The Sixteen Principles of Yoruba Life, Belief and Worship
Translation
Ikafun Ikaofun the divination lots of sixteen elders
On their way from Orun to Ile Aye.
They are gong to ile-ife to ask for the secret of longevity.
They are going to Ile-Ife to ask for the secret of perfection.
They asked, ‘can we live eternally, can we be perfect?’
They asked Olodumare during their Ifa consultation.
They were told that they will have longevity and perfection only if they can keep to warnings and principles.
1. Do not call esuru (bitter yam), esuru (a log)
2. Do not call esuru (log), esuru (bitter yam)
3. Do not call odidere (parrot), oode (partridge)
4. Do not call ewe iroko (the baobab leaf), ewe oriro (water hyacinth)
5. Do not go to the river without the intention of bathing
6. Do not make the noise of a hoe without having one
7. Do not enter the house of Akala fraudulently
8. Do not use the parrot feather to clean after defecations
9. Do not defecate in the palm groove
10. Do not urinate on the walk way
11. Do not take the walking stick of the blind
12. Do not take the walking stick of the elderly
13. Do not tale the wife of the initiated
14. Do not take a friend's wife
15. Do not reveal the initiated secrets of the elders
16. Do not wear the loincloth of the initiates in public
They got to ile aye.
All instructions were disobeyed.
They started dying one after the other.
Orunmila was the only one left because he kept instructions and principles.
He was then accused of killing them.
He said, "to live eternally is in your individual hand. To live perfectly is in your individual hand. Because longevity, perfection, and old age does not give notice before dawning on individuals."
