Majority of the sacred stories of the orishas in yoruba societies are tied to marriage and motherhood. You can adjust the width and height parameters according to your needs. Hi my name is jacqueline and i just wanted to drop you a quick note here instead of calling you. Africa isnt a single place with a single pantheon, and wed be fools to try and cover all that in.
Devotees from cuba often replace orunmilla with babaluaye. You might find him interesting, especially as this is black history month. Genealogically speaking, shango is a royal ancestor of the yoruba as he was the third alaafin of the oyo kingdom prior to his posthumous deification. Orishas deities worshiped in yorubaland a list compiled for the old naija blog of deities worshiped in nigeria and surrounding areas. The yoruba people originate from the west african country of nigeria. As a final note of introduction to this discussion of santeria prayers to the orishas, i offer the following quote, which beautifully encompasses much of what i hope to make clear. The photograph may be purchased as wall art, home decor, apparel, phone cases, greeting cards, and more. At the last count there seem to be at least 1,700, from the highly obscure to the extremely infamous. The orishas, however, are only one aspect of these natural forces. Some orishas are worshiped as gods in their own right and they include top names such as babalu aye, elegua, obatala, ochosi, ogun, oya, shango and yemaya. In most african myths, there is an attempt to make moral sense of lived experi. Of these a few rose to prominence in santeria as the seven african powers, five of whom have significant glbtq associations. Orishas deities worshipped in yoruba land oldnaija.
The basics of yoruba an african spiritual tradition metal. In truth, ifa in practice is very much a living oracle. Ifaorisha in the global spiritual marketplace qualitative sociology. Mar 16, 2014 acknowledging that the yoruba are one of the largest and most important groups of people in west africa, apart from its value as a cultural treasure, african narratives of orishas, spirits and other deities will also delight the readers with its wealth of information on yorubavodun religious beliefs which are told in a spirited form with humor and poetry. The changes that led to santeria began in 1517, when yoruba slaves had their first bitter taste of catholicism in cuba. Thanks to them and the books they suggested to me, i have found my way into the blessings of my creator.
The versions of these religions as they developed in the new world became known as african diaspora religions. Why do some folks point to a statue of saint barbara and call it shango. According to the yoruba, 401 orisha line the road to heaven, and diviners identify among them the personal orisha to which an individual should appeal for guidance, protection, and blessing. Orishas the yoruba spirits of many things yoruba mythology. This list is frequently updated we are constantly discovering more. African mythology myth encyclopedia god, story, legend. Although the other orishas share the use of certain plants, osain is the true owner and a tribute must be paid to osain, before one can enter into the woods to collect plants. The 7 african powers are seven of the most wellknown and celebrated deities orishas of the yoruban pantheon. Orishas arent gods or goddesses please respect our religion duration. Yoruba faith, a religion that had its original roots in west africa, but was transported to the new. This exclusivity is not based on an attitude of superiority, but is instead based on the individuals level of development, the wishes of the orishas and the continuity of the tradition as it has been practiced for ages.
If the orisha is in a bad mood or comes to punish someone. Harold courlander, has written many books on african legends and folklore, but this one has to be one of his most important works, especially for the devotees of the orishas, both here in the americas as well as the world over. Also known as orisas, orixas, orisa, orixa, orisha. Magnetism obatala the first substance of the universe is magnetism, and its created by condensation. Although oshun also spelt osun is regarded principally as a goddess of love, there are. Yoruba created misunderstanding concerning the orisha eshu by making him. This list includes the major orishas honored in the united states, according to scholars and practitioners. Dada adelowo introduction this paper is motiated by the need.
Many of the orishas were regional deities who traveled with the slaves to the caribbean and sparked the variations of afrocaribbean worship. They used african spirituality books to teach me the truth about the african origins of christianity, judaism, and islam. Yoruba african orishas poster is a photograph by james c lewis which was uploaded on october 8th, 2012. Although no single set of myths and legends unites this diverse population, different culture groups and regions share some common elements. Orishas are not quite gods think of them as a spirit cocktail with a slice of saint and a tiny dash of divinity for flavor. The orishas are representations of certain aspects of the one god, olodumare or god almighty to whom christians might refer to yahweh, muslims might refer to as allah to us there is. Abol, abassi, abiku, abuk, achimi, adriambahomanana, adro, adroa. And were visiting the yoruba and the orishas, which means we have to mention shango. The orishas rise up from the earth and mount the bodies and souls of those involved in the ritual. Deterritorialization and reterritorialization of the orisha religion in africa and the new world nigeria, cuba and the united states. This is the initiation as a fullfledged santera or santero priest in the religion. Since you are writing about african mythology, you would do well to not base the roots of african myths and legends on sociopolitical situations that are relatively recent given the massive scope of african history.
Move over odin, ra, and zeus, theres a new really old pantheon in town. Among its one billion inhabitants, more than 1,000 languages are spoken, and there is a massive variety of ethnic religions. This book should be in the collection of every aborisha, as it is the sacred. It is important to understand that in order to truly capture these lessons, you unlearn all that you know about marriage, womanhood, and motherhood now as it very much exists within patriarchal boundaries. This is the supreme god or the creator who was believed to have once lived on earth but had left to his kingdom because of human infractions. The south african bird is as big as a human and can summon lightning and storms, hence the name. African mythology gods and spirits from the african. In praise of an african goddess, author gleason explains the relationship between the two orishas oyas winds precede thunderstorms. African folklore, myths and legends victoria falls guide. Further afield in west africa, the yoruba people believe in a love goddess by the name of oshun. Divinatory ritual is the centrepiece of african religions, because it opens to all a channel of mediation with the gods. Olokun presides over this watery abyss, an aquatic realm populated by sea spirits. Cuban teachers to highlight issues of african diasporic dissonance and differing notions of blackness and african. Image source yoruba is a west african spirituality that some anthropologists estimate is 10,000 years old.
Eshu is the messenger god, acting as a link between humans and the yoruba deities orishas. Pdf deterritorialization and reterritorialization of the. It comprises the beliefs of the yoruba people, whose homeland is in the south western part of nigeria and adjoining parts of benin and togo. A divine journey to the inner self and god consciousness. And before any initiation we must get the approval of the orishas through divination. Anansi became the king of all stories after proving to nyame that he could trick a jaguar, hornets and a fairy. Another new aspect is the connection i draw between history, myth, ritual and photography, to. It is its catholic content which gives santeria its peculiar flavor. If the orisha is in a good mood, his children those initiated to that particular orisha will joke and dance with the saint. Yoruba african orishas poster by james c lewis african.
Chapter 14 mythology of rituals and sacrifices in africanderived. According to the legends patakisof orisha worshipers, obatala is the oldest and wisest of the orishas. Orishas resources about the various orisha, divinities and forces in santerialukumi. The island peoples of the caribbean who brought the religion to miami, new york, and chicago were of both african and european backgrounds, a fact that challenges the logic of those who claim that only persons of african american descent can be part of the worship of the orisa and. He is the orisha of thunder and one of the principal ancestors of the yoruba people. Accord ing to yoruba myth, orungan, yemanjas son, committed incest with her and. Yoruba tradition says that before souls are born, they choose an orisha for their human life. According to many african myths, the creation of heaven precedes the creation of earth and man was created before the animals. These specific forces of nature are part of the orisha because the cult of the orishas directs itself toward them. Like myths from other parts of the world, those of the african peoples reflect. There are many stories of how osain came to shave his ownership of plants with the other orishas.
Jaja institute of foundation studies, rivers state university of science and technology, p. Featured in the bbc and brazils national paper, o globo, the african deities, orisha, return in a new 6 part story. Ashe, or ache, divination, deities, sacrifice, ceremony, chants, possession, and healing. At the beginning of yoruba mythology, the universe was composed of two elements, the ethereal sky above and a watery chaos below. In this sacred story of oya, orisha oya was married to male orisha shango, the orisha of fire. Orisha shrines photos of santeria style shrines for many orishas. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. And they were patient enough with me to let me find my own path as i explored kemetic science, santeria, and ifa. Lewis makes us wonder why the orishas dont have their own comic book series. Powers of the orishas download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi.
Housed within this multiethnic nation are the predominant groups of the igbo, fulani, hausa and. Gods and goddesses the african culture similar to all the polytheistic religions believe to have the one god who created everything and anyone even other gods. In the classical world, for instance, there were venus and aphrodite, love goddesses of the roman and greek pantheons respectively. Some orishas are worshiped as gods in their own right and. The lukumi pantheon an article by willie ramos with a list of orishas worshiped by the lukumisanteria and associated sects. They are also venerated by the edo of southeastern nigeria. The african continent includes so many countries, regions, languages, tribes, cultures and crossovers that the sheer diversity of prevailing gods would seem overwhelming if there werent a few handy shortcuts. The orishaworshiping community may request to have their ceremonial meal on one of these days.
The sun and the moon are given high status, even seen as gods in some cultures and because all african societies depend on rain, it is also held in high regard. The orisha and the 12 gods of yoruba mythology ancient code. Calling on the seven african powers original products. Aug 27, 20 orishas are also capable of possessing the bodies of their followers or priests. Orisha, also spelled orixa or orisa, any of the deities of the yoruba people of southwestern nigeria.
During the ceremony their orishas are given birth to and their tutelary orisha is crowned on their heads, a term describing the ritual wherein the orisha is actually ceremonially fused with the initiates inner head. See more ideas about african mythology, yoruba orishas and mythology. In the ancient near east, love was personified in such goddesses as ishtar and astarte. The legends of africa reflect a wideranging series of kings, queens, chiefs and other leaders from across the african continent including mali, benin, ghana, nigeria, congo, ethiopia and eritrea. Yoruba orisha african god of fire, lightning and thunder. African folklore tales about animal tricksters often describe how helpless creatures manage to outwit fierce animals. He i s the ori sha of thunder and one of the principal ancestors of the yo ruba people. 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. Ifa is the words of olodumare creator manifested through the spirit of destiny orunmila. A vast and geographically varied continent, africa is home to a great many cultures and to a thousand or more languages. Osain was the greatest herbalist and knows all the secrets of every plant. Worship is directed at the orisha that dwells within the natural phenomenon, often at the site where the natural phenomenon manifests itself.
Housed within this multiethnic nation are the predominant groups of the igbo, fulani, hausa and the yoruba, all of which speak their own language. Shango, one of the most popular orishas, is married to obba, oshun and oya and is the son of agayu. The feasts of obatala, ellegua, and chango are common days of celebration. There was a time when they conducted a power struggle against olorun and tried to. Sacred stories of the orishas journey of a 21st century. I have found that the key to running a popular website is making sure the visitors you are getting are interested in your niche. Africans uprooted to cuba by slavery managed, over the generations, to preserve knowledge of about two dozen orishas. They are the sum total of the wealth of wisdom left to us by our ancestors. Mar 12, 2018 in this episode, we go much deeper using the african spiritual system of the yoruba culture namely ifa. In most african cultures, history and beliefs have been explained and passed on through oral traditions and storytelling.
The combination results in a santero being a devout roman. These are highly important beings of an esteemed nature. Of importance within this religion are the festivals for the. I argue that these african americans create a particular african american lucumi religious subjectivity within the geographical space of an urban cosmopolitan city as they carve out space and place in the midst of religious. Africa is the secondlargest continent in the world. The african religions had to undergo severe transformations in order to survive. This is done through an elaborate dance ritual where certain orishas are evoked through a particular dance and drum beat. Yoruba religion is a blend of indigenous beliefs, myths and legends, proverbs, and songs, all influenced by the cultural and social contexts of the western portion of africa. Nigeria is the most populous of all the african nations, with a multiethnic population of 104 million people. Accepted 4 january, 2012 myths are accounts of the origin of societies and institutions not subject to rationalization but often. Please report any type of abuse spam, illegal acts, harassment, violation, adult content, warez, etc. Instead were going to focus on yoruba religion from west africa, and the orishas that populate yoruba stories. Dec 25, 2019 the yoruba people inhabit the southwestern part of modern day nigeria and the southern part of benin. May 12, 2017 so, today were talking about african pantheons.
The basics of yoruba an african spiritual tradition. Most often, they are the stories or myths that accompany the odu letters or signs that arise in. One of the most important animal tricksters of west african legends is anansi, who acts on behalf of the sky god, nyame. The orishas are common to all faiths of yoruban origin, although they are not always considered to be the same deities. Top 10 african myths from the freaky showstoppers that give more chills than the finest horror movies, to lighter and funny legends passed from time immemorial, africa has the most diverse stories to tell. Our holy database currently contains 400 african deity names and 196 unique articles. Click download or read online button to get the handbook of yoruba religious concepts book now.
Click download or read online button to get powers of the orishas book now. The concise list can be found on our pantheon page of african gods and spirits. Practitioners of traditional yoruba religion believe in a pantheon of 401 gods known as orisha who govern various aspects of the world and human life. Although there is much variation in the details of the rituals and mythology of these deities among these west african peoples, the underlying. The yoruba pantheon consists of hundreds of gods, worshipped for an immense variety of purposes, each representative of some natural element or human emotion. African goddess of love and sweet waters ancient origins. The legend s o f afri ca reflect a wideranging series of kings, queens, chiefs and other leaders from across the afric an continent including mali, benin, ghana, nigeria, congo, ethiopia and eritrea.
This is one of the many confusing things for newcomers to santeria and it is the drawback of syncretism. I came to your orishas deities worshipped in yoruba land oldnaija page and noticed you could have a lot more hits. One certainly cannot speak of african religion as if it was a single, coherent set of beliefs. Several versions of the yoruba myth of origin exist, of which the most popular. Rise of the orisha the series premium edition purchase your copy and witness the birth of the 1st african superhero universe. God condenses part of his mind, which is in an expanded state, and forms the first substance, magnetism. Aug 05, 2016 majority of the sacred stories of the orishas in yoruba societies are tied to marriage and motherhood. The continent of africa has been home to hundreds of indigenous tribes speaking a wide variety of languages and believing a wide variety of different spiritual ideas. Godcheckers az names list of african gods and spirits. The handbook of yoruba religious concepts download ebook. The many, many orishas cover all aspects of life, and can be pretty specialized.