1. Oriki Ela - Praising the Spirit of Purity
Introduction
Part of the responsibility that follows initiation into Ifa is the development of the ability to align the
ori with the Spirit of Ela. The historical prophet Orunmila was an incarnation of the Spirit of Ela
and the align of ori with Ela is known as returning to the time when Orunmila walked the earth.
This alignment occurs as a result of consistent attention to the Ifa discipline of chanting oriki.
Ifa makes use of a four day calendar as the basis for an elaborate prayer cycle that generates a
force field of good fortune for the awo, the awo's family and the larger community. The
fundamental pattern in this cycle is the morning prayer the invocation of Ela every four days and
collective prayer with the entire Egbe Ifa every eight days.
Oriki Ela spoken into a glass of water and the water is used to first clean the head then is
ingested. Ela is Elerin ipin the witness to Creation. It is the Spirit of Ela who gives an awo the
ase to invoke Odu and all the Spirits who manifest through the oral scripture of Ifa. The
invocation of Ela generally comes after extensive praise of Orunmila.
The oriki in this volume are spoken in a slow resonant voice and as the student of Ifa becomes
familiar with them they are sung. The singing aspect of chanting is usually motivated by Spirit
and is an expression of the creativity of the awo.
Alignment with the Spirit of Ela is the blessing of Ifa and chanting is the road to that blessing.
Ire
Awo Falokun Fatunmbi
Egbe Ifa Ogunti Ode Remo
ORÍKÌ ELA
Ifá ló l'òní, Ifá ló l'Òla, Ifá ló l'òtounla pèlú è.
Ifa is master of today, Ifa is master of tomorrow,
Ifa is master of the day after tomorrow.
Òrúnmìlà lo nijó mérèèrin òòsá dá'áyé.
The Spirit of Destiny is the master of the four days created by the divinities.
Èlà mo yìn burú, Èlà mo yìn boyè, Èlà mo yìn bosise.
Spirit of Purity I praise the offering that opens the way,
that brings satisfaction and that works on my behalf.
Èla rò. Èla rò. Èla rò.
Spirit of Purity descend, Spirit of Purity descend, Spirit of Purity descend.
Mo júbà o, mo júbà o, mo júbà o.
I praise you, I praise you, I praise you.
Òrúnmìlà mo pè. Òrúnmìlà mo pè. Òrúnmìlà mo pè.
Spirit of destiny I call you. Spirit of destiny I call you. Spirit of destiny I call you.
Ifá mo pè. Ifá mo pè. Ifá mo pè.

2. Ifa I call you. Ifa I call you. Ifa I call you.
Ifá ji o Òrúnmìlà, bí olo l'oko, ki o wá lé o, bí olo l'odo, dí o wá lé o.
Ifa awake. Spirit of Destiny if you go the farm you should come home,
If you go to the river you should come home.
Bí o lo l'ode, kí o wá lé o. Mo júbà o. Mo júbà o. Mo júbà o.
If you go the hunt, you should come home. Homage, homage, homage.
Ase.
May it be so