Alaafia,
Many of us have watched other pour libations to their dead homies. This is a carry over from our honorable Afrikan Ancestors. There is really a method to this and I am offering a simple prayer for any of you who feel the need to ever pour libations.

Even though I am on vacation, I just received a phone call from an old friend whose father has just transitioned..his physical body is still here on a ventilator, but he is really gone. Now, during the time before his father began his journey on home to Heaven, we have a ritual wherein we begin to light a seven day candle on our shrines and pour cool water each day for a certain number of days until the soul has safely made it home. I will later go into the Afrikan way of honoring and venerating the dead. I personally find the death rituals in the Diaspora barbaric and what is cultural for Blacks makes a heck of a lot more sense and allows family members to take an active part in the transition of the soul.

Be blessed and hit me up at Adinasse@hotmail.com if you require additional assistance or I can answer questions on this issue for you.

LIBATION by Awo Ifashina Falade

"Omi tutu..."
May the water be cool and refreshed.

"Ona tutu..."
May our road and path be cool and refreshed.

"Ile tutu..."
May our home/house be cool and refreshed.

"Tutu Laroye."
May a calm messenger precede all our prayers.

"Olodumare, ajuba gbogbo iku mbeleshe."
God, we give homage, we salute the ancestors that sit at your feet in
counsel

"Olodumare, ibaiye, ibaiye tonu."
We give praise to the owner of existence and those that made the
sacrifices for life.

"Ibashe Olojo Oni."
I call upon and give praise to the Owner of this day.

"Ibashe Orunmila, Eleri ipin, Ibikeji Olodumare."
I call upon and give praise to Orunmila, the Witness of alls choice of
destiny, second only to Olodumare.

"Ibashe Oshetura, Oshetura, Oshetura."
I call upon and give praise to the messenger of all prayers.

"Ibashe Ogun."
I call upon and give praise to Ogun, the Path Opener.

"Ibashe Imale."
I call upon and give praise to all the ancestors that preceded the birth
of those that came into this world.

"Ibashe Orisa."
I call upon and give praise to all the ancestors that have escaped the
wheel of reincarnation.

"Aiku Baba Iwa."
Deathlessness is the father of character.

"Ibashe gbogbo Egun Wa."
I call upon and give praise to the ancestors of good character.

"Ibashe Omo Aiye."
I call upon and give praise to the "children of the world."

"Ibashe Onile."
I call upon and give praise to the earth, that which supports us; the
ancestor that supports us when we walk this world.

"Ibashe Olokun."
I call upon and give praise to Olokun, the essence of all things that
come from the sea.

"Ibashe, ibashe, ibashe-O."
As I pay homage to the ancestors, may my homage be confirmed by
Olodumare.