In the third podcast, Chief Dayo Ologundudu,a native of Ile Ife, Nigeria, speaks of powerful incantations that the Yoruba utilize to invoke the elements of nature and transform them into medicine.
I love the richness of his voice as well as the poetic and philosophical richness of the incantation to water that he later translates: "Coolness is the way of water. Calmness is the way of water. Clarity is the way of water. Purity is the way of water."
"Water has no enemies", says Dayo, who speaks with reverence about our ancestors and our tradition of communicating with the rivers, the hills, volcanos and other forces of nature. He also discusses his upcoming book on Yoruba history, spirituality and culture and talks about traditional songs for the orisas, or divine spirits, that survived in Cuba. I enjoyed his renditions of songs for Esu Odara and Ogun and Yemonja, the divine spirit of the sea.
Dayo was my first Yoruba language instructor more than 12 years ago. He believed then and still believes that the language is the root of Ifa, the ancient philosphy of our ancestors. I remember quite clearly how it would frustrate him when he couldn't find committed students. "Nobody cares about perfection anymore," Dayo would grumble.
The drive to understand languages is a fundamental part of who I am. Yet, there's no secret to learning a new language or any new skill for that matter. We must incorporate our aspirations into our day-to-day lives and apply ourselves with dedication, perseverance and determination. It's the only way forward.
James Weeks (email: james@sacredjourneyworldwide.com)
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