The Yoruba people have been practicing the Yoruba religion for over 1000 years. Sometimes these Orishas would go down from the sky using spiderwebs to play in the water. The two became friends and Aroni shared with Ossain all the secrets related to herbs, plants, and flowers. While Eshu Elegbara opens the road, Ogun clears it with his machete. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. This was a necessity when slave-owners refused to allow slaves to practice African religion. This way, Ossain was capable of identifying them easily. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/who-are-the-orishas-95922. The deity's most outstanding characteristics include patience and gentleness. They teased him so much, that he stood up and danced a bit. He lived with his mother, Yemaya. And, of course, he got mad. Olorun The Chief God and the Supreme Creator. H ow many Orisha are there? In. There are some signs, however, that may indicate that you have been chosen by an Orisha. Crops may live or die due to changes in the skies above, and stomachs may be quenched for hunger or thirst. Peace, honesty, and creativity are just some of them. Everything consists of songs, stories, and practices. His role also extends to the natural world as he knows everything that takes place within it. The orishas are the gods of Santeria, the beings that believers interact with on a regular basis. She is also an orishaof mystery, reflected in the depths of her waters. Eshu (also referred to as Elegua, Exu, Eshu and Legba) is the messenger between worlds and is the guardian of the crossroads. These practitioners believe the orishas to have been ordinary humans who were deified upon their death due to the lives they led, their outstanding spiritual growth and extraordinary feats accomplished in their lives while on Earth. Although she controls storms, her main element is fire. Obatala felt reluctant but eventually agreed with her. Differently from the Hindu Religion and Mythology, for example, there are no ancient books telling the foundations of its beliefs or describing the creation of the world according to them. Orisha Oshun, also known as Osun, is the Orisha of Rivers and Love. The deity was once the wife of Ogun. Defined as an embodiment of wind, she is Shangos wife and hence the direct caterer of his will. It is said that Omulu and Osumare are brothers. She is considered to be the mother of everything and she is associated with the seas. Obatala descended from the sky and flipped the seashell on the water. White is also a color that represents her. In the Orisha pantheon, the supreme god meant existence through Olodumare, and the Yoruba storm god Shango was its bane. Her element is fire and she wears red clothes. Even if a priest of one orisha died, there would be others in the community trained to work with that same orisha. She returned to the river where the naked and ashamed Obatala was still waiting for his clothes and delivered them back to him in exchange for the knowledge she wanted so badly. iPhone History: A Timeline of Every Model in Order Other sources suggest that the number is "as many as you can think of, plus one more - an innumerable number". Obatala noticed Eshu but I was too late. Mischief is something that doesnt go unnoticed in African mythology in general. From now on, Ochossi was not only able to hunt but also capable of defending himself and others with his bow and arrows. Working toward one's destiny is to promote harmony. Obatala became albine. 4, 2021, learnreligions.com/who-are-the-orishas-95922. This is going to be a journey. Updated on March 07, 2017 The orishas are the gods of Santeria, the beings that believers interact with on a regular basis. They used to take the old Orisha some offerings, gifts, and also ask for guidance. Yoruba tradition often says that there are 400 + 1 orisha, which is associated with a sacred number. He is most often associated with Pope St. Sylvester I, but he is also sometimes associated with St. John, St. Ambrose, St Anthony Abad, St. Joseph, and St. Benito. Ochossi is intuitive and emotional. It was a strange red powder. New World Santeria believers, on the other hand, generally only work with a handful of them. He stayed at Obatalas for 16 years! He also taught humans agriculture. Oba, the Orisha of water and manifestation, is no exception to a story that is best linked to jealousy. Ossain became known as a doctor! They told him that they ignored Oshun for being young and a woman. Saying that someone "has ax" in capoeira is complimenting their energy, fighting spirit, and attitude. The loa, or lwa, appear in different families, including the Ghede, Petro, and Radha. Hes also the one whos responsible for work in general. Ochossi and Ogun are brothers. Muigai wa Njoroge wives photos and relationship story. There are many ways to know if you have an orisha. Obatala is married to Yemaya, the goddess of oceans and godmother of Orishas. Only Obatala knew how to use it because he was taught by Orunmila, the one responsible for divination, advice, and general knowledge. (2021, March 4). Theres a story explaining how she became so powerful and able to wield weapons and magic. Unlike the saints of Catholicism, Orishas not only marry but divorce, eat and drink, and have their own tastes in everything from music to alcohol. To move contrary to it creates discord, so believers look for insight as to their destiny and what they might currently be doing that runs contrary to that. Ossain is calm, emotive, and has lots of intuition. Be sure to check my YouTube Channel and follow me on Twitter too! Thanks for reading! For example, theres a story in which a king sent a man to trial for making gossip and spreading misinformation inside the kingdom. After playtime, they would simply return to the sky. In the pantheon, Oshun was Shangos favorite wife, which greatly affected Oba. Contrary to many mythologies showing nature gods and wild and untamed, Osain is a distinctly rational figure. The truth is that macumba is a collection of rites and spells that may be performed to attract, banish, bind or release energies, spirits, material goods, and whatever the practitioner desires. Even though there are several Orishas, some are more potent than others. She is also associated with rivers and other sources of fresh water. Being connected to places such as hospitals where the borders of life and death are frequently grazed. Oya, however, started to dance with him. Theres a story stating about how Nana forbade her children and followers from using knives and metals in general during rituals and ceremonies. Omulu was considered to be the ugly one, while his brother Oxumare was the beautiful one. Yoruba. Dialogue Institute, Dialogue Institute, 16 Sept. 2020, https://dialogueinstitute.org/afrocaribbean-and-african-religion-information/2020/9/16/yoruba . Beyer, Catherine. New World Santeria believers, on the other hand, generally only work with a handful of them. 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. Underneath it, its said he wears black and red colors. Her Slavic god counterpart in Slavic mythology would be Stribog. Home. Staff Works , https://africa.si.edu/collections/objects/4343/staff;jsessionid=D42CDB944133045361825BF627EC3B4C. Beyer, Catherine. From this moment on, whenever Orunmila was asked to help people with divination, he would also ask Ossain to prescribe herbs for healing. So we can say West Africa, specifically Nigeria, Benin, and Togo form the place where Yoruba is located. Being involved in marine affairs also implies that she is engaged in rejuvenating the human mind, further solidifying her position. Still, He is believed to be more than capable of bringing adversity to those that do not take note of his presence. If you have orisha in your family, it is likely that you have one as well. Orisha Yemaya wears white and blue dresses. Hes a healer who rules over the forests. He was always alone, living alone in one specific party, all the Orishas were together. In the original African belief system from which Santeria originates, there are hundreds of orishas. Speaking of which, Yemonja is the metaphysical mother of all the other gods in the Orisha pantheon. A common divination tool is called bzios (In English it is called Cowrie Shells reading) which consists of 16 shells that are thrown on a prepared surface. "The Orishas." Oshun is also considered a Mother Goddess and its very common for her worshipers to be known as children of Oshun. Ill start with the male ones, the Orisha Gods as we can call them. Obatala created the world, all the living things, and human beings. 15 greatest African warriors who changed the continent's history. However, the constant need by human beings for basic things from the sky, such as food, seemed to frustrate him, so he began his journey away from the planet. He decided to stay alone in a corner, sitting down. Without the sun, no life could exist, just as life cannot exist without some degree of ashe. As a direct result, Yoruba people can sometimes be identified as their departed imprints through visions and likenesses in appearances. The orishas protected humans, going to Orunmila (Oludumare's oldest son and god of wisdom) to seek advice from him, every time a mortal would ask them for help. The next step was the creation of all life. Get the news that matters from one of the leading news sites in Kenya, Nakuru: 4 Dead, Scores Injured as Bus Plunges Into Ditch at Mau Summit, Mudavadi's Budget Hitch: Treasury Fails to Disburse Funds to Prime Cabinet Secretary's Office, Kakamega Woman Told She Couldn't Conceive Due to Cancer Now Mum of 4, Among them Triplets, Diana Marua Says Bahati Wouldn't Own Home, 4 Cars without Her Input: "You'd Be Suffering", Mike Sonko's Daughter Saumu Mbuvi Advises Men to Date High-Value Women: "Multiplies What You Have", List of top D+ courses in Utalii College to enrol this year, Where is Paris Bennett now? April 2022. 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. Weather is a fundamental aspect of any significant settlement. Its said there are over 400 different Orishas out there! Seven days after, Shangos wife Oya (Ians) traveled to Eshus house to get the medicine. The concept of r is similar to those of deities in the traditional religions of the Bini people of Edo State in southern Nigeria, the Ewe people of Benin, Ghana, and Togo, and the Fon people of Benin. 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. Also, she is the youngest among the female Orishas but retains the title of Iyolode or great queen. However, despite the prevalence of Christianity and Islam, Africans still abide by their traditional practices and hold numerous beliefs. The notion of reincarnation is that deceased family members make their journey back to life as a new baby in the same family they once departed from. But not a river or an ocean. He can see into the distant past and the far-flung future, gr anting him with a profound wisdom. After this, she fled to the top of a mountain, but he followed her. 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