c h a p t e r t w o

Hidden Power

O.` s.un, the Seventeenth Odu`

Rowland Abiodun

From O`s.ogbo in O.` s.un State to Ikoro in Ekiti, from Ibadan in O.` yo. to I`ju`mu inKwara State of Nigeria, and throughout the Yoru`ba diaspora in the Caribbean,Latin America, and North America, the Yoru`ba continue to venerate their mostpowerful female o`r`s.a` (deity), O.` s.un. The images alluding to her presence andpower are as diverse as the people and the geographical locations where she isworshiped. Thus, the denition of O.` s.uns identity extends beyond O`s.ogbo andmany Yoru`ba towns where she is believed to have turned into the O.` s.un River,and where festivals are held in her honor annually. Equally complex is O.` s.unspersonality, which has largely been constructed according to her worshipers dif-fering needs and spiritual goals. Be that as it may, there are a few generally heldbeliefs about O.` s.un, namely, that she embodies the very substance of the waterwe drink; with her fan, abe.`be.`, (a noun formed from the verb be.` [to beg]), shebegs the air we breathe, she cools and puries it, neutralizing its negativecontents; and, by virtue of her profession as the foremost hair-plaiting expert inYoru`ba mythology, she affects the destinies of all beings and the o`r`s.a` in profoundways. A well-known ork` (praise citation) introduces her:

O.` s.un, S.e.`e.`ge.`s, O.` s.un, (embodiment of grace and beauty)Oloo`ya` iyu`n The preeminent hair-plaiter with the coral-Adagbadebu Onmo.le` Odo` beaded combEletu`tu` E`d`bo` E`ko Powerful controller of the estuaryOb`nrin gbadamu, Obinrin gba`da`mu` Propitiator-in-chief of E`ko (the City of Lagos)Ob`nrin t ko` s.ee gba le.gbe.` mu. (O. pe. A corpulent womanOnabajo, personal communication, 1985) Who cannot be embraced around the waist.

Besides adding to the power and beauty of the human face and the headwhich is the focus of much aesthetic interest in Yoru`ba art, hair-plaiting carriesan important religious signicance in Yoru`ba tradition. The hair-plaiter (hair-dresser) is seen as one who honors and beauties or (or-inu), the inner head,

the divinity of the head. Ones head is also taken to be the visible representationof ones destiny and the essence of ones personality.1 Hair-plaiting is thus highlyregarded, as a good or will, to some extent, depend on how well its physicalcounterpart has been treated. It is also primarily for this reason that most Yoru`bawill be reluctant to haggle over the charges of a hair-plaiter or hairdresser.2

It should not be surprising that O.` s.un, the preeminent hair-plaiter with thecoral-beaded comb is believed to have the power to inuence the destinies ofmen, women, and the o`r`s.a`, and that O.` s.uns presence is crucial to the sustenanceof life and order on earth. Archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Ife.`,ancestral home of the Yoru`ba, have revealed several terra-cotta heads of womenwith elaborate coiffures which date to the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Whilewe may never be able to determine the identities of the women portrayed, wecan, at least, assume that religio-aesthetic notions similar to those narrated in theIfa literary corpus about O.` s.un might have informed the creation of these terra-cotta sculptures. The persistence of certain hairstyles, particularly the o.`we.we.which is found on at least one ancient terra-cotta head from the Olokun grove,3

and its recurrence, with only very slight modication, in the O`to`n`po`ro` E. pa maskcarved by Fasku` Alaaye` of I`ke.`rin in 1976 is noteworthy (g. 2.1).

Still treasuring the important heritage of hair-plaiting and hairdressing,women members of the Yeye Olor`s.a` society in O.` wo.` spend hours and sometimesdays styling their hair elegantly for the annual Igogo festival to honor O.` ro.ns.e.`n,another important female deity who was the legendary wife of O. lo.wo.` Re.`-nre.`nge.nje.`n, O.` wo.` s ruler. For Yeye Olor`s.a`, who are a highly respected group ofwomen, their coiffure is not considered complete without the insertion of ornatebrass and, in recent times, plastic combs which hold up bright red parrot feathers(g. 2.2). Wearing their ritual costumes, these women create their own aestheticatmosphere at the peak of their performance in the Igogo festival, magicallycharging it with their bird (e.ye.) power. It is believed that this bird power hasa`s.e. (life force, authority, or voiced power to make something happen) that en-ables women to accomplish whatever they wish. It is probably because of thispower also that men are afraid to move too close to Yeye Olor`s.a` as they believethat they may lose their sexual potency. It is interesting that the red parrot featherwhich is on this occasion believed to possess the magical power to alter the na-ture of persons and objects, is also prohibited on the blacksmiths premises lesthis metals change their chemical properties.4

The overall welfare and prosperity of the town appear to rest with the YeyeOlor`s.a`. All visual evidence points to their inuence and power. Male chiefs in-cluding the O. lo.wo.` , the ruler of O.` wo.` , also plait their hair to respect and acknowl-edge the authority of the goddess O.` ro.ns.e.`n. Depending on their status, chiefsmay insert one, two, or three red parrot feathers in their plaited hair with or with-out the brass comb. The O. lo.wo.` may add two long white egret feathers to distin-guish him as the Oba (ruler) of O.` wo.` (g. 2.3a and 2.3b).

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2.1 O`to`n`po`ro`, E. pa mask by Fasku` Alaaye` of I`ke.`rin, 1976.Photo by Rowland Abiodun.

o.` s.un across the waters12

2.2 Yeye Olor`s.a`, a ranking priestess during the Igogo festival in O.` wo.` , 1976.

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2.3b Ranking male chiefs withplaited hair at the Igogo festivalin O.` wo.` , 1974.Photo by Rowland Abiodun.

2.3a O. ba O`gunoye` II, O. lo.wo.` ofO.` wo.` with plaited hair, wearing apair of pa`kato` (criss-crossedbeaded bands across his chest),and a`bo`luku`n (big, white skirt)during the Igogo festival, 1974.Photo by Rowland Abiodun.

o.` s.un across the waters14

Even though O.` s.un is not worshiped in O.` wo.` , and I am not suggesting herethat O.` ro.ns.e.`n and O.` s.un are the same o`r`s.a`, there are many aspects of the Igogofestival which remind one of O.` s.un. The blouse and big skirt worn by the O. lo.wo.`and his chiefs during this festival are unmistakably feminine. The skirt, calleda`bo`luku`n in O.` wo.` , is very close to what Yoru`ba descendants still wear in the NewWorld, namely Brazil and Cuba, to mark themselves as high priestesses of severalo`r`s.a` including O.` s.un. The exact signicance of this very imposing skirt was notrevealed to me, but in the context of use, it certainly creates an aura of majesty,power, afuence, and plenitude through its arresting whiteness and volume.

Indeed, the O. lo.wo.` s role and function during this festival resembles that ofO.` s.un. He is regarded as the source, and the one who sustains the communityspeace and prosperity. He asserts this role ritually, dramatically, and choreographi-cally during the Igogo festival. Combining the dignity and color of the elaboratea`bo`luku`n costume with the penetrating metal-gong agogo music to which hedances in graceful wave-like movements, the O. lo.wo.` effectively moves the heartsand bodies of his subjects. And in response to his body movement in the impos-ing a`bo`luku`n, the crowd cheers their ruler with praises such as:

Okun a`ragbar`gb` The mighty, expansive ocean

A`ka`ta`-la bor O.` gho.` male.` The great, wide umbrella-like shelter of O.` wo.`

O.` ge.`de.` so to.`o.`-to.`o.` The prolic banana tree which bears muchfruit

In the above praises, the use of the water imagery, namely, the mighty, expan-sive ocean, is intriguing since O.` wo.` has no bodies of water that can be describedas such, and O.` ro.ns.e.`n was not a water deity. This leads one to speculate on howattributes usually associated with O.` s.un have been adopted by other Yoru`ba com-munities located outside of those areas where O.` s.un is now actively worshiped. Itis, of course, also possible that there may have existed a more ancient set of fe-male-related attributes from which even O.` s.uns identity might have been con-structed. This latter suggestion seems quite plausible, when we consider therange of similarities in costume, coiffure, choreography, use of birds feathers(especially the red parrot tail feathers), and fans in the Igogo and O.` s.un festivals.

When we try to search for the meaning and signicance of the a`bo`luku`nin O.` wo.` s Igogo festival, we nd that the igba odu`, a special wooden bowl, usedto store sacred divination items during the initiation of Ifa priests,5 provides uswith useful clues. This wooden bowl-with-lid echoes the shape of a`bo`luku`nwhen worn while also conveying a strong visual sense of protection and stability.Carved to look like a female gure, the body is made up of top and bottomhalves. This bowl-like container is retainer and shelter of Ifa divination objectsas well as ikin, the sixteen sacred palm nuts symbolically representing the sixteenprincipal Odu`, all male, and a seventeenth small ivory object called olor-ikin(The principal ikin). This olor-ikin reminds us of O.` s.un, the seventeenth Odu`

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with whom the destinies of the remaining sixteen Odu` rested. With both armsspread out and hands resting on a relatively large and pregnant-looking belly, theigba odu` radiates a commanding presence and an unmistakable female authoritywhose inuence is felt by all.

For a clearer picture of the role of O.` s.un among the Odu` (or o`r`s.a`) in Yoru`bathought, and her indispensability to successful and harmonious political, eco-nomic, religious, and social life, we shall consider the following Ifa divinationverse (see appendix following this chapter for the Yoru`ba original):6

It was divined for the sixteen Odu`Who were coming from heaven to earthA woman was the seventeenth of them.When they got to earth,They cleared the grove for Oro`,5Oro` had his own space.They cleared the grove for O. pa,O. pas abode was secure.They prepared a grove for Eegun,Eegun had a home.10But they made no provision for O.` s.un,Also known as S.e.`e.`ge.`s, the preeminent hair-plaiter with the coral-beaded comb.So, she decided to wait and seeHow they would carry out their mission successfully;O.` s.un sat quietly and watched them.15Beginning with E`ji`-Ogbe` and O.` ye.`ku mej`,I`wo`r mej`, Odi mej`, I`ro`su`n mej`O.` wo`nrn mej`, O.` ba`ra` mej`, O.` ka`nra`n mej`,O`gun-da, O`sa, O.` ra`ngun mej` and so on,They all decided not to countenance O.` s.un in their mission.20She, too, kept mute,And carried on her rightful duty,Which is hair-plaiting.She had a comb.They never knew she was an a`je.25When they were coming from heaven,God chose all good things;He also chose their keeper,And this was a woman.

All women are a`je.30And because all other Odu` left O.` s.un out,Nothing they did was successful.They went to Eeguns grove and pleaded with him,That their mission be crowned with success.Eegun, it is you who straightens the four corners of the world,35Let all be straight.They went to A`da`gba` O`jo`mu`Who is called Oro`

o.` s.un across the waters16

You are the only one who frightens Death and Sickness.Please help drive them away. 40Healing failed to take place;Instead epidemic festered.They went to O.` se. and begged himTo let the rain fall.Rain didnt fall. 45Then they went to O.` s.unO.` s.un received them warmly,And entertained them,But shame would not let them conde in O.` s.un,Whom they had ignored. 50They then headed for heavenAnd made straight for Olodu`mare`,Who asked why they cameThey said it was about their mission on earth.When they left heaven, 55And arrived on earthAll things went well;Then later things turned for the worse,Nothing was successful.And Olodu`mare` asked 60How many of you are here?They answered, Sixteen.He also asked,When you were leaving heaven, how many were you?They answered, Seventeen. 65And Olodu`mare` said, You are all intriguers.That one you left behindIf you do not bring her here,There will be no solution to your problem.If you continue this way, 70You will always fail.They then returned to O.` s.un,And addressed her, Mother, the preeminent hair-plaiter with the coral-beaded

comb.We have been to the Creator 75And it was there we discovered that all Odu` were derived from you [O.` s.un],And that our suffering would continueIf we failed to recognize and obey you [O.` s.un].So, on their return to the earth from the Creator,All the remaining Odu` wanted to pacify and please O.` s.un. 80But O.` s.un would not go out with them.The baby she was expecting might go out with them,But even that would depend on the gender of the babyFor she said that if the baby she was expectingTurned out to be male, 85It is that male child who would go out with them

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But if the baby turned out to be female,She [O.` s.un] would have nothing to do with them.She said she knew of all they [the Odu`] had eaten and enjoyed without her,Particularly all the delicacies and he-goat they ate.90As O.` s.un was about to curse them all,O.` se. covered her mouthAnd the remaining Odu` started prayingThat O.` s.un might deliver a male child.They then started to beg her.95When O.` s.un deliveredShe had a baby boyWhom they named O.` se.-Tura.

Though known as O.` se.tura among babalawo (the priests of Ifa), this baby boyis, in fact, E`s.u`, the one who approves of, and bears sacrices to, the o`r`s.a`.7 Moth-ered by the most powerful and inuential female divinity, E`s.u` is not just theprovocateur par excellence, but the embodiment of the element of the possibilityof uncertainty in the Yoru`ba world. The hook-like dance staff worn on the rightshoulder by E`s.u`s devotees is Janus-faced, recalling his ork` as the o`r`s.a` whobelongs to opposing camps without having any feeling of shame (a s.o.`tun s.o`s` la`ni tiju). Some scholars have read the hook part of the staff as his long hair, seeingit as evidence of E`s.u`s libidinous energy, aggression, and unrestrained sexuality.While this interpretation may be supported to some extent by E`s.u`s own ork`, amore convincing explanation might be found in O.` s.uns profession as hair-plaiter,and her apparent link with or (ori-inu). Be that as it may, E`s.u`s indispensabilityin the Yoru`ba pantheon is a concrete reminder of O.` s.uns presence and power inthe earthly and spiritual realms.

In the divination verse above, the Creator-God has placed all the good thingson earth in O.` s.uns charge, making her the vital source as her name suggests.Without O.` s.uns sanction, no healing can take place, no rain can fall, no plantscan bear fruit, and no children can come into the world. Granted that every o`r`s.a`must have their own a`s.e., one must wonder about O.` s.uns seemingly superior a`s.e.that was able to counteract the activities of her fellow o`r`s.a`. Alternatively, it isconceivable that the a`s.e. of female o`r`s.a` is inherently different from the maleo`r`s.a`, and perhaps even antagonistic when they compete, with one (presumably,the female a`s.e.) neutralizing the other (that is, the male a`s.e.), as appears to be thecase in this story.

There are a few hints in Yoru`ba tradition that O.` s.uns gender, especially as theonly female o`r`s.a` of the seventeen that came to the earth at creation, must havehad much to do with her power and inuence. It is, for example, consideredgood luck if ones rst child is female. Such parents are believed to start with o.wo.e.`ro.`, the hand of propitiation,8 perhaps better translated as the cool hand ofpropitiation which ensures ease and success in any undertaking. For relatedreasons, perhaps, parents frown on prolonged bachelorhood. Even though theyrealize how difcult it is to sustain a marriage, parents, nevertheless, press their

o.` s.un across the waters18

sons to get married because they believe that a mans successful life cannot reallystart until he has a wife or wives. This Ifa verse from O.` se.tura points to this belief:

A``n ob`nrin ko` s.e e dake. lasan Having no wife calls for positive actionB a dake lasan, enu ni yo. ni To keep quiet is to invite trouble and

inconveniencesNn e.jo, a``n o.`ra`n Having a wife is as difcult as having noneE`n`a` ko` lob`nrin One without a wifeO to ko kawo lor so.kun gba o.ja` lo. Should cry and weep publicly in the

marketplaceK` s.e o.`ra`n a`s.eju It is neither an extreme actionO.` ra`n a`s.es.a ko.. (Ogunbo.wale 1966: 1) Nor an overreaction.

From the above verse, it would appear that in Yoru`ba tradition, women arethought to be indispensable to men as O.` s.un was to the sixteen male o`r`s.a` or odu`at the time of creation. Disguised here, however, is the ambivalent attitude ofmen toward women. This can be attributed to the belief that, like O.` s.un, womenof any age are potential a`je. who possess e.ye., the bird power. The fear of thisextraordinary power has caused men to appease women as they do our mothers(a`wo.n `ya wa O`s.o`ro`nga`), a term used synonymously with a`je. but often incor-rectly translated as witches.9 Consequently, in many social, religious, and polit-ical gatherings, men endeavor to placate our mothers and to pray to them touse their powers for the good of society. As a divine ruler, O. ba William Adeto.naAye.ni in the northeastern Yoru`ba kingdom of Ila-Orangun, while referring to thecluster of birds on his great crown, is reported to have said, Without the moth-ers, I could not rule.10

Even though much of the traditional political power in Yorubaland todayseems to be located in the domain of men, Yoru`ba oral traditions and visual artdo not provide much authority for assuming that this has always been the case.For example, we are not quite certain of the gender of Odu`duwa`, the progenitorof the Yoru`ba race, since we have as much evidence for considering Odu`duwa`feminine as masculine.11 The indeterminacy of Odu`duwa`s gender will makemore sense when we know more about O.` s.un, the o`r`s.a` who could not be ignoredby her peers, and the echoes of whose multifarious dimensions of feminine powerand presence continue to reverberate in Yoru`ba culture and society.

Looking at the purported crown of Odu`duwa`12 from I`da`nre` in On`do Stateof Nigeria, we are immediately struck by its similarity to another crown from Iles.a`in O.` s.un State, worn by women as recently as twenty years ago (g. 2.4). TheI`da`nre` crown, though ancient and simple in appearance, is essentially complete.It is roughly conical in shape and has all the important attachments which aid itsidentication as a truly authentic symbol of divine authority among the Yoru`ba.William Fagg describes the crown:

It . . . consists largely of strings of red beads which are mostly stone but may includesome coral. It also includes a rather miscellaneous assortment of beads. . . . It (thecrown) is not very much like the Benin coral and carnelian crowns, but does look

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2.4 Priestess of O. war` wearing ade a`fors.oku`n (crown) in Iles.a`, taken before1960. Photo from the collection of Reverend Father T. M. Ilesanmi.

o.` s.un across the waters20

like the ancestor of the falling curtains of seed beads on the crowns of the nine-teenth and twentieth centuries. (Fagg 1980: 12)

The crown from Iles.a` is called ade a`fors.oku`n, and it is worn by the mostsenior priestess of O. war`, the third or fourth O. wa ruler of Ijeshaland, whereO.` s.un still has very active devotees.13 Like Odu`duwa`, O. wa was a warlike, tempera-mental, and very powerful ruler according to I`je`s.a` oral tradition. The a`fors.oku`ncrown also resembles the purported crown of Odu`duwa` in many ways. It ispossible that they may have functioned in similar contexts.

Both ade a`fors.oku`n and the purported crown of Odu`duwa` possess the os.u`, atuft or a kind of medicinal package with magical power, attached or sewn to thetop of Yoru`ba crowns.14 Sometimes concealed under heavily beaded decorationsor disguised as bird motifs on crowns, the os.u` must never be opened nor its con-tents revealed to the wearer of the crown. The vitality, force, and authority of adivine king would seem to be closely connected with the magical ingredients inthis os.u`.

The veil (`bo`ju), which is an important part of the Yoru`ba crown, is present inthe I`da`nre` and Iles.a` examples. Intended to hide the identity of the wearer whois supposed to operate from the height of an o`r`s.a`, a divinity, the `bo`ju of theade a`fors.oku`n suggests how the I`da`nre` crown may have looked in actual use.The priestess of O. war` holds a white horse-tail whisk in her right hand and a two-piece wand of ofce in her left. She wears several rows of tightly packed beadednecklaces, along with a long and expensive neck chain which hangs down wellpast her torso. Flanked on both sides by her women supporters, the priestess dis-plays her symbols of authority, power, and inuence.

The crown with the veil is the most important symbol and conveyor of divinityin the institution of obaship. It also downplays gender differences through visualmeans, just as the Yoru`ba word o.ba, (ruler) is not gender specic and cannot betaken to mean only king as many researchers have erroneously assumed. Infact, the following traditional greeting for an o.ba is inclusive of both genders:

Kabye`s One whose authority cannot be challengedAlas.e. Who is endowed with a`s.e.E`keji`-O`r`s.a` And ranks only with the o`r`s.a`Iku Death, the embodiment of nalityBa`ba-Ye`ye Ultimate Father-Mother

The most important element in the Yoru`ba concept of divine leadership isa`s.e.,15 the essence of which is the energy or life force needed to control the physi-cal world as well as to activate, direct, and restructure social and political pro-cesses. Thus, it would seem totally unreasonable to exclude O.` s.un from the insti-tution of obaship. After all, O.` s.uns a`s.e. can always be used to a rulers advantagein the event of a power tussle. O.` s.un in this context, however, should be takenas a metaphor for our mothers as well as for feminine power and presencein general.16

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From available archaeological nds mainly at Ile-Ife.`, the sacred city of theYoru`ba, the recognition of the important role of women would appear to be ofgreat antiquity. The brass gure pair found at I`ta Yemo`o, Ile-Ife.`, in 1957,17 aswell as other terra-cotta heads found in the same city, give some indication of thestatus of Yoru`ba women in the pre-colonial era. In the brass pair, the slightlyshorter gure with narrower shoulders appears to be the female. Her cloth wrap-per is tied high enough on her torso to partially cover her breasts, which is inagreement with the way Yoru`ba women still wear their wrapper when they donot wear a bu`ba (blouse). Her shoulder sash, made of bead or cloth, hangs diago-nally across the main torso with the tied end resting on the left hip. This diagonalshoulder sash is a mark of the womans status and possibly an indication of hercult afliation. This interpretation makes sense when we look at the attire of afemale cult called Yeye Oloris.`a` in O.` wo.` which is less than one hundred mileseast of Ife.`. Here the cult members wear a bright red diagonal shoulder sash acrosstheir chests. The female brass gure is dressed like an important chieftain withall the regalia of ofce equal to that of her male counterpart.

In On`do, another major Yoru`ba town situated some forty-ve kilometerssoutheast of Ile-Ife.`, there is the O. lo.bu`n, otherwise known as O. ba Ob`nrin (fe-male ruler) (g. 2.5), who is in charge of the market and plays an important rolein the installation rites and ceremonies of the O`s.ema`we (the male ruler) ofOn`do. She wears two white egret feathers in addition to a red parrot feather likeher male counterparts in Yorubaland. She carries a white horse-tail y whisk tomark her high status, and wears an immaculate white outt every day of her life.She wears red tubular coral beads around her neck, wrists, and ankles accordingto On`do tradition. When seated on her throne, the O. lo.bu`n always has on theground before her a calabash container, on top of which stringed white cowrieshells have been placed in a special order. Igba aje (the calabash of wealth) sym-bolizes the important ofce of O. lo.bu`n as the Lord of the market and the control-ler of all commercial transactions (g. 2.6). Until the O. lo.bu`n passed away in1980, she actually visited the market several times each month, touching impor-tant market stalls and commercial establishments with her o.`pa-aje (the staff ofwealth), which is her staff of ofce. Such rounds are believed to boost trade andimprove the communitys economic situation.

It is still recalled in On`do that the rst traditional ruler was a woman namedPupu`pu. Today the O. lo.bu`n and her female chiefs hold very high and sometimesthe highest political positions and are inuential in campaigns for high ofcesin the town of On`do. At the installation of the O`s.ema`we in the late 1970s, theO. lo.bu`n was the one who presented the o.ba-elect, Robert Adekolurejo, to thepeople of On`do. Similarly, during the installation rites, O. lo.bu`ns chiefs andother high priestesses in On`do performed purication sacrices to pave the wayfor a peaceful reign. Thus the role of women appears to be to neutralize malevo-lent forces and evil machinations, but they are ultimately more politically power-ful than the ruler, being the power behind the throne.

o.` s.un across the waters22

2.5 The O. lo.bu`n, (O. ba Ob`nrin, Female Ruler) of On`do, 1976.Photo by Rowland Abiodun.

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The hidden power of women is better understood when we examine the wayit is related to Eegun, the ancestral masking tradition in Yorubaland. The wordEegun refers to the concealed power of ancestors. Pierre Verger has suggestedthat Eegun may have belonged originally to women.18 Eegun is also used as aeuphemism for female genitalia because they are hidden. The clitoris in particu-lar is traditionally regarded as possessing concealed power which women canuse to accomplish whatever they desire. Additionally, it is noteworthy that Yoru`batradition privileges female triplets (ato) when it comes to holding high positionsin the secretive and male-dominated Eegun (for deceased ancestors).

All these attributes are also associated with O.` s.un and perceived to be integralto her inuence, extraordinary insight, and ability to do things which the other

2.6 Igba aje, O. lo.bu`ns ritual calabash container whichidenties her as the Controller of all market transactions

in On`do, 1976.Photo by Rowland Abiodun.

o.` s.un across the waters24

o`r`s.a` could not do. Thus, O.` s.uns concealed power has earned her the title ofthe leader of the a`je..19 The following lines of her ork` acknowledge her excep-tional ability:

She is the wisdom of the forestShe is the wisdom of the riverWhere the doctor failedShe cures with fresh water.Where medicine is impotentShe cures with cool water. (Beier 1970: 33)

Many O.` s.un priests, priestesses, and devotees literally believe in the power ofwater to heal their ailments and problems. Water, O.` s.uns main curative agent, isan active ingredient in the Yoru`ba preparation of e.`ro.` (a softening agent/medicinalpreparation). Used ritually, water is believed to effect harmony and peace, toeliminate tension, and reduce heat. Thus, with cool water, a persons or can beimproved or softened if it is considered hard (le), that is, attracting a series ofinexplicable disasters. The following incantation for e.`ro.` medicine shows how wa-ter is perceived in traditional thought:

B ooru ba mu When the weather is blazing hotAbe.`be.` ni be.`e. It is the fan that pacies it.B ina ba a jo koko When there is a are-up,Omi la` a pa a We use water to quench it.O.` ge.`re.`, ina ma` nle omi lo. 5Deantly, re chases water,O.` ge.`re.` Sweeping past.B ina ba n le omi If re chases waterT ko` pada` le.y`n omi And does not turn back,E.` ro.` pe.`te.` Propitiation is the answer.O.` ge.`re.`, ina ma n le omi lo 10Sweeping past, re is chasing water.S.e.`s.e.` Even with all its are,Ina ko` gbo.do.` le s.e.`s.e.` Fire dares not chase its glowKo lee wo. nu odo. (Adeniji, personal Into the river.communication, 1976)

In the above incantation, both water and the fan which O.` s.un priests andpriestesses often use in their rites and ceremonies are the verbal metaphors forthe soothing, disarming, and softening power associated with O.` s.un. What is terri-fying about this power, however, is its noiselessness and lack of ceremony, mak-ing it extremely difcult if not impossible to identify its source or prevent itsaction. The following excerpt from the ork` of our mothers captures the nega-tive side of such power:

Mother who kills without strikingMy mother kills quickly without a cryMother who kills her husband and yet pities him. (Beier 1958)

Whatever enables our mothers to extinguish life in this manner, that is,without any visible or materially attributable force, presupposes their foreknowl-

Hidden Power 25

edge of the metaphysical principles of life, especially its source, which is whatO.` s.un is all about. This belief makes our mothers and all women indispensableto normalcy, orderliness, increase, and progress in the traditional society. Conse-quently, women are not only feared, but their cooperation is also sought in allendeavors as the verse below shows:

O n gbogbo ohun t e`n`a` ba n s.e, In anything we do,T ko` ba ti ob`nrin kun un, If we do not guarantee the place of women,O n ko` le` s.ee s.e . . . That thing will not succeed.O n k wo.n o maa `ba` fun ob`nrin [Ifa says,] we should acknowledge the power

of women,O n t wo.n ba ti `ba` fun ob`nrin, [And that,] if we acknowledge their power,Ile aye yo` maa to`ro`. (Verger 1965: 218) The world will be peaceful.

And, in another divination verse, we nd the grave consequences of ignoringour mothers, which was the mistake made by the sixteen male o`r`s.a` at creation:

Won dfa fun `yam` O`s.oro`n`ga` It was divined for I`ya`m` O`s.o`ron`ga`.T wo.n n t`ko.`le o.`run bo.` wa sle aye . . . Who was coming from heaven to earth;Wo.n le.ni t ko` ba ta`wo.n s.e, They said whoever refused to acknowledge

them,A`wo.n o maa ba`a je., They will afict him.A`wo.n o maa ko `fun e`n`a`; They will take his intestines;A`wo.n o maa je oju e`n`a`; They will eat his eyes;Nwo.n o` s` n gbohu`n e.n`ko.o.`kan. They will drink his blood(Verger 1965: 218) and no one will hear a sound.

In Yoru`ba art it is not the faithful rendering of anatomical details such asmuscles that is supposed to convey the effect of power and action but the intelli-gent, creative, and skillful combination of forms by the artist. Movement is sug-gested through rhythmic forms and creative use of space. Faces conceal emo-tions in most Yoru`ba sculpture and function noiselessly like O.` s.un and ourmothers until all opposition toward them is dissolved.20

Visual representations of female o`r`s.a` like O.` s.un have inuenced Yoru`baaesthetic considerations and artistic processes far more than scholars have ac-knowledged. To illustrate, let us examine the image of woman on an `ro.ke. (Ifadivination tapper). The `ro.ke. consists usually of three sections: the topmost orpointed-end section; the middle section; and third or bottom section, in order ofimportance. Elsewhere, I have suggested that the topmost part symbolizes theinner, spiritual or, while the middle section, usually a human head or a kneelingnude woman holding her breasts, symbolizes humanity choosing its destiny (or)in heaven.21 The woman is depicted in a kneeling position called `kunle`-abiyamo.(the kneeling with pain at childbirth), which is intended to appease and softenthe gods and solicit their support in choosing a good or. Equally effective inhonoring the o`r`s.a` is the nakedness of the kneeling woman, which the Yoru`babelieve possesses the a`s.e. to make her wishes come to pass. Thus a Yoru`ba man

o.` s.un across the waters26

will be disturbed if his wife threatens to undress during a disagreement, fearingthat her nakedness would give her utterances causative power.

The gure of the kneeling woman carrying a bowl is common in Ifa, S. a`ngo,and O.` s.un sculptural repertoires. In Ifa, it is known as agere Ifa or `bo`r` Ifa,22 andamong O.` s.un and S. a`ngo devotees, it is called arugba, meaning the one whocarries the calabash holding the ritual items for these o`r`s.a`. Essentially, the aru-gba carries, honors, and beauties sacrices during the annual festivals. The ag-ere Ifa is used to store ikin, the sixteen sacred palm nuts of divination. In manyexamples of this sculpted container, the female gure elevates ikin both physi-cally and symbolically, creating for them a tting aesthetic atmosphere.23 In otherinstances, the agere Ifa may take the form of olume.`ye., which is a kneeling womancarrying a cock intended for offering to an o`r`s.a`. That women are preferred tomen for bearing sacrices of such magnitude is further indication of their specialrelationship to the o`r`s.a`.

In the helmet masks generically known as E. le.`fo.`n or E. pa in northeastern Yoru-baland, a common theme of the superstructure is that of a kneeling woman withtwo children called O`to`n`po`ro` niy` E. le.`fo.`n (O`to`n`po`ro`, the pride of E. le.`fo.`n) (Figure2.1). She is an embodiment of all that can be considered beautiful in the Yoru`banotion of womanhood, which includes the gift of children. O`to`n`po`ro` is paintedin black, red, yellow, and white to make her beauty visible even at a distance.She has a very elaborate hairdo (o.`we.we.), and large, well-dened eyes to accentu-ate her face. The long and beautiful neck is encircled by a choker and a string ofbeads, while decorative body paintings emphasize the roundness of the arms andbreasts. References to similar aesthetic notions about women abound in Ifa divi-nation literature:

Funfun niy` eyn Whiteness is the beauty of the teeth;E.` gu`n ga`ga`a`ga` niy` o.ru`n; Just as a long, graceful neckO.` mu sks`k`sk niy` ob`nrin. And full, erect breasts make the beauty of(Abimbola 1968) women.

The above lines remind one of the image of O.` s.un, also called S.e.`e.`ge.`s, notonly as the embodiment of grace and beauty as contained in her ork` (citationpoetry), but also as the only o`r`s.a` in whose power it is to grant or reject the requestfor the gift of children. Whereas non-initiates might appreciate O.` s.un for her at-tractive physical attributes only, her worshipers are quick to recognize the visualmetaphorical allusions to their o`r`s.a`s fecundity as the following song by suppli-cants demonstrates:

O n ou`n o fo.`tun gbo.mo. jo The supplicant prays that she may dance witha baby in her right hand;

O`un o fo`s` gbo.mo. po.`n That she may sling a baby on her back withthe left one;

O`un a ta`ran bosu`n 5That she may immerse her velvet incamwood [so that she may bear children];

Hidden Power 27

Kulumbu ye.ye.ye. Kulumbu ye.ye.ye.O`un a s` jo wo.ja` That she may dance into the marketplace to

proclaim her blessings,Kulumbu ye.ye.ye.10 Kulumbu ye.ye.ye.O`un o dir o.`we.we. That she may plait her hair in the o.`we.we.

style,Kulumbu ye.ye.ye. Kulumbu ye.ye.ye.O.` ye.ye. kulumbu O.` ye.ye. kulumbuO`un a s` me.sin gu`n15 That she may ride on horseback [that is, be

seen as fortunate and successful]Kulumbu ye.ye.ye. Kulumbu ye.ye.ye.O.` ye.ye. kulumbu. O.` ye.ye. kulumbu.(Adeniji, personal communication, 1976)

To recapitulate, O.` s.uns power is complex. She has strong metaphysical con-nections with pivotal o`r`s.a` like Or, O.` runm`la`, and E`su`, making her not only aresilient but an indispensable o`r`s.`a. Also, by sharing the same `wa tutu`, coolcharacter with Olodu`mare` (the Supreme Creator), O.` s.un increases her sphereof inuence among the o`r`s.a`. She emerges arguably as the most powerful o`r`s.a`in the Yoru`ba pantheon. Beginning with O.` s.uns profession as hair-plaiter, we seehow that becomes a metaphor for her inuence on, and indirect control of, Or,the o`r`s.a` of the inner spiritual head or destiny of a person, thing, or deity and byextension, the Yoru`ba divine rulership which is modeled after the concept of or.The O.` ra`nguns declaration, Without the mothers, I could not rule, is a state-ment never made in terms of fathers. This reveals the true source of power intraditional politics and government.

Even though O.` s.un was the last of the seventeen odu` (or o`r`s.a`) who came toearth at the time of creation, she quickly became the most inuential one bydemonstrating to the remaining o`r`s.a` that without her a`s.e. (power or life force),their mission could not succeed. In a different but related instance, O.` s.un, identi-able as the seventeenth ikin in the Ifa divination system, takes charge of, anddirects, all Ifa divination procedures. O.` s.un is probably this same olor-ikin, other-wise known as the wife of O.` runm`la` in the context of the initiation of Ifa priestsat Igbodu` (the Ifa grove).24

When O.` s.un gave birth to O.` se.tura (also known as E`s.u`), she consolidated herpower base by making her presence and inuence totally inescapable in theearthly as well as in the spiritual realms. E`s.u`, the one who belongs to two oppos-ing camps without having any feeling of shame, is the o`r`s.a` most crucial to themaintenance of the precarious balance between the malevolent and the benevo-lent powers of the universe. He is also the major link between his mother O.` s.unand the remaining male o`r`s.a`. In this role of power broker, E`s.u` not only broadensthe power base of O.` s.un, but also creates a situation whereby it is virtually impos-sible to accomplish anything without propitiating him or O.` s.un. Thus, when we

o.` s.un across the waters28

use omi tutu` (cool water) to propitiate E`s.u`, we are not only appeasing him, butalso soliciting O.` s.uns support in our bid to eliminate friction in the world, healdisease, prosper, and bear children.

Knowing, as she did, that she was the source of all good things as stated in theIfa literary corpus, O.` s.un never needed to vie for position among her fellow o`r`s.a`.Her demeanor invokes the Yoru`ba saying, Asuretete ko` roye` je, ar`ngbe.`re. ni moye`e dele (One who walks slowly, that is, acts intelligently and gracefully, will bringthe [chieftaincy] title home, while the one who runs [that is, acts recklessly]misses the chance of enjoying a title). Compared with the other o`r`s.a`, O.` s.un rep-resents a higher and more inclusive religio-aesthetic concept whose canons canbe immediately relevant to the solution of human problems, regardless of theirorigin, nature, or severity. Her presence and that of our mothers must be ac-knowledged at all major events, festivals, and celebrations of new seasons and thenew year. Virtually all greetings on these occasions end with the prayer O. dun ayabo which is a wish for a feminine, productive, harmonious, and successfulyear, season, or celebration. This verbal invocation not only acknowledges thespiritual attributes and vital force (a`s.e.) of womanhood which is epitomized inO.` s.un, but is also a practical acceptance of the superior power of our mothersin helping the community to cope with all the challenges of a new season, year,or millennium.

In lines 7778 of the Ifa text on O.` s.un cited earlier in this essay, the relation-ship between O.` s.un and her fellow o`r`s.a` is stated explicitly. The remaining six-teen Odu`, all male, had to go to the Creator to discover that . . . all (the re-maining) odu` were derived from you (O.` s.un). She had not told them. To betteramplify her power, she chose to keep this fact hidden.

Appendix

A dfa fun a`wo.n Odu` Me.ta`dinlogunTwo.n nt`ko.` le o.`run bo` wa sko.` le aye,Ob`nrin los.e `ke.ta`dinlogun wo.nNgba` wo.n dele aye,Wo.n lagbo Oro` 5Oro` wa` nnu wo.nWo.n lagbo O. pa,O. pa mbe. mbe.Wo.n lagbo Eegun,Wo.n te.`gba`le.` fEegun 10Wo.n o` wa s.efun O.` s.unS.e.`e.`ge.`s Oloo`ya` iyu`nO wa n o`un omaa wo`oB wo.n o s.e s.e e t e e e daa

Hidden Power 29

E. sle.` o ja`re15A`ti or E`j`ogbe`, O.` ye`ku mej`I`wo`r` mej`, O`d Mej`, I`ro`su`n mej`,O.` wo.nrn mej`, O.` ba`ra` mej`, O.` ka`nra`n mej`,O`gunda, O.` sa, O.` ra`ngun mej` a`ti be.e.`be.e.` lo. .Wo.n o` ba mu O.` su.n lo. sode mo.20N o`un naa` ba s`i dake.N o ba ns.is.e. re.`Or ni o ma a nd`O wa n o`o`ya` kan,Wo.n o` mo. pe a`je. ni,25Ngba` wo.n ti nto.`run bo.` ,LOlodu`mare` ti yan gbogbo a`wo.n ire,O s` wa yan alate.`le wo.n,E`y un s` ni ob`nrin.Ob`nrin gbogbo lo laje.`e.`30Wo.n o` wa mu O.` s.un,Wo.n s.e gbogbo n`kan ko` gunWo.n wa lagbo EegunWo.n ni Eegun je. o gun oIwo. lo je. k igun aye me.re.`rin ogun,35

Je. o gun oWo.n wa lo. s A`da`gba` O`jo`mu`,E`y ni Oro`I`wo. n`kan ni o` n de.ru` ba iku` de.ru` ba`ru`n,Bani le wo.n lo.o. o40A``sa`n ko` n sanYio wa bu re.ge.de.Wo.n wa lo. so.do.`o. O.` se.Ko. je. kojo` o. ro.` ,O`jo o.` ro.`45Wo.n wa lo. so.do.` O.` s.unO.` s.un k wo.n daradaraO s` s.e wo.n lalejo`I`t`ju ko` je. ki wo.n o lee` nu han O.` s.u`nT wo.n ti fo.wo. ti tire.` se.hin50Wo.n wa ko. ju s o.`runO di o.`do.` Olodu`mare`Wo.n n k lode?Wo.n n Olodu`mare` lo fun wo.nNgba` t wo.n n lo.55Ngba` t wo.n dele aye,Wo.n s.e e, gbogbo e.` dara lo.Ni gbogbo nn`kan wa y,Ko` s` bamu mo.Wo.n ba bi wo.n pe.,60E. yin melo`o lo wa?

o.` s.un across the waters30

Wo.n n a`wo.n me.r`ndnlogun niWo.n n `gba` e.` n lo. n jo.unE.` yin melo`o le. lo.?Wo.n n a`wo.n me.ta`dnlogun ni 65O. lo.run wa n onr`ks ni ynI`kan te.e. yo. se.h`n un,Te.e.` ba lo.`o. pe`e wa,O.` ro.` yn ko` n s.ee s.e.B e. se maa n s.ee 70T yo` maa ba`je. naa` nu` un.Wo.n wa lo. so.do.` O.` s.un,Wo.n n I`ya Oloo`ya` Iyu`n,A`wo. n do.do.` E. le.da`a bay` lo w

A` s.e ara O.` s.un ni wo.n ti yo. gbogbo Odu` 75I`ya` ni yo je. yn,T e. ko` ba mu ti. O.` s.un s.e.Ni wo.n ba de Ode Aye,Awo.n Odu` t o ku` fe. maa mu O.` s.un lo. sode,O.` s.un n o`un o` n maa ba wo.n lo. sode 80O n oyun t mbe. nku`n o`unNi yo maa ba wo.n lo. sodeOn toun ba bmo. ,T o ba je. o.ku`nrin,O. ku`nrin naa ni yo maa 85Baayn lo. sode.T o ba s` je. ob`nrin,O`un yo yo. ti o`un s e.`h`nO n gbogbo ohun t wo.n je. n o`un mo.` .Or aja, o`ruko. t wo.n ti je ni o`un mo.` . 90Ngba` t O.` s.un fe. fo.hu`n, O.` se. lo fo.wo. bo`o le.nu.A`wo.n Odu` yoku` wa n be.`be.` peK O.` s.un o b o.mo.ku`nrinWo.n wa n be.` e.Ngba` t O.` s.un yo bmo. , 95O b o.ku`nrinWo.n s` so. o. n O.` se.-tura.

Notes

I wish to express my gratitude to Pa Adeniji of Iwo, Pierre Verger, the O. lo.bu`n of O`ndo,and Madam V. S. Abo.dun (my mother), all of whom are now deceased, for sharing withme their knowledge and insights on the subject of women, and especially o`r`s.a` O.` s.un. Iam also grateful to Professor Bade A`ju`wo.n for reading through my translations of Yoru`batexts, Professors Sope Oye`lara`n, Natasha Staller, and Mei-Mei Sanford for their valuablesuggestions on my rst drafts, and to my wife, Lea, for textual advice.

1. For a more detailed discussion of or (ori-inu), the inner head, the divinity (oro`r`s.a`) of the head, see R. Abiodun, 1987.

Hidden Power 31

2. In the colonial past, income tax was called owo-or, because it was forbidden tohaggle or protest tax assessments.

O.` s.un devotees would wonder why it has taken until only recently for Western medicalscience to recognize the all-pervading inuence of their o`r`s.a`, O.` s.un, outside of Yoruba-land. The news report below would only conrm what O.` s.un worshipers have known forgenerations. Titled Science proves womens claim that hairdo makes them feel better,it states that

Women leaving a hairdressing salon not only look better, but their health has mea-surably improved, says psychologist Tony Lysons. When a woman has her hairwashed, trimmed and dried, her morale goes up, while her heartbeat slows and herblood pressure goes down by ve percent, Lysons said, commenting on research hecarried out at University College in Swansea, Wales. He researched his conclusionsby connecting electrodes to women as they sat at their hairdressers. (Toronto Star,October 5, 1987)

3. See F. Willet, 1967: Plate 29.4. D. Badejo, 1996: 9497 also discusses the use of parrot feathers in Yoru`ba my-

thology.5. See R. F. Thompson, 1971: p. 65, g. 4.6. Pa Adeniji, personal communication, 1976.7. B. Idowu, 1970: 81.8. R. C. Abraham, 1958: 193.9. See also Drewal and Drewal, 1983, and B. Lawal, 1996, for more discussion on

a`wo.n `ya wa (our mothers) in Ge.le.de.; and D. Badejo, 1996, in the context of O.` s.un.10. J. Pemberton in Drewal et al., 1989: 210.11. See Lucas, 1948.12. W. Fagg, 1980: Fig. 6.13. I am grateful to Reverend Father T. M. Ilesanmi for calling my attention to this

crown.14. See M. T. Drewal, 1977.15. For more on the concept of a`s.e., see R. Abiodun, 1994.16. Badejo notes that O.` s.un as well as other women like her who possess innate kinetic

power reap benets from her action. (1996: 78). See also C. Odugbesan, 1969.17. Willett, 1967: see pl. 10 and color pl. III.18. See P. Verger, 1965.19. Badejo (1996: 7780) also comments extensively on O.` s.un as the leader of the a`je..20. For more on this aesthetic notion, see Abiodun, 1990: 7778.21. Abiodun, 1975.22. W. Fagg et al., 1982: Plate 15.23. Abiodun, 1975: 447450.24. Badejo (1996: 75) remarks that [O.` s.uns] marriage to O.` runm`la` suggests that wis-

dom and knowledge are qualities shared by male and female.

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Abimbola, W. 1968. Ijinle Ohun Enu Ifa, Apa Kinni. Glasgow: Collins.Abiodun, R. 1975. Ifa Art Objects: An Interpretation Based on Oral Tradition. In Yoruba

Oral Tradition, ed. W. Abimbola, chap. 10. Ile-Ife: Department of African Languages

o.` s.un across the waters32

and Literature, Obafemi Awolowo University.. 1987. Verbal and Visual Metaphors: Mythical Allusions in Yoruba Ritualistic

Art of Ori. Word and Image 3, no. 3: 252270.. 1990. The Future of African Art Studies: An African Perspective. In African Art

Studies: State of the Discipline. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution, NationalMuseum of African Art.

. 1994. Understanding Yoruba Art and Aesthetics: The Concept of Ase. AfricanArts, July: 6878.

Abraham, R. C. 1958. Dictionary of Modern Yoruba. London: University of London Press.Badejo, D. 1996. Osun Seegesi: The Elegant Deity of Wealth, Power, and Femininity. Tren-

ton, N.J.: Africa World Press.Beier, U. 1958. Gelede Masks. Odu 6: 524.

. 1970. Yoruba Poetry. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Drewal, H. J., and M. T. Drewal. 1983. Gelede: Art and Female Power among the Yoruba.

Bloomington: Indiana University Press.Drewal, H. J., and J. Pemberton III, with R. Abiodun. 1989. Yoruba: Nine Centuries of

African Art and Thought. New York: Center for African Art and H. N. Abrams.Drewal, M. T. 1977. Projections from the Top in Yoruba Art. African Arts 11, no. 1:

4349, 9192.Fagg, W. G. 1980. Yoruba Beadwork: Art of Nigeria. New York: Rizzoli.Fagg, W. G., J. Pemberton III, and B. Holcombe. 1982. Yoruba Sculpture of West Africa.

London: Collins.Idowu, B. 1970. Olodumare. London: Longmans.Lawal, B. 1996. The Gelede Spectacle. Seattle: University of Washington Press.Lucas, J. O. 1948. The Religion of the Yoruba. Lagos: Church Missionary Society.Odugbesan, C. 1969. Femininity in Yoruba Religious Art. Pp. 201213 in Man in Africa,

ed. M. Douglas and P. M. Kaberry. London: Oxford University Press for the Interna-tional African Institute.

Ogunbo.wale, P. O. 1966. Asa Ibile Yoruba. Ibadan: Oxford University Press.Thompson, R. F. 1971. Black Gods and Kings: Yoruba Art at UCLA. Los Angeles: Univer-

sity of California Press.Verger, P. 1965. Grandeur et Decadence du Culte de Iyami Osoronga. Journal de la

Societe des Africanistes 35, no. 1.Willett, F. 1967. Ife in the History of West African Sculpture. London: Thames and

Hudson.

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