Mojuba: Sacred
Lukumí Invocation
ãExcerpt from my book “Didá Obí. . .Adivinación a Traves del Coco.”
Carolina: El Impresor, 1980.
The mojuba
outline that follows is an excerpt from a book I published in Puerto Rico in
1980. I designed the structure of this mojuba
for the first seminar offered by the Templo Yoruba Omo Orisha de Puerto Rico,
in 1980, which I taught. Since then, I
have used it in various seminars I have taught in Miami, California, Chicago
and Michigan. This is not meant to be the
definitive mojuba, but basically a pattern that any devotee,
ordained or not, can follow in a meaningful manner.
Every act of
worship or devotion in Lukumí religion must start with a libation of fresh
water followed by an invocation of praise and prayer known as a mojuba. The word comes from the Yoruba emi—
I; and ajuba—salute. “I salute.”
This invocation
is divided into various sections. The
first of these sections starts with a salutation to Olodumare, calling
Him/Her by all His/Her praise names, in an act that acknowledges and pays
tribute to the Divine Creator and His/Her Omnipotence. Though often cited as a silent and distant
Deity, in Lukumí tradition Olodumaré must be revered in all rituals for
without the Supreme Being, nothing would be possible.
After paying
homage to Olodumaré, we pay tribute to two ancestors that play a major
role in the scheme of Lukumí religion.
These are Asedá (Ashedá) and Akodá, two important
ancestors believed to be the first two disciples of Olodumaré, entrusted
with dispersing the sacred word of Olodumaré and the orishas throughout
the world. Babalawos believe
them to be the first two disciples of Orúnmilá who helped him
disseminate Ifá and its wisdom to all humankind. They were the first religious ambassadors of
Yoruba (and by extension Lukumí) religion.
We continue by
paying homage to time. We acknowledge the
past, the present, and the future, the indispensable witnesses of humankind's
minute voyage through the realm of existence.
In so doing, we pray for the continued existence of the world and our
species.
Next, we pay
tribute to our mother and father, iyátobí and babátobí, the two
most essential individuals without which we would obviously not exist. A very family oriented people, the Lukumí
and their descendents lend great importance and respect to their progenitors
whom they adore during their lifetime and continue to adore even after they are
dead. In fact, one’s parents are as
sacred as any orisha. In the
initiation rituals, the Obá Oriaté must pay homage to our parents at
important intervals during the ceremony.
We then pay
homage to ará—the earth; the physical body or planet—and ilé—the
soil we step on as well as the house we live in. As a silent overseer, this planet provides for our existence and
is the eventual receptor of all our actions.
Ilé gives us life, nurtures us through the length of our
existence, and upon our death we must in turn nourish her with the body she
sustained during these years. As is
well known, the Olorisha cannot be cremated, but must return to the
earth that which she provided us.
The second
section of a mojuba consists of salutations to our ancestors. In the Lukumí tradition, the
ancestors are called Egúngún or Egún. These are not to be confused with Araorún (Araonú)—citizens
of heaven; and Iwín—vagrant souls that roam the earth. Egúngún are solely those spirits that
are related to us by blood and through our orisha lineage. All others are Araorún. Iwín are negative entities, usually
spirits of people who have died before their due time, either by suicide or
through the influence of witchcraft or sorcery. Though it is not orthodox practice, there are Olorishas
who pay tribute in their mojubas to spiritual guides. This is an error. These entities are recognized in a particular and generalized
segment of the mojubá, and should not be included among our Egún
because they simply are not Egún.
Araorún, as will be seen, are acknowledged in the final stanza of
the second segment when we say: Mojuba gbogbowán olodó araorún,
oluwó, iyalosha, babalosha, omó kolagbá Egún mbelése Olodumare
The Lukumí consider
the ancestors as important and as sacred as the orisha, and worthy of
the same respect. In fact, Egún complements
orisha as is clear from the proverb ikú l’obí osha—it is death
that gives birth to the orisha. Unfortunately, the reason for this cannot be revealed in a public
forum of this nature. At this stage in
the mojuba, ones ancestors are called so they may help in the proper
execution of the ceremonies to take place and offer their support and wisdom
for the benefit of the present. After
having saluted the devotee’s Egungún, we then pay trinbute to those
ancestors that accompany ones iyalorisha—godmother; babálorisha—godfather;
ojigbona—assistant to the iyá or babálorisha for ones
ordination, and of all those present within the household.
The third and final
stage consists of a prayer to Olodumaré and all the other entities we
called before so they may ensure the well being of the devotee, of his/her
loved ones, and of all those who may be present. Prayers are said so that no harm will come to any of the present,
and so that no misfortune afflicts them that are not within their chosen
destiny.
Mojuba Olofín, Mojuba Olorún, Mojuba Olodumare
Olorún Alabosudayé, Alabosunifé
Olorún Alayé, Olorún Elemí
Mojuba Ashedá, Mojuba Akodá
Mojuba ayaí odún, oní odún, odún olá
Mojuba babá, Mojuba yeyé
Mojuba ará, Mojuba ilé
Mojuba gbogbowán olodó araorún, oluwó, iyalosha, babalosha, omó
kolagbá Egún
mbelése Olodumare
Araorún, ibá é layén t’orún "so‑and‑so," (to which the present respond) ibá é
Names of all the Egún ibá
é
Known by the Olosha ibá
é
_________________ ibá é, etc...
After saluting
all the ancestors known or reverenced according to the tradition or the Olorisha’s
lineage, the priest/ess says:
Ibá é layén t’orún gbogbó Egún araorún orí emí naní ___________ ______
(One’s own name is mentioned in reverence to one's ancestors)
(those
that accompany ones iyalorisha or babálorisha)
Ibá é layén t’orún gbogbó Egún araorún orí Ojigbona emí_______ _______
(The
priest or priestess who served as your Ojigbona)
Ibá é layén t’orún gbogbó Egún araorún orí ni gbogbó igboro kalé
ilé
(Of all those who are present)
Ibá é layén t’orún gbogbó Egún, gbogbowán olodó, lagbá lagbá,
Araorún, otokú timbelayé, mbelése Olorún, Olodumare.
Kinkamashé __________________ (Iyálorisha or Babálorisha)
Kinkamashé __________________ (Ojigbona)
Kinkamashé __________________ (Oriaté)
Kinkamashé __________________ (Babalawó if applicable)
Kinkamashé __________________ (Whatever living Olorishas
from your lineage you may want to salute of pray for)
Kinkamashé Orí‑Eledá emí naní ____________________ (You)
Kinkamashé gbogbó kalenú, igboró, aburó, ashíre, Oluwó,
Iyalosha, Babalosha, kale ilé.
Mojuba I
salute or I pay homage to
Olofín Owner
of the palace
Olorún Owner
of the sky
Olodumare Owner
of the vast expanse of the universe
Alabosudayé All-embracing
protector of the earth
Alabosunifé All-embracing
protector of the town of Ifé
Alayé The
living one (God)
Elemí Owner
of the breath
Ashedá & Akodá Holy
messengers
Ayaí odún The
days that were; the past
Oní odún The
days that are; the present
Odún olá The
days that will be; the future
Babá Father
Iyá Mother
Yeyé Mommy
Ará Body;
the planet
Ilé The soil we thread upon; the house
we're in
Gbogbowán olodó Those who
have departed from our path and are living at the river’s edge (deceased Olorishas)
Araorún (Araonú) Citizen
of heaven
Oluwó Ifá
priest
Iyalosha Mother
in orisha; priestess
Babalosha Father
in orisha; priest
Omó kolagbá High
priest, endowed and knowledgeable in all aspects of the religion
Mbelesé At
the foot of
Ibá é layén t’orún (t’orún) Those
that have departed to the land in heaven (orún reré)
Alagbá lagbá All
elders, present and not. (lit. an elder among elders)
Otokú He/she
who has died
Timbelayé Firmly
in the other world
Kinkamashé Let
nothing (negative) happen to
Ojigbona Assistant
to the initiating Iyá or Babálorisha
Oriaté The
high priest/ess who performs the ordination ceremonies
Emí naní I;
myself
Gbogbó kalenú All
those present in the house
Igboro Visitors
Aburo Brother
or sister
Ashiré Children;
mount or horse of the Orishas (person who is possessed by an Orisha)
Kalé ilé All
those who are in the house
This first group are vaguely remembered pioneers who may have
been in Cuba in the early nineteenth century.
Virtually nothing at all is known about these Olorishas, other than the
fact that most of them were associated with the Cabildo San José 80.
Gbangboshé Awapitikó
Malaké la grande
Malaké la Chiquita
Dadá
Kaindé
Adeú
Tawadé
Odé Waro
Ña Inés, Yenyé T’Olokún
Teresita Ariosa, Oñí Osun (though some sources have said say she was named
Oshún Funké or Oshún Kayodé)
Omó Delé
Obankolé
Adufé
Though some of the Olorishas in the following group are just as enigmatic as the above, they are better remembered as they were active during the latter nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Egbado progenitor, Omó Oshosi. In the last quarter of the nineteenth century, Efunshé may have
introduced the Havana-centric adoshú osha ceremony practiced today that
eventually spread to the rest of the island
Egbado progenitor, Oní Shangó. Obá Tero is the source of many Egbado orishas in Cuba: Olokún,
Oduduwá, Boromú, Yewá, and others. Her
lineage is very well rooted in Matanzas.
Ordained by Ma Monserrate González, Oshabí became known as the most reputable source in Cuba of Egbado orishas such as Olokún, Yewá and Oduduwá until her death in 1950. She inherited this knowledge from her iyalorisha Obá Tero.
Oyó priestess who founded a lineage in
the town of Pueblo Nuevo in Matanzas.
Her lineage is probably the second
most populous lineage in Matanzas.
Oní Shangó and one of the early Obá Oriatés. She trained Octavio Samá, Obadimejí.
Founder of the lineage commonly referred to as “la
pimienta”—pepper. It is unclear if she
was an Oló Oshún or an Oní Yemojá. She
was ordained in Cuba by an iyalorisha known as Teresita Oshún Funké,
probably the same Teresita Ariosa. One source says she was ordained by La China Silvestre, Oshún Miwá, and another says that Apóto was the one who ordained Oshún Miwá.
Founder of another important lineage in Havana. Tibursia Sotolongo, Oshún Mewá and Obá Oriaté Abelardo Bequé (Becker), Oñí Osun (Tibursia's
Ño Filomeno García, Atandá
Babalawó, onilú—drummer—and abegí—carver, who together with Añabí, carved the first orthodox batá drums built in Cuba. Atandá is also reputed to have carved the Olokún (possibly Geledé) masks used in nineteenth century Cuba in the town of Regla to dance for this orisha
Babalawó, onilú—drummer—and abegí—carver—who together with
Atandá, carved the first orthodox batá drums built in Cuba
Probably one of the earliest Babalawos to arrive to the island,
ca. 1830 and may have had some participation in the ceremonies to create
Atandá’s and Añabí’s first batá drums in Cuba.
Though he entered Cuba through Matanzas, where he lived for a number of
years, he was also well known in Regla where he spent his last 35 years on the
island and initiated the Cabildo Yemayá that was later inherited by his
daughter Josefa “Pepa” Herrera, Eshúbí.
The first male and Cuban-born Obá Oriaté, disciple of Latuán. Obadimejí was ordained twice once to Oshún in his native Sabanillas, and then to Aganjú when he arrived to Havana in the late 1800s. Latuán and Efunshé refused to believe that he was ordained and demanded that he go through the ordination ritual again. In the itá, it was discovered that he truly had been ordained. Hence his name, “king becomes two (or as it is interpreted in Cuba, he who was crowned twice).
Ordained in 1896 by Tranquilina Balmaseda, Omí Saya, a religious
descendant of Efunshé. Oshún Kayodé was
probably the second male Oriaté, partly trained by Latuán.
Some sources believe that she was
Efunshé’s daughter. Others say that
they were just good friends. Lydia
Cabrera
called her the “last great female
apuón.” She was possibly the first
Olorisha of Oshosi ordained in Cuba.
Adeshina’s daughter and possibly the first Olorisha ordained to
Elegbá in Cuba. Ña Inés, Yenyé T’Olokún
and Ma Monserrate González, Obá Tero were the ones who ordained her in the last
quarter of the nineteenth century. She
is best remembered for the Cabildo processions that she paraded yearly through
the town of Regla in honor of Yemojá and Oshún
He was a famous Babalawó who died in 1945, and probably the
first ordained in Cuba. Adeshina made
him in the late 1800s. Best known for
being the first Babalawó to consecrate Olokún for other Babalawós in the early
twentieth century
Until the Cuban Revolution, Aurora Lamar was probably the most
proliferous Iyalorisha in Cuba, ordaining well over 2000 people. She introduced the religion to Santiago de
Cuba in the 1940s. Her lineage is
probably the most extensive lineage today.
Tomás
Romero was Obadimejí’s only disciple. He
was one of the most popular Oriatés after the death of his mentor.
Obá Tolá was ordained by Obadimejí in 1941, and apprenticed
under him until his godfather’s death in 1944.
Though he worked with his godfather a very short period of time, he had
brought to Havana knowledge that he had obtained from his family in his native
Carlos Rojas in Matanzas. He was a
descendant of a long line of Olorishas.
He is most remembered for having written the very first book ever in Cuba
on Lukumí religion, published in the 1950s: “El Lucumí al Alcance de Todos.”
One of the two most important Oriaté who succeeded Tomás
Romero’s generation.
The following are important Egún from the Cuban-Lukumí
Diaspora.
The first Olorisha to perform a full ordination in New York city
in 1964.
The first Olorisha to perform a full ordination in Miami in 1964
Together with Viki Gómez, Osha Inle (still alive), Oshún Wé was
Oriaté the first ordination that took place in the United States in 1964
The first African-American to travel to Cuba in the 1950s to
seek out Lukumí religion. He was
ordained by an Om’orisha of the late Fermina Gómez, Oshabí
The first Babalawó in the United States and possibly one of the
first Olorishas to establish residence in this country in the twentieth century
Oshaweyé was one of the most important Oriatés during the formative years of the religion in the Unisted States. He died in Los Angeles in 1980.
Asunta Serrano, Osá’unkó
Osá’unkó, was probably one of the first Puerto Ricans ordained into Lukumí religion. She was made in Cuba in the late 1950s by Olga Morales, Oshún Funké, a descendant of Aurora Lamar. She was one of the early pioneers in New York city and one of the first Lukumís to visit Yorubaland after 1959.