When associated with the latter, Eshu is the deity of mischief. 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). Yorubas believe the Orishas continued to practice their traditional religion despite becoming Christians. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. 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). Renewed and grateful deities in turn bless their supportive wor- Mark, Joshua J.. Get the hottest stories from the largest news site in Nigeria. 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. The Orishas traveled to the Americas and the Caribbean via the Transatlantic Slave Trade, when many of the Yoruba were enslaved, and there they became syncretized with the Christian saints of Catholicism. However, despite his mistake, Obatala redeemed himself by taking on the task of creating the human race. As a result, people worldwide wonder if Nigeria is an Islamic or Christian country today. He understands the secrets of dreaming, meditation, psychic ability and healing. We contribute a share of our revenue to remove carbon from the atmosphere and we offset our team's carbon footprint. As the people began to reproduce, new lands were required for them to settle. The following is a list of Yoruba orisha (r), or deities. An Orisha is a God or a Goddess from the Yoruba Religion and Mythology. Their number is usually given as 400 + 1 as a kind of shorthand for "without number" or innumerable. and Loss. Oshun is the goddess of love, intimacy, and marriage. 16 Orishas are male and the 17th, Oshun, is not only female but the youngest among them. He represents the power of fortune. Each caught powers that enabled them to participate in the creation and oversee different spheres of influence. Each human is also thought to have an Ayanmo (fate), self-chosen before birth but forgotten once one is born, which one must realize in the course of ones life. At a time when the Gods were starving, she offered him her ear to eat, and he scorned her. 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. Ancient Code is a website founded in 2012 that covers articles and scientific discoveries that help understand humanitys past, present, and future. 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. Rituals invoking his spirit require the rapid beating of drums, which often cause his followers to fall into a deep trance. The Orisha And The 12 Gods Of Yoruba Mythology. Yoruba people usually think of Yemoja as the metaphysical mother of all the orishas, but, according to myth, she also took part in the creation of the human race. In another story from the Yoruba religion, after the world was created and populated, every human was equal, and no one wanted for anything. In Yoruba mythology, Erinle, also called Inle, was a hunter (or sometimes an herbalist) that took the first king of Ilobu to where the first town was destined to be founded. The number of orishas varies among believers. Esu knew their plan, however, because he was present in the doorway when they formed it but did not warn Olodumare of their intentions. Mustatils in Saudi Arabia: Gates for Animal Sacrifice to Unknown Gods? The Yoruba religion is constituted by a conglomerate of beliefs, primarily from the territory comprising modern-day Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, and Benin. Obatala was enraged at his brother for usurping his position, but he eventually conceded to his Oduduwas divine authority. Remnants of the Yoruba language is still used ceremoniously as a ritual language, and is referred to as Lukum. This is the case of Yemoja, also called Yemaya, who is considered both a primordial deity and the personification of a natural force. Yemaja is a mother goddess, patron of pregnancy and children. The people were sorry for having questioned the plan of the supreme deity but understood they had received exactly what they had asked for and would have to live with it. The white cowrie-shell covering of the ile ori also alludes to the white-feathered bird called eiye ororo, the symbol of the mind that God puts into the head at birth. These are the orishas who were mortal at first but were later deified by their descendants for the significant impact that their lives had on Yoruba culture. The Orisha deities now enjoy a global following, flourishing in many parts of Africa, South America, and the Caribbean. With your support millions of people learn about history entirely for free, every month. Olokun presides over this watery abyss, an aquatic realm populated by sea spirits. They emanated directly from God without any human aid. 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. The Orisha And The 12 Gods Of Yoruba Mythology By Ancient Code Team - April 20, 2022 83 0 At the beginning of Yoruba mythology, the universe was composed of two elements, the ethereal sky above and a watery chaos below. Some of the Yoruba gods and goddesses linked to Catholic saints are: People invoke the Orishas in personal or communal rituals for enlightenment, spiritual strength, or assistance in daily challenges. Two gods rule over both these primordial realms. [1], The Republic of Benin and Nigeria contain the highest concentrations of Yoruba people and Yoruba faiths in all of Africa. The number of orishas varies among believers. His reign ended when he inadvertently destroyed his palace with lightning. Get or read online Knowing The Orisha Gods Goddesses books directly on your Knowing The Orisha Gods Goddesses Book PDF | Download Or Read Online To the benefit of human beings, the orishas mediate between humanity and these forces of the natural world by putting the tamable aspects of nature under human control while standing between humanity and that part of nature that cannot be tamed, hemmed in, or controlled by human beings. Web. She presides over womanhood, fertility, and life. Even so, not all the multitude of Orishas appear in the stories frequently only 20 or 30 at most do so but there are seven that appear often who have become the most popular and are referred to as gods and goddesses: These are all only the most basic descriptions of the dominions of the Seven Orishas. Aja by Chase Conley She resides over the Ogun river, whose waters are said to cure infertility. 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. Another daughter of Nana is Olokun, an ocean goddess. This category comprises divine spirits that were initially associated with a natural force or phenomenon, but were later granted the status of orishas, for the significant role that their representative element played in Yoruba society. Download Knowing the Orisha Gods and Goddesses Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle. Check your inbox to be the first to know the hottest news. The Supreme Deity of the Yoruba is called Oldmar. Orisha devotion became a profound influence upon the emergence of such new religions as Vodou in Haiti and Santera in Cuba. (represents wind, lightning, fire, and magic) (Shango's third wife). 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. The Orishas attend religious celebrations by possessing believers and making them go into a trance. 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. The number of orishas varies among believers. Ogun was linked with Saint Peter because of his association with strength as Peter was known as the 'rock' upon which Jesus Christ would build his church. In some tales, she is said to be a mermaid. This beautifully illustrated exploration of Afro-Brazilian spirituality introduces you to the gods of the African diaspora known as the Orishas. 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. Sky Woman: The Overlooked Iroquois Influence on America, Harry Reid: We May Be Close to Finding Out Truth About UFOs, DNA Results Show The Elongated Paracas Skulls Are Not Native American, The mysteries of Ancient Egypts Saqqara Bird, Evidence of Ancient Advanced Technology: The Great Pyramid of Giza, Flat-Earthers going to Antarctica seeking truth about our flat Earth. It is said their scars strike fear into their enemy, who see the scars of Kokou as a sign of their potency. "Orisha." Several primordial divinities have oral traditions stating that they were once the chiefs or kings of still existing Yoruba towns. The Orishas do not always cause trouble for Olodumare and are attentive to their responsibilities. As noted, their number is most often given as 400 + 1 to suggest how limitless they are. )[2] The most prevalent West African religions, both in Africa and the Americas, are likely those of the Yoruba people or those that were influenced by them. 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. Orunmila - spirit of wisdom, divination, destiny, and foresight The Yoruba faith and several other religions that derived from it are also popular in many Caribbean and South American countries. 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? 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. Olodumare created the Yoruba people through Oduduwa. The Orishas then huddled by the great baobab tree that provided them with everything they needed and refused to use their powers for creation, preferring to satisfy their own needs. Top 10 Obas in Yorubaland: Interesting facts about the rulers. Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University. 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