Who is Inle Oguere? We pay tribute to Mother Earth in Santeria

Devotees of the Yoruba religion They attach great importance to ceremonials intended to entertain and pay tribute to Mother Earth.

She is sung, prayed to, fed and asked, because she will be the one who will welcome our bodies at the end of our life and she is also the one who provides sustenance and shelter to both men and animals.

But behind these immense displays of faith, love and respect towards the Earth, there are the Yoruba legends that indicate how this cult of the Earth began.

Inle Oguere and the patakí of Mother Earth

A Yoruba or Pataki legend tells that Inle Oguere was a very beautiful woman.

She had many children, of whom she stood out for a beauty similar to that of her mother, a young woman known by the name of Afokoyeri.

But despite her beauty, this daughter lived sad and heartbroken. This was because a horrible being had fallen madly in love with her and was doing his best to get her.

He was known as Ashikuelu and lived in the darkness of the deep entrails.añas of the earth.

The ugly monster only peeked out of the mouth of a cave when his children brought him offerings and made songs that darkened the sky.

But so much was his obsession with the beautiful girl, that Ashikuelu used all possible tools, including the use of magic and witchcraft, to reach her.

And one day, the beautiful Afokoyeri was walking through the countryside when she managed to see a very beautiful butterfly and decided to chase her, despite the fact that she was leading her to the entrance of a cave.

When he got closer he saw how Ashikuelu emerged from the depths, who, without giving him time to react, took it and carried it to the depths of the earth.

Inle Oguere's challenge to get his beautiful daughter back

When the young woman's mother, Inle Oguere, learned of everything that had happened, she fell into despair and began to search among the wizards of her land for one who was so strong and powerful that she could give her daughter back.

Thus, he heard about orunmila and without hesitation he went to see it.

The sage told him that his daughter was destined to live in darkness, since humans could not understand the greatness of her life and its immense beauty.

Orunmila told Inle Oguere that to get her daughter back, she had to make ebbó and offer to eat Ashikuelu through a crack.

When he left he should talk to him and try to make a pact. Inle Oguere, without hesitation, did what he was advised.

The Inle Oguere Pact and Ashikuelu

When Ashikuelu left, Inle Oguere proposed:

"You will have the right for my daughter to live six months with you and six months with me, because you are the crust of the earth of all, you are light where everything blooms and I am the shadow of the entrance.aña of the earth, where things germinate”.

Olofin, who was hearing all that and witnessed the sacrifice of Inle Oguere, decided to intervene and solve the issues, saying:

"You, Inle Oguere, will be Iya Inle Mother Earth, so you will always give men of your fruits so that they have with which to sustain their lives.
All men will always have to give you food and whoever wants to see you will first have to recognize you both in the plowed fields and in the natural gorges.
You will be seen in every fruit, every mineral, in everything that comes out of the entrances.añas of the earth and the earth's crust”

Olofin continued:

“You will be known as the loving mother who feeds her children and therefore you will also be the home that will welcome the body of each one at the end of their days.
You will eat and work with Ashikuelu and Afokoyeri, who are your beloved children, as well as Yewa, Ozain, Azojuano, Oduduwa, Orun and myself ”.

This is how Inle Oguere was assigned the title of Mother Earth, since she renounced all the pleasures of the earth, in order to live togetherañaing their sons Ashikuelu and Afokoyeri in the darkness of the earth.

Rituals of gratitude to Inle Oguere in Yoruba religion

Inle Oguere's is a story of sacrifice and brotherly love, it is said that, due to his delivery to his daughter, summer resides in the earth's crust and winter arises from the entrails.añas of the earth.

In addition, she is given the name of Mother Earth, due to the role that mothers play in the lives of their children as protection and support.

Mothers must always achieve balance in the lives of their children. Although many do not agree with the marriage of their children, they always try to adapt to the presence of each one's partner, so as not to dañar your happiness.

For these roles assigned to Mother Earth, the followers of the Yoruba religion pay her immense tribute.

There are various rites and offerings that are made to mother earth, but the most common among the followers of the Yoruba religion is to feed the earth.

If you want to know how the ceremony of giving food to the earth is performed "you can read it by clicking here"

Feeding the land What does this ceremony represent?

En the Santeria o Rule of Osha-Ifá this is a ritual destined to "feed the earth", to ask for the blessing of Mother Earth, the one that gives us sustenance and shelter and is one of the greatest tributes that can be made to Inle Oguere.

Usually this ritual is done at the beginning of the year and offerings are brought to it, it is sung to it and it is prayed to. In this way, he is shown respect and honored for sheltering us, providing us with food and support.

Everything that is used daily comes from it, such as food, oil, water, even metals, steel, minerals, everything that is born from the universe.

Mother Earth provides us with everything we use for life and development.

Thus, through the ceremony of feeding the earth, the devotees try to connect with Mother Earth and thank her, so that she in turn strengthens them and clears their bodies of negative energies.

These prayers are performed by singing, in order that Inle Oguere feel honored and happy and bless them with prosperity and health.