Due to its diversity, African religions can be classified into countless smaller ones. Ossain became so famous that he was asked to heal a king. 1. . Ogun is the god of iron; hence, he rules over metalworking and alchemy. She tells her son to avoid going to the forest, but he doesnt listen to her. Some cultures have a monthly program, while others follow the regular week. Underneath it, its said he wears black and red colors. In the region known as Yorubaland (today Nigeria, Benin, and Togo) and variations are found across the globe. Different oral traditions refer to 400, 700, or 1,440 orishas. Oya rules the dead and is involved with the ancestors, cemeteries, and the wind. Orunla, or Orunmila, is the wise orisha of divination and human destiny. He never asked a single question. Dreams are hard to understand as they happen when you are asleep, and one hardly remembers. Hence, the material having a specific personality induced a sense of wonder and natural instinct among those who believed in its smithing magic. Orunmila was impressed! (Sincerely, I would have done the same!). Being the Goddess of Rivers, Oshun is often attributed to being the lifeblood of the Niger River. She is a rather tempestuous, commanding orisha, responsible for windstorms and electrocution. Manage Settings In the original African belief system from which Santeria originates, there are hundreds of orishas. It is important to note that Oya and Oshun dont get along. The orishas are the gods of Santeria, the beings that believers interact with on a regular basis. Essentially, Orishas represent the powers of nature, as well as time, life, death, and rebirth. The meaning of ORISHA is a Yoruba deity; also : one identified with a Roman Catholic saint in Santeria. Olodumare alone is self-sustaining, not needing ashe to be provided by another source. One day, Obatala decided to bathe in a river. Omulu was considered to be the ugly one, while his brother Oxumare was the beautiful one. Obaluaye is also connected to rituals that promote the cure for illnesses. This was a necessity when slave-owners refused to allow slaves to practice African religion. Spirit that reflects one of the manifestations of Olodumare (God) in the Yoruba religious system, "EXU: THE LANGUAGE AS A CROSSROAD IN BLACK DIASPORIC CULTURE", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Orisha&oldid=1137622599, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Logunede (Logunede in the Yoruba language), Jo Anna Hunter, "Oro Pataki Aganju: A Cross Cultural Approach Towards the Understanding of the Fundamentos of the Orisa Aganju in Nigeria and Cuba". Obatala created trees, animals, and many other things. They teased him so much, that he stood up and danced a bit. He talked to Obatala and assigned him the task of creating land. Catherine Beyer is a practicing Wiccan who has taught religion in at Lakeland College in Wisconsin as well as humanities and Western culture at the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay. She never ate lamb after these occasions. Sharing a commonplace with other famous gods such as the Greek Zeus and the Norse Thor, his prowess remained dominant with a chaotic sky. All had to be rebuilt again. List of Most Entertaining Kenyan Politicians in 2022 Whose Sense of Humour Leave Netizens in Stitches. This fight was mainly a physical fight, no magic was involved. Still, He is believed to be more than capable of bringing adversity to those that do not take note of his presence. The only exception is when you are invoking the seven African powers together. All the touched ones became severely sick! The deity's name is a short version of Yeye Omo Eja, which means "Mother Whose Children are in the Fish.". Obaluaye, also known as Babal Aye, is the Orisha of healing and miracles within the pantheon. [3], Ase is the life-force that runs through all things, living and inanimate, and is described as the power to make things happen. As a prize, he took Eshus gourd for him. Shango called Eshu, then. Thanks! Yemaya found, healed, and adopted him. The best source of ashe is in sacrificial blood, which is why animal sacrifice plays such a prominent role in Santeria. Orisha Oshun wears golden yellow dresses. Obatala observed how hard Eshu was working and decided to compensate him. There is no expectation that each community would function exactly alike or understand the orishas in exactly the same way. It was a strange red powder. By symbolically placing these two double axes on the chest, one can summon Shango for protection. No life existed in this water, though. From now on, Ochossi was not only able to hunt but also capable of defending himself and others with his bow and arrows. Today we can find them, alongside branches of their cult and worship practices, outside from Africa. Obatala created the world, all the living things, and human beings. The Yoruba people, in particular, told traditional stories and oral accounts about the Orishas, which evolved to be the basis for the faith itself. He learned how to impress others with his beauty as a woman and also as a man; he also learned how to scare people as a snake or even as a snake-monster being. Olodumare relented and returned the water to the world, and the peacock transformed into a vulture. 15 greatest African warriors who changed the continent's history. This defense was a top priority in a hostile place like West Africa. Oshun is also Shangos favorite wife. He is not depicted as the devil himself. He is also married to Obba but has relations with Oya and Oshun. Other sources suggest that the number is "as many as you can think of, plus one more - an innumerable number". The loa, or major divine beings of Voodoo, or Vodun, are spirits who serve as intermediaries between man and Bondye, the supreme Voodoo god. Shango threw thunderbolts in all directions, killing the rams. In African Mythology, the Yoruba people very well received the notion of an omnipotent sky god looking over all things that live on Earth. Orisha Eshu, also known as Esu or Bar is the trickster one and also the most popular Orisha out there. She became Oya Ibale, the queen of the dead. His purpose might not be material, but it is a psychological one reflected in many African myths. Alongside mastering the delivery of this world-building resource, Ogun is also dubbed the Warrior God of War. Eshu is intrusive and sometimes aggressive. He calmed down and Oya went back home. Orisha Sango wears red clothes and carries two double axes in his hands. No one wanted to dance with him as usual. What is a good starter tarot deck? The History of Guns, Greek Mythology: Stories, Characters, Gods, and Culture, Aztec Mythology: Important Stories and Characters, Greek Gods and Goddesses: Family Tree and Fun Facts, Roman Gods and Goddesses: The Names and Stories of 29 Ancient Roman Gods, Olodumare and his Journey Away from Earth, The Trojan War: Ancient Historys Famed Conflict, iPhone History: A Timeline of Every Model in Order, US History Timeline: The Dates of Americas Journey, Ancient Civilizations Timeline: 16 Oldest Known Cultures From Around The World, Why Are Hot Dogs Called Hot Dogs? Chang is another . Peace, honesty, and creativity are just some of them. Creation stories are found throughout the world. Obatala noticed Eshu but I was too late. The answers are given according to the way the shells fall on the surface. They were about to kill him too! YouTube Answers. Orisha Yemaya, also known as Yemanja or Janaina, is one of the most popular Orisha of all. Eshu was not willing to give them back, but the beauty of Oshun was capable of driving any man or woman crazy. With time, he felt like this was a curse imposed by his mother, Nan. Yoruba tradition often says that there are 400 + 1 orisha, which is associated with a sacred number. Umbanda, Candombl, Islam, Buddhism, and others belong to this group. Filtering the very essence of wrath and fury, he was the bringer of thunder and brimming masculinity. And among the Yoruba people, they are referred to as Orisha. Orishas (singular: orisha)[1] 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: Orunla, Osain, Oshun, Oya, and Yemaya." Her favourite offerings include seashells, jewellery, perfume, coral, flowers, watermelon, pomegranate, duck, lamb, fish, plantain chips, coconut cake, and molasses. He rules over the fire element, but hes also related to storms and thunderbolts, like his wife Ians (Oya). In many ways, therefore, understanding an orisha is like understanding another human being. In the original African belief system from which Santeria originates, there are hundreds of orishas. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Obtala Deity of humankind, spiritual purity, and moral uprightness. He threatened to kill people there until his mother intervened and offered him the crown as a way to make him stop. Obatala is the only deity with no permanent gender, and the demi-god is androgynous. They are believed to have existed in the run ( spirit world) as Irumole and then became incarnated as mortal beings on Earth (Ay). Yemoja Patron deity of women and the mother goddess. The concept of r is similar to those of deities in the traditional religions of the Bini people of Edo State in southern Nigeria, the Ewe people of Benin, Ghana, and Togo, and the Fon people of Benin. The Yoruba religion can be marked as a capstone of African beliefs due to its wide acceptance. Once, he wanted to enhance his powers in an absurd way. In that sense, they work more like Western pantheons like those of the Greeks or Romans. Oya is her main name. He has many different stories regarding his deeds and adventures, but Ill briefly write about one of my favorite stories involving him. Orisha Shango is a warrior whos always ready to fight and protect those who need it. Yoruba tradition often says that there are 400 + 1 orisha, which is associated with a sacred number. Ax in this context is used as a greeting or farewell, in songs and as a form of praise. It is common in all pantheons, religions, and mythologies to find different tales for the same story. Orunmila, the Orisha of knowledge, omniscience, and wisdom, is the embodiment of destiny. Even if he needs to fight Ossain in his realm, he wants his brother back. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. The continent is massive, with numerous diverse religious traditions. This man proposed a challenge to the king to prove he was no lier. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. The number of orishas varies among believers. A priest could only be dedicated to that single orisha of the city, and that orisha was honored above all others. Needing ashe to be more than capable of bringing adversity to those that do not take note of presence! 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