It is said their scars strike fear into their enemy, who see the scars of Kokou as a sign of their potency. Oshun is commonly called the river orisha, or goddess, in the Yoruba religion and is typically associated with water, purity, fertility, love, and sensuality. Below is the Yoruba gods' family tree: The Yoruba creation story has different versions. The white cowrie-shell covering of the ile ori also alludes to the white-feathered bird called eiye ororo, the symbol of the mind that God puts into the head at birth. In Yoruba tradition, Olokun is commonly depicted as a hermaphrodite. She often confers riches and good fortune on his followers. The shell contained a magical soil and a divine cloth. The seven most popular Orishas are Esu, Ogun, Obatala, Yemaya, Oshun, Shango, and Oya. Obatala then began to build a city, but after discovering alcohol (brewed from palm leaves) he became distracted from duties. Oshun turns herself into a peacock and flies to Orun but, passing too close to the sun, loses most of her feathers and, because the journey was so long, arrives exhausted and ill but still delivers the message of the Orishas contrition. Orunmila - spirit of wisdom, divination, destiny, and foresight Egungun-oya by Another Wanderer She is also the patron of dyes and colors. She passed this skill to the Yoruban people, who practice her craft to this very day. Oshun is the goddess of love, intimacy, and marriage. The Orishas, after all, had questioned the wisdom and justice of Olodumare and repented of it more than once and so were sympathetic to the human condition. Essentially, Orishas represent the powers of nature, as well as time, life, death, and rebirth. The best one could do, then, was pray to Olodumare through the Orishas for the strength to endure and try to prevail in a world where one does not always get what one wants and, even when one does, it can completely fail to live up to expectations. Brazil, Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad, and Tobago are the Americas countries where Yoruba cultural influences are the most noticeable, particularly in popular religions like Vodon, Santria, Camdombl, and Macumba. Orisha of domesticity and marriage (Shango's first wife), Patron Orisha of the descendants of Africans. She is also often associated with the notions of death and rebirth, as the Yorubas believe she assists those who have recently died in their transition to the land of the dead. He created the Orishas to be mediators between himself and the people. Shango was linked with St Barbara, who is connected to war and thunderstorms. The third king of the Yoruba Oyo Empire, Shango was considered a violent ruler, but also one with notorious military achievements. Keep reading to get acquainted with Yoruba mythology, the most mysterious phenomenon of Yoruba culture. He created the Orishas to be mediators between himself and the people. In the Yoruba pantheon, Aja is the orisha of the woodland and the animals that reside in it. Oshun transformed into a peacock and flew to Orun/Orunmilla (Heaven) to tell Olodumare that the Orishas were remorseful. Yoruba mythology states that Olodumare is the most powerful god. Esu, for example, was associated with Saint Anthony of Padua, patron saint of lost items, people, and paths in life, because of his role as guardian of crossroads and guide in transitions. Renewed and grateful deities in turn bless their supportive wor- (From Milton Daviess novel Woman of the Woods). An orisha may be said to be a deity. Each orisha has its own powers and domains of authority. Ogun is able to destroy as easily as heal, as is Oshun when she is displeased, and Shango can lash out in anger with thunder and lightning as often as he does in justice. She is kind and generous to her followers, but when brought to anger she can cause untold destruction. Metaphysical personifications or spirits. Because of the importance of culture and geography in defining the worship, there will never be a comprehensive list of Orishas one should not conclude that other Orishas are not Some in Oyo say s is female, Ogun's wife. Be the first to get hottest news from our Editor-in-Chief, Check your email and confirm your subscription. WebThe Orishas Gods Book PDF | Download Or Read Online The Orishas Gods This book PDF is perfect for those who love Electronic Books genre, written by Danso Tangara and published by Independently Published which was released on 11 February 2021 with total hardcover pages 128. The number of orishas varies among believers. She used these magical tools to create the cosmos, including the human race. Its said that Olokun can grant wealth to humans at any time, but given his ambiguous nature, he is also known for inadvertently bringing devastation. They emanated directly from God without any human aid. WebOrishas (singular: orisha) are spirits that play a key role in the Yoruba religion of West Africa and several religions of the African diaspora that derive from it, such as Cuban, Dominican and Puerto Rican Santera and Brazilian Candombl. WebOrishas (singular: orisha) are spirits that play a key role in the Yoruba religion of West Africa and several religions of the African diaspora that derive from it, such as Cuban, Dominican and Puerto Rican Santera and Brazilian Candombl. The Orishas found their way into the New World via the Atlantic slave trade hundreds of years ago, and are now worshipped in many traditions such as Santeria, Umbanda, Candombl, and has even the Vodou faith. Help us and translate this definition into another language! Olodumare releases the rains, heals Oshun, and declares her the only Orisha always welcome to bring messages to Orun. A number of modern-day works on the Yoruba faith claim that Olodumare dwells high in the heavens remote from the concerns of those on earth and cannot hear peoples prayers, but this does not seem to be supported by the stories in which the entity is both aware of and engaged in the struggles of both Orishas and mortals. They can be counted on, however, to deliver the messages of mortals to Olodumare and so they came to be associated with the saints of Catholicism when the Yoruba people were brought as slaves to the so-called New World. Orisha of crossroads, duality, beginnings, travellers. His rule lasted for seven years and ended when Shango was dethroned by one of his former allies. Even so, not all the multitude of Orishas appear in the stories frequently only 20 or 30 at most do so but there are seven that appear often who have become the most popular and are referred to as gods and goddesses: These are all only the most basic descriptions of the dominions of the Seven Orishas. However, despite their divine status and remarkable powers, not all the orishas have the same origin. Aja is a patron of the forest and all the animals within it. Mark, published on 06 October 2021. Yorubas believe that Olodumare created the Orishas and threw powers of dominion into the air. Oshun is commonly called the river orisha, or goddess, in the Yoruba religion and is typically associated with water, purity, fertility, love, and sensuality. Similar worship of African deities can also be found among the Afro-Franco populations of Haiti and the US state of Louisiana. The Yoruba are religious and liberal-minded people. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Like the stories told by the Yoruba in West Africa, different Orishas were linked to different saints in different regions, and it is not possible to definitively say which Orisha came to be identified with which saint. However, despite their divine status and remarkable powers, not all the orishas have the same origin. Luckily, Obatala exiled him to the wilderness, where he has lived as an outcast. She presides over womanhood, fertility, and life. The Orishas wailed in repentance in vain. Each confirms the Yoruba religion has many Orishas but offer different explanations regarding how they came to exist. When associated with the latter, Eshu is the deity of mischief. Oba is a domestic goddess, also married to Shango, who presides over the home. Our publication has been reviewed for educational use by Common Sense Education, Internet Scout (University of Wisconsin), Merlot (California State University), OER Commons and the School Library Journal. Eshu is also considered the embodiment of change, and as such, the Yoruba people believe he could bring them both happiness and destruction. The orishas are the gods of Santeria, the beings that believers interact with on a regular basis. Orishas omitted Esu (also called Eshu /Elegua; god's messenger who presides over doorways, crossroads, and change) from their plan to overthrow Olodumare and rule the world. Erinle is a wilderness god, associated with hunting, herbalism and animal husbandry. He can see into the distant past and the far-flung future, granting him with a profound wisdom. She is the mother of Yemaja. Eshu by Akili Mansa Richards. Yemaya was linked with the V*irgin Mary, Our Lady of Regla, in Cuba. WebOrisha embodies. To achieve this degree of control and interdependence, the ancestors made offerings and sacrifices. Another daughter of Nana is Olokun, an ocean goddess. The animating force is known as Ashe (or Ase) and is essentially life itself as it is in constant motion and transformation. Get the hottest stories from the largest news site in Nigeria. Photo: @janakesho, The contribution of Yoruba culture to the history of Nigerians is unique and has a lot of exciting facts. In some tales, she is said to be a mermaid. They are also venerated by the Edo of southeastern Nigeria; the Ewe of Ghana, Benin, and Togo; and the Fon of Benin (who refer to them as voduns). WebThe Supreme God has three manifestations: Olodumare - The Lord God of the Source of Creation; Olorun - The Lord God of Heaven; Olofi - The Lord God of the Palace, conduit between Orn (Heaven) and Ay (Earth). Orisha of volcanoes, the wilderness, and rivers. Using these sacred materials, he created fields, forests, hills, and valleys. Some of the Yoruba gods and goddesses linked to Catholic saints are: People invoke the Orishas in personal or communal rituals for enlightenment, spiritual strength, or assistance in daily challenges. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. An Orisha is a God or a Goddess from the Yoruba Religion and Mythology. Egungun-Oya is a goddess of divination. Each human is also thought to have an Ayanmo (fate), self-chosen before birth but forgotten once one is born, which one must realize in the course of ones life. She passed near the sun and lost most of her feathers. The beliefs of the Yoruba faith were passed down orally for generations until committed to writing and so there are a number of different versions of the same stories. Very often, Orunmila is depicted as a sage. In some tales, she is said to be a mermaid. As a result, the plants died, and water bodies dried up. However, since most Yoruba beliefs are based on oral traditions, there are many different accounts regarding how the orishas came to be. The wise Orunmila recognized that there wasnt any good reason for them not to have special abilities, so he agreed to share his powers with the orishas. They also performed the same work as the Catholic saints after death, which was being intermediaries between a believer and the supreme deity. Omissions? https://www.worldhistory.org/Orisha/. In Yoruba cosmology, Olodumare sits at the top of the hierarchy, and everything else descends down from him: Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter! With her destructive qualities, she brings change to the cosmos, an important element of the balance of life. 2023 All Rights Reserved. Download Knowing the Orisha Gods and Goddesses Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle. The Supreme Deity of the Yoruba is called Oldmar. Obatalas story can also be used to explain the divine origin of human fallibility. Yoruba mythology states that Olodumare is the most powerful god. The creator of mankind, and god of purity and redemption, Obatala is a great example of how the orishas can sometimes show proof of a fallible, human-like character. Weborisha, also spelled orixa or orisa, any of the deities of the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria. Orisha of rainbow serpent associated with creation and procreation. The twelve goddesses described here are known as the Orisha (divine spirits) who are protective deities, often teaching their followers the secrets of the natural world. An Ajogun is a supernatural being who causes trouble, encourages misunderstandings, brings illness, and causes accidents. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/Orisha/. This beautifully illustrated exploration of Afro-Brazilian spirituality introduces you to the gods of the African diaspora known as the Orishas. At the beginning of Yoruba mythology, the universe was composed of two elements, the ethereal sky above and a watery chaos below. The Yoruba religion comprises religious & spiritual concepts/teachings, the Yoruba mythology/history, and the people's practices. These devotees often commit violent acts of self-harm to demonstrate their tolerance to pain. In West African religions and in traditions that have been influenced by them, primordial divinities are those that existed long before the creation of the world as it is now known. The understanding is that, even if one thought one knew every Orisha and could name them all, there would always be one more one had missed. Creator of human bodies (represents light, spiritual purity. WebThe Orishas Gods Book PDF | Download Or Read Online The Orishas Gods This book PDF is perfect for those who love Electronic Books genre, written by Danso Tangara and published by Independently Published which was released on 11 February 2021 with total hardcover pages 128. Yoruba mythology states that Olodumare is the most powerful god. Oshun was associated with Our Lady of Mercy. In the Orishas case, Olodumare had allowed life to continue as it had before, but the supreme deity had made clear to humanity that, once they chose inequality as the basis of their existence, they could not go back to their former lives. During his lifetime, he was married to three wives (Oshun, Oba, and Oya). Their number is usually given as 400 + 1 as a kind of shorthand for "without number" or innumerable. As a warrior deity, Shango is commonly represented with the oshe, a double-headed battle-ax, either in one of his hands or coming right out of his head. 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Oshun arrived at Orun, exhausted and ill. Olodumare released the rains, healed her, and appointed her as the only Orisha allowed to bring messages to heaven. Olokun presides over this watery abyss, an aquatic realm populated by sea spirits. Each caught powers that enabled them to participate in the creation and oversee different spheres of influence. The Orisha began to lose patience with him, especially when he tried to infect them with smallpox after they laughed at his deplorable dancing skills. Weborisha, also spelled orixa or orisa, any of the deities of the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria. Although there is much variation in the details of the rituals and mythology of these deities among these West African peoples, the underlying religious concept is essentially the same. Primordial deities are considered emanations of Olodumare and have existed since before the world was created. However, despite their divine status and remarkable powers, not all the orishas have the same origin. Nana Buluku by Mshindo9 World History Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. Olodumare threw the powers of dominion into the air, and whichever Orisha caught one was responsible for that sphere of influence. On the same level as the Orisha are the Ajogun, who are difficult to define but are often associated with the Western concept of a demon. Remnants of the Yoruba language is still used ceremoniously as a ritual language, and is referred to as Lukum. A freelance writer and former part-time Professor of Philosophy at Marist College, New York, Joshua J. It is understandable how one would conclude that Olodumare is too far away from human affairs for mortals to make contact, but at the same time, it should be recognized that each Orisha is an emanation of Olodumare and so the supreme being is aware of every prayer of thanks or supplication made to any Orisha. 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