What is the Iyefá or Ashé de Orula? The Dust That Stops All Osogbos

The Iyan or yam powder that is scattered on the Ifá board to mark the Odun is known in Cuba as Iyefá and in Nigeria as Iyerosun.

And it is in the Odun of Oyecun Meyi where it is explained why yam powder (Iyan) is used as the main element in the Iyefá of Orula.

The story tells that there was a tall man named Olomo, and the Ajogun (warriors of evil) They had him martyred and Eshú is the one who helps him to annihilate them by putting yam flour into their mouths.

From that moment on, the Ajoguns cannot taste the yam powder because their mouths become twisted and stiff, their jaws get stuck, and they also die and get sick.

orunmila in this Odu he gives yam powder (Iyan) to the Ajogun and they all stop putting up resistance and swear to Orunmila that when the Iyan was used for sacrifice, they would respect whoever used it.

So when the Osogbos (negative energies) taste this yam powder they become disabled and cannot attack the Awo, or whoever uses them.

What is the Iyerosun in Nigeria made of?

This is made up of the sawdust caused by termites from certain woods of specific trees and they are red, black and yellow in color.

What ingredients does the Iyefá de Orunmila have?

Yam fruit

To perform the Iyefá de Orula there are several methods and ingredients to use, since there are many Odun (signs) and depending on this, elements of the sign are added.

To do the Iyefá:

First the yam must be chopped into very thin slices,
the 16 meyis are prayed,
the fruit is put to dry in the sun only during the day and after being dry it becomes dust, and they are mixed with royal palm bud, or herbs from Ozain, or lerí (head) of the Adie (hen) from Orunmila, eku (smoked jutía), eya (smoked fish), awuado (roasted corn), among other sacred elements.

Orunmila Iboru, Orunmila Iboya, Orunmila Ibosheshe!