Planting Orisa Flags in Trinidad; an Ifa Perspective

Ile Orunmila, Sangre Grande Trinidad

"Planting" flags is a practice that is particular to OrisaLifestyle in Trinidad. It is reminiscent of a ritual sequence described in the Holy Odu OfunAjitena, which calls for the ritual raising of different colored flags at specific times of the year in order to be blessed by Olodumare.

The yam seed germinates after planting
It turns a big tuber
The frog in a balanced grip of the soil
It calls for it to rain
The little children would continue the rites for the elderly
Such that the Elders would find something to eat late in life
Cast divination for Òfún
The one that was going to put an ‘Ena’on Òyèkú
The act of bettering one’s life
Is what is referred to as Ena - inscription 
This is the rite observed when a blinder of white curtain is hanged by Babaláwos
It is the same thing that is done in Mecca
When they hang the white cloth
At another time it would be the turn of a red cloth
And also when it is the turn to hang the yellow
That is how they perform their own rites step by step
It would total two hundred and one
Anyone that is able to perform all these rites without a mix up
Ifá would be proud of that person
Because it is an important step of life 
It is Òfún that is however very good at it
He then was doing it for Òyèkú
Life pleased them both
It is this same rites and rituals that we all are doing
He that is a Christian
Would go to the river
He would be baptized
They would give him or her a white piece of cloth
He that is a Moslem
He would go to Mecca 
The rites would be performed for him there
It is the same thing for the Oya devotees
Masquerade devotees
Òòsà devotees
All arms of traditional cults
But whoever that records a lapse in his own
Would receive the blame from the Deities in heaven
He then started to dance and rejoice
He was praising their Babaláwos
The Babaláwos were praising Ifá 
He said it was as their Babaláwo had said
The yam seed germinates after planting
It turns a big tuber
The frog in a balanced grip of the soil
It calls for it to rain
The little children would continue the rites for the elderly
Such that the Elders would find something to eat late in life
Cast divination for Òfún
The one that was going to put an ‘Ena’ on Òyèkú
Ajítenà is a good priest 
It was Òfún that put an Ena on Òyèkú
Ajítenà is a good priest
- Holy Odu OfunAjitena

In Trinidad, planting flags can begin with an all night ceremony, called ebo. For those familiar with the ebo performed by babalawo, imagine the entire shrine becomes the opon Ifa. The natural floor is the iyerosun. The people rotate and sing various praises for hours, while circling the center pole, which we know as aarin opon, the center of heaven.

At the head of the opon, where Èsù watches the awo, you will find the drummers. Once the opening prayers have concluded, shrine assistant will place calabashes of water, oil, grains, a carafe of liquor and candles.

The first Orisa venerated in song is Èsù. The mongba or iya - male and female priest, respectively - may invoke Èsù with as many songs as the spirit moves them to sing. The participants ask him to guard the palais and open the doors to prosperity.
This will continue all night, one Orisa after another, until dawn. at which point, the sacrificial animals will be cleansed, purified and taken out to be offered. Each animal has a sponsor, who either purchased it or is tending to it for someone else.
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The ebo usually process will be repeated from Tuesday to Saturday morning, and ends with praise for Sango and Ogun. Ogun removes his sword, which was planted in the ground of the palais at the opening ceremony.