HISTORY OF INLE
Who Is Inle?
Inle is a major Orisha, doctor of the Ocha, patron of doctors, and owner of the river. He is the deity of the extractive economy — fishing, gathering, and pre-horticultural life — and is himself a hunter and fisherman. He is androgynous and famed for his beauty. Fernando Ortiz described Inle as a personification of the earth as provider of human sustenance.
His full name is Inle Ayayé. He lives both on land and in water, is the brother of Abbatá, and is inseparable from Oshún. Inle is received after Ocha — meaning only those already crowned to an Orisha may receive him.
Sign, Day, and Colors
His color is a combination of blue and yellow. His days are Friday and every 24th of the month. In the Diloggún he speaks through the combination of Oché and Oddí (5-7). Tradition holds that his caracoles (cowrie shells) are never read lying flat/closed during a reading, and that his children do not practice divination with the coconut (obí).
Attributes
Inle is represented by a pedestal-shaped cross with objects hanging from both sides — majáes (snakes) and goldfish. Along the central vertical axis are two coiled majáes worked in silver or white metal, two rings, hooks, red pita cord, and eighteen snails.
Necklace and Clothing
His necklace is strung in dark green and Prussian blue matipó beads with coral. He is dressed in blue, yellow, and white, decorated with shells, and his garments carry touches of dark green as well.
Traditional Foods and Offerings
Inle's foods include sweet wine, panetela, snapper, lettuce, watercress, boniato (sweet potato) and malanga, squash, yam, ekó, guava, and almond oil. Fish prepared for him is seasoned and coated in crushed crackers, corn gofio, and almond sauce. Animal offerings — ram, rooster, and pigeons — must all be white.
Part of his ceremony is held at the river: a snapper is used to consecrate the omiero (sacred herbal water), and cooked boniato and malanga are offered there before coconut is presented. A rooster is traditionally brought to the river ahead of the ceremony, held on the fourth day.
Honor Inle
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