Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Contemplations on the Odu Obara Meji
The pumpkin is a metaphor we focus on too closely when considering the Ese Ifa of Obara Meji. The true message is, if we let our vanity take over, focusing on flash over substance, we miss the seemingly mundane thing (pumpkin), which can provide food for us and our family, and wealth in the form a regenerating product to be sold over and over at the market. The Orisa threw away the pumpkin because it wasn't flashy, and in doing so, flash and instant gratification clouded their judgement. This caused them to miss an opportunity, which in the long term would have put them out ahead. Obara Meji is not about not eating pumpkin, that is done simply to remind us that we shouldn't let flash overshadow substance allowing us to make smart decisions. -- Me
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3 comments:
I have red a bit on Obara Meji but never this content that you give us. This and many other Oddus speak the same about paying attention to substance and not to the appearances.
The one I like best is AL OJO DEL AMO ENGORDA EL GANADO. Wherein one is advised not to leave your business in the hands of strangers. Look after your business yourself.
Omí Wale
The story of pumpkin (calabaza in lucumi) or the Gourd exists in both the lucumi and trad. Yoruba Ifa corpus interestingly. Very poigniant story...
Perhaps, Babá.... I have not heard your pumpkin story.
My story about the "lost deer" is that Obara Meji had a farm and he lived in the city. One day his employee came to the city to advise him that the deer could not be found. O.M. goes to his farm and looks around and finds his best deer: His horns locked up in a bundle of hay.
So it goes.... Omí Wale
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