The pataki of Otura Meyi was born in times when the unbelievers carried out a monstrous hunt on the religious, because they considered the following:

• Faith was totally unnecessary when there were so many other priority tasks to focus on instead of wasting time worshipping pagan gods. 

At that time, practitioners of the Afro-Cuban religion known as the Yoruba Religion had to hide their beliefs and traditions from other people.

The path where Orula’s sons respect the octopus and crab 

In this brutal hunt Orunmila was considered the main target, and as the days went by there was less and less chance of escaping from this crowd of angry people.

Because he was trapped and unable to escape the terrible situation, he had to flee his village and home, taking his ifa with him.

She was hidden from everyone’s view in a sash, which she had placed concealed around her waist, and the angry mob became aware of Orunmila’s departure.

They immediately began to persecute him as they were clear that if he remained alive, they would continue the practices of the Yoruba faith on earth.

The pataki of Otura Meyi explains that when he was cornered by the mob, he hid his ifa board in a cave of crabs, hoping to safeguard religious secrets, making sure that it did not fall into the wrong hands.

Orunmila continued on his way, running as fast as he could, for with every step he took the enemy could be seen much nearer and nearer.

After walking for some hours he reached a ravine washed by the sea, and finding himself with no way out and no other escape, he had no choice but to throw himself into the sea.

Orunmila was saved by an octopus and the octopus made a promise to him: Otura Meyi 

When Orula was embraced by the immensity of the sea and the waves that inhabit it, he lost consciousness and a pulse that observed the spectacle from afar spilled its ink on the silhouette of the oracle’s body.

Such an act helped to protect the great ifá diviner, thus preventing him from being discovered by the vengeful mob while he was at sea. 

Orunmila’s enemies approached the sea and when they found no sign of life of the soothsayer either by land or sea, they were totally convinced that he had died in the attempt to save himself.

The pataki of Otura Meyi tells that after a few minutes unconscious, Orula regained consciousness and seeing that he had been saved by the octopus, he made the following promise:

• As long as the world is a world, I and all the children of Orula are forbidden to eat you.

Before setting off for distant lands, Orula went to the cave to retrieve his ifa and when he reached the cave he began to pray for the crab to help him.

The animal listened to his pleas and, with the help of its tongs, passed the soothsayer his consecrated seeds one by one.

So it was that the oracle promised to offer the same respect to the crab as he did to the octopus, promising that the sons of Orula will not be able to eat octopus and crab.

What do you think of this Otura Meyi pataki and why can’t Orula’s children eat octopus and crab?