He is the creator of the human beings and everything that lives in the planet. See more ideas about african mythology, yoruba orishas and african. Obatala is a osha and is in the group of the heads oshas. The focus of the yoruba religion has never been salvation of any sort, but focuses more on living a great life right now. Egun are the spirits of departed ancestors, whether related by blood or by religious lineage. Though there is mention of a good and bad heaven, most followers hope for reincarnation which in this tradition is a good thing, as opposed to say buddhism where its something to be escaped. First one is the article of augustine agwuele, a repertoire of yoruba hand and face gestures. This is the greeting for orisha oshun, in english it means kindness of the mother. The yoruba pantheon consists of hundreds of gods, worshipped for an immense variety of purposes, each representative of some natural element or human emotion. Today, a religion named santeria is based on these gods and is practiced in cuba, brazil, and parts of central america. Its african roots go back at least as far as christianitys. The yoruba religion includes the concept of ashe, a powerful life force possessed by humans and divine beings alike.
Oshun is the goddess of seduction, love, fertility and marriage. African mythology world mythology oshun goddess yoruba orishas tarot yoruba religion padre celestial. Santeria retains the basic characteristics and traditions of an ancient african religion practiced in nigeria by the yoruba people. Initiation, rituals, ceremonies, orishas, divination, plants, s garcia cortez, julio, corlez, julio garcia on. With the african diaspora, oshun was brought to the americas, and adopted into the pantheons that branched out of the african traditions. Olokun presides over this watery abyss, an aquatic realm populated by sea spirits.
The handbook of yoruba religious concepts karade, baba ifa on. She is the goddess of the river waters and is considered to be the aphrodite of cuba and africa. Oshun project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks read. Oshun, river goddess and patroness of love spells cycle. Oshun is commonly called the river orisha, or goddess, in the yoruba religion and is typically associated with water, purity, fertility, love, and sensuality. Oshun, an orisha deity of the yoruba people of southwestern nigeria. In yoruba, you must believe in orisha if you are to reach godconsciousness. The archetype of oshun and the divine feminine youtube. The yoruba originated from a people known as the oyo who arose and became quite popular by their trading with the portugues which gave them a large supply of guns. So, for iyanla to blanketly label yoruba mythology as african tradition or religion is erroneous. There is a lot of misinterpration of yoruba religion, and its new world manifestations voudun, santeria, candomble etc. Oshun is the guardian of the realm between life and death.
The orisha and the 12 gods of yoruba mythology ancient code. Oshun the goddess of the river that carries her name in nigeria. The yoruba god, olodumare or olorun does not have an organized priesthood or temples in its honor, although it is invoked and its blessing is requested. The yoruba religion also referred to as ifa religion is the traditional religious concepts and practices of the yoruba people, is found primarily in southwestern nigeria and the adjoining parts of benin, commonly known as yorubaland.
The yoruba would hold on to their religion, but in order to keep it alive, they would have to make it into a new religion. She is considered one of the most powerful of all orishas, and, like. The yoruba language has an extensive literature of. Practitioner of this tradition believes in one god, the creator of all things. In the old testament book of proverbs chapter 3 verse to 18, this beautiful praise of oshun is embedded in the bible under her holy name wisdom, or sophia the greek goddess name used in the original septuagint greek new testament bible, which is of the same roots and essence as the yoruba ifa. And even if the yoruba traditional religion has a lot of pagan practices, it still does not make it african. Learn the myths and rituals related to oshun and how to invoke her presence in your life.
Honoring ones ancestors can be viewed in simple or in complex, metaphysical terms, which we will examine here. Divination and propitiation in the lucumi religion by kristi marrero b. Orunla, osain, oshun, oya, and yemaya gods of santeria. Prayers to the orishas introduction who owns your head. Orishas in yoruba medicine the yoruba religion has a multitude of deities, the major of which are called orisha. The yoruba religion has become widespread throughout the western hemisphere as well as its native africa. The yoruba people inhabit the southwestern part of modern day nigeria and the southern part of benin. The gods travelled with african people who were stolen as slaves from africa and brought to north and central america. Yoruba orishas yoruba religion african mythology kemet egypt black art painting.
Santeria has millions of followers spread across the united states, the caribbean, central, and south america. It is african because its from nigeria, but not african, in terms of general beliefs. 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. Its homeland is in southwestern nigeria and the adjoining parts of benin and togo, a region that has come to be known as yorubaland. Voodoo and the yoruba religion are alike in many aspects. It is composed of many sectors, including medicine and religion. I would like to mention important sources for this blogpost detailed list below. This is a very recommended read for all the people who want to get into the details of gestures. 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. Eshu is the messenger god, acting as a link between humans and the yoruba deities orishas. Oshun is the goddess of love and marriage, fertility, and gold in the yoruba religion. This tradition originates among the yoruba people of west africa, in the area of presentday. Oshun is also said to be the mother of the birds or fishes.
A third type comprises deified ancestors who once walked the earth as mere mortals, such as the ancient. Concepts and theories on women in yoruba religious sphere. Oshun raises her arms over the head to emphasize her enchantments. Secrets of the yorubalucumisanteria religion in the united states and the americas. Oshun loses her beauty signs of our faith tapestry of. The traditional yoruba religion has an elaborate hierarchy of deities, including a supreme creator and some 400 lesser gods and spirits, most of whom are associated with their own cults and priests. It is a vibrant force with five hundred years of continuous history in the western hemisphere.
Oshun is associated with sunflowers the photographer who inspired this piece and let me use one of her photos as a reference can see the finished product. The religion flourishes in the caribbean, and south america where it has been transplanted along with the peoples who followed this religious path, from africa. There are many gods in the both religions, each controlling a different thing. They say she lives in a cave that still exists today in ijesa, nigeria north towards the river nile. At the beginning of yoruba mythology, the universe was composed of two elements, the ethereal sky above and a watery chaos below. She is syncretized with our lady of charity, patron saint of cuba. She laughs as yemaya and shakes her arms to sound her bracelets. Although oshun also spelt osun is regarded principally as a goddess of love, there are. This is an outtake from an interview with luisah teish for the film changing of the gods. So yes it does have a definition, i think but the boundaries of it are a bit like how youve described people trying to define religion. Orisha image gallery yorubaartwork printed on tshirts.
Since that day, shango has been married to oba, oya, and oshun, though. Ashe is the energy found in all natural things much like the catholic saints, the yoruba orishas work as the intermediaries between man and the supreme creator, and the rest of the divine world. Ykeme gives you a brief break down of the history of the orishas and some of the ones that are never mentioned. Oshun is an important river deity among the yoruba people. The orisha are gods that came originally from nigeria, in west africa, as part of the yoruba religion. As master of the deep, he has a great insight into the. Ile ori lagba is a site for african tradtional religion, orisa worship, lucumi, santeria, ifa, orisha, yoruba religion, divination, initiation and learning. She was the last orisha born in the world out of olodumares love for creation. She is one of the most popular and venerated orishas. Many people have turned to the yoruba religion in this spiritual revolution. Unlike the indigenous religion, yoruba christianity is an offshoot of early christianity introduced by. Many claim that they are part of the diaspora of the yoruba as slaves.