IWURE/ISURE

IWURE/ISURE

Iwure, breaking down the words would give us iwu and ire which mean to bring forth/unearth and goodness/blessings . Isure on the other hand is from isu and ire  which means to come/break forth from underneath a surface and goodness/blessings respectively. 

The unearthing and breaking forth come from the ground (ile), holds important significance in Yoruba belief. It is believed that blessing/goodness are made available via ile empowered by Olodumare irrespective of the deities one worships or is aligned with. 

The awuro (priest/priestess) is important in the process as they are seen as the intermediary between people and Olodumare who is the Supreme being. Their spiritual training and their knowledge as well as equipment with the command system of Ase makes them integral to the process.  

Opefeyitemi’s aims to simplify and show the process between the supreme being, humans and everything in between. He explains that the process flows between Olodumare(supreme God) and Esu, Esu(trickster god) and Oosa, Oosa(divinities) and Aworo, Aworo(priests) and Eniyan(man) and finally, links between Olodumare, Iponri(guardian soul) and Eniyan.

Before the iwure takes place, orisa’s/oosa’s are given something to eat. Now this varies as the orisa’s have their peculiar taste but there are some common elements though, such as igbin(snail), obi(kolanut) and eyele (pigeon). 

When the orisa’s have been fed, the iwure occurs which involves the oriki of the orisa’s as well as singing, sometimes the entire iwure is sung. After this, the process Opefeyitemi describes is believed to take place and the blessings/goodness requested for are unearthed. 

The blessing sought by iwure can for different scenarios; for weddings, undertaking a journey, at a celebration, at the birth of a child, for the work of one’s hand etc

Below is the English translation of an iwure for Osun:

Great Mother, the Osun water

Greeting, the waters that walk

Abideremo this is your kola

Drive death away

Drive disease away

Drive loss away

May our house not be ‘hot’

May our path not be ‘hot’

May our wives not be ‘hot’

May our children not be ‘hot’

Great Mother Oh
May we not die prematurely

The Mother of Oso, greetings

This is your aadun, let our lives be sweet.

Let is be cold as early morning water

Here is your palm oil and salt

Abideremo, let there be peace

The mother, who owns water

We don’t make enmity with water

Let our lives be peaceful

Let it be sweet 

This is your yearly animal

The water that walks

Peace the hand of peace 

Mother, Abideremo

May our bodies be well

May we conquer enemies o

This is your wine

May you remove death

May you remove disease 

If we engage with business

Let us be prosperous

Let the pregnant deliver peacefully

Let the barren nurse children

Let us all be healthy

Nobody can know the secret of sea

Nobody can know the secret of lagoon

May wizards not know our secret

May witches not know our secret

May the medicine-men not covet your 

children from afar

May ‘life’ not trap us

Great Mother 

Water that walks

Bless today’s petition

The mother of children

That which we have said

Water in the river you’ve heard

Abideremo 

Mighty Mother

 

Resources

YouTube Video on Iwure/Isure

Ayọ Ọpȩfeyitimi’s Ìwuré: Medium of Communicating the Desires of Men to the Gods in Yorubaland Journal

Written by

Tishe

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