04/01/2024
A TALE OF á»DĂN
By kehinde Adepegba, Ph.D
Once upon a time, OlĂłdĂčmarĂš brought OĂČrĂčn (sun) and ĂáčŁĂčpĂĄ (moon) together to be married as husband and wife. The day of their marriage was fixed to take place between the realm where the light meets the darkness.
Their marriage was attended by many creatures who were guests and well-wishers including the ĂŹrĂ wá»Ì (stars). The stars were specifically instructed by OlĂłdĂčmarĂš to bring a lamp each to the couple's wedding party to light up the event. The lamp should give good quantity and quality of lights.
At that time both the sun and the moon were not producing any form of light.
The marriage was a successful one and OlĂłdĂčmarĂš gave light to the oĂČrĂčn and commanded him to share his light to the ĂáčŁĂčpĂĄ as long as she obeys him as her husband.
Since that day they live blissfully together as a couple, oĂČrĂčn shining light in the day and ĂČáčŁĂčpĂĄ illuminating the night. These they do in appreciation and support to all the creatures who graced their marriage ceremony.
But for the ĂŹrĂ wá»Ì, they continue to shine in the sky according to the quantity and quality of the light of the lamp each of them brought to their marriage ceremony.
After a while, the couple started bearing children. The first was á»já»Ì (day), then á»ÌsáșčÌ (week), followed by oáčŁĂč (month). The last was á»dĂșn (year) and is the only female among them.
The couple always celebrates their union by showcasing each of their children for all to see. It usually starts with the eldest á»já»Ì who takes the dancing floor seven times in a row, á»ÌsáșčÌ comes out after for four times, while oáčŁĂč appears twelve times. á»dĂșn's emergence is usually once yet always the most beautiful and glorious to watch.
People always long for the beautiful spectacle of á»dĂșn hence they pray: a kĂČ nĂ pa á»dĂșn jáșč (May wĂ© never fail to see the appearance of á»dĂșn).
OlĂłdĂčmarĂš however warns that as they celebrate the appearance of
á»dĂșn, they should treat her carefully because she is an abo (female) so she will not turn to an aká» (male). And so they pray: á»dĂșn ĂĄ mĂĄa yabo (May á»dĂșn always remain abo).
Abo signifies bliss, success, fruitfulness and all good things, while aká» underlines hardship, struggle, failure and negatively.
OlĂłdĂčmarĂš also advises that people should never disregard the other older siblings of á»dĂșn because nobody can see á»dĂșn without experiencing the appearance of the others first.
Since á»dĂșn appears annually the Yoruba often pray: ojĂș a mĂĄa rĂ á»dĂșn (May we continue to witness á»dĂșn's pleasing appearance).
As we see á»dĂșn in her new form, I congratulate you and your family.
áșž kĂș á»dĂșn, á»dĂșn ĂĄ ya abo
(Happy celebration of seeing á»dĂșn again, may á»dĂșn bring bliss, success, fruitfulness and all good things).
ĂáčŁáșč (Amen).
