At our Reading of the Year, The Orisa CDC was advised to commemorate Egun by playing Anya for deceased priests. As advised by Ifa, the ceremony is founded in the tradition of Honra and also Anya for Egun. On Saturday, August 18th, 2012, at the home of Joe Quinones, we played for Egun and also embraced the contribution that ancestors outside of the Orişa tradition have made in the development of the broader community. Therefore, we also honored some of our “national heroes” such as Malcolm X, Frederick Douglas, Martin Luther King Jr. and others, and paid homage to their contributions towards the development of vibrant and strong communities throughout Africa and the Diaspora.

With this ceremony, The Orişa CDC acknowledged the richness and diversity of the tradition of venerating our ancestors. This ceremony celebrated Egun by feeding the earth for the Orisa priests of our various lineages who have made their transition, and playing Anya (sacred drums) for Oya and Egun.The Orisa CDC would like to thank Iya Abeo Sears for her construction of the beautiful shrine, Iya Dottie Wilkie and Iya Betty Aldridge for their assistance with preparation of the adimu, my sister, Iya Karen “Keke” Quinones Miller for both donating and preparing the food for our guests, Oyin Hardy for her donation of roasted chicken, Iya Iris Hernandez Oloyu Mi Iya Oya for her spirit-filled and heartfelt dance for Oya, and drummers Kenny, Wilkie, and Omar along with Apon (singer) Olufemi .

Producing this ceremony was a team effort on the part of the leadership of the Orisa CDC but want to especially recognize the efforts of certain Orisa CDC officers being Baba Joseph Smith, who helped with the technical details of ceremony and wrote the program, and Funlayo E. Wood who put together the Egun poster boards and edited and laid out the program. My fellow Orisa CDC officers, I love you all as your contributions, love and commitment are the foundation that Oya said will enable us to help spur the development of the Orisa Community. To ebi Esu!

Long Live the Evolution!

Joe Quinones
Co-founder & Chairman of the Board