-Verbal and visual Metaphors appear to share a common mythical origin.
-As transformer verbal and visual art provide insight into Yoruba metaphysics, myth and thought.
-To know Yoruba art you must know Ifa. Art also helps to understand Ifa.

Yoruba art embodies Oro (matter- something that is the subject of discussion, concern or action.)

Oro, the cause of great concern for the wise and experienced elders
It sounds Ku (making the heart miss a beat)
Ke (as a ponderous object hitting the ground)
Gi (making the last sound before silence)

The oro that drops from the elderly is stupendous. It was divined for Oro-oro-oro who did not have anyone to communicate with and started groaning.

HOO-RO OR HOO-ORO (Knowledge, Understanding and Wisdom Decend)

Olodumare made Hoo (comprised of ogbon, imo and oye, among the most forceful elements of creation)

Ogbon (wisdom)
Imo (knowledge)
Oye (understanding)

Hoo decended to become Hoo-ro
Ela made Oro digestible and useful to human needs.

OSA OGUNDA

There were no living things
Was the priest on earth
That which was suspended
But did not descend
Was the priest in heaven
All was just empty space
With no substance
Was the priest of Mid-Air
It was divined for Earth and Heaven
When they both exited
With no inhabitants
In the two empty shells,
There were neither birds nor spirits
Living in them
Odumare then created himself
Being the Primal cause
Which is the reason we call Odumare
The only wise one on earth
He is the only cause in creation,
The only wise one in heaven,
Who created humans.
When He had no companion,
He applied wisdom to the situation
To avert any disaster.
You, alone,
The only one in Heaven
Is the name of Odumare
The only wise one,
We give you thanks,
The only knowing mind,
You created man.
Listening to one side of an argument,
You judge, and all are pleased.

-Odumare created Ogbon, Imo and Oye as an intermediary force for creating more beings.
-He tried to find a place for them to live, but they returned to him, humming, and He swallowed them.
-They hummed in him for several thousand years, so he had to get rid of them.
-He ordered them to "ro" (decend), saying "hoo-ro".
-Oro, the solid matter, melted and was suspended in Mid-Air like jelly.
-Oro then dropped and "la" (cracked) into a new state called Ela.
-Ela functions in the Ifa divination complex as the embodiment of all knowledge, understanding and wisdom. Ela is the recognized authoritative source of communication and explanation of the nature of Odumare and all his creation.

Who was the first to speak?
Ela was the first to speak.
Who was the first to communicate?
Ela was the first to communicate.
Who is this Ela?
It was the Hoo which descended
That we call Ela.

-Ela speaks through:

Owe (proverbs)
Aroko (coded symbolic messages- sculpture, dance drama, song, chants, poetry, incantations.)
Incantations (ofo, ogede, ayajo, epe, Odu, esa)

-Owe (like odu) is the horse of Oro.

Owe is the horse of Oro.
If Oro gets lost Owe is employed to find (uncover) it.

-Owe makes Oro useful to human beings and allows them to communicate with Orisa, ancestors and the world of the unseen.
-Owe (a subtle, indirect or abstract concept.)
-Orisha become closer and more approachable through

Sulpture (Visual)
Songs (Sound)
Incantations (Word)
Dance (Movement)

-The Ifa diviner calls Ela.

Ifa please decend
Ela, please be present
If you are in the ocean,
Please come.
If you are in mid-lagoon,
Please come.
If you are at Wanran in the East
Where the sun rises,
Come urgently, Ela.

-In orisha worship and theatre various proverbial art forms join to raise consciousness and bring realization of the abstract idea.

ORI INU (Inner Head, Destiny)

-Ori Inu's counterpart is Ori-isese (Head - the designator), aka:

Ori-Ooro (Head at dawn)
Ori-Akoko (The first head)
Ori-Apere (Head the ruler)
Ori (Head)

-Ori-isese (Ori) is the first and most important Orisa in heaven.
-Ori-isese has jurisdiction over Ori-Inu and Orisa.

-Ori-Inu is the prototype of Ori-Isese and the spiritual and personal head or divinity possessed by each man and orisa.
-Ori-Inu determines the destiny of man, things and orisa.

OBGE MEJI

Ibie, Ifism, Pp. 77 - 96.

     Ejiogbe did the ebo for Head to come to the world and become the            
completion of the physical features of the divinities (i.e. hands, feet, body,
stomach, chest and neck). Amure did divination for Orunmila and Ori.
           Orunmila was told to rub both palms upward and pray to have a
head. He was also told to sacrifice a bowl, sponge, soap and four cola nuts.
He was not to break the cola nuts himself. He sacrificed.
           Ori was told to sacrifice four cola nuts. He could not afford them.
Orunmila invited all the divinities to come and break the cola nuts. None,
including Orisanla could do it.
           Ori, in need of four cola nuts, rolled up to Orunmila's house.
Orunmila washed him off with water from the bowl, soap and sponge.
He asked Ori to break the cola nuts.
            Ori broke the cola and created a loud explosion heard all over
heaven. The other divinities realized how important Head was and they
all assembled and began to carry him high above them and crowned him
king of the body.
             However, in respect for Orunmila's role in Head's elevation, Head
still touches the ground for Orunmila and he is the most important of all the
divinities.
             The son's of Ejiogbe must seek awos to feed their heads.