Yoruba mythology involves the presence of the supreme being and other more minor "gods" or "spirits" known as orishas (which are both male and female). all riches which she freely gives to her little sister Oshn. Obatala became albine. His son Horus successfully fought against Seth, avenging Osiris and becoming the new king of Egypt. Now, you. Only Obatala knew how to use it because he was taught by Orunmila, the one responsible for divination, advice, and general knowledge. gold and her number is five. Ill start with the male ones, the Orisha Gods as we can call them. She also rules Before rising to national importance in the New Kingdom (c. 15391292 BCE), the god Amon was worshipped locally in the southern city of Thebes. He can be represented as an old man or as a young one. Humans provide ashe through blood or other ritual actions, and the orisha becomes a conduit of ashe from Olodumare to the petitioner to assist in the petitioner's endeavors. He wears clothes made of straw that cover his whole body and face. As an immortal, he was unable to die, so he chose instead to descend into the earths surface, in a place named Ire-Ekiti. Her name, a His formidable power and has empowered humans to build civilizations and thrive from his wealth and abundance. 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. (Sincerely, I would have done the same!). Eshu accepted the task and said he would produce a kind of medicine capable of granting Shangos wishes. Ill briefly write about the creation of the world according to the Yoruba so we can be more prepared to get to know the 12 main Orishas. The patakis, or stories of the orishas, are not standardized and are frequently contradictory. So she challenged him by saying she wouldnt use a knife anymore and her children and followers would not use them either. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. His colors are green and yellow which reflect The festivals took place in the open, so public participation was permitted. She made it. Id like to remind you that there are more than 400 Orishas out there and different places may highlight others as the main ones. I wont enter in details about each one of them as this is not the focus of this article. The man asked the king to plant seven baked yams and promised that, in twelve days, all of them would have flourished. Orisha View source The Orisha are a pantheon deities worshipped by the Yoruba people of West Africa. Osiris was one of the most important gods of ancient Egypt. This land received the name If (large abode). For Oshosi is also a hunting god, who is highly regarded for his quick wit and objectivity. Oya, however, started to dance with him. No one wanted to dance with him as usual. The pantheon of Orishas (traditionally followed by the Yoruba people) is a sequence of divine spirits dispatched by the supreme god Olodumare. In some traditions, she would welcome the setting sun every night; living people hoped to be welcomed into the afterlife in the same way. A central feature was the construction of the Osiris garden.. Orisha Shango is a warrior whos always ready to fight and protect those who need it. Hes also the one whos responsible for work in general. He is also the owner of all heads and the mind. Olorun eventually forgave his son and gave Obatala the responsibility of creating the human race (which he brought into being via his breath of life). Ancient Egyptians celebrated Osiris with festivals that consisted of processions and nocturnal rites at the temple of Abydos. that is pure, wise peaceful and compassionate. 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. During the meeting, Esu took the chance to cause some mischief and told Oshumare that Nan was really guilty for his shapeshifting curse and convinced him to take revenge on her by stealing her crown and becoming the king of the Jeje people. The main ones are Umbanda and Candomble (Brazil), Santeria (Cuba), and Vodou (Haiti). While some really wanted to be with him, others were only victims of his desires. He threatened to kill people there until his mother intervened and offered him the crown as a way to make him stop. allowed to witness the creation of the universe by Olorun and bears He is recognised in Catherine Beyer is a practicing Wiccan who has taught religion in at Lakeland College in Wisconsin as well as humanities and Western culture at the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay. the door between the worlds and opens our roads in life. 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. https://www.britannica.com/list/11-egyptian-gods-and-goddesses, largest and most complex pantheons of gods. He is the repository of ash. way they have always received them, so that they will recognise our Kokou is a warrior god, renowned for his violence and ferocity. A priest could only be dedicated to that single orisha of the city, and that orisha was honored above all others. In a form merged with the sun god Re, he became the most powerful deity in Egypt, a position he retained for most of the New Kingdom. He usually has a long snout and long ears that are squared at the tips. Shango noticed she had taken the medicine and he got mad at her. Secrets" must devote themselves entirely to the practice of Taweret, In Ancient Egyptian religion Taweret is the defensive Ancient Egyptian goddess of labor and . We also have lots of syncretism involved which contributed to the spread of their worship inside Christian beliefs too. However, it was not enough to make him free of problems or curses. To get Oya, Shango entered a battle against Ogun. In his fully animal form, he has a thin doglike body and a straight tail with a tuft on the end. It's just spreading historical, mythological and magical information. Orisha Nana wears purple dresses. Also observe how the If you wish to support me,please use the button below and buy me a ko-fi! mother's womb is a form of sea where the embryo must transform and Now, you might say, thats ridiculous. Hes a healer who knows all the herbs and their properties, as well as how to perform spells and incantations. Anubis. Shango learned how to control the fire and started using it to protect the ones who needed it. Yes, they are The mold was moistened with the water of the Nile and sown with grain. 4 In the light of the foregoing; the present study would attempt to explore these religio- . Egypt had one of the largest and most complex pantheons of gods of any civilization in the ancient world. This was not enough, he continued to be teased and provoked. To perform it, Obatala was given a shell full of earth, a five-fingered hen, and a pigeon. creator of the world and humanity. 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. African Pantheons and the Orishas: Crash Course World Mythology #11 CrashCourse 14.5M subscribers 1.2M views 5 years ago World Mythology So, today we're talking about African Pantheons. Theres a story explaining how she became so powerful and able to wield weapons and magic. 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. 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. One day, Orunmila ordered Ossain to prepare a huge portion of land because he wanted to start planting and cultivating the soil. He decided to stay alone in a corner, sitting down. However, Yemaya couldnt forgive Ochossi for disobeying her and she doesnt accept him back at home. She seduced Eshu, slept with him, and took Obatalas clothes back. Instead, it signified the renewal of life both in the next world and through ones descendants on Earth. 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. Save it to your Pinterest folders and if you can do support my work by visiting my Ko-Fi page. Each African city-state had its own single, patron deity. Once, he wanted to enhance his powers in an absurd way. It is said she couldnt have any child of her own. In the New World, Africans from many city-states were thrown together into common slavery. I hope you could get a clearer picture of them and now youre able to familiarise yourself with these forces. He wears light-green and light-blue clothes and he also has the seven colors of the rainbow around him. Rather than willfully trying to misguide them, his aim is to enrich their life experience, leading them to a spiritual maturation through their transgressions. Ogun, as I explained above, is a warrior and he creates weapons. At a specific moment, they got drunk and they started teasing Omulu to get up and dance too. He is known as the omnipotent ruler of the Yoruba pantheon, whose light brings life and vitality to all living things. It is said he was the emperor of Oyo, today Nigeria. Were going to focus on a dozen or so. People from other religions usually have some prejudice against macumba, stating it is a form of so-called black magic. In order to do so, Ossain should remove the native plants. Underneath it, its said he wears black and red colors. 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. Her name also is rendered as B'sst, Baast, Ubaste, and Baset. He lived inside a forest and he would have sexual relations with any woman who entered the woods. The stone was actually a thunderstone known as edum ar. It is understood that the orishas wear many masks in order for people to better understand them. his priests unfold the secrets of the universe and the secrets of the Obatala descended from the sky and flipped the seashell on the water. In any form, hes a wise one. Anyway, Oshun wanted to learn at all costs, but Obatala always said no to her. One story suggests that Osumare disliked this changing nature because he couldnt have any stable relationships. This If kingdom is utterly important for us here. In isolation he learned humility, becoming Babal-Ay. shortened version of Yey Omo Eja means "Mother Whose At Memphis the holy bull, Apis, was linked with Osiris, becoming Osiris-Apis, which eventually became the name of the Hellenistic god Serapis. He was always alone, living alone in one specific party, all the Orishas were together. This way, Eshu not only became knowledgeable but also rich and prosperous. drumming, women, song and eating. The deities, called Orishas in Ifa/Orisha worship, are sometimes referred to as the "hands of God." They are heavenly intercessors in the lives of humans who may be engaged for blessings or . It is said she had some children, but two of them symbolize opposite aspects of life. In some traditions, Aganju is seen as the father or brother of Shango, god of thunder and lightning. Obatal is also the only orisha that has both male The heaven realm is the domain of Olorun, a sun god. over maternity in our lives as she is the Mother of All. The idea that rebirth in the next life could be gained by following Osiris was maintained through certain cult forms. Oy on Earth for a time. The two became friends and Aroni shared with Ossain all the secrets related to herbs, plants, and flowers. Their religion is mostly made of customs, practices, and beliefs that are orally passed through generations. All the touched ones became severely sick! The goddess Hathor was usually depicted as a cow, as a woman with the head of a cow, or as a woman with cows ears. There is no expectation that each community would function exactly alike or understand the orishas in exactly the same way. You pay nothing extra for it and you help to keep the website alive! propitiated and always called first before any other orisha as he opens
