Daggers, Daggers, Daggers

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You know, I have always been partial to swords and daggers over guns. I have mental illness, and having a gun is just too easy. Having swords and daggers may not be much better, but I feel safer that if I need to defend myself or my partner, they are close by.

That’s why when my homegirl dropped off my tranniversary present, I was blown away. Beautiful, I tell ya!! I am not one of those people who knows the ins and outs of swords and daggers; blades and hilts. Pommels confuse me. But this—this beautiful dagger, which to me was beautiful, and IS a piece of art. Thoughtful touches definitely went into its creation. I am so lucky to have a friend who thinks about me on my tranniversary. Usually, I would have to tell people, oh today is such and such. And that is fine. Not everyone needs to know.

No more bullshit. Let’s get down to the description of the dagger. I already am in love. It was love at first sight. I really hope that I don’t have or need a reason to use it. It is a work of art, thoughtfully including symbols important to me, excepting one. This symbol is something that I like, but am not 100% on the meaning behind it. Research time.

Just look at that beauty!!! Fuck!!! Let’s see if we can name some things going on with this dagger. So, according to my friend who gifted me this, the dagger is made of both gold and brass. The blade seems to be some kind of steel. Maybe stainless? The hilt is brass, a nod to Osun, my Orisha. Ore yeye Oo. Thanks, friend! As a matter of fact, there are several markings which point to Osun. You cannot miss the rather large bee and the honeycomb underneath. The honeycomb is exactly what you think it is—sweet. And the honey bee just adds to that sweetness. Osun or Oshun (more people will know her by this spelling) is the Orisha of love, beauty, fertility, and the fresh waters. She is intimately connected to honey and bees, as they symbolize sweetness, prosperity, and seductive power.

When presenting offerings to Osun, honey is one of the primary offerings. This is used to request blessings for money, fertility (in many ways) and love.. Bees symbolize Osun being the “queen bee” surrounded by her hive. This represents community, and sweet rewards. In ritual, and sacrifice, honey is used to sweeten situations, attract love and money.

Now, let’s not get it twisted. Osun is not an Orisha to be fucked with. Just because she represents the divine feminine and sweetness does not mean that that sweetness cannot turn sticky really quickly. She is generous to a fault, but if crossed, she becomes a fierce and dangerous Orisha. She holds dominion over fresh water and rivers and will not hesitate to flood a bitch out. Proceed with caution.

Now, back to this wonderful dagger. We talked about the bee and honeycomb. Did we talk about the brass and gold included. Yellow, brass, gold, mirrors, peacocks, and sunflowers are some things associated with Osun.

I don’t know what the handle (pommel?) is make of. By feel, it is a leather/brass crossover. Not sure on that. I am just going on feel here. The hilt is brass. Below the hilt there are some pretty, paisley patterns. There is a lot of yellow, which I like. Also, the background where the yellow is is black, and gives it a pretty cool effect.

You will notice two more things. I will start with the more confusing of the two.

The fleur-de-lis or lily flower, which can be found furthest from the hilt, near the pointy, stabby end. As I look this up, I see that it, at one point (maybe still?) represented French Royalty, nobility, and the fucking Catholic Church. It continues that it is associated with purity, faith, and the VIRGIN MARY. It has been used in flag design , heraldry, and as a decorative motif to symbolize honor and light. I am going to drop the Catholic Church and Virgin Mary references lol. I am not French Royalty, nor am I nobility. I am not pure lol, at least not in thought and deed. I do have a sort of faith. What that means is that I have a spiritual road that I have been walking for years, and it has led me down some interesting paths. I currently practice Ifa, a Southern Nigerian spirituality that has been passed from generation to generation for thousands of years. There are hardly any books, and to get the true essence, you need an elder, a babalawo or an iyanifa. And in this system, there is a place for purity, honor, light, so on and so forth.

Now, let me get to the most exciting part of this dagger for me. It has my name on it. While you all know me as OnyxRose (as that is one of my names), others know me as Osunkemi. Osunkemi was bestowed upon me by my baba after deep consultation and sacrifice and divination. The name Osunkemi refers to Osun and means “she cares for me” or “she pampers me.”

Getting this dagger means to world to me. I may have to find a way to display it on the wall in my room.

I am going to drop a couple more pics that represent Osun, wonderful Orisha that she is.

I am dropping a little more info about Osun. Her day of the week (for me, and the babas, iyanifas I work with) is Friday, although other traditions within the diaspora use Saturday, and she is associated with the number 5. She is honored as the only female Irunmole sent to aid in the creation of the world. An Irunmole is a divine being, primordial, sent from Orun (heaven) to Earht (aye) by Olodumare to make the world.

Annually, her feast day is celebrated on September 8th. The Osun-Osogbo Festival is a two-week Yoruba celebration in August, held in Osogbo Nigeria to honor Osun. The Sacred Grove attracts over 100,000 people every August.