Ewe Osain
Below follows a discourse of some the ewe growing in the local New York City area. The name in Spanish Spanish is given, followed by the scientic scientic !atin botanic name, the "nglish name, the Yoruba Yoruba name #!ucumi$, #!ucumi$, and then the %risha %risha that pertains to it. it. Those that can be found in the supermarket fresh vegetable section are so indicated. To view images of the herbs &oogle the !atin botanic name' Alamo, (Ficus religiosa), Bo tree, Sacred (ig, Ofa #!$. Shango. %fa in Yoruba Yoruba means arrow arrow and the leaf is pointed and looks like an arrow. This tree is called the sacred tree because it is the tree that Budda sat under to reached enlightenment. )e is said have meditated under it for si* years. This tree belongs to Shango for certain. +t is said that the rst time the tambores #drums$ were were played to Shango, Shangothe orisha who owns the drum, it was under the -lamo -lamo tree. any works can be done for Shango using this herb. herb. /hen Shango is mad mad he can be 0uieted with this this herb. /hen an agbo #ram$ is sacriced to Shango, a leaf of -lamo is placed in his mouth #odun +fa %trupon Bara$. +n the odun +fa
%sa 1oso, Shango had closed the roads to %runmila2s house with -lamo, and %runmila was not able to receive customers, customers, and lost business. business. )is wife, apetebi, told %runmila %runmila that he had forgotten to sacrice a ram to Shango. -fter -fter doing this the road road was opened up and everything was made clear for him. Albahaca, (Ocimum basilicum), Basil #supermarket$, Ororo #!$. -3owano Babaluaye, -nya, %chun, Yemaya, Yemaya, %ya. Alta Misa, Artemisa, (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), 1agweed, Liniddi #!$. %sain, %batala, Babaluaye. This plant is everywhere. everywhere. The name name 4alta misa5 means means high mass. Anise, (Pimpinella anisum), anise #supermrket$, Eweise #!$ %chiosi, -3owano Babaluaye, %shun. 6ery aromatic, li0uorice like. Berro, (asturtium officinale), !atercrest !atercrest (supermar"et), Oshun, #ema$a% &sed to treat
gastrointestinal disorders. Bleo, Bleo Blanco, Bledo, (Amaranthus 'iridis, Amaranthus pinosus ), 7igweed, a form of Callaloo spinach (!est ndian supermar"ets $, Tete, *ete *egun #!$. %batala. This plant grows everywhere, all over the world. There is a Yoruba proverb that says 4there is nowhere where Tete does not grow5. +n +fa odun +rete%bara' Kos’eniti apa Oba ko ka, kos’eniti Tete ko le te. No one is beyond the king’s rule; no one is beyond the impression of Tete. +n the 1egla %cha, "we Odundun, Ewe dundun #8alanchoe crenata$ or its
cousin Ewe abata #Bryophyllum pinnatum$, in Spanish, prodigiosa, #prodigious in "nglish meaning overly abundant9 marvelous, wonderful$, siempre viva, yerba bru:a, leaf of life, is regarded, as the king of all the herbs and Tete is his deputy. "we dundun and Tete are some of the chief herbs of %batala. Tete is one of the variations of Calalloo and can be used to prepare the -frican and Caribbean stew dish known by the same name. There is a story that relates to Callaloo #8alalu$' %ba is considered the rst and legitimate wife of Shango. Shango however liked %shun because of her beauty, se*uality, and cooking skills. %ya was %ba2s good friend but knew of %ba2s interest in pleasing Shango. %ya also wanted Shango. She devised a treason plan. She convinced %shun to lie and tell %ba that the secret to preparing Shango2s favorite stew -mala was to use Tete #Callaloo$ and in place of meat to substitute her left ear, in place of palm oil to substitute her blood. That way Shango would always listen to her and have her ear. She and Shango would be bound forever. So %ba immediately went home and cut o; her ear and prepared the dish. /hen she gave it to Shango, Shango ate it and spit it out in disgust. )e asked what this was and when he found out he banned %ba from his household. %ba was so embarrassed that she e*iled herself to a cave to live a solitary life away from everyone. %ya then became Shango2s wife. (or this reason the orishas %ya and %ba should never be placed ne*t to each other. The song to Shango that relates of this is' Amala , +alalu mala mala #Yam stew with 8alalu, Yam stew$ Amala , +alalu mala mala
Obinsa fun hango mala, mala +alalu #The /omen give Shango Yam stew with 8alalu$
-s this song is sung, the dance is danced as follows' you cover your left ear with your left hand and you hold out your right palm inside pointing up and you sway from side to side, chanting the chant. This mimics %ba covering her cut o; ear and presenting Shango with the igba #bowl$ of stew. Bleo morado, (Amaranthus cruentus), purple pigweed, *ete #<$ #!$. Shango, -gan:u, %ya. !ooks like bleo blanco but is purple or redish in color. anutillo, (ommelina), -siatic day=ower, Ewe +arodo#!$. Yemaya , %batala. ucaracha, (-ebrina pendula), /andering >ew, Anai #!$. Yemaya. Cucaracha in Spanish means roach, and its leaves look like the backside of a cockroach. Espinaca, (pinacia oleracea), Spinach #supermarket$, Obedo, Ewe tutu, Ede#!$. %shun. ?sed to make ochinchin, %shun2s favorite dish with shrimp #camaronesSp$ #ede!$. ?sed to cover %shun2s relics and to refresh %shun. .elecho, Lecho de rio, (Osmunda regalis), 1oyal (ern, moshun, mo, ti ibu (L). %shun. &rows along streams, lakes and wet meadowlands. !echo de rio in Spanish means the bottom #bed$ of the river. Lechuga, (Lactuca sati'a), !ettuce #supermarket$, len"e #!$. %shun, Yemaya. To decorate and to wash the relics of the %rishas. %riate can use it to perform ebo estera during +ta ceremony. Llant/n, (Plantago ma0or), Common plantain. %batala, %duduwa. ma:or plant for %batala that is a common weed. Malanga, ( 1anthosoma sagittifolium), "lephant "ars, Ewe "o"o #!$, Yemaya. This is a tropical plant, which has been seen growing in New York. +t2s very important in the ceremony of making ocha, in feeding Yemaya pepeye #duck$, and in performing ebo of estera ceremony.
Manto, (oleus blumei$, 7ainted Nettle, Ochare #!$. %ya, -gan:u, %batala. - beautiful plant used for decorating and washing %risha relics. Pata de gallina, (Eleusine indica), Crab grass, /ire grass, Ewe eran #!$. "leggua .The Spanish name translates as 4the leg of a chicken5 and the three branches of the end of the stem of the plant looks like the foot of a chicken. Perehil, (Petroselinum crispum), 7arsely #supermrket$, sa"o #!$, %shun.
1omerillo, #/edelia, /eddelia rugosa tenuis$ ,%shun, %batala. - green plant with pretty little yellow =owers. al'ia, (Pluchea odorata), Sweetscent, Saltmarsh, (leabane, cattle tongue, Babaluaye, %dduwa. Salvia, Salvia de Castilla #Salvia, Salvia o@cinalis$, Sage, garden sage, +iriwi#!$, Babaluaye, %batala.
a2co, auco blanco, (ambucus canadensis), -merican "lderberry, elderberry, sweet elder, %batala, %shun. eso 'egetal, (Blighia sapida $, Ac"ee, A"ee, #/est +ndian super market$, vegetable brain, %batala. Seso vegetal in Spanish means vegetable brain. The fruit resembles a brain. -ckee comes from the -shanti Twi language in &hana. +t is used in %cha to cure insanity when fresh, ripe, not immature or overripe and the seed is removed. %therwise it is venomous. 5Cura la locuraA y is se desea vuelve loco tambien5. Cures insanity or can cause insanity. +t is good for head rogations. 3erbena, (3erbena officinalis), 6erbena, Ewe Oru"an #!$, Yemaya. 3erdologa, (Portulaca oleracea), 4bure #!$, 7urslane, 7igweed, !ittle )ogweed, Yemaya. (or baths, omiero, to refresh the orisha Yemaya, and for luck. #erba fina, ($nodon dact$lon), &rass, Ewe 4begi #!$. "leggua. This is the true herb for "leggua, "schu. /herever there is grass, there is "leggua.
