Ìyá the Agutan (also known simply as Ìyá; pronounced e-YAH thee AH-goo-TAHN) was a healer from Alkebula and yéyé to Harnuphis. Iya first appeared in the kitabu, The Blue Madjai and assisted Harnuphis in her development as a Taurari.
20s A Difficult Age[]
The Blue Madjai arc[]
Harnuphis travels to Wagadu Mandé to find Ìyá after being guided by Domitia Antoninus from Latium. Making her way to the outskirts of the city, she finds the leaning house and decides to enter the home, although food is cooking - no one is there. Harnuphis decides to sit by the sheep pen and "wait" for Ìyá. Not sitting for long, she is interrupted by a man name Nibi, Nibi speaking Yoruba - pokes fun at Harnuphis for sitting in the abandoned yard of
Iya performing Iyipada.
Ìyá. Harnuphis exclaims she cannot understand Nibi and ask again if Ìyá is at the home but he continues explaining that she is arrogant for searching for Ìyá the "sheep demon". Unsure what he is saying she follows his banter, she picks up that he is alluding to the sheep pen and ask again, where Ìyá is. Watching from the sheep pen, Iya leaps from the pen and transforms (using the iyipada technique) into her human form, surprising both Nibi and Harnuphis. Afraid and confirming the legend to be true Nibi runs away in fear.
Ìyá repeating a recipe "steamed okra with nettle, pepper, and mushroom", Harnuphis still stunned immediately asks Iya for training but is blocked by Iya. She then continues to introduce herself and ask how Iya shape shifted in which Iya replies, "embarrassing to learn" and continues to talk to herself while informing Harnuphis at the same time that she sleeps in the sheep pen because "no one bothers the sheep". Telegraphing Harnuphis's words Iya replies "no" before the Blue Madjai could speak. Walking into the Leaning House of Wagadu Mandé, Harnuphis ask how Iya shape-shifted from a sheep, repeating the recipe to herself, Iya includes that shapeshifting is "embarrassing to learn". Telegraphing Harnuphis again, Iya throws a bowl at her to which Harnuphis pleas that people she cares about are in danger. Showing no empathy, Iya communicates that death and war are apart of life and Harnuphis should ask her parents. Harnuphis replies that both of her parents are dead and that she has nowhere to go to which Iya informs her that everyone has "somewhere", she told Latium no and has no problem telling Harnuphis, no but Harnuphis proclaims she never said where she came from. Throwing another bowl Iya exclaims "no", frustrating Harnuphis she storms out. Outside she sees a sheep in the pen, feeling mocked - she returns to confront Iya, Iya ask if she's "back already, little girl", Harnuphis responds by saying she is not a "little girl" in fact she's twenty years old and that Domitia Antoninus sent her. Unconvinced, Iya tosses another bowl at Harnuphis. Serious Harnuphis ask to be trained kindly.
Iya denies but Harnuphis doesn't give up, sitting around for several days. Reentering the Leaning House, Iya is impressed by the pupil's persistence, she offers to train Harnuphis under one condition: that she return to the Leaning House after completing her mission in Latium. Harnuphis agrees and asks "why", Iya ignores Harnuphis and says she must obey her in order to unlock her power, offering a bowl of food to which Harnuphis kindly rejects but Iya doesn't budge until her pupil accepts. Once she does, Harnuphis exclaims that she thought she'd have to sell her belonging as the denariii doesn't travel well in Alkebula, Iya inclined tells Harnuphis that the "barbaric" currency doesn't travel far because it's "worth nothing" but now that she agrees to her rules, the Blue Madjai can stay with her citing that times are too expensive to live in, the mysterious mentor continues to recite the recipe of the "white hat" stating her food never "rots the soul". Harnuphis taking mental note pivots the conversation asking who the "pelekpe" are caught off guard Iya expresses she spills kunun at the name. Iya goes onto to explain the pelekpe attack cattle and villages in the dead of night and that she's seen it, furthering the legend - Iya explains many warriors have tried to kill the pelekpe and failed and that fear paralyzes people from leaving or fighting back. She insists that her new pupil rest and then ask to see Harnuphis's sandals, approving of them Iya gives Harnuphis a cryptic response, "these narrow roads you will walk are like coffins for the poor" but Harnuphis wants to talk about the pelekpe, Iya responds "we'll see if you let me down, Madjai".
The next day in the field behind Iya's home Harnuphis and her new mentor travel to "the isaro rock" on it sits a bowl with the Herb of the Ancients, Harnuphis says it looks "uncomfortable" to which Iya responds
Iya and Harnuphis walking through "The Isaro Field" to "The Isaro Rock".
"Sit! in discomfort, you grow." Obeying Iya's wish, the mentor ask how Harnuphis unlocks aṣhẹ, Harnuphis replies "anger" and follows up by asking how long she is supposed to close her eyes and inhale. Iya displeased with this answer tells Harnuphis she will teach her to control anger through meditation so it doesn't control her and that time can be her greatest ally or enemy depending on how she utilizes it, all great leaders understand this. Harnuphis says she's not a leader in which Iya self-proclaims she is more. Inhaling the herb, a vision begins in which Harnuphis is still present and can hear Iya's voice. The Blue Madjai sees she and her father in their home. The door is opened and the herb goes into full effect, Iya's voice is heard saying "embrace your shadow self. this time breathe, feel the breath." turning around Harnuphis sees Avidius Cassius standing alongside her teenage-self and younger-self (trapped in a bubble of water). The trip gets darker, Iya's voice asks "do you see her?", turning around again she physically sees Iya in her human form then turns around and sees herself then Avidius lunging at her.
Iya as she appears in Harnuphis' dark vision.
Harnuphis realizes that the herb is showing her, her fears and that her mentor has gotten inside her head. Iya's voice returns reminding Harnuphis that if she runs now, she will run forever and that she is a beautiful "rock" but an ugly rock lies on top. Falling to her knees her powers emerge and she screams "I am broken". Coming out of the trip, Iya holds up a cloth with a symbol and explains that all life draws aṣhẹ from "source aṣhẹ" ruled by darkness and the light. She then states that meditation will unlock her power and meditation will clear her mind, focusing on the fact that Avidius is a mortal man and the grief he brings is minuscule emphasizing her purpose is much bigger. Should Harnuphis fail to see that, her world would remain off-balance possibly forever.
Possessions[]
- Ōjuẹgan (Eyes)
- The Leaning House of Wagadu Mandé (Home)
Physical Appearance[]
Ìyípadà[]
Iya first appears on the front cover of 20s A Difficult Age: The Blue Madjai standing next to Harnuphis with white wool, black eyes, and pink ears. In her sheep form, Iya can still speak in human tongues and can eat non-human foods like grass.[1]
Full body image of Iya illustrated by artist Ajayi Olajide.
Ōjuẹgan[]
Iya possesses an "Ōjuẹgan" which allows her to attain the eyes of a sheep. Her eyes are amber with black in the slit but while in her sheep form, they revert fully to that of a sheep. The Ōjuẹgan is an Oju Iyipada.
The ojuegan eyes of Iya the Agutan, which took the form of a sheep.
Human Form[]
During the events of The Blue Madjai arc, Iya appears wearing striped clothing and a white gele or head tie. Although transformed into a human, Iya still posses her ojuẹgan. Iya can willfully transform back and forth between her human and sheep form.
Abilities[]
Iya is able to perform "Iyipada" or "transformation" which is the ability for the master of the technique to transform into a said animal for any given period of time. In The Blue Madjai arc, although it is only seen once on page, Iya goes in and out of iyipada at will.
Etymology[]
- Iya in the native Yoruba tongue can translate to mean "mother". Iya is also a play on the word "Aya", an adinkra symbol originally created by the Ashanti and the Gyaman in West Africa which means "fern".
The Aya West African adinkra symbol.
- The "Aya" symbol is a symbol of endurance and resourcefulness. The fern is a hardy plant that can grow in difficult places. "An individual who wears this symbol suggests that he has endured many adversities and outlasted much difficulty."[2]
- Iya could also be derived from the word, Iyalawo, a term in the Yoruba language that literally means "Mother of Mysteries", "Mother of Wisdom" (Ìyá: “mother”; awó “mysteries") or "Mother of Divination". Ìyánífá is a Yoruba word that can be translated as Mother (Ìyá).
- Agutan in the same language means "lamb". Together "Iya Agutan" translates to "Mother Lamb".
Quotes[]
- "War, no one man stops it, any man can start it and death is apart of it." (To Harnuphis)
- "If you eat well, you must speak well." (To Harnuphis)
- "Anger no good. From today we meditate to control anger. If anger controls you, you are blind." (To Harnuphis)
- "Time is your greatest ally or your greatest enemy." (To Harnuphis)
- "You are hurt, a beautiful rock but an ugly rock lies on top of you! To heal I must see what is trapped underneath." (To Harnuphis)
Gallery[]
