Divination in DC

On October 7, 2001, babalawos, olochas, and omo oricha gathered at 1354 Parkwood Road, N.W., Washington, D.C., to bring down Orunmila and consult him about appropriate responses to the tragedies of September 11 and the subsequent war, the beginning of which was announced during the ceremony. Eloi Hernández-Otura-Nico and Michael Atwood Mason-Ocán-Oñí called the gathering.

Through the ikin of Eloi Hernández-Otura-Niko in the hands of Orimoladé Ogúnjimi-Odi-Roso, Orula provided the following direction:

Odu: Oshé-Irete
1st Witness: Irete-Otura
2nd Witness: Irete Meyi

Through the ibo, Orula marked Iré with Irete Meyi.

The blessings were:

Iré arikú elese ocha Ochún cotoyale

Orula marked the following ebós:

1. Adimú to Ochún: Everyone should make offerings of fruit, candles, honey, or her favorite foods.
2. Altar for the ancestors: Everyone should create an altar for the ancestors with flowers, water, and a candle, and each person should pray for the peace of those killed in this conflict.
3. Gifts to the garbage collectors and the police: Everyone should give between $1 and $5 to these people in their area, because they work with the ancestors all the time.
4. Flag of Otura-Nico: Everyone should create a flag that is half white and half purple to hang behind the main door of the house.
5. Individual ebó: Each olocha should make the ebó from itá or ask Elegguá to mark a new one. Each person with the hand of Orula or cofá should make the ebó from itá. When making ebó, everyone should pray for the peace and security of family and friends.
6. Goat and drumming for Orunmila: The community needs to come together and offer a goat to Orunmila.

This will be followed by a drumming in his honor.

Those seeking more information or wishing to support the collective ebó can contact Michael Atwood Mason-Ocán-Oñí at Ocanonyi56@yahoo.com.

Those present were:

Babalawos:
Eloi Hernández-Otura-Nico
Orimoladé Ogúnjimi-Odi-Roso
Eduardo Sierra-Ica-Koso
Ifá Biyii Sangode

Olochas:
Francisco Macías-Echu Bí
Michael Atwood Mason-Ocán-Oñí
David H. Brown-Eguín Coladé
Shango Yemí
Fani Trump-omo Ochún
Carmen Trujillo-omo Ochún

Apetebí, Awofaka ni Orula and Omo Oricha
Ariel Alexander
Pamela Alexander
Mercedes Frazier
Vincent Huckle
Ruth Jara
Jumal Lewis
Marian Lobred-Iyanifa Ifafunlayó
Logan
David Lounsbury
Juanita Minor
Marcelo Minor
María Minor
Nicolas Soria
Harold Snyder