The right leg is the principal one and is read first; the left is the secondary (witness). — Bascom, Ifá Divination; Encyclopedic Treatise of Ifá.

Odu #217 · Omo Odu (Odu Combinado)

Irete Ogunda

"Irete Kutan is the family's gravedigger: there are only two roads, to be lost or to be saved."

I - I - II - I · I - I - I - II

Numerology

23 (synthesis of 14 with 9)

Elements

Wind - Storm | Iron - Strength | Synthesis — Integration of forces

Sacred Colors

Storm blue (transformation) and Dark green (forest, wild nature) (a combination of the energies of both Odus)

Symbolic reading — interpretation, not attributed to the Treatise.

Also known as: Irete Gunda · Irete Oguda · Ate Ogunda · Ate Oguda · Irete Kutan

Naming by tradition

Yoruba / Brazil
Irete Ogunda
Cuba (Lucumí)
Irete Ogunda · Irete Kutan

Lucumí name per Tratado Enciclopédico de Ifá, p. 1515.

PurificationStrengthIntegrationSynthesisDynamic balance

What is the Odu Irete Ogunda

Irete Kutan (Irete Ogunda) is the Ifá of the family's gravedigger, in which were born the grave of the knife and the decomposition of all organic matter. It is called Alewejade, the exorcist who draws from the herbs the curse that Obatalá cast upon them, and in it the earth, which is Orixá Okô, gives everything and devours everything it gives.

Meaning

In the Tratado, Irete Kutan holds the origin of the grave of Obe: when Ogunda Eyi died in Abyssinia, the apprentice Irete Kerda remained guardian of his tomb. It teaches that the person has only two roads — to be lost or to be saved — and that, to be saved, they must be obedient with the saint and with the dead.

Sacred Profile

Symbolic reading — interpretation, not attributed to the Treatise.

Numerology: 23 (synthesis of 14 with 9). This number resonates in the energy of this Odu, guiding the seeker in understanding the cycles and vibrations that govern this path.

Elements: Wind - Storm | Iron - Strength | Synthesis — Integration of forces. The sacred elements establish the bridge between the material and spiritual worlds, offering tools of balance and transformation.

Sacred Colors: Storm blue (transformation) and Dark green (forest, wild nature) (a combination of the energies of both Odus). The colors of this Odu carry specific vibrations that can be used in rituals, clothing, and environments to harmonize with its energy.

Qualities: Purification, Strength, Integration, Synthesis, Dynamic balance. These qualities represent the inner forces that the seeker can cultivate to walk in alignment with the wisdom of this Odu.

✦ Recommendations

Receive Orixá Okô and enthrone the saint, giving amalá at his feet and food to your angel, to Orunmilá, to your head and to the earth. To drive off Ikú, give four hens to Orunmilá, and against tragedies and troubles with the law cleanse the gifts with an osiadié for Elegbá, left at the four corners. Place for Elegbá a whole ear of corn and a hutia to prosper, and do no business with anyone who has a visible defect in the eye.

⚠ Cautions

This is a sensitive Ifá, marked by death and disease: care greatly for your health and do not neglect whoever is ill in the house. There are three enemies who wish you ill and a person you took in may betray you; do not go about unwary. There is an old weight upon your will that leaves you without spirit; do not carry it alone — do the works and seek Ifá and the support of those who care for life.

This Odu describes tendencies and possible paths to work on — not a fixed destiny or a guaranteed prediction.

Ire

Praying to Obatalá with yam, sesame and ekó, luck is not lost; and whoever does the work to rise grows in life as the grass grows.

Osogbo

The death and the disease that the Odu warns of, the mother's curse, the treachery of the one taken in and the loss that prowls the house.

Context and study of the 256 Odus

Irete Ogunda belongs to the full corpus of the 256 Odus of Ifá, a body of oral and written wisdom spanning centuries across the African diaspora and the Americas. Understanding this Odu means placing energies, archetypes, and sacred narratives in relation to the opele, divination, and a life practice guided by balance. The philosophical reading offered on this page does not replace initiation with a Babalawo or Iyanifa, but it deepens respect for the tradition and supports structured study for those who learn with humility.

In Ifá texts, the name Irete Ogunda appears in prayers, ebo, and songs; its energy is tied to cycles of transformation and to relationship with the land, the Orishas, and community. Comparing this Odu with its root Meji and related Odus helps you recognize patterns of Irê and Osogbo that recur through life and everyday choices.

The Ifá Wisdom digital library brings together all 256 paths with epithets, essence, synthesis, and practical guidance. By exploring this page and the full library, you build a foundation for meditation, spiritual journaling, and ethical follow-up—with explicit gratitude to Yoruba culture and its guardians.

Irê, Osogbo, and reading Irete Ogunda

In any Odù, Irê points to blessings and positive affinities; Osogbo highlights challenges and adjustments. Reading this Odu invites integrated reflection on relationships, work, emotional health, and purpose. Ifá asks for patience, right speech, and—when prescribed by an initiated priest—ebo and disciplines of conduct.

When you use the Ifá oracle with artificial intelligence on this platform, you receive a philosophical and educational interpretation: a learning bridge, not a priestly ritual. Keep that distinction to honour the tradition and the role of Babalawos and Iyanifas.

Ethics, respect, and continuing study

Ifá Wisdom is a multilingual educational service. We combine careful documentation of the Odus with the awareness that the living oracle belongs to the communities that preserve it. We do not promise cures, material guarantees, or a substitute for initiatory counsel.

To explore Irete Ogunda in depth, browse the library of 256 Odus, the Odu of the day, and—if you wish—a contextual consultation in the oracle—always respecting your autonomy and the culture of origin.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Odu Irete Ogunda mean?+
Irete Kutan (Irete Ogunda) is the Ifá of the family's gravedigger, in which were born the grave of the knife and the decomposition of all organic matter. It is called Alewejade, the exorcist who draws from the herbs the curse that Obatalá cast upon them, and in it the earth, which is Orixá Okô, gives everything and devours everything it gives.
What is the central message of Irete Ogunda?+
In the Tratado, Irete Kutan holds the origin of the grave of Obe: when Ogunda Eyi died in Abyssinia, the apprentice Irete Kerda remained guardian of his tomb. It teaches that the person has only two roads — to be lost or to be saved — and that, to be saved, they must be obedient with the saint and with the dead.
What are the Irê and Osogbo of Irete Ogunda?+
Ire: Praying to Obatalá with yam, sesame and ekó, luck is not lost; and whoever does the work to rise grows in life as the grass grows. — Osogbo: The death and the disease that the Odu warns of, the mother's curse, the treachery of the one taken in and the loss that prowls the house.

Sources consulted

  • Tratado Enciclopédico de Ifá, section Irete Kutan (Irete Ogunda)
See all sources →

Written by

  • Pablo de Lima (Awofakan)
  • Thaiana de Lima (Ikofá)

A couple initiated in Ifá in the Cuban lineage — Regla de Ocha / Ifá.

Meet the authors →
Reflect on this path in a study reading → →← Library

Notice: This platform is an educational and cultural tool. Consultations are intended for reflection and contemplation, drawing on ancestral Yoruba wisdom. They do not replace professional medical, psychological, legal or financial advice, nor an in-person consultation with an initiated priest.