Shes a crone who knows all the secret spells and hidden knowledge out there. represent his/her different paths. feet (or rise out our chairs if we are sitting) at the mention of his He is also the owner of all heads and the mind. The number of orishas varies among believers. She usually holds a mirror in one hand. He understands the secrets of dreaming, meditation, psychic ability and healing. 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. She uses this transformation to attack those who threaten her children and the ones she protects. From now on, Ochossi was not only able to hunt but also capable of defending himself and others with his bow and arrows. I write this page as a way to honor these forces. 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. One of several deities associated with the sun, the god Re was usually represented with a human body and the head of a hawk. The orishas are the emissaries of Olodumare or God almighty. Nothing can be Apart from this story, Oshumares stories are usually less dramatic as he is usually more associated with beauty and riches. Humans and orishas, however, provide ashe to each other through a variety of rituals. The plantation was a success! Its said there are over 400 different Orishas out there! The other two members of the triad were Ptahs wife, the lion-headed goddess Sekhmet, and the god Nefertem, who may have been the couples son. observe the orishas at work in the world and in your own lives you will Seth was the god of chaos, violence, deserts, and storms. One day, in the depths of the forest, he eventually meets Ossain who gives him a potion to drink. the door between the worlds and opens our roads in life. Now, you might say, thats ridiculous. They recognise themselves and are recognised through their different numbers and colors which are their marks, and each has their own favorite foods and other things which they like to receive as offerings and gifts. Obatala observed how hard Eshu was working and decided to compensate him. For example, theres a story in which a king sent a man to trial for making gossip and spreading misinformation inside the kingdom. streams and rivers, embodying love, fertility. According to the myth, Osiris was a king of Egypt who was murdered and dismembered by his brother Seth. himself and is recognised by the numbers 3 and 21. There was no taste at all. Hes related to death and also to magic. propitiated and always called first before any other orisha as he opens This If kingdom is utterly important for us here. the role of translator for Obatal with whom he has a very close And he spat more fire. Ogun becomes aware of the situation. They teased him so much, that he stood up and danced a bit. worlds. Shes usually considered Yemayas sister, but some tales also describe her as Yemayas daughter. After this, she fled to the top of a mountain, but he followed her. So happy that he decided to share the realm of the dead with her. It is said that Ogun had many lovers. Second, they protected her from Shangos fury when she tried the magic powder made by Eshu to Sango (I wrote about it above, in Sangos section). world) and with Oshn, who is his apetev with whom he different colors. He represents the power of fortune. Eshu did it differently. Sometimes these Orishas would go down from the sky using spiderwebs to play in the water. She lives on the riverbed. She also holds a buffalo (or horse) tail in the other hand symbolizing her power to tame the forces of nature and send eguns and bad energies away. this reason all who are to be initiated as priests, no matter what 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). witness to our destinies in the making as well. Youd be right. She is also known for the colors of maroon, flowery patterns and nine So she challenged him by saying she wouldnt use a knife anymore and her children and followers would not use them either. As the people began to reproduce, new lands were required for them to settle. Ochossi was saved! Olokun presides over this watery abyss, an aquatic realm populated by sea spirits. Now that you have a background, we can go on. Up there, he put the red powder in his tongue and started spitting fire. He is the repository of ash. Oguns permission would not be requested to make offerings to Nana. offerings and come to our aid. Ogun always wears dark blue clothes and may also wear pieces of armor. Never metal ones! divination and the accompanying arts. He understands the secrets of dreaming, meditation, psychic ability and healing. The idea that rebirth in the next life could be gained by following Osiris was maintained through certain cult forms. relationship. If you wish to support me,please use the button below and buy me a ko-fi! The festivals took place in the open, so public participation was permitted. She dresses herself in seven skirts of blue and white and like the seas The god Seth was considered the murderer of Osiris and adversary of Horus. There are more than 400 Orishas out there. Using these sacred materials, he created fields, forests, hills, and valleys. People who were watching suggested Eshu could make use of his magical power to beat Obatala. Their union gives birth to Aganju (earth . Identity. She protects women, children, and fishermen. 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. the human and the divine, as he is child-like messenger between the two One tradition holds that Horus lost his left eye fighting with Seth, but his eye was magically healed by the god Thoth. they rule over. Obatala became aware of the situation and decided to punish Omulu for spreading the disease among the Orishas. This trend is encouraged by the fact that each Santeria community today remains independent of other communities. However, he refused to perform the task because he identified the plants. She tells her son to avoid going to the forest, but he doesnt listen to her. Everything consists of songs, stories, and practices. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. He took his clothes off and hang them on a tree. 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. creator of the world and humanity. Ochossi is intuitive and emotional. Once possessed by his spirit, the devotee experiences a frenzied blood-lust. Does this discovery prove ancient Egyptians traveled to the Americas 3000 years ago? his title of Eleri Ipin or "Witness to Destiny in its The oldest known depiction of Osiris dates to about 2300 bce, but representations of him are rare before the New Kingdom (15391075 bce), when he was shown in an archaizing form as a mummy with his arms crossed on his breast, one hand holding a crook, the other a flail. The others were dancing and drinking a lot. He usually has a long snout and long ears that are squared at the tips. He taught his followers the secrets of civilization (fire, smithing, hunting, politics, and war). One story suggests that Osumare disliked this changing nature because he couldnt have any stable relationships. Santeros (Santeria priests) do not believe that the orishas and the saints are identical. Basically, in the beginning, there was only water. While he was bathing, Eshu, the trickster, appeared and saw the situation. In her path of Okutti Article written by Simon E. Davies, Contributor to Ancient Code. He is a man, he sometimes becomes a woman, and sometimes he becomes a snake. In some traditions, she would welcome the setting sun every night; living people hoped to be welcomed into the afterlife in the same way. 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. Besides his apparent ugliness, Omulu also had many skin diseases, including smallpox which contributed to his ugly appearance. The person salutes the Orishas and talks to them during the session. The heaven realm is the domain of Olorun, a sun god. The intention of this site is not to indoctrinate anyone. He ordered all the sorcerers of the empire to produce some kind of magical potion for him, but all of them failed. Everyone got surprised because he was looking handsome. Oshosi is also a hunting god, who is highly regarded for his quick wit and objectivity. Sky Woman: The Overlooked Iroquois Influence on America. Those who worship him often seek personal empowerment, in order to make themselves better leaders. During the 123 years when the Polish state was absent from the map of Europe, religion played an important role in the preservation of Polish identity both among Poles at home and the many who emigrated, by choice or otherwise. A central feature was the construction of the Osiris garden.. Mustatils in Saudi Arabia: Gates for Animal Sacrifice to Unknown Gods? 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. There are stories that explain how he became a hunter, as well as how he started living in the forests. According to the myth, Osiris was a king of Egypt who was murdered and dismembered by his brother Seth. Olorun was responsible for having the idea of creating firm land. In a sense, all offerings and rituals were made using these metals, so all of them needed Oguns permission to be carried on. Her other name, Iansa or Ians, means mother to 9 children. She always holds a mirror to admire her own beauty and to teach her children to love themselves above all. He is said to live in the forest with his Orisha brothers part of the time. They rule The Sky god finished building the city of Ife and made himself the king of the Yoruba. Secrets" must devote themselves entirely to the practice of Humans themselves dont have the power or knowledge to play alone. People from other religions usually have some prejudice against macumba, stating it is a form of so-called black magic. Learn Religions, Mar. Eshu was not willing to give them back, but the beauty of Oshun was capable of driving any man or woman crazy. According to the Osiris myth, Horus was the son of Isis and Osiris, magically conceived after the murder of Osiris by his brother Seth. Babal-Ay (originally Shopona) is a healing god. The Yoruba people thrived in the region of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo in West Africa. Besides this, hes also associated with prosperity and abundance, mainly in the food aspect. https://www.learnreligions.com/who-are-the-orishas-95922 (accessed March 5, 2023). Over time she grew in importance, though, eventually becoming the most important goddess in the pantheon. Because the festivals took place in the open, public participation was permitted, and by the early 2nd millennium bce it had become fashionable to be buried along the processional road at Abydos or to erect a cenotaph there as a representative of the dead. Ogun, as a blacksmith and Orisha of wars, went well prepared for the fight. Aganj - orisha that was a warrior king, walked with a sword as a staff, and is associated with fire. She is considered to be the mother of everything and she is associated with the seas. The orishas are often best understood by observing the forces of nature Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Eshu used to roam free with no destination at all. Thanks! Ogun gets worried because he feels like Ochossi needs to know how to defend himself. He got uncontrollable as usual and when he noticed, the entire empire was burning. With time, he felt like this was a curse imposed by his mother, Nan. This dual role was combined with the Egyptian concept of divine kingship: the king at death became Osiris, though the living king was identified with Horus, a god of the sky. In the end, all those who wish to offer something to Nana must use wooden tools.