Mi ku do Kúlítɔ Hɔngbó!
Today, on Gbetɔzangbe (“Monday”), date of Kúlítɔ, 6265 AX (Gregorian March, 25 2024) we celebrate Kúlitɔ Hɔngbó. This word literally means “ancestor/ancestral portal” in the Fɔ̀n dialect of the Ajã language found in southern Benin Republic West Afrika. This is based on our ancient yet revised authentic azanlilen (calendar) whose base goes back to over 6200 years ago. This Kúlitɔhɔngbó is very powerful in that it falls on the first Kúlitɔ 9-day sacred cycle of the year which marks the beginning of the 9-day ancestor veneration celebration.
It was observed long ago that the elevated ancestors used a repeated 27-day cycle to make their presence and power available to us on a larger collective scale than on the personal ancestral veneration scale. On this day, every 27 days, special rites and rituals are done for the ancestral collective of your own blood lineage to empower those that acknowledge the love, benevolence and role these ancestors play in our lives. It is also used to do the continuous work of healing our bloodlines from the various mishaps and tragedies (self inflicted and from the outside) that still plague our families. If it plagues the family then it plagues the community. Thus, making the work of nation building and sovereignty that much harder. It was observed that the ancestral portal is open every 27 days. This means this is when those most empowered ancestors are closer to us. We also do collective ancestral work for the whole of our people during this time also.
The sacred Odù Ifá Owonrin Méjì states:
The hollow part of a well-trekked road is it that breaks the back of a snake
This was the Awo who cast Ifá for Esin (horse) He also cast Ifá for Agbó (Ram)
When both of them were going to Ọọni (the Kings of Ìfẹ) house on a spiritual expedition
Both Esin and Agbó, the Awo of the Ọọni, King of Ilé Ifẹ̀
They were the Awo who cast Ifá for the Ọọni
When he refused to pay his homage to his paternal ancestors anymore
And he was undertaking several ventures…Without succeeding in any
He was advised to offer sacrifice
He complied
I pay my homage to my father
I pay homage to my mother Except if I undertake any venture without reverence May my undertaking be accepted
And finally we learn this from the sacred Odù Ifá Òtúrúpọ̀n Méjì that speaks directly to the state of New Afrikans:
It is now a pitiful play
The Iyere Ifa has now become a dirge
When eyes are two, they watch events unfold
When legs are two, they walk fast
The rumps are two, they sit on a mat
One hand does not jingle Also, one leg will not walk very fast How can one refuse to answer the call from responsible people?
I am asked to kneel and greet those before me I knelt and greeted those before me I am asked to kneel and CALL on those behind me I knelt and called on those behnd me They asked, “Who are those before one?” I said “It is one’s paternal Ancestors before one” They asked, “Who are those behind one?” I said, “the Òrìṣà in one’s paternal household is behind one” When alapandede builds its nest The nest does not touch the sea nor heaven (suspended in heaven) Looking at Olódùmarè in heaven Looking at human beings on earth Atangegere divined for Odùṣola, child of Arannase
Whose father died when he was a little child
I am asked to kneel and greet those before me I knelt and greeted those before me I am asked to kneel and CALL on those behind me I knelt and called on those behnd me They asked, “Who are those before one?” I said “It is one’s paternal Ancestors before one” They asked, “Who are those behind one?” I said, “the Òrìṣà in one’s paternal household is behind one” When alapandede builds its nest The nest does not touch the sea nor heaven (suspended in heaven) Looking at Olódùmarè in heaven Looking at human beings on earth Atangegere divined for Odùṣola, child of Arannase
Whose father died when he was a little child
Without the knowledge of how to cast Ifa (no real knowledge of his own culture and spirituality)
Without the knowledge of how to print the Odù
And not having been to Ile Ife to witness Ifa festival
When all the ritual elements were assembled for Odùṣola to start propitiating, he broke into tears
When all the ritual elements were assembled for Odùṣola to start propitiating, he broke into tears
Saying he did not know if water was to be offered first
Heavenly spirits, descend and make this ritual a success for me, heavenly spirits
Whether it is gin to be offered first, I do not know
Heavenly spirits, descend and make this ritual a success for me, heavenly spirits
Whether it is obi that have to be offered first, I don’t know Heavenly spirits, descend and make this ritual a success for me, heavenly spirits
Today is also the first sunkpeka (full moon) of the month and the year. On full and new moons we honor the Kɛnnɛsi or Mothers of the Night (Iyáàmi of the Yorùbá) in various ways. These rituals are set to connect us with the powerful energies of renewal and manifestation.