A cantiga-mojubá of Ossain, the lord of the leaves, in which the entire hierarchy of the cult is greeted. Listen in the video above.
Omim tun onã tun, pelé tun bòmirin omim onilé
Osanyin mopéo, osanyin mopéo, osanyin mopéo
Iba acoda, iba seda
Mojuba orumila baba ifa
Mojuba ilê, mojuba odudua
Mojuba orisa ogum, mojuba orisa oko
Mojuba orisa inã, mojuba orisa onilé, mojuba orisa omim, mojuba orisa ewe
Asé asé asé
The lyrics and meaning
The spelling is phonetic. It is a mojubá: a long greeting (mojuba = 'I greet you') that reveres, one by one, the ancestors and Orixás of Orunmilá (Orunmila) and Odudua to Ogum (Ogun), Inã (fire), Omim (water) and Ewé (the leaves, the domain of Ossain). Osanyin mopéo repeats 'Ossain, I call you'. It ends with Asé (axé).
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.
