Ìwúre Ọ̀ṣun

[Omowale]

Ẹ káàrọ̀ !

Blessings everyone. I stumbled upon this prayer. I would like a translation and discussion on the following prayer to the river deity:

Ọ̀ṣun ṣéǹgẹ̀ṣẹ́ olóòyà iyùn!
Arẹwà obìnrin, alágbo l'ódò
A'wẹ'dẹ'wẹ'mò, af'idẹ-rẹ'mọ
Apẹ́níbú-ṣọlá, apẹ́lódò-ṣ'ọrọ̀ ọmọ
Ọ̀ṣun abú'ra Olú
Òwa'yanrìn'wa'yanrìn ko'wósí!
Ọ̀ṣun oníkìí, ẹni idẹ kìí sún
Òyéye-n'ímọ̀, amọ-awo-má-rò
Omi-amọ̀ọ́-rìn, omi a-mọ̀ọ́ sun
Obìnrin gb'ọ̀nà, ọkùnrin ń sá
Ọ̀gbàdàgbàdà l'ọ́yàn
Gbàdàmùgbádámú obìnrin kò ṣe é gbámú!
Oore Yèyé Ọ̀ṣun!
Látójokú, Yèyé ọ̀pọ̀
Ìyá ab'óbìrin gb'àtọ̀, Ládékojú ab'ọ́kùnrin gb'ase
Ìyá tí kò l'éegun tí kò l'ẹ́jẹ̀
Ladekoju ebora tí ń gbé nù omi
Elétíi gb'áròyé, ọ̀gbàgbà tí ń gb'ọmọ rẹ̀ l'ọ́jọ́ ìjà!
Yèyé mi ọl'ọ́wọ́ aró
Yèyé mi ẹlẹ́sẹ̀ osùn
Yèyé mi a'jímọ́-roro
Yèyé mi a'bímọ má yànkú
Yèyé mi aláàgbo àwẹ̀yè
Aríbáni-gbọ́-nípa-t'ọmọ!
Oore Yèyé gbà mí, ẹni a ní ní ń gba ni!
Omi oooo!
Ọta oooo!
Ẹri oooo!
Ẹdan oooo!
Ẹ k'óre Yèyé Ọ̀ṣun oooooo!

[Atipo]

I'll try my best to translate!

1.Hail Ọ̀ṣun ṣéǹgẹ̀ṣẹ́, the one with the coral comb!
2. The beautiful woman, the one who possess herbal medicine in the river!
3. A'wẹ'dẹ'wẹ'mò, she who lulls her baby with brass
4. The one who remains in the depths of the river makes wealth, the one who stays in the river that deals with matters concerning children
5. Ọ̀ṣun the one who swears olú (prominent one, lord)
6. The one who searches in the sand...
7. Ọ̀ṣun oníkìí, the one of brass does not sleep
Òyéye-n'ímọ̀, amọ-awo-má-rò
8. The cool water from the clay pot walks, that which the cool water from the clay pot flows from
9. The woman goes on the road, the men flee!
10. The one with the large breasts
11. The powerful woman that cannot be grabbed!
12. The blessings of Yèyé Ọ̀ṣun!!
13. Látójokú, the mother of many!
14. The mother who helps women take care of their children, Ládékojú, the one who helps men
15. The mother who has no bones or blood
16. Ládékojú the orisha that lives inside the river (water)
17. The good listener of both realistic and unrealistic requests, the powerful one who saves her children on the day of war
18. My mother who has hands the color of indigo dye
19. My mother the one with camwood legs
20. My mother the one who wakes up with "roro"
21. My mother who gives birth and does not choose to die
22. My mother the Alaagbo river who swims to stay alive
23. The one who sees to it to hear a person's concerns about children
24. May the blessings of the Mother save me, the person we have is the one who saves
25. The mighty water!!!
26. The mighty bullet!!! (or stone)
27. The mighty river!!!
28. The mighty brass sculpture!!!
29. May we gather the blessings of Yèyé Ọ̀ṣun!!

[Omowale]

Ẹ ṣé o!

Beautiful. I appreciate that you numbered each line.  Interesting it is similar to a prayer I know but with some variation.

A couple questions. I am unfamiliar with Ọ̀ṣun being called  Ládékojú. Atleast it seems according to the translation that both names are being used interchangeably. But there must be significance in the name Ládékojú.

Also, the prayer mentions Alaagbo river. I am not sure how old this prayer is. I am curious if Alaagbo river exists still and where it can be found in Yorubaland?

I also do not fully understand this line 7: "Ọ̀ṣun oníkìí, the one of brass does not sleep" hmm... What is her relation to brass?

Anyway, May her healing waters protect us and carry us to our destinies.

[Atipo]

1. Not sure of the etymology of Ládékojú but its an oríkì of Yèyé in the way Láàlú is an oríkì of Èsù.
2. I actually figured out the translation by looking up aláàgbo, it is still a river near the town of Èjìgbò in Osun state, probably a tributary of the Osun River
3. Osun is often associated with brass because of the many forms brass jewelry take. Also most of her shrines have brass instruments In the Odu Osetura, Osun is associated with brass, here's a link!!

https://books.google.com/books?id=XIx0TjQb8yEC&pg=PA102&lpg=PA102&dq=brass+Osun&source=bl&ots=gIpZ3n5tkZ&sig=ACfU3U0OKcDqzqJMrNYhicvDDBW9KsCdZg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiH0uTdx572AhXwq3IEHTmZAdk4ChDoAXoECCAQAg

Happy to learn more about Èyé Kárè (the Èkìtì name for Osun). Thanks for sharing the prayer!

[Omowale]

1. O ye mi.

2. Wow thank you. Thats a good lead.  Would be cool to do some research on the town's relationship with Osun.

3. You have gave me a very valuable resource. I knew Osun was associated with brass but I never knew why. You have given me (and who ever reads this thread) a nice source to improve understanding.

Thank you for the translation and scholarly research you put in!

[Atipo]

Thank you!
Regarding the name Ládékojú, now that I have confirmed the accent marks, I could interpret the name as "aládé-kojú" which means "the royal (literally the person with the crown) that is not afraid to come face-to-face with someone."

This is just a guess I don't have any source for this, but the dictionary I have associates the verb "kojú" (to dare to face someone) with the orisha Ọya, so it wouldn't be to far of a stretch to assume that you could associate it with Ọ̀ṣun too.

[Omowale]

Interesting. I've looked into the source you gave me, and I was not aware of the significance of brass in Yorubaland!

.. copper has not ascertained to be obtainable in Nigeria and theres is no word for Zinc in Yorubaland (Murphy, p.111).

The author went on to say that it was obtained bu the Yoruba through traders from the North through the trans-Saharan caravan trade. Brass was a luxury.

Osun then must be a very rich orisa to have been referred to as owning enough brass to "keep on a shelf" and "lull her children with" as indicated in her praise name. The association of brass with Osun shows her as a powerful medicine woman and diviner, popular and rich enough to wear the most valuable ornaments (Murphy, p. 111).

Since brass is not considered a very precious metal in todays world. Perhaps we should speak of Osun with ornaments of gold or white gold.

 
Also thanks for your translation. I believe kojú definitely fits then.

[Atipo]

Interesting. I've looked into the source you gave me, and I was not aware of the significance of brass in Yorubaland!

.. copper has not ascertained to be obtainable in Nigeria and theres is no word for Zinc in Yorubaland (Murphy, p.111).

The author went on to say that it was obtained bu the Yoruba through traders from the North through the trans-Saharan caravan trade. Brass was a luxury.

Osun then must be a very rich orisa to have been referred to as owning enough brass to "keep on a shelf" and "lull her children with" as indicated in her praise name. The association of brass with Osun shows her as a powerful medicine woman and diviner, popular and rich enough to wear the most valuable ornaments (Murphy, p. 111).

Since brass is not considered a very precious metal in todays world. Perhaps we should speak of Osun with ornaments of gold or white gold.

 
Also thanks for your translation. I believe kojú definitely fits then.

Well if you look at most of the heads of Oduduwa, Olokun, and Obalufon, they are all made from Brass. If you look a little to the East you can see how brass casting was widespread in the Benin empire. Thats why I think that some parts of the south most likely produced brass, in addition to receiving it through trade from the trans-saharan routes, they seemed to be very important and widespread and from archaeological evidence in Benin, older than the trans-saharan trade roots.

Thanks again!

Interestingly there is a pre-colonial word for copper in Yoruba "bàbà" but I guess its possible it was obtained via trade.

[Omowale]

Interesting, so brass could have been there predating the Trans-Saharan trade.

On another note, why do you think child birth is associated with flowing river waters?

Osun is said to carry her children, like the river will carry wood.

[Atipo]

Interesting, so brass could have been there predating the Trans-Saharan trade.

On another note, why do you think child birth is associated with flowing river waters?

Osun is said to carry her children, like the river will carry wood.

I believe water is associated with childbirth because it is a bringer of life. Water is the first thing a child is given, water is crucial to humans and our existence.
Also flowing waters also bring life through the watering of plants and being a source of fresh water for cooking, drinking, and bathing.

[Omowale]

I believe water is associated with childbirth because it is a bringer of life. Water is the first thing a child is given, water is crucial to humans and our existence.
Also flowing waters also bring life through the watering of plants and being a source of fresh water for cooking, drinking, and bathing.

True, that is pretty much a universal concept. Just like large breasts symbolizing fertility, nurturing, and fruitfulness.

Also I noticed:

My mother the one who wakes up with "roro"

What is "roro"?

[Atipo]

I believe water is associated with childbirth because it is a bringer of life. Water is the first thing a child is given, water is crucial to humans and our existence.
Also flowing waters also bring life through the watering of plants and being a source of fresh water for cooking, drinking, and bathing.

True, that is pretty much a universal concept. Just like large breasts symbolizing fertility, nurturing, and fruitfulness.

Also I noticed:

My mother the one who wakes up with "roro"

What is "roro"?

Wasn't sure what roro was which is why I didn't translate it, it's probably an ideophone