A greeting to Ossain, the lord of the leaves, a call to preserve nature, the source of all axé. Listen in the video above.
Ewé ó, Ossã, Ewé ó
Ewé ó, Ossã, Ewé ó
The lyrics and meaning
Ewé ó! is the greeting to Ossain: 'Hail the leaves!'. The leaves and plants are seen as a direct emanation of the power of the earth fertilized by rain, and it is from this axé that all healings and rituals depend. Therefore, greeting Ossain is also a call to preserve nature.
Who is Ossain
Ossain (Ossanyin) is the Orixá of the leaves and sacred herbs, owner of the secret of the plants and the axé that makes all healing and all ritual work function. Without the leaves of Ossain, no Orixá manifests: that is why it is said ‘Kò sí ewé, kò sí Òrìsà’ without leaf, there is no Orixá. His greeting is Ewé ó! (Hail the leaves!).
When this chant is sung
The chants of Ossain enter the xirê and praise the power of the leaves. As he is the lord of the axé of the plants, his presence crosses all the worship.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the Orixá Ossain?
Ossain is the Orixá of the leaves and sacred herbs, owner of the knowledge of the plants and the axé that makes all healing and all ritual work possible. His greeting is ‘Ewé ó!’.
What does ‘Kò sí ewé, kò sí Òrìsà’ mean?
It is a Yoruba saying that means ‘without leaf, there is no Orixá’. It summarizes the power of Ossain: without the herbs he rules, no ritual or manifestation of the Orixás happens.
