White is most appropriate for An Orisha is a God or a Goddess from the Yoruba Religion and Mythology. The orishas are the gods of Santeria, the beings that believers interact with on a regular basis. When the smoke disappeared, Obatala noticed his skin color also disappeared. As such, there is no concern about the literal truth of these tales or the fact that tales my contradict one another. Whenever he was in love with someone, he would become a monster and lose his lover. colors which are their marks, and each has their own favorite foods and Olodumare An interesting piece of data that will illustrate how Orishas are present in these religions and also in others through syncretism: in Brazil, around 3.2% of the population follow the so-called other religions. order to protect the Guerreros initiate and to open and clear their It is said he was the emperor of Oyo, today Nigeria. He understands the secrets of dreaming, meditation, psychic ability and healing. Also observe how the Simply water. She carries an Ibiri in her hand, which is a tool capable of warding off evil spirits. This helped the religion to survive. Though a specific number can't be placed on the amount of Orishas, there is an exciting notion around it. (2021, March 4). Second, they protected her from Shangos fury when she tried the magic powder made by Eshu to Sango (I wrote about it above, in Sangos section). Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. where one or more of their priests will be mounted (see trance possession). It is understood that the orishas wear many masks in order for people to better understand them. He is an extremely hot blooded and Theres a story stating about how Nana forbade her children and followers from using knives and metals in general during rituals and ceremonies. People from other religions usually have some prejudice against macumba, stating it is a form of so-called black magic. From now on, it was decided that everyone who wanted to make an offering to Obatala should also pay tributes to Eshu. And, of course, he got mad. the cemetery. Umbanda, Candombl, Islam, Buddhism, and others belong to this group. Theres a story explaining how she became so powerful and able to wield weapons and magic. (Sincerely, I would have done the same!). No life existed in this water, though. These Are The 10 Avatars Of Vishnu, One Of The Main Ancient Hindu Deities, 14 Massive Monoliths Of The Ancient World. represent his/her different paths. In the Old Kingdom (c. 25752130 BCE), before Osiris rose to prominence as the lord of the underworld, Anubis was considered the principal god of the dead. One of several deities associated with the sun, the god Re was usually represented with a human body and the head of a hawk. 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. He stayed at Obatalas for 16 years! Secrets" must devote themselves entirely to the practice of The shell contained a magical soil and a divine cloth. She always holds a mirror to admire her own beauty and to teach her children to love themselves above all. People who can play Buzios are actually asking the Orishas for answers. predynastic and dynastic periods in ancient Egypt. Orunmila is wisdom and He is renowned for his skills in witchcraft and is a good friend to the nature spirits of Africa. Orisha Oshun wears golden yellow dresses. 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. Oya, however, started to dance with him. This fight was mainly a physical fight, no magic was involved. has an extremely close relationship. process). Elegba (also referred to Eleggua or Eleggu) is the owner of the Amaunet - The Ogdoad Goddess of the North wind, this carried the rain, she was the female form of the originally androgynous God Amun. As the people began to reproduce, new lands were required for them to settle. One day, Orung waited for his father to be absent and raped Yemaya. The origin of Osiris is obscure; he was a local god of Busiris, in Lower Egypt, and may have been a personification of chthonic (underworld) fertility. though through which he enforces justice in the world. Like the volcano, Aganju is noted for his legendary strength and his ability to bring about drastic change. There, she cried and formed the rivers that flooded the earth and created the oceans. Orisha: the 12 most powerful Gods from Yoruba Mythology As the god of wisdom, Thoth was said to possess knowledge of magic and secrets unavailable to the other gods. He is recognised in Part of this comes from the fact that these stories come from a variety of different African cities, each of which had their own ideas about the nature of the orishas. From now on, Ill bring the Orisha list with the 12 most important ones. Now, Oshun became the first woman able to play the Bzios and to obtain the power of divination! The others were dancing and drinking a lot. According to the form of the myth reported by the Greek author Plutarch, Osiris was slain or drowned by Seth, who tore the corpse into 14 pieces and flung them over Egypt. 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. For example, theres a story in which a king sent a man to trial for making gossip and spreading misinformation inside the kingdom. This empire has mythical origins related to the last prince of the If kingdom. Amon was a god of the air, and the name probably means the Hidden One. He was usually represented as a man wearing a crown with two vertical plumes. Aganju by Robert Love Today its known as Yorubaland. So, today were talking about African Pantheons. The battle started and Shango emerged victorious, against all odds. Orisha Shango is a warrior whos always ready to fight and protect those who need it. Some Orishas are worshiped as gods in their own right and they include top names such as Babal Ay, Elegua, Obatala, Ochosi, Ogun, Oya, Shango and Yemaya. Obatal is also the only orisha that has both male Thanks for reading! This is the list of orisha youll find more information below: Orisha Obatala is also known as Oshala, Orishanla, and Oshaluf. Yemaya found, healed, and adopted him. The Orisha are spirits/deities that reflect one aspect of god. Thanks. His reign ended when he inadvertently destroyed his palace with lightning. Nana didnt like the idea of having the permission of Ogun for her works or for being praised. The next step was the creation of all life. This changing nature made Oshumare a versatile one. Ochossi develops such a passion for hunting and feeding others, that he enters the forest every day. Before rising to national importance in the New Kingdom (c. 15391292 BCE), the god Amon was worshipped locally in the southern city of Thebes. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. He never asked a single question. All life started in the sea, the amneotic fluid inside the So these are the 12 most powerful and important Orishas, Gods from Yoruba Mythology and religions derived from this amazing culture. An Orisha is a God or a Goddess from the Yoruba Religion and Mythology. Of course, he drinks it! After receiving an eb (food offering), Eshu helped the man by deceiving the kings guards. He has a warrior side Omulu was considered to be the ugly one, while his brother Oxumare was the beautiful one. Even though Umbanda and Candomble seem to be unpopular here, the truth is that we can find many Christians who also believe and worship the Orishas. most often approach to aid us in money matters. In some traditions, she would welcome the setting sun every night; living people hoped to be welcomed into the afterlife in the same way. He is often depicted as an animal or as a human with the head of an animal. Nothing can be Obatal is the source of all From her death, many Orisha children were born (now comes the conflicting information): I said there is conflicting information because there are several stories that suggest Yemaya, Oshun, and Oya are sisters too. The following is a list of Yoruba deities Olrn - the supreme creator deity Aganju - Orisha of volcanoes, the wilderness and rivers Aja - Orisha of the forest, the animals within it, and herbal healing Ayao - Orisha of air Babalu Aye - Orisha of the Earth and strongly associated with infectious disease (particularly smallpox, leprosy and AIDS) and healing Egungun-oya - Orisha of divination . Ochossi leaves again and, this time, he decides by himself to live with Ossain. Ill start with the male ones, the Orisha Gods as we can call them. Identity. Regarding his trickster nature, Eshu is known for playing tricks, deceiving, and even helping those who ask him for help in doing some inappropriate things. She, and The patakis, or stories of the orishas, are not standardized and are frequently contradictory. If you wish to support me,please use the button below and buy me a ko-fi! Orisana : the great orisha OBA ba. On his head was the atef-crown, composed of the white crown of Upper Egypt and two ostrich feathers. However, it was not enough to make him free of problems or curses. One day, Obatala decided to bathe in a river. Obatala felt reluctant but eventually agreed with her. Then, he placed the five-fingered hen and the pigeon in this space covered by earth. the root of all the paths or manifestations, Olokun is the source of Others suggest that Omulu is a son of Nan, who rejected him for his ugliness and disposed of him. Both are fighters who protect their followers. He got a job, a house, and everything he wished for. Angered that his sons alcoholism, Olorun sent his other son, Oduduwa, to salvage the mission. Obatala created trees, animals, and many other things. witness to our destinies in the making as well. If you wish to support me,please use the button below and buy me a ko-fi! It is believed that depictions of Isis with the infant Horus influenced Christian imagery of Mary with the infant Jesus. The rest is spent in the farm with Oko (a farming god). Eshu was so focused on observing Obatala that he learned everything from him. Shango returned home. his title of Eleri Ipin or "Witness to Destiny in its Today, we refer to these areas as Yorubaland. He understands the secrets of dreaming, meditation, psychic ability and healing. way we make our offerings in the manner they are accustomed to, in the name. Erinle is a wilderness god, associated with hunting, herbalism and animal husbandry. He decides to enter the forest and look for his brother. I wont enter in details about each one of them as this is not the focus of this article. "The Orishas." In isolation he learned humility, becoming Babal-Ay. the role of translator for Obatal with whom he has a very close almost always used first for war. The saint is a mask of the orisha, and it does no work the other way around. In the Ptolemaic period she came to be associated with the Greek goddess Artemis, the divine hunter and goddess of the moon. Black Gods In The 21st Century: A Cautionary Tale About Folks You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. One day, Orunmila ordered Ossain to prepare a huge portion of land because he wanted to start planting and cultivating the soil. One tradition holds that Horus lost his left eye fighting with Seth, but his eye was magically healed by the god Thoth. She also rules She tells her son to avoid going to the forest, but he doesnt listen to her. Beyer, Catherine. He got uncontrollable as usual and when he noticed, the entire empire was burning. The Yoruba people thrived in the region of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo in West Africa. Table of If to Orunmila in exchange for the gift of dance, his Bastet or Bast (Ancient Egyptian: bstjt, Coptic: , romanized: Oubaste /uast/, Phoenician: , romanized: 'bst, or , romanized: bst) was a goddess of ancient Egyptian religion, worshipped as early as the Second Dynasty (2890 BCE). He reigned for seven years, constantly waging battle against other nations, bringing prosperity to the Oyo Empire. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In underworld scenes showing the judgment undergone by the deceased after their deaths, Thoth is depicted as weighing the hearts of the deceased and reporting the verdict to Osiris, the god of the dead. Orisha Yemaya wears white and blue dresses. As such, the orishas came to be regarded as roughly equals as cultures mixed. Omulu got happy! 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. gain a better understanding of them and their ways. Shes usually considered Yemayas sister, but some tales also describe her as Yemayas daughter. Osiris was also identified with Soker, an ancient Memphite god of the dead. Even if he needs to fight Ossain in his realm, he wants his brother back. He didnt want to dance, mainly because he had a wooden leg and he couldnt dance like the others. Unlike many gods, she cant be tied to a specific town, and there are no certain mentions of her in the earliest Egyptian literature. His colors are red and white and he recognises himself in the Everything consists of songs, stories, and practices. themselves and are recognised through their different numbers and worlds. He is the repository of ash. Anyway, Oshun wanted to learn at all costs, but Obatala always said no to her. During his lifetime, he was married to three wives (Oshun, Oba, and Oya). complex, but no more so than any other living being such as you or I. She asked what had happened and he told her how Eshu had tricked him. All Of The African Goddess Names And Their Mythologies 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. Oy is the ruler of the winds, the whirlwind and the gates of