11101000
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 #135 · Omo Odu (Odu Combinado)
Ogunda Obara
Ogunda Bara (lucumí)
"Ogunda and Obara: you complain of bad luck, but look behind you and you will see many worse off than yourself."
Numerology
16 (synthesis of 9 with 7)
Elements
Iron - Strength | Fire - Courage | Synthesis — Integration of forces
Sacred Colors
Dark green (forest, wild nature) and Gold (royalty) (a combination of the energies of both Odus)
Symbolic reading — interpretation, not attributed to the Treatise.
Also known as: Ogunda Bara · Ogunda Òbàrà · Oguda Obara · Oguda Òbàrà · Ogunda Bakura
Naming by tradition
- Yoruba / Brazil
- Ogunda Obara
- Cuba (Lucumí)
- Ogunda Bara · Ogunda Bakura
Lucumí name per Tratado Enciclopédico de Ifá, p. 2551.
What is the Odu Ogunda Obara
Ogunda Bara is the Ifá in which cockfighting and clay were born, in which Xangô was a cockfighter, and in which Xangô and Ogum waged an endless war over Oyá. Here Orunmilá made Ifá for Obatalá and won great wealth.
Meaning
In the Tratado, Ogunda Bara says that fortune comes to you by the hand of a countrywoman and that you should not move from where you live, for there lies your luck. It warns that, when you are content, everything goes badly, and when sad and weeping, all is well; that you suffer from anemia and must take care of the blood; and that, being three of the family and not making ebó, one will die before the year is out. Never forget Iemanjá nor Olokun, and give a mass to your father if he is deceased.
Sacred Profile
Symbolic reading — interpretation, not attributed to the Treatise.
Numerology: 16 (synthesis of 9 with 7). This number resonates in the energy of this Odu, guiding the seeker in understanding the cycles and vibrations that govern this path.
Elements: Iron - Strength | Fire - Courage | Synthesis — Integration of forces. The sacred elements establish the bridge between the material and spiritual worlds, offering tools of balance and transformation.
Sacred Colors: Dark green (forest, wild nature) and Gold (royalty) (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: Strength, Leadership, 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
Do not move from where you live, for there lies your luck, and receive Olokun from a babalawo. Check your blood and feed yourself well against anemia. Place five sunflowers before Oxum and ask for ire. Give a mass to your father, if deceased, and never forget Iemanjá nor Olokun. Before going to ask a favour or money of anyone, make ebó, or they will say the person is not at home. Your fortune comes by the hand of a countrywoman.
⚠ Cautions
Do not pick up in the street a chain, ring, bracelet or wallet that you find, for it may be worked and set you back. Guard yourself against the enemies who cast snake powder in your house. Do not complain of bad luck without looking behind you, where there are many worse off than yourself. Being three of the family and not making ebó, one will die before the year is out. It marks debts with Ogum and with a deceased relative.
This Odu describes tendencies and possible paths to work on — not a fixed destiny or a guaranteed prediction.
Ire
The luck that comes by the hand of a countrywoman and the ire of the countryside, the wealth that Orunmilá won by making Ifá for Obatalá, and the protection of Iemanjá and of Olokun for the one who does not forget them.
Osogbo
The anemia and the debt with Ogum and with the family's dead, the worked object picked up in the street and the snake powder of the enemies; the death of one of the three who do not make ebó before the year ends.
Context and study of the 256 Odus
Ogunda Obara 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 Ogunda Obara 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 Ogunda Obara
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 Ogunda Obara 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 Ogunda Obara mean?+
What is the central message of Ogunda Obara?+
What is Ogunda Obara called in the Lucumí (Cuban) tradition?+
What are the Irê and Osogbo of Ogunda Obara?+
Sources consulted
- Tratado Enciclopédico de Ifá, section Ogunda Obara (Ogunda Bara / Bakura)
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 →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.