A chant of greeting to Oxum, the Orixá of fresh waters, love, and gold. Listen to the video above and follow the lyrics.
Aié kó, aieguê
Yá lodê, yá oro, orun ma yeyeô
Yá badé lodô, Oxum ma yeyeô
The lyrics and meaning
The spelling is phonetic, the way it is sung in the terreiro. The heart of the chant is in the chorus “ma yeyeô”, an echo of the most well-known greeting of Oxum: “Ora yêyê ô!” “Hail, sweet little mother!”. Yèyé means “little mother”, and the expression is a praise to Oxum as a welcoming mother.
The term lodô / odô also appears, "river" in Yoruba, a direct reference to the fresh waters that are Oxum's domain. The chant, therefore, greets the Orixá as the mother who inhabits and rules the rivers.
Who is Oxum
Oxum is the Orixá of fresh waters, rivers, and waterfalls, of love, beauty, fertility, and gold. She is the welcoming mother of the pantheon, but also a warrior when she needs to defend her own. Her greeting is “Ora yêyê ô!”, and her symbol is the abebé, the golden mirror-fan. See the complete profile of Oxum with colors, day, syncretism, herbs, and offerings.
When this chant is sung
The chants of Oxum enter the xirê, the circle in which each Orixá is greeted in turn. They are sung to call and praise Oxum, usually accompanied by the ijexá toque, the slow, cadenced rhythm traditionally associated with her.
Frequently asked questions
What does “Ora yêyê ô” mean?
It is the traditional greeting to Oxum and means, in Yoruba, something like “Hail, sweet little mother!”. Yèyé means “little mother”, and the expression praises Oxum as a benevolent mother.
What is the toque of the Oxum chants?
Oxum is traditionally associated with the ijexá rhythm, with a slower and smoother pace although she also receives other rhythms depending on the house and the moment of the festival.
