasn't included the verse.)

The Sacred Ifa Oracle by Epega and Neimark

Ifa festival by Dr. Abosede Emanuel (documents a festival and has some verses from the major odu.)

Then there's a series of books by Osamaro Ibie called Ifism. He doesn't actually give the verses but he tells the stories that are associated with the verses. And he gives an exegesis too. It's a bit hard to read for non nigerians because it is written in very nigerian english and there are phrases that just won't make sense, not to mention mispellings and use of the wrong words. Like he will talk about tigers when it's a known fact that tigers don't exist in africa but are asian, plus he also tells stories about dinosaurs etc. It will help to know that many uneducated nigerians call any big animal a tiger whether it's a tiger or not.

To get the deeper verses it will require learning from the oral traditions. YOu'll need a teacher or join with a group of students who share what they learn.

[LithiumViolets]

To get the deeper verses it will require learning from the oral traditions. YOu'll need a teacher or join with a group of students who share what they learn.


thanks again...what group/House are you with, if you don't mind me asking, or are you currently with a house? as I said in the post before, I'm currently looking for a new house or Madrina/Padrino to teach me as my previous Madrina is going through all that stuff I described. Could you point me in any direction, particularly locally in Atlatan/Decatur, GA where I now live? (also, another problem with me looking for a new house is I've heard from several santeros online and my previous Madrina that Atlanta especially is a place with very shady, non-traditional and deceitful "teachers" of the Religion so it's hard to find a credible teacher here...)

[Teresa]

The books out there that I know are:

Ifa-a complete divination by Ayo Salami

The Sacred Ifa Oracle by Epega and Neimark

Ifa festival by Dr. Abosede Emanuel (documents a festival and has some verses from the major odu.)

To get the deeper verses it will require learning from the oral traditions. You'll need a teacher or join with a group of students who share what they learn.

I have gotten a couple of these books and am looking for Ifa Festival currently. The Sacred Ifa Oracle seems to be pretty good thus far. :thumbsup:

[plumedsnake]

I have gotten a couple of these books and am looking for Ifa Festival currently. The Sacred Ifa Oracle seems to be pretty good thus far. :thumbsup:

I read this yesterday and it prompted me to start reading The Sacred Ifa Oracle again. I read up to Eji Ogbe, that is the first Odu.

Notice the meanings of the names of the titular Awos. These are the first 2 or 3 verses. They are said to have divined for a client at some mythological past time.

Otito l'omi fi ntele Isa wasn't translated. It means that it is in Truth that Water follows the ebbing tide. I would interpret that to meant that one should be like water whose actions are timely in truthfully moving in accordance to the rhythms of the tide. The reference is to be True to yourself.

Also Ototooto and Ororooro mean distinction or separateness. Ifa always emphasises the individuality of people. We have to be true to that which sets us apart. Meeting people is like eating peanuts. We've all eaten nuts and are aware that each and every nut has it's own distinctive taste. Some are sweet others are sour, some are outright bitter. A connoisseur nut eater will never throw a whole handful of nuts into his mouth in one go. the Sour ones would ruin the taste of the sweeter ones and there'll be a horrible clash. Instead Ototo li ai j'epa which means that individually is the way to eat nuts. That way we get to savour each one on it's own terms. Like, hmm that one was really nice, hmm . . . interesting . . hmmmmmmm what flavour . . . . euuuwww! The same truth holds for human beings too. Everyone has his own individual quality that needs to be savoured separately from the group.

The essence of a verse will be found in the titular awos of the verse and they often require meditation in order to reveal their meanings to the devotee.

The Ayo Salami book also has eji ogbe verses that start with the Ototooto and ororooro awos. In those verses it is very explicit that the child born will be particularly unique in character. It also goes deeper into the sexual process that brings about such a child.

It would be really good if we could discuss verses and share our insights into the verses. But first I guess enough people need to have the books or know the verses.


Could you point me in any direction, particularly locally in Atlatan/Decatur, GA where I now live? (also, another problem with me looking for a new house is I've heard from several santeros online and my previous Madrina that Atlanta especially is a place with very shady, non-traditional and deceitful "teachers" of the Religion so it's hard to find a credible teacher here...)

Alas I couldn't help you, I live in England.