Bùjé (Indigoberry)

Bùjé (Indigoberry) - Randia spp.

Death comes but does not recognise the one who has bùjé!
Bùjé is the Yoruba name for Indigoberry (Randia maculata/Rothmannia Longiflora).
It is a shrub with large trumpet shaped white flowers. Its fruits are traditionally used for blue-black tattoing in Yorubaland.
It is considered to have febrifugal and analgesic properties and a decoction of its leaves, twigs, bark and roots can applied internally or externally in lotions, washes and baths.
The roots are also used to treat bowel complaints, throat abscesses, toothache and leprosy.
Bùjé is also used as an enema against kidney pain and diarrhoea with blood. Drinking the leaf juice is said to help during labour and childbirth.
Èjì-Ogbè says:
Eji wẹ́rẹ́wẹ́rẹ́ nií lé ọmọ lọ 'lé;
Àgbàńlá òjò nií mi ògiri tìtì lẹsẹ̀
A díá fún ọlọ́mọ wẹ́wẹ́.
Ó ní ire òun pẹ́ lóde ayé;
Ó ní ire òun pẹ́ lóde ọ̀run.
Kò mọ̀ pé orí nií yan orí okùn, ori nií yan orí idẹ
Orí nií yan jẹbutu ajé jinwinjinwin.
Akọ ajá lọ́lá;
Agọ̀ ààlà ni iyì òṣùpá;
Ọmọ bí okùn, ọmọ bi idẹ.
Ọmọ ẹni lọmọ ẹni;
Ọmọ ẹni kò ṣe ìdí bẹ̀bẹ̀rẹ̀ ká so ìlẹ̀kẹ̀ mọ́ ọmọ ẹlòmíì lápá
A díá fún Óńdẹṣẹ̀roro òkè Apà
Tí ikú òun àrùn nkan rí rẹ̀
Tí nbá wọn gbé òde Òpóloró.
Ó ní ikú wá kò sì mọ Oníbùjé mọ́.
A drizzle drives the child home;
A torrent of rain water shakes the walls violently
Divined for One who has small children.
She said her earthly blessings were late;
She said her heavenly blessings were late.
She did not know her head chose a destiny of beeds, her head chose a destiny of brass
Her head chose a great abundance of money.
A male dog has honour;
Venus is the glory of the new moon;
A child is like beads, a child is like brass.
One's own child is one's own;
If one's own child has bad hips, one does not tie beads on the arm of another's child
Divined for Óńdẹṣẹ̀roro of Apà Hill
When death and sickness were thinking about him,
He was living in the town of Òpóloró.
He said, "Death comes but does not recognise the one who has bùjé".
References:
1. Dyes and Tannins By D. Cardon (2005)
2. Indigenous Plants of Yoruba-Land: Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew), Vol. 1891, No. 56 (1891)
3. Sixteen Cowries by William W. Bascom (1980)

Olobe Yoyon 



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