My new boss and I never got along. I think she does not like the fact that I dress in white every day and have so many beads (elekes) around my neck. Well check this out: MONDAYS ARE FOR ELEGGUA. On a Monday morning, as I returned back to work from a week vacation, I was called over to a meeting in my boss’s office. As I entered the room, two Human Resources Representatives greeted me. This meeting was to discuss as to why I had my boss’s name written on a post-it, underneath a stone-head figure, which was nothing more, but a good luck charm I had purchased in a botanica.

I had explained to Human Resources, that it was a good luck charm I had purchased and I did that to sweeten my boss up because she is very bitter towards me. I wrote her name inside a red heart with some honey on just to sweeten her up.

Human Resources asked me politely if I could take the object home with me, only for the simple fact that my boss found it offensive and was concerned. I smiled, and agreed to remove it at once. *hahahaha* They told me that I was allowed to return to my desk and they will talk to me once they wrap up their meeting.

Once their meeting was over, the two representatives passed by my cubical. I showed them that I disposed of the stone-head with her name in it in the wastebasket. I also furthered explained to them that I had this for a good luck charm. I had asked my boss for a raise on February 26, since I really need the money, and I had bought this charm for good luck. The object was made of cement with cowry shells to make a face. Under that I had my boss’s full name written down in red ink, surrounded by a heart, and about 5 hearts, then I topped it with some honey to symbolize sweetness that I wanted to come from my boss, and I had 4 nickels stacked up on one another to represent a raise or some sort of monetary gain. I probably scared my boss into thinking I created a hex or curse on her for her to call Human Resources on me.

*LMAO*

Well in any event, I am so glad for the turn of events. My only hope is that my boss will stop being so nasty towards me. There is no need for such a hostile work environment. I do welcome an open communication of positivity between her and myself. I am sorry if I did offend her, which that was not my direct intention.

However, I am offended that she was snooping around my desk to check on things that clearly were not hers. It was highly impossible for her or anyone to see the name written on that post-it, unless she or someone took it apart, which I’m sure my boss peeked at the botanica bought bootleg Eleggua charm out of curiosity. Let's just be thankful that it was not a real Eleggua. *hahaha*

Month 7 * * * * * * * Maferefun Oddi

I guess this month was a time in which I reflected on what I have done thus far. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I was initiated in September 2000. My experience, as well as every Iyawo, is very unique and personal. My biblical guru at one point in time was Migene Gonzalez-Wippler, who has written many books for the religion. I swore up and down that this was the one true way to the Orishas. BOY was I wrong and disappointed at some points into the religion. I wanted to experience things just as Migene described things in her books, but things were done so different, only causing confusion and anger on my behalf. However I would like to take this time to thank Migene Gonzalez-Wippler for her being my starting point into the religion. Ase to you!!!!!

I remember when I first read upon the religion I thought I was a child of Chango. I really wanted to connect to real people who practiced the religion. It was hard for me to meet people, I guess because of my shy nature. I remember that on September 8th, I went to the river to pay respects to Oshun on her feast day. I knew no one in the religion, and had no religious guidance. I went to the river with 5 oranges, 5 sticks of honey, 5 pennies and my POWERS OF THE ORISHAS book by Wippler. I spoke to the majestic force of nature of the river, and as if the river was human, I began to speak to her. “Please Oshun, place me in the path of the religion so that I can get to meet you soon.” Then I began to give her my offerings. Can you believe that same day, ON the day of La Virgen De La Caridad Del Cobre (Our Lady of Charity), I would eventually meet the first person that placed me into the religion, and a beautiful daughter of Oshun. TODAY, I am not with this same godmother, however I have to always thank her for all the wonderful and not so wonderful experience I have shared with her. If it were not for this Olo-Oshun, I would not be where I am today. KINKAMACHE to you Madrina. I miss the good times you and I have shared, and I hope one day our waters will unite once again. If not, just knowing you was a pleasure.

Early on I had started to develop a deep passion for the Lucumi religion. However I wanted to be an outsider. I really did not want to go thru the “embarrassing” year of wearing white clothes. I was turned off by the commitment, however my passion for the orishas became so strong that I decided to get initiated a year after I got my guardian orisha confirmed thru Orunmila. It was a small struggle trying to find another house (ile) to join but I would eventually meet the Madrina who would do my Ocha, also an Olo-Oshun.

The religion, from what I hear, has been changing dramatically. Several years back many Olorisha became initiated due to catastrophic event in a person’s life that was life threatening or health issues that the Orishas wanted to help the initiate. Young people were sometimes forced into becoming initiated at times. Nowadays, you find more and more young people, such as myself, who want to get initiated and only having Okan (heart) towards the religion and the Orishas. Many of us have not been placed in thrones nor have had a mazo thrown over us to pin us into being initiated. There are more people just interested in the religion and look for their Ocha to be performed.

I am a first generation Olorisha in my entire family (that I know of). My family religious history consists of Catholics, Jehovah's Witnesses and other protestant religions. My mom was not too happy to know that I was going to get initiated into the Lucumi religious tradition (blame it on the false rumors) and did not understand my passion toward the religion, but my faith was stronger than anything.

I recall speaking to my mother a week after my initiation. My mother was crying over the phone. My mother worried the neighborhood gossip, however now she totally accepts me as an Iyawo. She does not practice my believe system, however is happy to see that this is/was not a fad, and I can tell that my mom is proud to see that my faith is still strong.

Someone asked me “WHERE ARE YOU ON YOUR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY?” You know, I'm still a baby in the religion. Right now I am just taking life day by day. I have my days where I am wishing to get back into jeans and my Timberland boots, but overall I like being an Iyawo. It is such an amazing experience. I have my good days as well as my bad days but it is an incredible life experience, I would not trade it for the world. Spiritually, I am still evolving, that is all I can say for now....and I hope to become a better person.

I am now an Iyawo, writing about my experience, and also showing people that I can do it, as well as showing other Aleyos and Iyawos (and those preparing to be initiated that they are not alone). I try to keep my experience truthful, and bring some humor into my site, as you can see.

I am fortunate to have had a great experience in this religion thus far, and I am greatful to all the people, who have encouraged me as an aleyo and as an iyawo. Ase to you all!!! *Smile*

*SEE YA’ll NEXT MONTH*

~8 MONTHS ~ ~ ~ ~MAFEREFUN EYEUNLE~

During my eighth month I was finally presented to the sacred drums of the religion, the Bata. It was a moment that I had been awaiting for since I first got initiated, since practically no one in my ile was presented to these sacred drums, now all of a sudden Oshun rocked the house and we all are presented. *smile*

The sacred drum is an important part of our tradition. A group of 14 Iyawos were getting presented for this religious festive event. After we all were presented Oshun mounted one her children and told us that what we had just undergone was a very sacred religious rite that allows the sacred drums to take our prayers through song and dance and take them up to Olofi. We can now dance in front of these sacred drums and use our bodies as vehicle for prayer.

Speaking of prayer, well a dear close friend of mine that is not in the religion was going to church one day, and I decided to join her. I will not get into the way I was treated by the ushers at the church, if you want to hear that story I’ll send you a private email. *hehehe* However as I tried to get into the spiritual aspect of the church experience, I tried to find something to link my religion with Christianity. Some people in our religion believe that they are in a sub-Christian religion, which explains the reasoning as to why so many people have Christian imagery in their altars. So here I was in this big nice church, and as the organ began to play as the air filled up with music. The song that they started to sing was an old Negro Spiritual that I was taught to singing during Martin Luther King, Jr’s Day when I was in elementary school, and I started to laugh and then sing the words as I arose from my chair and clapped and sung the words to this song. "I’m going to lay down my burdens down by the RIVERSIDE. Down by the RIVERSIDE, Down by the RIVERSIDE. I’m going to lay down my burdens down by the RIVERSIDE. I don’t want to study war no more." I like to be considered eclectic when it comes to my religious relationship with God because I celebrate the GOOD that people’s philosophy celebrate when it comes to God, and this is the reason I chose to go to church with my friend and witness Orisha’s manifestation (to me Orisha’s energy is nothing more than a simple/complex manifestation from Our Creator) God is Good! Maferefun Olofi!

I laughed and even screamed out "Yeye-O!" when I heard these words fly out the choir’s mouth. We always have to remember that the enslaved Africans knew that Oshun would be one of the Orishas to take their sorrow and sweeten up their lives. I was so glad that this song helped break the ice and allowed me to make the connection with the ancestors who manifested themselves in the church. The enslaved African people used music to hide their beliefs, and to me, I interpreted this Negro spiritual as to when a person goes to visit IBU KOLE (Oshun) and let her know that he/she is ready to commit to the responsibility of being initiated and become an iyawo, only because of this one line in the text: "I’m going to trail my long white robe, down by the riverside." C’mon now, is that the beginning of Iyaworaje or what?!!!!. All I could do was rejoice that the first song that the church sang was to my Iya, Oshun! ORI YEYE-O!

Our religion is an oral religious tradition, and if you listen closely to our music, the ancestors, and your intuition you can hear these people who are still very much connected to us. The hymns used in the church made up by the NEGROS have lot of meaning behind their simple words. Dancing, stepping (such as seen in most African American Fraternity/Sorority Groups) Negro Spirituals, art, and storytelling all celebrate the African Pride. Not everyone in the religion is African, but we all pay respect to our motherland located in Ile Ife, Nigeria, or was that in Brooklyn, New York? Just kiddin' HAHAHAHA...See you guys next month!!!

Summer is here and I am not liking the fact that all my friends are out and about, while I am stuck at home watching sitcoms or staying up late at night watching episodes of XICA (Brazilian Soap opera that touched upon the religion). My daily routine has been going to work in the morning and arriving home early evening (nothing else really in between). Sometimes I look forward to the weekends because summer is the core of religious activities. I am constantly hoping that there is a drumming or someone’s ocha birthday so that I can just be around the religious community.

I had the opportunity to attend a listening party for Baba Karade and The Karade Ensemble. It was a very nice experience and I learned a nice word which is great to add to my Yoruba/Lucumi vocabulary: "Asuwada, (pronounced A-SHU-WA-DA) is a Yoruba term that means community and all the peace, togetherness, and harmony." This is a religion in which you gain an extended family, and develop close nit relationships. The Africans were separated during the enslavement period, and through the Yoruba/Lucumi religious practice, many enslaved Africans were able to create new families, such as the pseudo families we create in our religion. This religion is about strengthening and re-creating family and a sense of belonging. Sometimes our natal family isn’t as understanding as our spiritual family. Creating strong and meaningful relationships is so wonderful when you have a close network of people to relate to within the religion.

I think that sometimes many Iyawos are very emotional during thier year, and we have every right to be. Some Iyawo's also go through the "MADRINA/PADRINO DOES NOT LOVE ME ANYMORE PHASE, but you always have to understand that your godparent is to look out after you, but your godparent also has a life outside of the religion with other duties/family as well. I am grateful for having good understanding godparents. Madrina is very understanding and when I am around her she can spoil me and make me feel better, in which makes me feel so much better. My Padrino is very nurturing, every time that he and I converse I feel so much better about myself. I think one of the blessings I have gotten from this entire experience is having my Adjubona (your second godparent) be there for me, I only met Padrino a few weeks prior to doing ocha, and I can honestly say that I am blessed that Yemaya said yes for him to be my adjubona because he indeed is my perfect choice as an adjubona. ~ Aside from having my godparents I have gained a new spiritual family. I have two hospitable Grandfathers who always welcome me into their ile with open arms. A Grandma who just loves to get hugs from me. I also have a host of spiritual uncles and aunts in the religion who are always my backbone to just joke around and have a good time. I call them the "Iyawo Clan" and each iyawo has been a great support. Being around many iyawos has motivated me more to write this journal as well because we all experience the similar situations. Some of them have already started to complete their year. Then there are other people in my ile that are a bit distant from me, but that is just they way the cookie crumbles. (For those Iyawos who do leave their godparents during their iyaworaje or shortly after they complete their year: Don’t worry about it, sometimes you’ll find your true spiritual family after you’re crowned.) Then there my big brother who is always hooking me up with computer supplies, and always asking me how I am feeling which is very important and I am grateful to him for that. You see, IYAWOS are very emotional people during this entire year, people in the religious community should constantly check up on their iyawos and make sure that they are having a level-headed year. I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH, YOU HAVE TO CONSTANTLY CHECK UP ON YOUR IYAWO. REMEMBER: this also allows the Iyawo of today to learn from his/her experience, and if he/she becomes a priest/priestess that will be a godparent to someone else, then he/she may respond with the same care and nurturing that he/she once got from his elders and the religious community.

During my 9th month I was lifted because my godmother was crowning an Oni-Yemaya. The only way I can describe being lifted is this: Thus far I am the baby of my ile/house/temple. When Madrina crowns this other person then this new neophyte iyawo become the baby, and I automatically am an older brother to her. It is the same dynamics of having a child. You will be your parent’s child, but no longer the baby. SAME THING WITH CROWNING. Everything seemed to go smooth for the new iyawo who’s dad came out to be Ochossi. However, sleeping for so long on the hard concrete floor, on estera, gave me a pinched nerve on my right arm. I saw a doctor but he told me to rest my arm, and gave me a sling. It was funny when I went to a tambor for St. Lazarus and I had on my sling. Hearing the drums and seeing people dance only made want to dance for the Orishas. As I danced for Oya, I had stopped and laughed really loud because I looked like a chicken flapping my wing. At least I got to be in a tambor, instead of looking out my window watching the kids from around my way having fun as they run thru the fire-hydrants cooling off in the summer heat. It’s going to be a LOOOONG HOT summer; The Trick is to keep breathing…

Prior to becoming an Iyawo I had so many plans...I was going to make mazos for all my orishas, I was going to sew my own fabrics, I was going to learn how to speak to each and every orisha...This was my plans...YEAH RIGHT!!! C'mon now, there are other priorities in life that must get its due respect and it's due time.

Every Iyawo complains that he or she "missed" a birthday, a christmas, a summer at the beach, a summer BBQ at a park, but hey, it is just a small sacrife...Just ONE year of your life, that is all...Once you complete your year you have all your life to go back to these things (that is if they were not taken away from you in your ita).

Month 10 is sort of boring for me, I'm just in an out of fabric stores looking for materials for my orishas, especially a beautiful fabric for Oshun's alter piece. And once the sun sets I just stay home watching tv shows, piggin' out...OH YEAH!!! Iyawos BE EXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXTREMELY careful on what you eat this year because you can grow 10 sizes larger...You see, when you're home and bored you may get entertained by food. I actually lost weight for the first 4-5 months...then I ballooned up...So word to the wize leave them WIZE chips alone...hahaha OKAY I mean BE WISE AND LEAVE THE WIZE ALONE. And when you go to tambores they always feed you...Come to think of it in a misa you are fed, in a tambor you are fed, in an ocha you are fed, in the itutu you are fed...FOOD IS BIG IN OUR RELIGION, just eat healthy...and remember your ita...

MONTH 11 ><><>< OJUANI

I FINALLY HAD MY EBBO DONE

Yep!!! I finally had my "three month ebbo" done (eleven months later). Traditionally the Ebbo de Meta is performed on the third month, however due to financial obligations I had to set back the date until I got my finances together. NOTE TO OTHER IYAWOS, You DON'T have to stress yourself to believe that your ebbo has to be done on the exact third month. From what I have been told, this ceremony is performed allowing you to give adimus for the Orishas to receive (maybe there is more to this, but for now, this is all I know). I am GLAD that I got it done within my year, because I know of several people who don't do thier ebbo until way after thier own ocha birthday, which may not entitle them to celebrate thier ocha birthday, however that is not wrong, just done differently.

I am almost done with my iyaworaje, and all I can say is that I have never been ever so proud of myself. I can feel so proud of myself for undergoing such a totally dedicated period in my life. I am also greatful to learning that this experience has changed me in a way that I am more open with myself, and able to seek the truth and be a leader in my life. I'm just a shy kid from NYC, however this experience has allowed me to realise that I am a voice in the world and I need to be heard. The IYAWO EXPERIENCE was a project that I undertook because I wanted to share this personal part of my life with the world.

As I was talking to someone about Oshun this month, I was also made aware that Oshun is really an incredible orisha. Can you believe my homegirl Oshun is one of the first Orishas who wore a weave? Also the orisha of cosmetology!!! There are several patakis (stories) that speak about Oshun and her hair. One story states that Oshun was suffering the lost of her lost child, Idowu, and became ill. Because of this she started losing hair due to her malnutrition. However when Oshun started coming out of her depression, she wanted to disguise her sadness and look radiant for the next town event, that she grabbed indigo and dried grass and started to weave this into her scalp to give the appearance was real hair. Not only her hair looked good, but Oshun also used the natural berries and shea butter to create natural forms of cosmetics to apply to her skin so that when she arrived into the town, people would stop dead in their tracks to admire at how beautiful Oshun looked. So now when I see girls with their hair braided with synthetic hair I always think of Oshun, *hahaha* Maferefun Beyonce from "Destiny's Child"...

In this life on earth we have the good and the bad. The yin and the yang. The positive and negative. The Orishas are very much reflect dual forces. Oshun represents love, happiness, wealth, fertility in her positive aspects, however on the flip-side Oshun does represent jealousy, vengeance, poverty, and infertility. People tend to think that Oshun is only positive, however we all must understand that orisha is frequencies of energy that manifest positive and negative charges. A good example is my father, Obaluaye who represents diseases, plagues, and homelessness on a negative aspect, however BABALU-AYE also represents good health, cures, richness, prosperity, wealth, humility and grace. WELL GUYS, SEE YOU NEXT MONTH....

* MONTH 12 – MAFEREFUN EYILA*

It is my last month. My best friend and I spent most of our free time looking for beautiful fabrics and fancy things to prepare for my Ocha birthday. So many fabric, I just want things done right. I want my birthday to come out special. I want everyone to see how nice my throne would look…But I was not happy. Instead, I was more worried about pleasing others, and the way that they would look at me. It took me a while to focus in on myself and my inner voice. “Stay humble…” and that is just what I had to focus on, staying humble and stop trying to out do myself…this was my experience, not anyone’s but my own.

Thinking back at my involvement in the religion, I recall thinking of how hard it would be for me to join this initiation. Thinking that I could not wear white for a full year because people would make fun of me, and people would look down upon me and people would just not understand. Once upon a time, a santera told me that I would get initiated, and I spoke too soon saying “Nah, this is not for me, just give me warriors, and Olokun, but ME? Do Ocha? Nah, that is something I respect and I can’t see myself doing a whole entire year in white.” But look at me now…I have wore white for an entire year but the clothing is NOTHING, it is the spiritual lesson behind all of this. This initiation gave me inner strength and the courage to tackle some fears and gain self respect. In all honesty it was a rites of passage in which I no longer was the young boy I was a year ago, I was now Oshun Niye, priest of Oshun.

HAPPY OCHA DAY TO ME!!!

My Ocha birthday was here. I woke up that morning with so much anticipation and anxiety. The Orishas were going to speak through obi letting me know if they are happy or not. Where was madrina? Where is my padrino? It’s 10 AM and I am just fixing up my home so that when visitors come they can be comfortable and feeling welcomed. Madrina strolled into my home very relaxed and looking happy. In some way I could tell that she was proud of me. I felt her hug to be very genuine, I could almost feel her heart palpitating against my chest as we embraced. That I how deep my love for my madrina is, and the love from her to me is. I was happy that I had involved myself with a good godfamily. Padrino was a little nervous as he prepared to cast obi at the thone because it was his first time, and all eyes were on him. Not for nothing, I was padrino’s first godson that he was being the ajubona and I must commend him. He was there for me in the times of need. Although he is shorter than me, I still looked up to him. Thanks Padrino!!! * * * * * Obi was done, every Orisha gave me good letters ranging from EYEIFE, ALAFIA and Itawa-Meji. Oshun gave me Eyeife, which made my day. Maferefun Oshun everyday.

In my humble beginnings of this religion, I really wanted to be a son of Shango. I loved Shango and still do. He remains to be a respected Orisha that I admire. Shango gave me complete Ire in my own Ita, and spoke to me as if he would protect me from danger, from violence, from those evil forces who sought to destroy me. Before I could be destroyed, Shango would fight all of my battles. In Shango’s eyes, I was his little child, and he was the first Orisha that I learned about and it is no surprise that the first Iyawo that was about to pay moforibale to me was a child of Shango. Wow, Shango brought forth to my home his child so that my hands could be the hands that lifted this iyawo. I did my Mojuba and presented her with a plate, two coconuts, two candles and a small donation. For the first time in my life, I felt that this experience was rewarding as well as challenging. I was very much dedicated to my spiritual progress, learning about myself as well as my capabilities, fears and strengths. I felt so happy coming in full circle.

Agbo ato. Gbogbo Orisha Agbe O. Dide!

May You Live Long and In Good Health. May All of The Orishas Bless you. Arise!!!!

Kinkamaché Iya Mi, Kinkamaché Baba Mi, Kinkamaché Olochunde, Kinkamaché Omi Feremican, Kinkamaché Omitocunbi, Kinkamaché Afolabi, Kinkamaché Assinabi, Kinkamaché Orifade, Kinkamaché Iyakeremi, Kinkamaché Oshun Funké, Kinkamaché Omi Lekun, Kinkamaché Oloyuilla, Kinkamaché Obaquellesi, Kinkamaché Oba Ileun, Kinkamaché Adewale, Kinkamaché Folosade Kinkamaché Ade Kola Oñi, Kinkamache AdeYemi, Kinkamache Obabi, Kincamache Okikilo, Kinkamaché Eshu Omi Lecun, Kinkamaché Oba, Kinkamaché Oluo, Kinkamaché Babalocha, Kinkamaché Iyalocha, Kinkamaché Gbogbo Iworo kale ilé...