Copié de Economic Botany 31 : 367 -371 (1977) Encodé PRELUDE HO 13

Mushr ooms in Yoruba Mythology and Medicinal Prac ri ces 1 B.A. Oso 2

The of south western guage of lfa and by virtue of this he's also a Niger ia (050, 1975) are rich in culture and tradition al doctor. have a lot of myths, wh ic h explain th e origin The Yoruba have recognized m ushrooms and behavior of many things in their en- for man y years, inasmuch as such fu ngi have vironmet and daily life . The Yoruba always played an important ro le in their for God is (Olorun, i.e., the ever yday life . They have descrip tive Y oruba owner of Heaven). It is the bel ief of the for the different species o f mu shr ooms Yoruba that in matter s pertaining to omni- (050, 1975) as well as mythical sto ries and science and wisdom, Olodumare has a depu- beliefs which expl ain the origi n of sorne of ty on earth known as Orunmila. Tradition- them. These myths and belie fs some times ally, the Yoruba believe that Olodumare has pla y a role in determin ing wh ich of the endowed Orunmila with special wisdom and mushrooms are edible and which of them foreknowledge to the end that he may be His may be used for medic inal purpose s by the accredited representative on earth in matters Yo rub a native doctors . Du ring the co urs e of relating to man's destiny . Oral traditions this research many Yoruba p eopl e, mai nly emphasize the part played by Oru nmila in th e tra dition al doctors a nd the elder ly guiding the destin ies both of the d ivinities people , we re interviewed to determ ine their and of men. One reason given for his int i- kn owledg e of the fungi , particu la rly i n rela- mate knowledge of matters affecting a man's tion to thei r origin and med ici nal uses. This destiny is that he is present when that man is paper gi ves an account of t he myt hic al origin created and his dest iny sealed . Therefore he an d uses in Yoruba tradit ional m edici ne of a knows al l the secrets of the m an's being . fe w o f them . Thus he can pred ict what is coming to pass or prescribe remedies against an y ev entuali- TERM ITOMYCES MICROCARPU S ty. He is in a position to plead w it h Olodu - (Berk . & Br. ) Heim mare on behalf of man 50 that unhappy issues Know n in Yoruba as Ota-Oran, T . mi cro- ma y be a verted or rectified . Hence the ca rpus is a fungus with small fru it b odies that Yoruba usuall y consult Orunmil a to find out grow in gr oups spreading over a large area of about the future or what the outcome of an soil. It grows in conta ct with ter mite nests enterprise ma y be, or when in troub le, what under the 50 il. they could do to get out of it . Also , when the A Yor uba myth has it that many yea rs ago Y oruba are u rgently in need of certain things there lived a woman whose name w as Oran . the y consult Orunm ila to find out what they She had no issue, and being much wor ri ed b y could do in to get them . this, she went to Oru nmila to f ind ou t what lfa , the god of divination, is one of Orun - she should do to ha ve children. Or unm ila mila 's messengers, the messenger of light, examined her destiny and told her that she through whom Orunmi la communicates wit h would have childre n, but not until she had men and they with him . lfa is consulted made a sacr ifice to appease the gods . For this through the diviner known as Babala wo sacrifice she was to provide sixteen chame - (the priest of Ha), who understands the lan - leons , sixteen fowls , and a large quantity of maize grains, the number of which would determine the number of children she would 1 Re cei ve d Ma rch 3 , 1976; a ccep ted for pu bl ication Ma y 1976. have . Oran brought all these mate rials to 2 Depa rtment of Botan y, Univ ersit y of , Iba- Orunmila , who made the sacrifice and then dan , . gave Oran a certain medicinal preparation

which he instructed her to start eating once strongly believed that this has the power of daily. He further instructed her to provide a promoting the sale of articles by dra wing the large piece of white cloth which she would be buyers into the shop. The power with which using to coyer the offspring wh en she started T. microcarpus had been endowed in the getting them. Soon Oran started to have issue above myth to grow in large i iumbers is sup- and within a short time the offspring became posed to be effective here in drawing people numerable . These offspring are the mush- in large numbers into the shop . rooms , T. microcarpus , which have since Termitomyc es micro carpus is also used in been known as Glu-Oran (Yor. Olu = mush- combination with other ingredients in a propi- room, i .e., Oran's mushrooms). tiation to the gods for increased population The Yoruba have a certain belief that this in towns and villages by reducing mortality mushroom is capable of changing its form to rate. The power of T. microcarpus to grow in assume the stature of the first person to see it large numbers is also believed to be the effec- when just emerging from the soil, i .e., if the tive force here. first person to see it is stout the mushroom Curatively , the Yoruba tradition al doctors will develop a stout stipe and vice-versa. employ T. microcarpus in a medicinal prepa - This characteristic can be related to the na- ration for the treatment of gonorrhoea. The ture of the chameleon which was among the medicine, which is administered orally, is materials for the sacrifice in the myth above. prepared by pounding a large quantity of the The mushroom grows in large numbers cov- fruit bodies of the fungus with the pulp of the ering a large area of soil, a growth habit fruit of Cucurbita pepo Linn ., the leaves of which can be related to the large number of Cassia alata Linn . and sorne other ingre- maize grains in the materials for the sacrifice. dients. When growing in groups, the mushrooms present an appearance similar to that of a TERMITOMYCES ROBUSTUS white mantle on the soil, an appearance (Beeli) Heim. which can also be related to the large piece of Another fungus which has featured prom- white cloth which Oran had provided for inently in Yoruba mythology and medicinal covering the offspring. practices is T. robustus. It has large fruit Orunmila had earlier advised Oran to bodies which grow in contact with termite make another sacrifice so that her offspring nests under the soil (Oso, 1975). Known in might not form food for human beings , but Yoruba asEwe (Yor. we = expand, i.e. , the Oran did not heed the advice; aIl she was mushroom with expanding pileus) or Ogogo after was just to have children . No sooner (the meaning will be found in the mythical had she started having them (offspring) than story below) , T. robustus is the most popular they were discovered to be edible by men, edible mushroom with the Yoruba. who started collecting and eating them. This , A Yoruba myth tells us that in the distant in the Yoruba belief, was how the eating of past Ogogo was a man with ill luck who T. microcarpus started. never succeeded in anything he put his hands to. Extremely worried, he went to Orunmila Medicinal Uses to divine how to find out the cause of his Termitomyces microcarpus is used medici- perpetuai ill luck and what could be done to nally by Yoruba native doctors as an ingre- improve it . Orunmila examined his destiny dient in the preparation of a charm supposed and told him that a sacrifice would have to to bring good luck, particularly to traders. be made and his head washed with a spe- To prepare this charm, 200 fruit bodies of T. cially prepared infusion of leaves. He told microcarpus are pulverized by roasting in a Ogogo to provide a pigeon, an unused sponge pot together with ripe bananas, pawpaw, and three and a half pence worth of African salt and sorne other herbal ingredients . The black soap. Orunmila then found the medici- preparation is collected on a piece of white nal leaves with which he prepared the infu- cloth and certain magical verses are recited sion after sacrificing the pigeon . He then led on it . This is then tied with thread and hung Ogogo to a tree, Anona senegalensis Pers., in above the door of the trader's shop. It is a nearby forest . There, with the sponge , the

soa p and th e infusion , he washed Ogog o's is prepared by pounding t he mu shroom with hea d seven times at seve n dif ferent spots Loranthus spe cies growing o n Jatrop ha cur - rou nd t he tre e. On th eir way back home cas Linn ., the fruits of Piper guineense Orunmila in fo rmed Ogogo that afte r n ine Schum. & Thor n. and so me fresh pork . The da ys they would pa y anot her v isit to th e tree compound is co llected in a bottle and t hor - and i f any spec ial sign co ul d be detec ted oughly mixed wi th l ime j uice and Schnap ps aro und it , it wo ul d be ta ken as a n ome n th at and ad min istered orally. he had been c leanse d of his illlu ck . On v isit- ing the tree on th e ni nth day they discove red TERMITOMYCES GLOB ULUS mushrooms shoot in g o ut in large nu mbers Heim & Goosse ns from the seven spots where the washing had Termitomyce s globulus is an other m ush - been do ne. Orunmila then told Ogogo to re- room that grows in contact with termite nes ts joi ce for t hat wa s a sig n that his il lluck had in the soi l. It is known in Yo ruba as Olub eje been removed. He asked Ogogo to gather the (Yor . Olu = mushroom + ibi = plac e, mushrooms which , on getting home, the y spot + me je = seven , i.e ., a mushroom cooked a nd ate. The y, and all those who ate growin g in sev en differ ent spots ). The m ush- out of it, fo un d it ver y tasty . Orunmi la th en rooms grow in large group s o n soil a nd as named the mush room after Ogog o as Olu- many as seven groups ma y be prod uced Ogogo (Yor. Olu = mush room ; i.e. , Ogogo's within shor t distanc es of each other . mushroom) . News of th is highly f lavoured The origin of this growth habit coul d b e mushroom spread through the vi llage and found in a Yo ruba myth that tell s us a bout a beyo nd an d ever ybody was anxious to tas te poor and miserable woman who used to live it. People ru s hed to the spot to collect the in one village in the olden da ys. O ne day this mushroom pe ri odica ll y and later its g row th woman went to the f orest to fetc h firewood, spread to other areas . This great rus h fo r th e and there she found some mushrooms g row - mu shroom per sists tod ay. ing . She gathered these and too k them as a And f rom that mome nt, Ogogo 's luck be- pres ent to an lfa pr ie st who tol d he r that he ca me co nsidera bl y improved . He was well did not eat mushrooms . Howe ve r, for he r respe cted and whate ver business he unde r- kind gesture , the lfa priest promised he r a took ended in huge suc cess . Soon he WÇl.S favour . He said by means o f hi s magi cal made the vi llage Head and he ruled hono ur- powers h e would make the m ushrooms g row ab ly. in larger quantities so that she cou ld co llect and sell them for as mu ch a s 16 Cowries " and Medicin al Us es thereby be relie ved of her po verty f or l . ln The t radit ion al doctors ha ve since used T. those d ays an ybody who ow ned as much as robustus in the preparation of charms for 10 Co wr ies was a rich person . Thelfa priest good lu ck. One way in which the charm is then di vi ned on the di vina tion s and" and made is by roasting the mushroom togethe r gave this t o her , instr uc ting h er t o return to with chalk and the wood of Ptero carpus osun the spot and sprinkle the san d a ll over the Craib and divining on it . This is mixed with place and ca lI on the mushroo m to a ppear in African black soap and used for washing . It larger numbers . On visiting th e place af ter is s upposed to bring good luck to a nyo ne doing this, the woman discover ed that the using i t. The charm is also prepared b y roast - mushroom had grown there i n la rge groups ing the mushroom w ith the bark of Cei ba and she was able to count a t least seven pent andra Gaertn . and that of Adansonia di - groups in the area. These she collected an d gitata Linn . and divining on it . This is eaten sold for 16 Cow ries and thus became a rich periodical ly. woman. Apa rt from this , T. robustus is u sed medic- differen t fo rrns, e .g., constant coughing , some rsau lti ng, inall y as a remedy for M aagun . 3 This remedy ext reme lassit ude, haer norrhage , etc . 4 3 Maagun: Thi s is a mag ic dr ug p ut on a wo ma n, Cowries : Small s hells used as native mo ney in pa rts unkno wn to herself , so that when she comm its adu lt ery of Africa, India , and Asia i n the pasto i t ma y cau se her param our to fall o ver thr ee t imes and S Divination sand : Fine white sand sprinkled on the di e. The e ffect of maagun on the para mour ma y assu me divini ng boa rd o n whic h th e o rac le is cons ul ted by the div in er . Wood d ust is also used for this p urpose .

This in the Yoruba belief was how T. Ground with another fungus, Daldinia globulus started growing in groups, and the concentrica (BoIt . ex Fr .) Ces. & De Notaris, practice of sprinkling sand on where it grows and mixed w ith the African black soap , it is a in order to make it grow stil l persists today. remedy for leucorrhoea. T he soap corn pound Instead of usin g the divination sand, how- is used b y the patien t for washing her vagina ever , people no w use ordinar y sand . at prescribed intervals. As a cure for a disease known in Yoruba as Medi cinal Us e Maasomaaso , C. cyathiformis is ground with Hunters p repare a magical prescription of sorne other herbal ingredients and adminis- the mush room chewed with se ven seeds of tered orall y. This disease , strongly believed Aframom um me legueta K. Schum . and th e to prevent pregnanc y, is commonl y described leaf of Phy llant husfloribundus Muell . W hen by the Yoruba people as a condition in which this is sp at on the palm and rubbed on th e a w oman begin s to dis charge effluvium gun or t he bow and arrow with sor ne incan- through her vagina . It is probabl y the disease tations, the hunted game b ecom es dro wsy kn ow n in orthodo x medicine as and eas y to k ill . pneumaturia.

CAL VA TIA CYATHIFORMIS DISCUSSIO N (Bosc) Morgan Fungi have been associated with fairies , The Y oru ba people strongly bel ieve that witches, superstitions , mythical beings and C. cyathifo rm is is produced by the bush-fowl legends since mediaeval times. The ancient (Francoli nu s bicalcaratus). Hence the beliefs and superstitions about the "Fairy Yoruba name for the fungus is 1 so-aparo Rings" as weIl as the association of Hirneola (Yor . iso = effluvium + aparo = bush - au ricula-Juda e with Judas Iscar iot are weIl fowl). known. Puff balls were once believed to be A Yor ub a m yth tells us that centuries ago sown b y spirits . Exidia grandulosa has been the bush-fowl s, in a bid to gain recognition referred ta as "Fairy Butter " in the Northern among farmer s, went to Orunmila to divine . counties of England wh ere it was believed They complained to Orunmila that mating that the fungus is made in the night and scat- with each other usually left no visible mark , tered about b y the fairies . The same fungus it only resulted in a discharge of efflu vium by has been associated with witches in sorne the female s and because of this the farmers other countries and t ermed "Witches ' But- had no regard for them. They appealed to ter. " Another belief which is still prevalent in Orunmila to help them so that the effluvium Sweden is that trolls milk the cows and scat- discharged subsequent to mating would re- ter the butter from which E. grandulosa suit in something that would be of value to originate s. Hence , it i s kno wn as "Troll 's the farmers , as this was the only way they Butter. " ln certain parts of England puff- could w in thei r recognition. Orunmila de- balls are termed "The De vil 's Snuff-Bo x," vined for them and asked them to sacr ifice while in Scotland where their spores are be- ten eggs to the gods. They brought the eggs lieved to cause a type of blindness, they are and Orunmila made the sacrifice. Since then known as "Blind Men's Een." wherever there was mating between a male As far back as the 5th Century B.e . fungi and a female bush -fowl, this fungus usually have played a prominent role in medicinal appeared a few days later . Farmers then practices. Polyporus officinalis has been used started collecting and taking them home to both as a counterirrit ant and as a universal show the people and to eat them . This in the remedy for aIl corn plaints and disorders . Yoruba belief is the origin of C. cyathiformis . Boletus edulis has also been employed as a Medicinal Uses cure for a number of different complaints . ln mediaeval times therapeutic app lications of The origin of this fungus as contained in fungi have been made arising from the the above myth determines its uses medici- superstitious beliefs r elating the appearance nally . of a particular fungus to sorne purpose for

which it was supposed to be suitable . Among Messrs. B. I fatoogun , D. A. Adeniji, and E . su ch fungi wa s the Je w' s Ear , Hi rneola Adebo wale . t am grateful to Mr. S. O. au ricu la -luda e, which owed its reputation Baba yemi f or his co-operation during the in throat ca ses probabl y to the fancied re- cour se of this r esearch and to Mr . A. Popoola se mblan ce of its hymenial surface to the for t ec hni cal assistance . fauce s. Elapho myce s gr anula tus was for - The assistance of Dr . O. O. Olatunji and merl y regarded as an aphrod isiac and u se d in Mr. T. Ij adimile wa in the translation of in- the preparation of love po ti ons. ln West Sur- forma tion collected f rom Yoruba into En - re y and Su sse x Dald inia conc ent ri ca was gl is h is ackn ow led ged . This resea rch was carried until quite re cen tly by old men as a supported by a grant from the Uni versity of charm against cramp. Ibadan S enat e Research Fund. AB thes e and similar beliefs and appli ca - tions are well treated b y Rolfe and Rol fe LITERA T URE CITED (19 25). Ho wever , prior to the rec ent seri es of Oso , B. A. 19 75 . Mushrooms and th e Yo rub a pe ople of studies b y the author (Oso , 19 75, 19 76, 1977 ) Nigeri a. Myco log ia 67:3 11 -319. little was kno wn on h ow th e v ar io us ethnie -- . 1976. Pha ll us au rantia cus from Niger ia. Myco - groups in Nigeri a rel ate to and use mush- logia 68: 107~108 2. ro oms in their d ail y l if e. -- . 1977. Pl eur otu s t ube r-re gium f ro m Nige ria . My- colog ia 69:27 1-279 . AC KNOWLE DGMEN TS Rolf e, R. T., and F. W. Rolf e. 192 5. The romance o f I w ish to th ank all thos e w ho supplied in - the f ungus wor ld, Cha pman an d Hall Ltd. , Londo n. formation on this subject , particularl y 309 pp .