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. Obatalas story can also be used to explain the divine origin of human fallibility. Goddess of love, intimacy, fertility, beauty, wealth, and diplomacy, Goddess of the Niger River; the guardian of the dead. Last modified October 06, 2021. Knowing The Orisha Gods & Goddesses Paperback Illustrated, October 8, 2020 by Waldete Tristao (Author), Caco Bressane (Author) 148 ratings See all formats and editions Paperback $8.99 5 Used from $8.99 15 New from $4.99 Elegua, Yemay (Yemja), Oshn (un), Shang (Sang), Obatal, Oya, and Ogn etc. WebOrisha embodies. As a result, the plants died, and water bodies dried up. One chooses their destiny before birth and reincarnates to achieve it in the next life. Metaphysical personifications or spirits. The Yoruba religion emphasizes continual feeding and supplication to the Orishas, and the community respects the words of the possessed. A collection of these objects, even if it is not permanent, constitutes an altar where the orisha is present and can be addressed through prayers and offerings. Omissions? In some traditions, Aganju is seen as the father or brother of Shango, god of thunder and lightning. Among them are the earth; rivers, lakes, and lagoons; and mountains, certain trees, and the wind. She often confers riches and good fortune on his followers. Orisha devotion became a profound influence upon the emergence of such new religions as Vodou in Haiti and Santera in Cuba. Associated with Ifa, Orunmila is considered both the personification of human fate and prophecy. Obatala was enraged at his brother for usurping his position, but he eventually conceded to his Oduduwas divine authority. Ayao has among her implements a crossbow with serpent arrows, a quill, and nine stones. This is why today Shango is widely worshipped in other religions, including Cuban Santeria, Haitian Vodou, and Brazilian Candomble. The ile ori seems to say that a good head (i.e., good character and a good mind) constitutes true wealth. In some locations in the Caribbean and South America, they were able to reestablish the worship of the orishas and maintain it during slavery and after its abolition. Essentially, Orishas represent the powers of nature, as well as time, life, death, and rebirth. Each orisha has its own powers and domains of authority. Aganju was the next Orisha to manifest on earth. Get or read online Knowing The Orisha Gods Goddesses books directly on your Knowing The Orisha Gods Goddesses Book PDF | Download Or Read Online He understands the secrets of dreaming, meditation, psychic ability and healing. Ayao by Navate As Orisha of love, Oshun is represented as a beautiful, charming and coquettish young woman. Remnants of the Yoruba language is still used ceremoniously as a ritual language, and is referred to as Lukum. They were given aid, however, through the efforts of the Orishas. 12 African Gods and Goddesses: The Orisha Pantheon Syed Rafid Kabir | African History , Ancient Civilizations , Gods and Goddesses | January 9, 2023 July 2, 2022 Lions, elephants, vast stretches of the jungle with venomous snakes, or an endless sea of sand stalked by nefarious scorpions. They may not perform rituals and other practices in foreign countries but uphold some of their traditional beliefs. The World History Encyclopedia logo is a registered trademark. There are many spirits of this kind, but some of them are so preeminent that they supersede all others; they too are orishas. Babal-Ay (originally Shopona) is a healing god. In some tales, she is said to be a mermaid. Olorun sent them Ogun, god of crafts, to find a suitable habitat. Photo: @janakesho, Who is the strongest Yoruba god? Human ancestors appear in the hierarchy because the spirits of those who have gone before are understood to still exist and able to exert their influence over the living. Please support World History Encyclopedia. 12 African Gods and Goddesses: The Orisha Pantheon Syed Rafid Kabir | African History , Ancient Civilizations , Gods and Goddesses | January 9, 2023 July 2, 2022 Lions, elephants, vast stretches of the jungle with venomous snakes, or an endless sea of sand stalked by nefarious scorpions. In some tales, she is said to be a mermaid. Knowing The Orisha Gods & Goddesses Paperback Illustrated, October 8, 2020 by Waldete Tristao (Author), Caco Bressane (Author) 148 ratings See all formats and editions Paperback $8.99 5 Used from $8.99 15 New from $4.99 Yoruba mythology states that Olodumare is the most powerful god. Sign up now for weekly facts, the latest blogs, and interesting features. Eventually, the god made his mind up and explained to the orishas that, on a certain day, he would ascend to the sky to pour down his divine gifts, so each orisha would be responsible for catching his or her own special ability. She passed near the sun and lost most of her feathers. Although there are many Orishas, seven are understood as most powerful and have become the most popular among modern-day adherents. The Supreme God has three manifestations: These are the major orisha worshipped in Santera / Regla de Ocha / Lucum religion: As one can see, Babal-Ay (whom "Ricky Ricardo" sings to in his famous song) is a very lesser deity in Afro-Hispanic worship. Oshun is commonly called the river orisha, or goddess, in the Yoruba religion and is typically associated with water, purity, fertility, love, and sensuality. Their religion dates back to the Stone Age but was influenced by the spread of agriculture from the Middle East around 600 BCE. They include her daughters Ayao and Oya. Orisha (also given as Orisa and Orishas) are supernatural entities usually referred to as deities in the Yoruba religion of West Africa, though they are actually emanations or avatars of the supreme being Olodumare. Their ancestral father, Oduduwa, migrated from the ancient city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia to Africa. Orisha of crossroads, duality, beginnings, travellers. Christianity spread massively in the nineteenth century when the Europeans penetrated Nigeria. Olodumare threw the powers of dominion into the air, and whichever Orisha caught one was responsible for that sphere of influence. Yoruba mythology states that Olodumare is the most powerful god. https://www.worldhistory.org/Orisha/. Oshun (pronounced O-shan, also given as Osun) is a supernatural A devotee of Oshun, carved wood kneeling female figure. 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. Mark, published on 06 October 2021. WebOshun, also spelled Osun, an orisha (deity) of the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria. Thank you! Yemaya was linked with the V*irgin Mary, Our Lady of Regla, in Cuba. The general idea of the orisha as a deified ancestor whose descendants perpetuate the ancestors practices is reflected in the self-identification of the members of an orisha cult groups priesthood as that orishas children. This idea also undergirds a practice of secrecy that excludes from some part of an orishas ceremonies people who have not been initiated into its priesthood. Orishas, like mortals, are supposed to devote themselves to developing a strong character that pursues what is good and shuns what is evil, but neither people nor Orishas are capable of doing so all the time, and personal weakness, desire, pride, spite, and arrogance often come between what the Orishas know they should do and what they want to do. Some of these divinities are regarded as primordial spirits. The number of orishas varies among believers. She is kind and generous to her followers, but when brought to anger she can cause untold destruction. In one, far back at the beginning of time, Olodumare created the Orishas and spread powers between them randomly. The number of orishas varies among believers. 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). Photo: @janakesho, The Yoruba religion is constituted by a conglomerate of beliefs, primarily from the territory comprising modern-day Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, and Benin. Ogun is revered as a mighty god, called upon by warriors for strength in battle. As time went on, however, people began to complain about this situation noting how, if everyone had everything they needed, and if everyone was equal, no one could be any different from their neighbor and they had no goals to strive for. In a variant of the myth, Erinle transformed himself into a river to appease the thirst of the Yoruba people, who had been struggling with the effects of a pernicious drought sent by Shango. St. Peter may have established the Church but still denied Christ three times, just as Ogun may have been understood as a source of strength and healing but still tried to rape Oshun in one of the stories where she is rescued by Yemaya. This beautifully illustrated exploration of Afro-Brazilian spirituality introduces you to the gods of the African diaspora known as the Orishas. The orishas, however, are only one aspect of these natural forces. All humans, therefore, are connected to each other no matter their appearance, religion, or location because all owe their existence to the same divine breath that animates them, and all humans are related to other living things for the same reason. Books 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. Oshun is the goddess of love, intimacy, and marriage. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The word orisha is related to several other Yoruba words referring to the head. The head also has other values associated with it that derive from the hierarchical nature of Yoruba social life. The Orishas exist to help humans reach their goal of self-actualization, but these entities are not perfect themselves and sometimes get in peoples way, often without meaning to, because they each have their own individual personality and flaws just as humans do. He created the Orishas to be mediators between himself and the people. The orishas are the gods of Santeria, the beings that believers interact with on a regular basis. The orishas are the gods of Santeria, the beings that believers interact with on a regular basis. Using these sacred materials, he created fields, forests, hills, and valleys. These categories are not rigid, and in some cases they overlap. 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). Get or read online Knowing The Orisha Gods Goddesses books directly on your Knowing The Orisha Gods Goddesses Book PDF | Download Or Read Online 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. Luckily, Obatala exiled him to the wilderness, where he has lived as an outcast. Get or read online Knowing The Orisha Gods Goddesses books directly on your Knowing The Orisha Gods Goddesses Book PDF | Download Or Read Online They are not demons, however, because according to Yoruba belief, all things in creation natural and supernatural are possessed of the aspects of positivity (ire) and negativity (ibi) and so nothing can be understood as wholly good or completely evil. Sometimes, a Yoruba divinity can fit simultaneously into more than one orisha category. An orisha may be said to be a deity. Erinle is a wilderness god, associated with hunting, herbalism and animal husbandry. Some Rights Reserved (2009-2023) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. He reigned for seven years, constantly waging battle against other nations, bringing prosperity to the Oyo Empire. The rest is spent in the farm with Oko (a farming god). Eventually a local orishas cult might spread to other towns and become more widely known. Olokun presides over this watery abyss, an aquatic realm populated by sea spirits. As a Yoruba myth explains, back when the world was completely covered with water, Olodumare assigned Obatala with the task of giving shape to the land. Copyright Ancient Code. It is the orishas who are the guardians and explicators of human destiny. Keep reading to know more about them. Aja by Chase Conley Orisha (also given as Orisa and Orishas) are supernatural entities usually referred to as deities in the Yoruba religion of West Africa, though they are actually emanations or avatars of the supreme being Olodumare. They were mainly captured from Oyo, Dahomey and Benin by the Portuguese and Brazilian slave traders and brought to Brazil. In this way, he is certainly a difficult teacher, but in the end, is usually found to be a good one. 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. The Orishas exist to help humans reach their goal of self-actualization, but these entities are not perfect themselves. The Orisha are said to be manifestations of an all-powerful God, (a belief known as Pantheism).Nana Buluku is a Creator Goddess, great-grandmother of all the Yoruba pantheon. 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 Prophet's Birthday: history of the holiday, when is it in 2022? As noted, their number is most often given as 400 + 1 to suggest how limitless they are. This list includes the major Orishas honored in the United States, according to scholars and practitioners. 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). Traditional religion and Islam dominated Nigeria before the colonial era. Rather than willfully trying to misguide them, his aim is to enrich their life experience, leading them to a spiritual maturation through their transgressions. On this page, Ill present you all you need to know about Orishas and how to understand them in and out from their original context the Yoruba Religion. Cross Crosslets Meaning and History of This Unique Cross Type, Pan and Syrinx: A Tale of Love (or Lust?) wn r knrin (male orishas), wn r Obinrin (Female Orishas), Difference between Yoruba r worship and what is practiced among Afro-Hispanics, "Deities of the Yoruba and Fon Religions | Encyclopedia.com", "Yoruba gods and goddesses: their history explained in detail", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Yoruba_deities&oldid=1131964538, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. This list includes the major Orishas honored in the United States, according to scholars and practitioners. With your support millions of people learn about history entirely for free, every month. She works closely with Osain and is a fierce warrior. As Orisha of love, Oshun is represented as a beautiful, charming and coquettish young woman. He was supposed to have lived at some point between the 12th and the 14th century AD. The orisha of wisdom, Orunmila is the first-born of Olodumare, and a prime deity. The male Orishas return to Olodumare to confess their failure. The Yoruba people occupy southwestern Nigeria. "Orisha." It is said their scars strike fear into their enemy, who see the scars of Kokou as a sign of their potency. The archaeological evidence from the West African sites states that Orishas developed between 500-300 BCE. Author of. An Ajogun is a supernatural being who causes trouble, encourages misunderstandings, brings illness, and causes accidents. As a researcher, he has specialized in Greek mythology, a field of investigation that he confesses has always stimulated his passion for learning. Esu, for example, as a deity of crossroads, acts as a psychopomp a guide for the souls of the dead bringing them to the afterlife and comforting them while, at the same time, he may have had a hand in the circumstances that led to their death. Each caught powers that enabled them to participate in the creation and oversee different spheres of influence. She is also the patron of dyes and colors. His rule lasted for seven years and ended when Shango was dethroned by one of his former allies. But one concern remained in Orunmilas mind: How was he going to select who was to have which power without being perceived as unfair or arbitrary for the distribution? Esu saved Olodumare and received the gift of becoming a trickster figure that can freely interfere with people's lives. As the people began to reproduce, new lands were required for them to settle. The Yoruba faith and several other religions that derived from it are also popular in many Caribbean and South American countries. The Orishas wailed in repentance in vain. Orisha (also given as Orisa and Orishas) are supernatural entities usually referred to as deities in the Yoruba religion of West Africa, though they are actually emanations or avatars of the supreme being Olodumare. Weborisha, also spelled orixa or orisa, any of the deities of the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria. (In 1989, it was believed that more than 70 million individuals in Africa and the New World participated in Yoruba religion in one way or another. Yoruba gods and goddesses are worshipped in Nigeria, Cuba, and Brazil. A freelance writer and former part-time Professor of Philosophy at Marist College, New York, Joshua J. In the Yoruba pantheon, the orishas are divine mediators between Oludumare, the Creator of the world, and humanity. Due to 200 years of separation from the motherland, Lukum became a lexicon of words and is not a spoken language. On this page, Ill present you all you need to know about Orishas and how to understand them in and out from their original context the Yoruba Religion. Weborisha, also spelled orixa or orisa, any of the deities of the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria. Orisha. World History Encyclopedia. When these ancestors disappeared and became orishas, their children began to sacrifice to them and to continue whatever ceremonies the orishas had performed when they were on earth. Whether the Orishas then decided to participate in creation is not addressed. Please note that some of these recommendations are listed under our old name, Ancient History Encyclopedia. Just as the physical head perches atop the body, the ori-inu stands over and rules, guides, and controls a persons actions. This beautifully illustrated exploration of Afro-Brazilian spirituality introduces you to the gods of the African diaspora known as the Orishas. Despite the ascendance of Christianity and Islam, many Yoruba and other West Africans still turn to the orishas for help, aid, and advice in the great and small problems of life. Yoruba Gods and Goddesses mesmerize ordinary people and scientists. Article by Simon E. Davies, contributor to Ancient Code. Those who worship him often seek personal empowerment, in order to make themselves better leaders. Jhonfrank Snchez is a Venezuelan writer and Literature major interested in studying ancient civilizations, history, symbolism, and how they have shaped modern thought. The number of orishas varies among believers. The orishas are the gods of Santeria, the beings that believers interact with on a regular basis. She used these magical tools to create the cosmos, including the human race. 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. Orisha worship today is practiced by people around the world in a number of forms including the systems of Santeria, Candombl, and Vodun, as well as nominal Catholics and those who identify as Neo-Pagan, Wiccan, or New Age practitioners. Orunmila is also the orisha of divination or Ifa. One of the most complex characters of the Yoruba pantheon, Eshu, also called Elegba and Elegua, is the messenger of the gods (he is especially at the service of Olodumare), and the intermediary between divinities and humans. Some of these divinities are regarded as primordial spirits. Another daughter of Nana is Olokun, an ocean goddess. 2023 All Rights Reserved. Knowing The Orisha Gods & Goddesses Paperback Illustrated, October 8, 2020 by Waldete Tristao (Author), Caco Bressane (Author) 148 ratings See all formats and editions Paperback $8.99 5 Used from $8.99 15 New from $4.99 We want people all over the world to learn about history. He created the Orishas to be mediators between himself and the people. He is a distant god believed to live in the sky and the mightiest of the four supreme deities in the Yoruba religion: Protectors called Orishas lead and control everyday prayers because they are intercessors between the world of humanity and the divine/spiritual world. Yemaja is a mother goddess, patron of pregnancy and children. 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. Their number is usually given as 400 + 1 as a kind of shorthand for "without number" or innumerable. In the original African belief system from which Santeria originates, there are hundreds of orishas . Submitted by Joshua J. The Orishas are not always causing trouble for Olodumare, however, and most of the time are attentive to their responsibilities. (represents wind, lightning, fire, and magic) (Shango's third wife). Later these ancestors disappearedoften, according to tradition, in a remarkable manner, such as by sinking into the ground, rising into the heavens on chains, committing suicide and not dying, or turning to stone. This beautifully illustrated exploration of Afro-Brazilian spirituality introduces you to the gods of the African diaspora known as the Orishas. 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. tallest person in the world, snap ring tool, hisun sector 450 accessories, Of Kokou as a kind of shorthand for `` without number '' or innumerable position. This beautifully illustrated exploration of Afro-Brazilian spirituality introduces you to the gods Santeria! Began to reproduce, new lands were required for them to participate in creation is not.... 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