"Do you know Ajeji Godogbo?

He is the one we are calling Egungun"

Holy Odu Irosun, Merindilogun Oracle of the Anago(Yoruba) people

The picture above is of the traditional adornment of the Ancestral spirits of the Yoruba people. These cloths, called Agan are draped over those who are possessed with the spirits of Egungun -Ancestors, during festivals and rites sacred to them

The Holy Odu Irosun tells us how this tradition of draping them in multi faceted cloths and worshipping them came about. The town of Peri was troubled, the women were barren, the crops were not growing, the children were ill and so the people were depressed. The leader of the town, being caring, compassionate and concerned went to seek consultation with the diviners to ask for a prescription for this dilemma. He was told that a stranger would come to the town and bless them richly...and so he resolved to be kind to all visitors to Peri

Meanwhile, in a neighboring village or  plane of existence, Ajeji Godogbo was experiencing a lack of prosperity. Being wise, he too sought the assistance of diviners to ask what must he do to fulfill his destiny and be prosperous? He was told, he must leave home for his destiny lay away from home. He set out travelling. Ajeji Godogbo travelled far and by the time he reached Peri, he had walked for so long that his clothing was in tatters. Being Afrikan and used to being richly adorned he would not enter Peri in such a state but set up camp right outside its gates. In the morning, women begin to leave to go and fetch water...Ajeji noted that they carried no babies on their backs, he greeted them and added, 'may you have many children'...the women thanked the Stout Foreigner and went on. Other mothers left the town later carrying ill children and he greeted them saying, 'may your children become well'. He saw men return from farming with no food and said 'may your crops yield much'...he saw poverty and said 'may you become rich' and on and on Stout Foreigner was blessing the people of Peri

Then Ha! Like magick, Stout Foreigners blessings became reality.

Barren women bore twins, sick children ran and played with vigor, crops yielded greatly and poverty was transformed to wealth. The town leader who had been waiting diligently for a Foreigner to enter the gates was baffled. He asked them 'how have you been so richly blessed'. And each person said, 'there is  Stout Foreigner sitting right outside the gates, who has been bestowing blessing upon us, what he wishes and prays for you comes to pass like magick!'

The Balogun (town leader)  then asked,  'He is an answer to our prayers, how can we reciprocate his blessings'. The townspeople shared the fact that Ajeji Godogbo was wearing rags. The Balogun then went from household to household gathering a strip of their finest cloth. He took these strips the the most talented seamstress in Peri and asked her to fashion a massive outift for the Foreigner was  Stout or very big. The Egungun adornment is still to this day fashioned by a priestess of Oya known as the Iya Agan~Mother of the Agan.

That first Iya Agan, fashioned a tremedous resplendent agbada (large caftan like top) for the Stout Foreigner. The Balogun, gathered his praise drummers and they made their talking drums sing the praises of Ajeji Godogbo as they approached the gate. The praisesongs elevated both the Balogun and Ajeji Godogbo into a trance state and when the Balogun presented him with the Agabada, Ajeji began to spin and spin and stir up the dust of EarthMotherOnile with the botton of the Agan...from the graves deep within EarthMotherOnile's womb, the Ancestral Spirits rose to dance in the Agan and inhabit the body of Ajeji Godogbo and at time the town of Peri knew they had been hosting a visitor of the Spirit Realm Orun, outside their gateway.

They fell to the ground as he blessed them with his horsetail whip

And their lives were good...

Do you see Ajeji Gogodbo?

He is the one we are calling Egungun

Ase O , Irosun!

Egungun is the Yoruba word meaning bones, that which remains when our Egun or Ancestors have returned their physical bodies to EarthMotherOnile. Your Egungun wait outside the gateway of your life, like Ajeji Godogbo, they are big mighty visitors from another realm and they are waiting to bless you if you but invite them to participate in your life. Irosun is an odu which reminds us to remember our Ancestors. Feed them a little bite whenever you eat, recite the names of those you remember who were righteous every day and remember the deeds of your Ancestors both good and bad so that you will know how to navigate the terrain of life.  And, at least once a year, invite them to come and dance with you on the physical plane once again...commune with those Old Souls, they have much to teach, much to share and you have EVERYTHING to gain. What did you ever ask your Grandma for that she didnt give? Let Her continue to bless you as richly as She did while living...

In the West, our generally accepted Ancestral Festival Day as set by the elders in Oyotunji Village is October 31st. This time has been known to be spiritually significant by all civilized peoples, it is a time when the veil between the spirit realm Orun and the physical realm Aiye is thin and spirits can pass between it...during this time it is auspicious to prepare your Ancestors their favorite foods and drinks and sit a plate out for them...I put a plate for my righteous Ancestors on my table and one for my unelevated Ancestors on my front porch

it is the only time I recognize my unrighteous Ancestors

Sing Ancestral songs of praise for those who have walked the path of life before you

(these are shared in the October Orisha class available on Oshetureinstitute.com)

If you do not already have one, this is an auspicious time to erect an Ancestral Altar and begin the nine day process of opening it as outlined in my book Ona Agbani The Ancient Path available on Amazon.com

Lay your burdens before your Ancestors and watch them melt away

Ancestral worship, while intense, is not scary or dangerous...your grandmother, grandfather et cetera have a vested interest in your having the best life possible because they are reborn through you and because they STILL love you deeply

If you already have an Ancestral altar, you may need to receive consecrated Ancestral vessels from an Egungun initiate, one who has been trained in interaction with the forces of the dead...please leave a comment here if you feel drawn to this option and I will contact you with info on how to move forward with that process

I also visit the slave cemetary here in Nashville on Oct 31st and leave a white candle and some oti (strong drink) for the Ancestors their and thank them for their struggles on our behalf

For your children, use this day to regale them with tales of righteous Ancestors both those in your family lineage and the protectors and defenders of our culture worldwide

you may begin with Oba Oseijiman Adefunmi I

Medahochi Kofi Omowale Zannu

Marcus Garvey

Shaka Zulu

Nannie of the Maroons

Nzingah

YaaAsantewaa

to name a few...do not allow their names to be forgotten in your lifetime

and ask their mighty spirits to continue to guide and protect us

We ARE our Ancestors, they walk within our bodies daily, we cannot as Afrikans maintain complete spiritual and mental health without acknowledging this fact thru ritual

Please join Afrikans worldwide in celebrating the lives of those who have gone before on Oct 31st

Blessings of Oshun upon you

Yeye