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The greeting Iboru, Iboya, Ibosheshe, respect for Orula

What does iboru iboya ibosheshe mean

The patakies and stories of the yoruba religion They tell us through the word of Ifá the events of the past, the present and the future, stories about our religion that allow us to travel in time and learn ancestral teachings.

To understand what the phrase "Iboru Iboya Ibosheshe" means, we must know the following story:

Pataki: The 3 women who saved Orúnmìlà

The Yoruba pataki tells that Constitution he had called the babalawos one by one to ask them two questions and neither had guessed what he wanted. That is why he was catching them and affirming that, if they were not able to guess, he would pass them all by arms.

The last one to call was Orunmila, who immediately set off.

Iboru

On the way he met a girl who was chopping wood and asked her her name, to which she replied that Iború.

The girl told him that the important thing was to see the banana strain give birth. The fortune teller gave him a good-bye (chicken) and owó (money).

Iboya

Then Orunmila met another girl who was washing in the river, the one who said her name was Iboyá, and told him that Olofin had many people imprisoned, so he also gave her the same gifts as the previous one.

Ibochiche

Finally, Orunmila found a girl named Ibochiché on the way to Olofin's house and she told him that Olofin wanted to marry her daughter. The fortune teller also gave him a goodbye and owo.

When he arrived at the palace, Olofin told him that he had called him so that he could guess some things and asked him:

  • "What do I have in that room?"
  • "You have a banana plant that is giving birth," Orunmila replied to which Olofin replied, "And what do I want you to guess?"
  • "That you want to marry your daughter and for not guessing, you have my children prisoners," said the soothsayer.

Thus, Olofin surprised ordered to release the imprisoned babalawos and gratified Orula and when the wise man left, Olofin told him: "mogdupué.

To which Orunmila replied that from that day on he preferred to be told: "Iboru, Iboya, Ibochiche. "

Since then, that phrase is the correct way to greet Orunmila.

How do you greet Orula?

Respect for the Orishas is one of the sacred precepts of the Rule of Ocha, so when we arrive at the house of a santero we must greet Eleggua, but if we find ourselves in an Ilé de Orunmila, it is necessary to touch with the tips of the fingers of both hands the forehead, the lips and the floor and say “Iboru, Iboya, Ibosheshe".

It is not correct to salute in a colloquial way, even if there is great friendship with the people of the Orunmila household. Often people just say "Iboru ...", which is considered a lack of education towards the spirituality of Orunmila or Orula.

What is indicated is to greet correctly, "Iboru, Iboya, Ibochiche. "

What does it mean Iboru, Iboya, Ibosheshe?

The literal meaning from the phrase:

  • Let the sacrifice be made
  • May the sacrifice be accepted
  • Let the sacrifice be effective

It is said, by legend, that «Iboru Iboya Iboshishe«, as a phrase, also refers to the 3 women who saved Orunmila.

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