orisha gods and goddesses pdf
Thank you! They were kings, culture heroes and heroines, warriors, and founders of cities who had a major influence on the lives of the people and on Yoruba society through their contributions to culture and social life. Ayao by Navate An Orisha is a God or a Goddess from the Yoruba Religion and Mythology. 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? Brazil, Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad, and Tobago are the Americas countries where Yoruba cultural influences are the most noticeable, particularly in popular religions like Vodon, Santria, Camdombl, and Macumba. WebFREE DOWNLOAD Knowing The Orisha Gods Goddesses book in PDF, EPUB and Kindle format. Detail of the mural by Said Musa, presenting Yemaya, an Orisha Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. They include her daughters Ayao and Oya. The main one, ori, refers, first of all, to the physical head atop a persons body. Yemaya came to be linked with the Virgin Mary as Our Lady of Regla in Cuba while Oshun was associated with the same figure as Our Lady of Mercy. Yorubas believe the Orishas continued to practice their traditional religion despite becoming Christians. Yoruba Gods and Goddesses mesmerize ordinary people and scientists. 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. Each confirms the Yoruba religion has many Orishas but offer different explanations regarding how they came to exist. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Kokou is a warrior god, renowned for his violence and ferocity. An orisha may be said to be a deity. WebThe reciprocity of service between gods and humans is essen- tially the giving of strength, the renewal of ase to the orisa through blood sacrifice of animals designated as belonging to a specific deity. The Yoruba were able to continue practicing their religion by nominally becoming Catholic as the saints served the same purpose in Catholicism as the Orishas did in their native faith, as intermediaries between a believer and the supreme deity. According to myth, these ancestors would commonly ascend to the sky or sink into the ground before turning into deities instead of dying as normal mortals would. Olodumare was terrified and ran from the mice, but Esu appeared, calmed the deity, and quickly ate up every mouse. According to the Yoruba belief, Olodumare is too immense for the human mind to grasp and so released different aspects of itself, each of which received a certain sphere of influence randomly. Its worth noticing that, in the case of certain Yoruba divinities, these categories can be overlapped. Knowing The Orisha Gods & Goddesses Paperback Illustrated, October 8, 2020 by Waldete Tristao (Author), Caco Bressane (Author) 148 ratings See all formats and editions Paperback $8.99 5 Used from $8.99 15 New from $4.99 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. In the Yoruba pantheon, Aja is the orisha of the woodland and the animals that reside in it. Olodumare demanded to know who had done this, and Esu pointed out the guilty who were swiftly punished. Photo: @janakesho, All humans, therefore, are connected to each other no matter their appearance, religion, or location because all owe their existence to the same divine breath that animates them, and all humans are related to other living things for the same reason. The males ignore her efforts and suggestions and wind up failing in their task. Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week: Our mission is to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. This is why today Shango is widely worshipped in other religions, including Cuban Santeria, Haitian Vodou, and Brazilian Candomble. The best examples of this are the stories in which the Orishas rebel against Olodumare in the belief that the supreme deity is too old to manage the maintenance of the world and they could do much better. 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 The Orishas Gods GET BOOK Download The Orishas Gods Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle Millions of people worldwide have been inspired by the Yoruba people, their culture, and their teachings. You are already subscribed to our newsletter! When these ancestors disappeared and became orishas, their children began to sacrifice to them and to continue whatever ceremonies the orishas had performed when they were on earth. Using these sacred materials, he created fields, forests, hills, and valleys. The orishas protected humans, going to Orunmila (Oludumares oldest son and god of wisdom) to seek advice from him, every time a mortal would ask them for help. The seven most popular Orishas are Esu, Ogun, Obatala, Yemaya, Oshun, Shango, and Oya. From the Yoruba point of view, any element of the natural world that has manifold and useful functions for human beings has a spirit dwelling in it. Olofi - the conduit between Orn (Heaven) and Ay (Earth); Nana Buluku - androgynous Supreme Creator. Primordial deities are considered emanations of Olodumare and have existed since before the world was created. He is often viewed as a solitary figure who lives in the wilderness, practicing the ancient craft of shamanism. 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. Legit.ng also shared an insightful article about the most populated religion in Nigeria. 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). Two gods rule over both these primordial realms. This worship was passed on from one generation to the next. She often confers riches and good fortune on his followers. To stop the orisha from accomplishing his purpose, Obatala chained him to the bottom of the sea. She guides her followers between the world of the dead and the living, preserving the memories of their ancestors. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. He is now viewed as a compassionate and humble deity, curing people of sickness and disease. Web. Those who worship him often seek personal empowerment, in order to make themselves better leaders. WebOrisha embodies. Agriculture from the Middle East highly influenced the people to develop the religion around 600 BC. About 78% of Brazil's population are Yorubas. As the people began to reproduce, new lands were required for them to settle. Her emblem is a large seashell which she uses as a currency. Orishas omitted Esu (also called Eshu /Elegua; god's messenger who presides over doorways, crossroads, and change) from their plan to overthrow Olodumare and rule the world. Egungun-Oya is a goddess of divination. Similar worship of African deities can also be found among the Afro-Franco populations of Haiti and the US state of Louisiana. Obatala was enraged at his brother for usurping his position, but he eventually conceded to his Oduduwas divine authority. WebOrishas (singular: orisha) 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. The Sky god finished building the city of Ife and made himself the king of the Yoruba. WebOrisha embodies. Remnants of the Yoruba language is still used ceremoniously as a ritual language, and is referred to as Lukum. 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. Olodumare then took care of the act of creation through the Orisha (or god) Oduduwa, who made the Yoruba people and established life at the city of Ife (also Ile-Ife) as well as the concept of cultural identity and kingship. Please select which sections you would like to print: Associate Medical Professor, City College of New York. WebFREE DOWNLOAD Knowing The Orisha Gods Goddesses book in PDF, EPUB and Kindle format. Our publication has been reviewed for educational use by Common Sense Education, Internet Scout (University of Wisconsin), Merlot (California State University), OER Commons and the School Library Journal. Orisha of thunder, lightning, fire, virility, war, and foundations. As master of the deep, he has a great insight into the mysteries of nature. A mother goddess (the patron deity of women and the Ogun river). He embodies the power of the sun, essential for the growth. Aje is the goddess of wealth and prosperity. Orisha of volcanoes, the wilderness, and rivers. Each orisha has its own powers and domains of authority. 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. Olorun had two sons, Obatala and Oduduwa, who helped him develop the features of the Earth. Orunmila - spirit of wisdom, divination, destiny, and foresight Help us and translate this definition into another language! WebLooker Studio turns your data into informative dashboards and reports that are easy to read, easy to share, and fully customizable. As an immortal, he was unable to die, so he chose instead to descend into the earths surface, in a place named Ire-Ekiti. Their number is usually given as 400 + 1 as a kind of shorthand for "without number" or innumerable. 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 head also has other values associated with it that derive from the hierarchical nature of Yoruba social life. Renewed and grateful deities in turn bless their supportive wor- During the gods drunkenness, his brother, the orisha Oduduwa, completed the job. Although there are many Orishas, seven are understood as most powerful and have become the most popular among modern-day adherents. Each orisha has its own powers and domains of authority. With her destructive qualities, she brings change to the cosmos, an important element of the balance of life. Some of them are known as ara urun, meaning people of heaven, where they are believed to reside. It is understandable how one would conclude that Olodumare is too far away from human affairs for mortals to make contact, but at the same time, it should be recognized that each Orisha is an emanation of Olodumare and so the supreme being is aware of every prayer of thanks or supplication made to any Orisha. They can be counted on, however, to deliver the messages of mortals to Olodumare and so they came to be associated with the saints of Catholicism when the Yoruba people were brought as slaves to the so-called New World. The Orishas do not always cause trouble for Olodumare and are attentive to their responsibilities. Who is the strongest Yoruba god? Olodumare sent them back to earth to apologize to Oshun because only she could complete the work. These West African faiths may also have the most intricate theologies. Their number is usually given as 400 + 1 as a kind of shorthand for "without number" or innumerable. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. As a result, the plants died, and water bodies dried up. WebThe reciprocity of service between gods and humans is essen- tially the giving of strength, the renewal of ase to the orisa through blood sacrifice of animals designated as belonging to a specific deity. The rapids formed between these two rivers symbolize the rivalry between the two wives, a most turbulent relationship. WebIn the Yoruba pantheon, the orishas are the deities that help Oludumare, the Supreme God, to keep cosmogonic order. 16 Orishas are male and the 17th, Oshun, is not only female but the youngest among them. It is possible the Ajogun are Orisha tricksters, but whatever they are, they cannot be considered 'evil' or 'demonic' in a Christian sense. We want people all over the world to learn about history. His most notable role is that of the psychopomp (guardian of the dead). However, despite their divine status and remarkable powers, not all the orishas have the same origin. Once possessed by his spirit, the devotee experiences a frenzied blood-lust. Shango was the third king of the Oyo Kingdom. The number of orishas varies among believers. Oduduwa by Jianing Hu There are several stories regarding how the deification of Erinle occurred. The orishas are the gods of Santeria, the beings that believers interact with on a regular basis. She is a patron of herbs and spell-craft. Whether the Orishas then decided to participate in creation is not addressed. One of the most complex characters of the Yoruba pantheon, Eshu, also called Elegba and Elegua, is the messenger of the gods (he is especially at the service of Olodumare), and the intermediary between divinities and humans. WebThe Orishas Gods Book PDF | Download Or Read Online The Orishas Gods This book PDF is perfect for those who love Electronic Books genre, written by Danso Tangara and published by Independently Published which was released on 11 February 2021 with total hardcover pages 128. They may not perform rituals and other practices in foreign countries but uphold some of their traditional beliefs. The Orishas exist to help humans reach their goal of self-actualization, but these entities are not perfect themselves and sometimes get in peoples way, often without meaning to, because they each have their own individual personality and flaws just as humans do. Please donate to our server cost fundraiser 2023, so that we can produce more history articles, videos and translations. The orisha of wisdom, Orunmila is the first-born of Olodumare, and a prime deity. She is also a guardian to the underworld, helping people transition from the world of flesh to the realm of spirit. This situation went on for some time, until an orisha called Oko asked Orunmila why the orishas didnt have any specific knowledge of their own, so they could directly help humans without having to reach for him every time they needed help. Orisha worshippers see the tamed natural force and the deified ancestor as indissolubly linked. WebOshun, also spelled Osun, an orisha (deity) of the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria. With the help of an Aido Hwedo, a primeval serpent, and Awe, a divine monkey, they shaped all the worlds living creatures out of clay. As Orisha of love, Oshun is represented as a beautiful, charming and coquettish young woman. Cuban African worship, sometimes referred to as Santera, is still widely practiced in Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Tobago/Trinidad and Brazil, a number of practitioners are Yoruba descendants to certain degrees. 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 Yorubas believe Orunmila came down to Earth to teach the first humans how to practice good moral behavior, something that would help them to live in peace and balance with the divinities, as well as with other mortals. The Yoruba people occupy southwestern Nigeria. (2021, October 06). Metaphysical personifications or spirits. Yoruba gods and goddesses. Photo: @janakesho, Sometimes, a Yoruba divinity can fit simultaneously into more than one orisha category. Yoruba gods and goddesses. The Orishas return to earth and apologize to Oshun who finishes creation with the gifts of beauty, fertility, love, and sweetness, instilling the need for these things in all people everywhere who had been given life through the breath of Olodumare. 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