The Mayomberos.

The Only “Paleros”

Authorized to Make “Garments”?
There is much discussion about this fact and the truth is that all these
discussions are based on error and how the Garments are perceived as such.
Certain entities with which the Babalawo makes agreements and the
attributes he carries are called “Pledges”. As in the Palo Mayombe, these are
agreed with Eggun and carry certain attributes comparable to the Conga or
Bantú Garment.
We have no idea who said that calling them “Garments” is exclusive and
only the prerogative of the Mayomberos. Nor do we know who says that
only they are "paleros", since in all phases of the Ocha/Ifá religion, we must
use sticks, herbs, flowers, etc., and therefore it is not only the power of the
Palo Mayombe to say that they are “Paleros” and they are not the only ones
with the power to make an agreement with Eggun (Nfumbe if you will).
If we analyze, in the Odu of Ifá Otura Bara it is born that it is possible to
agree or buy Eggun, something that precisely the palero does: Agreement or
buy “Dead” and by Ifá it is done according to the parameters of this Odu. If
we see the Odu Okana Ika of the Corpus of Ifá, it gives us the procedures to
assemble these “Garments” and the processes to dismiss them, we can find
them in Otura Niko. In fact, there are “Garments” that are dedicated to Ocha
and are assembled by Ifá. For example, in the Odu Otura Di, a “Garment” is
made based on the Ibeyi called Ayina Bembe Kikoshe. We also have that
“Npakas” can be made through Changó and many other types of
“Garments” from almost all the Ocha.
Another piece of information that we can provide to eliminate these myths
about the “Palero” is that there are Odus of Ifá that have their own
“Garment”, as is the case of Oddi Ogbe, in which we have Iyaba, a garment
of this Odu. in particular, just as we also have, for example, the Odu Irete
Kután, which has not one, but three “Garments” called: Malambo, Iya Osha
Olobe and Iya Kerenjegbe. In this way, there are many other Odu for which
their own “Garment” is created. All this without mentioning the “Pledge”
pacts that can be made for Ozaín.
The basic difference between these “Garments” is that the same thing
happens as with the Ocha assembled by Ifá. Just as the Ocha mounted by Ifá
do not go on anyone's head, in the "Garments" of Ifá THERE IS NO
STRIPE as such. The pact is made differently and following guidelines
established in the Odu of Ifá. Let's leave behind those myths that only the
paleros assemble garments, that in Ifá and Ocha there are only "Spiritual
Cauldrons" or that the tiles are garments or that Orun (Lewe Gold) is a
garment. The Ifá “Garments” are AGREED WITH EGGUN and are
assembled by specific procedures, all endorsed by their respective Ifá Odus
and are often physically similar to the Palo garments.
Due to this other religious struggle in America, Neo-traditionalist elements
take advantage of the circumstance and try to show that these are Cuban
inventions and that this does not exist in

Leonel Gámez Osheniwó, Eduardo Conde Ifabilawó and Águila de Ifá Page
43
the “Purity of the sublime Traditional Nigerian Ifá”, which is obviously
false, but these recalcitrant elements of Neo traditionalism, only try to apply
the concept of “Divide et prevail”, in order to distract the attention of Afro-
Cuban religious people, to only hide their own ignorance and at the same
time try to gain followers with their directed proselytism that is not only
aimed at trying to profit by selling falsehoods just to satisfy their dark
commercial purposes, but they also direct these attacks to discredit a
religion that was supported with courage and cunning by our Afro-Cuban
ancestors, who at the time were also YORUBAS,
The “Garments” put together by the Afro-Cuban Ifá are not their
exclusivity, much less their invention, as their own and “Strangers” want to
make it seem. Saying that this is not endorsed by Traditional Ifá is totally
false as we will see later.
The processes to assemble these “Garments” and demonstrate their
existence are supported in two ways: The first is in Our Odu OBARA
MEYI, who tells us how the Egbo searched for the secrets of the
“Garments” in “Congas” lands. This could not have been “invented” by the
slaves in Cuba and they necessarily had to know about this historical fact
and this AFRICAN secret society, which is why this knowledge could only
come from one place: Africa.
We have the second endorsement in Historiography. The Egbo or Ekpe
(Leopards) were a secret society that was mainly composed of the Efik
tribes (Cameroon), bordering what is today Cross River State in
southeastern Nigeria, the Oron and the Ibibio known in the Calabar region .
This Secret Society has a lot to do with ancestor cults (Eggun), focused on
“secrets” (Garments). There was also a secondary Egbo Society, which is
found in the Igbo tribes of the Ngwa and NDOKI area (you see where the
word Ndoki comes from and why they were considered “witches” in Cuba,
which is not a Cuban invention) .
In the same way the Efik/Oron/Ibibio/Igbos arrived as slaves to Cuba and
from this AFRICAN society that worked with CLOTHES, what is known
today as the ABAKUÁ in Cuba emerged. As the reader will observe, this
came direct and non-stop from Africa. The groups of slaves that arrived
from this region of Calabar were those who were colloquially called
CARABALÍES.
The “fused” cults are not exclusively Cuban, they also occurred in the
bordering regions of the Yoruba Empire, especially in the shadow of secret
societies such as the Egbo and the Ogboni. With these historical facts, it is
easy to realize that it is not INVENTED, since it has been a fact recorded,
both by our Corpus of Ifá, and by history and anthropology books. But one
thing should be clear: It is not that the Babalawos send people out to get
involved in a belief that is a religion per se. We do not want to intervene in
this religion, it is only that Ifá tells the Babalawo that the person requires
this lineage, as an additional tool to be able to live in peace, harmony and
prosperity. It is not the Babalawo who rules, nor interferes, with this
process, but it is the Babalawo's obligation to take his godson to a
competent Tata, so that he can perform the necessary consecrations and
ceremonies.
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Signatures and Ajitenas, Cuban Doodles?

Another heritage that we have from these secret cults are the Ajitenas or
signatures that are made for different purposes and that are criticized by
locals and “strangers”, which were used within the Egbo and Ogboni
societies. These “signatures” were made by the Egbo and they called them
Nsibidi.
The Nsibidi are a set of ideographic symbols native to West Africa,
specifically the southeastern region of Nigeria. The name Nsibidi was also
used to refer to the secret priestly society of the Egbo or Ekpe, who are
credited with having invented these “signatures”, which to this day are used
to communicate information about the society.
Nsibidi symbols of the Egbo or Ekpe Secret Society.

It is easy to criticize if the origin, use and esoteric and mystical meaning of
them is completely unknown. It is easy to say and write without any support
that these signatures do not come from Africa. It is easy to say that this is
purely Bantu and that in Africa the Congos and the Yoruba were never
linked. The history and
anthropology, refute beyond any doubt, these UNFOUNDED arguments.
But let's see what these signatures or Ajitenas really teach. To do this we
will use Iconography, Symbolism and semiotics, which we will see in more
detail in another chapter, however, we will try to explain it as simply as
possible.
Las Ajitenas: Purely African Iconism
Iconism is a system of representation that is both linguistic and visual. We
talk about iconism when dealing with the representation of reality through
images. By "reality" we understand "visual reality", considered in its most
easily appreciable elements: colors, shapes, textures, etc. When we talk
about the image, what varies with respect to other models of representation
(acoustic, sensory, linguistic, etc.) is not the relationship that the image can
maintain with its referent, but the unique way that the image has of
substituting, interpret, translate that reality.

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Page 45
Let's now review the definition of Icon:
An icon is an image, picture or representation; It is a sign or symbol that
replaces the object through its meaning, representation or by analogy, as in
Semiotics. We will talk about this in more depth in another chapter.
Taking into account the above, we realize that Ajitenas or Firmas fall within
this description. These signatures are usually painted with chalk on the
ground, fabrics or painted on cedar boards.
They are composed of geometric shapes, arrows, colors and Odu Ifá, which
gives them a specific and therefore Iconographic meaning.
For almost all cultures, spoken language and written or represented
language have great magical powers. That is why prayers and songs, the
Odu Ifá and the Ajitenas, are of great importance when celebrating
Magical/Religious rituals, since these represent the very essence of what is
prayed for or wants to achieve.
The Ajitenas can be basically two forms: those that are intended to represent
the Orisha to entertain him and those that are addressed to an Orisha by the
Odu Ifá. The latter can also be of two forms: Those that contain a specific
Odu within them and those that contain Atenas Ifá within them.
Those that have only one Odu do not necessarily represent what it means,
but rather they represent the person who at the time took out this Odu in the
divination or ceremony and is used to look for the beneficial part (Iré) of
this Odu for the person. Of course this is not always the case.
This individual Odu can also represent the Orisha who rules over the Odu
and with whom we seek to entertain him to achieve what we desire. Those
who have an Ifá Athena, do use what these Odu represent, but
When one of the Odu is completely isolated from the others and
circumscribed, it is because that is the Odu that came out in the divination,
so this represents the person and the other Odu come in to support him.
The symbolism within the Ajitena also varies. Mostly these are drawn with
multiple arrows and they have different meanings, which we will review.
Grouped Arrows: They represent the vicissitudes of life, whether illness,
material losses, lack of means to obtain well-being, lack of material wealth,
etc. These arrows are not always grouped, sometimes there is only one, but
it will be easily recognizable because it is much smaller and they are always
directed towards the path that represents the person. Other times they are
curved, indicating that the vicissitude is inevitable but passes over this path
and does not cross it.
Large or Protruding Vertical Directional Arrows: These can point up or
down. The direction in which they point tells what effect they exert. Thus, if
the arrow points up, it means that this is the path to reach the desired
destination.
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(whatever is requested in the consultation). If the arrow points downward, it

means that the Ajitena is aimed at providing an anchor point to be able to
withstand the situations that the person being consulted is going through and
then bring it to fruition.
Large or Prominent Horizontal Directional Arrows: It is the direction of all
those who can help the consulted at the time and generally always have an
Odu that indicates that it is one more piece of advice that the consulted must
follow to achieve their goals. The Babalawo must keep this in mind, since if
the Ajitena is accepted as part of the Sacrifice, he must give her the advice
of the Odu who has this arrow.
Large Sinuous Arrows: These indicate people's path through life, sinuous
with its ups and downs, good and bad. When seen in an Ajitena, they
represent the path of the person consulted, but they indicate by their
direction that they will complete their request. This arrow indicates that the
path will not be straight, it will be just as winding and slow, but it will arrive
in the direction pointed by the Large or Protruding Vertical Directional
Arrow. Many times drawings of snakes are used to replace these arrows,
which indicates that the person must walk stealthily, so that no harm can be
done.
Spears, Arrows or Crossed Staffs (Defensive position of these weapons or
instruments): These indicate two things. Protection against vicissitudes by
means of spears, arrows or staffs and in the specific case of the Staffs, new
paths or alternatives that will be opened to the consulted (The staff is an
instrument used by walkers and therefore its association with the paths , but
it was and is also used as a weapon to protect oneself from predators, be
they humans or animals)
Let's first look at a simple example with an Ochún signature to counteract
Illness and Instability: If the person is not a santera and in the divination he
is seen, Otrupon Meyi who warns him of illness and who has also been
protecting him Ochún, the Babalawo will be able to place the firm dedicated
to Ochún for good health that shows up and does the prescribed works. Let's
analyze what Ajitena symbolizes.
Five Feathers that indicate that it is Ochún

The Circle that represents the matrix which in turn represents protection

Grouped arrows that symbolize vicissitude, in this case Disease. Also in the case of this firm, it is the
setbacks that cause financial instability

The Consult, who Obtained this Oddun in Divination

The arrows indicate that Ochún will give him firmness, to withstand the illness that is coming, Ochún will
support him. And the number three also indicates stability for Africans

Doing the breakdown we realize that it symbolically coincides with the

purposes for which it was created.

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Page 47
 1. It has the Odu, which in this case represents the person

2. Contains the feathers in the symbolic number of Ochún (5)

3. It has a circle which is the symbol that represents the matrix and
therefore
protection and within this, the Odu that represents, in this case, the
person; which
indicates that Ochún protects him.

4. The main arrows in the direction of anchoring to withstand the

vicissitudes, these
They are three in number and indicate that stability is desired, both
financial and
health and the predominant role of Elegguá, if the advice is not
followed.

5. It has the set of grouped arrows that indicate the vicissitude in number
of five.

As we can see, in this case the deconstruction of this icon has been quite
simple and intuitive and the request that is being made to Ochún “in
writing” is clearly expressed. Now that the concept is a little clearer, we will
move on to analyze an Ajitena that is a little more complex in structure,
using the same principles.
The person comes to consult Ifá and in the divination comes Oddi Meyi
which indicates that the person has all the paths to their goals closed. The
divination also indicates that Elegguá protects and asks for an offering. The
Babalawo draws the signature of the example and places Elegguá on it and
then makes the offering. Let's analyze what the consulted person requests,
through the Babalawo with this Ajitena.
The sinuous Serpents indicate that the path of men is never in a straight line, it has its ups and downs,
but that it will reach its destination if it is obedient and does things with stealth (The Serpent)

Oddi Meyi, represents the consulted

Protective circle in this case Elegguá.

Oddi Meyi Indicates that the person is somewhat capricious and is dissatisfied, having to look for new
alternatives and that he is

The grouped half arrows indicate that the path that the consulted had taken to achieve his objective
began with difficulties that hinder progress. They also indicate that these setbacks were the reason for
the consultation. ( In Number of Three )

Crossed Walker's Staff, represent new paths ( to add three ), to reach the objective and that has support (
Elegguá ). Arrows indicate anchoring for stability. The fact that they are crossed indicates protection

passing jobs.

many

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As we see, the symbolism is compatible with what the consulted asks for
and the fact of placing Elegguá over the signature to indicate what is desired
through symbolism is obvious.
The Serpent: From the jungles of Africa to the cold plains of northern
Europe; From the fertile fields to the deserts of Australia, the snake has been
praised, feared and worshiped. Mythologies about Serpents are probably the
most widespread mythologies that humanity has recorded. (Ophiolatry).
Therefore, we want to note that for the African, the Snake is not always a
malefic animal as such. This represents the roads because it can be found
everywhere, the jungle, the rivers, the sea, the mountains, etc. That is why,
as such and its sinuous way of moving, it clearly represents, in the African
perception, the sinuous paths of human beings through life.
Of course, the perception of the snake by the African depends largely on
what species of snake is being talked about and not only that, it can also
mean the role it plays in a Pataki. The poisonous ones like the Cobra, if
considered evil in many cases, the non-venomous ones like the Boa, are
considered by the African as a symbol of health, life and sexuality.
In the ajitena, we can then interpret that the snake in this case is a sinuous
path of health, life and sexuality, problems that Oddi Meyi is full of.
Reinforcing the idea of protection in the paths of life, we have the Cayados
that, as said, represent new paths or alternatives that will be opened to the
consulted, as well as an instrument of defense, for what the ajitena “tells”
the Orisha to defend the consulted.
The snake is also often perceived as a symbol of power. For example, for
the Arará the world is resting on a Serpent and it is one of their main deities
(Mawu-Lisa) and is included in their creation stories. In these cultures,
snakes are the vehicle of communication with the Deities. For the Fon,
Haussa and Ewe cultures this represents the Rainbow. For Catholics, if it
has a diabolical meaning, it was in fact a snake that made Eve sin.
Even more symbolic is that the vicissitudes (Obstacles = Elegguá) are
represented by groups of three arrows and the paths represented in the
Ajitena are also three, this indicates why the Ajitena is directed to Elegguá
apart from the fact that the number three also represents stability.
Having clarified the doubts about the role of the Serpent in the Ajitena and
why the Ajitena is from Elegguá, we will now move on to analyze one that
is exclusively from Orisha and as an example we will take a signature from
Obbatalá.
Now let's analyze an Ajitena that does not have a specific Odu and that is
directed to an Orisha. For this signature we will assume that the person
came by divination and was told that
Leonel Gámez Osheniwó, Eduardo Conde Ifabilawó and Águila de Ifá Page
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He would have prosperity if he fulfilled his sacrifices. In this divination,
Obbatalá came out giving that iré.
The Babalawo draws the signature that we present below, places Obbatalá
on it, does the Moyugbar process and proceeds to make the sacrifices or
offerings prescribed by the oracle within the parameters of the record. But
what does the signature on which Obbatalá is placed request or symbolize?
Let's see what this firm requests “in writing” from the Orisha.

Path
human being for life
The checkered pattern in African symbolism ( Adinkra ) means Protection, Security, Wealth and
Prosperity. (All for which Ajitena can be used)

Path or path to Prosperity

Winding of the

4. . . . .-. .— - — »----4 —
Let's analyze Ajitena and see what it tells us:
1. It has the Representation of Prosperity. (The framework)

2. You have the Way to Prosperity (The straight line that is the direction)
 3. It has the sinuous path of the human being through life and that
indicates that it reaches the
Prosperity. (The sinuous line).

4. It has the directional signs that tell us the good (+) and bad (or) things
that can

cross that road. Let us remember that some good things or what seem
to be strokes of luck make us stray from the path, giving us the
illusion that things are good, but many times they are, as many Ifá
scriptures demonstrate, tricks that Echu puts in our way. path, and
then let ourselves fall into the abyss of our own irresponsibility.

5. Much more symbolic is the representation of Obbatalá. The beginner

will say that he does not see anything that symbolizes Obbatalá in this
Ajitena, but if he counts the number of squares that the framework
has, he will see that it is 8 X 8, the symbolic number of Obbatalá.

With this analysis it can be seen that the Iconography of the signature is in
accordance with the wishes of the consulted and as it is directed to the deity
Obbatalá in particular, we stopped marking it in the analysis, only to
emphasize that in an Ajitena nothing is superfluous, Not to mention,
everything complies with a symbolism, no matter how subtle it may seem,
therefore, we must not stop observing everything that makes it up. As a
curious note, when the Yoruba spin their fabrics, they in turn contain many
of the symbols represented on them.
The Good ( + ) and Bad ( or ) things that are encountered or go through the passage of life, in this case
the passage to prosperity.

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Not all Ajitenas are easy to intuit or deduce, many times we can find
Ajitenas that are a real challenge, but we must remember that we cannot
think like people of the 21st century to try to intuit them; We must think as
Africans and for the purposes of Santería as enslaved Africans that we have
syncretized. We must also keep African thought in mind: “Much is left
unsaid and a story that has been told can be interpreted in many ways,
depending on the imagination and skill of the interpreter.”
With this thought, we must assume that many times not everything is
stipulated in the Ajitenas and take into account that sometimes we can find a
signature that belongs to an Orisha, but there is no clear sign of why. This
can be something as subtle as that this Orisha had some type of participation
in the outcome of the situation seen in the divination, or it could also be
because it has traditionally been drawn to him. For this reason, the more one
knows about the African and Cuban cultures and the more one knows Ifá
and its stories, the symbolism of these Ajitenas will reach the intuition of
those who perceive it with much greater clarity.
Let's see an illustrative example of an Ajitena that in turn contains an
Athena.
A person arrives through divination and the sign obtained is Otura Ogbe.
This Odu indicates that the person consulted has health problems and
Asojuano defends him. The Babalawo makes the Ajitena that is shown and
makes the sacrifices prescribed by the Oracle.
When analyzing the Ajitena, we do not see anything in it with the naked eye
that indicates that it belongs to Asojuano nor can we observe anything that
relates it to diseases. The striking thing about this Ajitena is that the Line of
Things (Good and Bad) that are in the person's path is the one that is being
crossed by groups of arrows of Vicissitudes.
What we can observe are the circle that represents protection and the Athena
that it encloses.
However, when we analyze the Odu Otura Meyi in the aspect of Health, it
warns of a whole series of diseases and illnesses to which the person is
prone.
If we analyze the Odu Ifá Otura Ogbe in its health aspects, it can be seen
that the person is mainly prone to a whole series of health conditions.
Likewise, it is this Odu Ifá that defeats the Lord of Death and three of his
Children (Disease (Arun) 1 who is his beloved son; Migraine or Malaise
(Tau) is the second; Fever (Avuvo) the third).
1
In this particular Odu, Arun (the Disease) is treated as one of the Sons of the Lord of Death,
although in Most Ifá stories she is treated as his Wife.

Leonel Gámez Osheniwó, Eduardo Conde Ifabilawó and Águila de Ifá Page
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Finally, if we analyze Ogbe Otura, we realize that in that Odu is where
diseases spread throughout the world and where the Earth also came to be
left in a state of putrefaction, which is directly associated with Asojuano,
since for the African mentality It is from this putrefaction that Asojuano,
Deity of diseases and epidemics, emerges).
As can be seen in the Ajitena, the circle now does not have a purpose of
protection, but rather of isolating the harmful effects of these Odu in favor
of a path towards stable health represented by the Serpent with an arrow in
the direction of anchorage and that the path The sinuous course of human
life comes to an end undisturbed, except when it deviates and is attacked by
three grouped arrows.
Now we will be able to observe things more as a whole, knowing what each
Odu Ifá that is represented in it means. Let's see:
Path that represents Health

Winding path of the human being

Group of Four arrows indicating “ Death ” caused by disease (Four is the number associated with Death)

Protective Circle that isolates Vicissitudes

Group of seven arrows that indicate that it keeps the Odu of Athena away from the path of the Consult.

Group of three Arrows Indicates that Elegguá will bring Vicissitude if the person deviates from the path
(Does not listen and follows the advice), but leaves two possibilities open.

Group of Three arrows that caused the Vicissitude to disturb the consulted and reach the foot of Ifá.

Main vicissitude, in this case, Disease which is known by the registry.

The downward arrow on the Staff “ anchors ” the person and gives them “stability” or a point of support.

► 4-
Atena Ifá that gives the meaning of Ajitena

As can be seen in this case, the meaning of the Ajitena is clearly seen when
knowing the meaning of the Odu, but it does not solve the enigma of why it
is specifically from Asojuano. In that case, if we count the number of arrows
that Ajitena has, we will realize that these are seventeen, an esoteric number
that corresponds to Asojuano.
Regarding the “Deviation of the Path” it is clear that it leaves two
alternatives, if the person knows that they did not follow advice and consults
again, they can achieve their health path, if they do not return, they will go
back.
It is also easy to deduce that the Ajitena that served as an example, not only
can be used in Odu Ifá Otura Ogbe in case of illness, it can also be used for
the same purpose if the consulted had presented Otura Meyi or Ogbe Otura
in divination.
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All of this is quite intuitive at the time and even more so when you know
what and to whom the Ajitena is directed, but what happens when we do not
know the purpose of an Ajitena, or to whom the Orisha is directed? Again
this depends on the ability to observe, the knowledge of Ifá, its history and
its culture added to the skill and intuition of the observer, but following the
same patterns, it can be deduced.
We emphasize again that many Ajitenas that are found will be a real
challenge to deduce, especially when it comes to “Signatures of Ozaín” and
“Signatures of Eggun”, but by studying their structure, it will be possible to
do so.
With this small study, we can see that signatures are not inventions, much
less a decoration to impress people when we do a work. These, like the
Nsibidi, are designed to give a message. It is worth noting that many old
notebooks indicate that to work with Ifá and Ozaín, it is necessary to ask
them the day, the time and even the direction in which the signature should
go, since these are not done at random either.
But at this moment the reader must be wondering: Why, if the Egbo called
them Nsbidi, did these Cuban Babalawos come to call them Ajitenas? And
with this we also know that their “Brilliant” deduction will be to say that
this is because they were “Inventors”.
We are going to have to regret the fact of disappointing you and show you
the Odu Ofun Yemiló of Nigerian Tradition and why it is called Ajitena
since the character it represents:
Ajitena, Awó Rere (The Good Awó)
Introduction
Ifá says that the person who gets this Odu is a good Awó (Awó
Rere). Ifá says that the person is babalawo from heaven and has to
perform ébó with: XXXX, XXXXX, XXXX, XXXXX, XXXXX,
That Ifá
Isu dapa tele
Nwon a reko apa
Akèrè dapá telè nwon a pejò Omo akèrè kèrè kèrè ni soro Nni soro
fagba jeun
A diffá fun Ajitena
Ti somo bibi inu agbonmiregun Ébó nwon ni o se
Or if gbebo nbe or rubó
O ni e wa wo ajitena awo rere Ofun nlo teye foyeku E wa wo Ajitena
awo rere.

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Page 53

Orin: Ofun had it foyeku Chorus: heen

Babalawo: Ajitena awo rere Chorus: heen
Babalawo: Ofun ajitena awo rere or Ofun Ajitena awo rere
Ofun loo tena foyeku o
Ofun Ajitena awo rere.
Chorus: Ofun Ajitena awo rere o (2) Ofun lo tena foyeku o
Ofun Ajitena awo rere.
Translation
The yam spreads over the earth
They go to the field
To weed the weeds
The frog steps on the ground and with that calls the snake. The little
frog is the one that produces food for its elders.
They performed divination for Ajitena
Who is Agbonmiregun's own son?
They told him he had to make a sacrifice
He listened and made the sacrifice
He says, you come
Let's see Ajitena the good Awó
It was Ofun who started Oyeku
Come see Ajitena the good Awó

Song: Ofun marks the atena for Oyeku Chorus: heen Babalawo:
Ajitena is good Babalawo Chorus: heen Babalawo: Ofun Ajitena is
good Awó (2) It is Ofun who marks the atena for Oyeku Ofun Ajitena
is good Awó.
Explanation
Ifá says that the person is Babalawo from heaven (Latode Orún), Ifá
says that the person has to have a behavior similar to that of
Orunmila and must always be attached to Ifá, they should never
move away from Ifá.
Defending Our Traditions II
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Here is Ajitena who is Babalawo from heaven. He went by divination

to find out if he would be well in the land where he was about to go.
They told him that he should have good behavior on earth and
should be very attached to Ifá, because from heaven, he had chosen
to be Babalawo and he should fulfill it on earth. They told him he had
to make sacrifice. He listened and made the sacrifice. He came down
to earth and became a good Awó (Awó Rere).
Ifá says that it will turn this person into a good Awó. It will also make
this person's sponsors (his godparents) good Babalawos. Ifá says
that if the person has not initiated Ifá, they have to do so as quickly
as possible. Ajitena is the one in charge of painting the atena within
Ibodun de Ifá . The person who has this Odu has to be very attached
to Ifá and must try to be like Orunmila himself.
Ifá Osheniwó Collections

As we see, Ajitena is the specialist in making Athens in Ifá, but the name
and meaning of painting was not lost, it was captured in the name given to
these figures in Cuba, in addition to being an inheritance from the Egbo.
We hope, therefore, that the respectable priests of the Bantu Tradition know
how to distinguish that it is not that the Babalawos usurp the legitimate
place that corresponds to them, it is simply a fact that this is part of the
traditions that were bequeathed to us and that have their own endorsement
both historical, anthropological, cultural and above all religious. For these
respectable members, an affectionate greeting and let us continue working
in harmony, as our beliefs dictate, without wanting to think that the
Babalawos intend to take over their cult, which belongs to a different
religion, but complementary and necessary for Ifá. Far from feeling
offended by this, a respectable Tata should feel proud that no matter how
much Ifá exists, it believes and respects the knowledge of a religion as full
of mysteries and wisdom as Mayombe.

Leonel Gámez Osheniwó, Eduardo Conde Ifabilawó and Águila de Ifá Page
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