"The Orishas." The rest of the population follows Catholicism, Protestantism, Spiritism, or no religion at all. He is also the creator of rainbows and a rainbow can also be the personification of Oshumare. Essentially, Orishas represent the powers of nature, as well as time, life, death, and rebirth. And the demi-gods rule over the forces of nature and endeavours of humanity. Modern people often underestimate the might of a crackling burst of thunder. White is also a color that represents her. The battle started and Shango emerged victorious, against all odds. It may have to do with Francis's common depiction of holding rosary beads, which resembles Orunla's divination chain. Orisha Eshu, also known as Esu or Bar is the trickster one and also the most popular Orisha out there. Ossain became so famous that he was asked to heal a king. New World Santeria believers, on the other hand, generally only work with a handful of them. Olodumare is also known as Olorun, which means the Almighty. Although his omnipotence strikes a profound sense of existential authority, the Yoruba people do not have any dedicated shrines or places of worship for him. A pipe might also represent him. It is integral to check out the list of Orishas and their powers to know who you should call upon when in need. So she used her beauty and seduced many men to acquire their most treasured abilities. Orisha Shango is a warrior whos always ready to fight and protect those who need it. She is also often understood to be the older sister of Oshun, who oversees the rivers. (2020, August 27). Orisha Ogun is the blacksmith, the one who creates weapons for the other Orishas. You want Ogun and Shango to interact as they are rivals. An Orisha is a God or a Goddess from the Yoruba Religion and Mythology. Nearly every culture associates rivers with something benevolent. Peace, honesty, and creativity are just some of them. People would wait for him to heal them. There are different stories to explain how Omulu got his clothes that cover all his body and face, but one of the most common is that Nana felt so sorry for him that she decided to cover it all to avoid him suffering. Different oral traditions refer to 400, 700, or 1,440 orishas. Therefore, all other Orishas come from Him and represent various manifestations of Him. They are similar but not quite the same. Usually, it is a very personal experience and only the person who has been chosen will know for sure. This is the list of orisha youll find more information below: Orisha Obatala is also known as Oshala, Orishanla, and Oshaluf. Orunla was present at the creation of humanity and the forging of souls. This fight was mainly a physical fight, no magic was involved. List of African musical instruments and their names. Orisha Omulu is quiet and vengeful. Her element is fire and she wears red clothes. The Lord of the Heavens was not always this distant from the planet riddled with human beings. Beyer, Catherine. On the other hand, people believe that Oshun and Yemaya are sisters and venerate them together. Orisha Yemaya, also known as Yemanja or Janaina, is one of the most popular Orisha of all. This is an ode to Oguns double-edged sword, representing two sides of justice. The traits of the orishas are documented through oral tradition.[5]. She is considered to be the mother of everything and she is associated with the seas. 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Just as the Greek gods, the Orishas are seen as the intermediaries between the supernatural and humankind. To honor this, they are often given names such as Babatunde, which means father returns or Yetunde (mother returns). They may not participate in all the customs, but they do know and praise these Gods too. Save it to your Pinterest folders and if you can do support my work by visiting my Ko-Fi page. There isnt an exact number, but sometimes it goes up to 700, 900, or even 1440 Orishas. Ori literally means the head, but in spiritual matters, it is taken to mean a portion of the soul that determines personal destiny. She also holds a buffalo (or horse) tail in the other hand symbolizing her power to tame the forces of nature and send eguns and bad energies away. Their tales and beliefs are as old as time, predating our common era. Shes also the wife of Obatala, the Creator. Today its known as Yorubaland. Oya rules the dead and is involved with the ancestors, cemeteries, and the wind. Thus Orunla has the knowledge of the ultimate destiny of each soul, which is an important facet of Santeria practice. No one wanted to dance with him as usual. However, Yemaya couldnt forgive Ochossi for disobeying her and she doesnt accept him back at home. How many Orishas are there? Hence, the material having a specific personality induced a sense of wonder and natural instinct among those who believed in its smithing magic. After trials and errors, he finally managed to create human beings who populated the land and worshiped the Orishas as their creators and natural sources of power. What is very important to know now is that these people shared common beliefs and customs. The belief in reincarnation is linked to ideas from their ancestors. Oya is married to Shango, a warrior Orisha who also has fire as an element. Ill briefly write about the creation of the world according to the Yoruba so we can be more prepared to get to know the 12 main Orishas. He ran off with the clothes and left Obatala naked. 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. Since his abode was the skies, he separated them and himself from the Earth and hence controlled the world from a cosmic distance. Eshu has over 200 manifestations depending on tradition. When she offered mud, he was finally able to create perfect human beings. The next step was the creation of all life. He lived with his mother, Yemaya. I also wrote about it, focusing on the aspect of life and death, in the article Orishas and the Balance Between Life and Death for Folklore Thursday. In many ways, therefore, understanding an orisha is like understanding another human being. How many orishas can you have? Eshu is intrusive and sometimes aggressive. He also looks out for the home. Like the weathers unpredictability, she also commandeers the essence of constantly changing the natural world so it may continue flourishing. Yemayais maternal, dignified and nurturing, the spiritual mother of all. Shes also associated with riches, pregnancy, and fertility. The Orishas are a group of spirits or deities that act as the emissaries of Olodumare or God almighty. He is the benevolent version of Loki in African mythology and a wandering trickster spirit generally concerned with probability and elusiveness. However, one thing is for sure. Obatala created the world, all the living things, and human beings. Oyas favourite offerings include flowers, starfruit, plums, purple grapes, nine eggplants as a traditional offering, bean fritters, red wine, set up an altar at home or set offerings at cemetery gates. This is going to be a journey. Different oral traditions refer to 400, 700, or 1,440 orisha. As a direct result, Yoruba people can sometimes be identified as their departed imprints through visions and likenesses in appearances. Being connected to places such as hospitals where the borders of life and death are frequently grazed. Orisha Nana wears purple dresses. In the original African belief system from which Santeria originates, there are hundreds of orishas. 2. 2. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Shangos favourite offerings include copper, mugwort, conqueror root, lots of spicy food, red foods and red palm oil, liquor like red wine and rum, sugar, and cascarilla. She became Oya Ibale, the queen of the dead. The concept of regenerative vitality is crucial to every society. The deity is associated with the colours green, red, white, black, and blue. When mischief and trickery can be converted into an orb of power controlled by a celestial spirit, it makes way for a relatively powerful narrative that strikes awe within its believers. Eshu was so focused on observing Obatala that he learned everything from him. Be the first to get hottest news from our Editor-in-Chief, Check your email and confirm your subscription. All metals and weapons belong to Ogun, the blacksmith Orisha. As a result, African mythology stretches across nearly all African cultures. For example, one of the most famous ones tells how the seas and oceans were created. Garbed in white, the King of Peace Obatala is a merciful Orisha dispatching purity. The seventh is often substituted with Orunmila or Ochossi. He is forced to use a twisted tree branch as a crutch, which is a common symbol for him. New World Santeria believers, on the other hand, generally only work with a handful of them. So he tried a bit more. Orisha Ossain is the Orisha who rules over the forests. In many ways, therefore, understanding an orisha is like understanding another human being. In fact, her name comes from Orisun, which was referred to as being the source of the Niger River. This way, Eshu not only became knowledgeable but also rich and prosperous. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. In that sense, they work more like Western pantheons like those of the Greeks or Romans. The Yoruba people thrived in the region of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo in West Africa. The deity is sometimes substituted with Ochossi or Orunmila. The orishas are the gods of Santeria, the beings that believers interact with on a regular basis. The deity's favourite offerings include mirrors, rosemary, lantana, marigold, pumpkin, makeup, brushes, perfumes, oils, flowers, fans, sandalwood, honey, chamomile tea, shrimp and spinach, yellow and orange fruits and veggies, cinnamon, river stones, amber, coral. She is particularly associated with feminine beauty, as well as relationships between people in general. Still, He is believed to be more than capable of bringing adversity to those that do not take note of his presence. 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. He made some oxen appear on the roofs of cattle sheds. Crops may live or die due to changes in the skies above, and stomachs may be quenched for hunger or thirst. It is a fantastic place to start taking in the sheer size of the beliefs of the ancient civilizations living on such a diverse continent. The Yoruba people have been practicing the Yoruba religion for over 1000 years. One day, Olorun, the supreme creator, thought about creating firm land. Now, its said that albino people are highly protected by Obatala. An Orisha is a deity or a spirit within the Santeria religious tradition. Besides his apparent ugliness, Omulu also had many skin diseases, including smallpox which contributed to his ugly appearance. Other sources suggest that the number is "as many as you can think of, plus one more - an innumerable number". Each orisha has its own distinct personality and has a wide variety of strengths, weaknesses, and interests. Manage Settings However, hes known for being vengeful and aggressive, mainly against women. The saint is a mask of the orisha, and it does no work the other way around. On the other hand, he requires sacrifices of resources such as tobacco to ensure constant appeasement and protection of human spirits. Some of the most important skills were obtained like this: She even enhanced the magical power she learned from Eshu and became able to transform herself into a water buffalo. Both are fighters who protect their followers. He is a man, he sometimes becomes a woman, and sometimes he becomes a snake. It is an affirmation that is used in greetings and prayers, as well as a concept of spiritual growth. If you have orisha in your family, it is likely that you have one as well. However, a deal was made. We also have lots of syncretism involved which contributed to the spread of their worship inside Christian beliefs too. They control the forces of nature and influence humans and their worlds. In. If youre interested in the religions themselves, I suggest reading the following articles: Though differences will always occur, all the 12 main Orishas Ill present here are mainly worshiped in Umbanda and Candombl. Ossain became known as a doctor! Ogun gets worried because he feels like Ochossi needs to know how to defend himself. Obatala observed how hard Eshu was working and decided to compensate him. And also, everyone who visited Obatala should pay tributes to Eshu when leaving. Smart! Many people, including Orisha and humans, used to visit Obatalas house. These powerful Orishas create the seven African powers, including Eshu Elegbara, Ogun, Obatala, Yemaya, Oshun, Shango, and Oya. This If kingdom is utterly important for us here. Yemaya is a water Orisha presiding over the oceans. They are believed to have existed in the run ( spirit world) as Irumole and then became incarnated as mortal beings on Earth (Ay). Readings/Resources Contins, Mrcia. Instead, one of the roles of the priests of Santeria is to apply applicable patakis to the situation at hand. There are around 400 orishas, but only 20 are regularly worshiped in Cuba. She is associated with Our Lady of Regla, the protector of sailors. In the Yoruba religion, there is one main creator god known as Olodumare. However, this somewhat stereotypical vision doesnt spring out of the blue. Being garbed in red, Ogun represents aggression in one narrative. Oshumare met Eshu, the trickster Orisha. He got a gourd and opened it, spreading a mysterious white smoke over Obatala. In the forest. Oshun is the seductive orisha of love and marriage and fertility, and she rules the genitals and the lower abdomen. Orishas understand themselves as. Yoruba tradition often says that there are 400 + 1 orishas, which is associated with a sacred number. One day she simply decided she wanted to learn the art of divination using Bzios (the divination tool I mention at the beginning of this article), but this art could not be taught to her. Animism refers to the belief that everything (and yes, LITERALLY everything) possesses a spiritual quintessence. Her watch over the seas sustains life as it is and seals her importance as a motherly figure in the pantheon and the entirety of African mythology. The deity was once the wife of Ogun. Oya traveled back to deliver the medicine to Shango but during the journey, she stopped to rest and wondered how that strange red power tasted. However, many of their clients are also Catholic, and they understand that such clients better identify with these beings under the guise of the saintly counterparts. Oya wears a red dress and holds a sword in one of her hands. It is here where he found the need to create the Orishas. He knows all the occult powers and rules. Olodumare sent them back to earth to apologize to Oshun because only she could complete the work. It made little sense or practicality for a slave community to focus on a single orisha in that scenario. The plantation was a success! By Western interpretation of Eshu, though, he is not seen as this malicious spirit doomed to destroy humanity through psychological trickery. She is strikingly similar to Dionysus, the Greek goddess of wine and fertility. As you already know, Ogun is a violent warrior. The Orishas, https://legacy.cs.indiana.edu/~port/teach/205/santeria2.html. 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