Who is the leader of the Orishas?

Obatala in the Yoruba cosmology is the creator of the human race. He is the father of all Orishas. Until one is initiated into the worship of the Orishas', it is believed that obatala is their god. He also walked the face of the earth in a mortal body and served as the king of Ife.

Who is the king of the Orishas?

Shango is the king of the Oyo Empire. He is the Yoruba god of thunder who now serves as a member of the Vindicators.

Who is the most powerful orisha?

Ṣàngó is viewed as the most powerful and feared of the orisha pantheon. He casts a "thunderstone" to earth, which creates thunder and lightning, to anyone who offends him. Worshippers in Yorubaland in Nigeria do not eat cowpea because they believe that the wrath of the god of iron would descend on them.

Who is the father of all orishas?

460. Obatalá Obatalá is the kindly father of all the orishas and all humanity. He is also the owner of all heads and the mind. Though it was Olorun who created the universe, it is Obatal who is the creator of the world and humanity.

Who made orishas?

In one, far back at the beginning of time, Olodumare created the Orishas and spread powers between them randomly. The Orishas then huddled by the great baobab tree that provided them with everything they needed and refused to use their powers for creation, preferring to satisfy their own needs.

The Orishas Explained (Nigerian Spirituality)

Who was the first orisha?

Elegba is always propitiated and always called first before any other orisha as he opens the door between the worlds and opens our roads in life. He recognises himself and is recognised by the numbers 3 and 21.

Who is the oldest orisha?

Obatala is the oldest of all orishas (imole). His principal wife is Yemaya according to understanding in Caribbean.

Who was the most powerful African god?

Finally, we have Olodumare, who is also the most powerful god according to Yoruba mythology. He is the “supreme God.” He is omnipotent and is the one who breathes life into the creations of Obatala. He is the creator also of the other gods and powers in the universe.

Who is the daughter of Obatala?

Obatala encourages his daughter Kemi to look for friends with good character. She has an exciting journey in which she learns that being superficial can bring trouble. However, with clarity and courage Kemi finds joy at last.

Who is Yemaya married to?

In Yorùbá mythology, Yemoja is a mother goddess; patron deity of women, especially pregnant women; and the Ogun river. Her parents are Oduduwa and Obatala. There are many stories as to how she became the mother of all saints. She was married to Aganju and had one son, Orungan, and fifteen Orishas came forth from her.

How do you know if you're a child of Oshun?

She is one of the most popular and venerated orishas. If you see the number 5 a lot (my two most recent apartments were on the 5th floor), are attracted to the color yellow or gold and enjoy sweets, specifically honey, then you too may be a child of Oshun.

Are orishas real?

orisha, also spelled orixa or orisa, any of the deities of the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria. They are also venerated by the Edo of southeastern Nigeria; the Ewe of Ghana, Benin, and Togo; and the Fon of Benin (who refer to them as voduns).

Who is Shango favorite wife?

American folklorist William Bascom notes: “Oya is the favourite wife of Shango, the only wife who remained true to him until the end, leaving Oyo with him and becoming a deity when he did. She is Goddess of the Niger River, (Odo Oya), but she manifests herself as the strong wind that precedes a thunderstorm.”

How many African Orishas are there?

Number. Yoruba tradition often says that there are 400 + 1 orishas, which is associated with a sacred number. Other sources suggest that the number is "as many as you can think of, plus one more – an innumerable number". Different oral traditions refer to 400, 700, or 1,440 orishas.

Who gave Sango birth?

Mythologically, he (and 14 others) burst forth from the goddess Yemaja's body after her son, Orungan, attempted to rape her for the second time. In another set of stories, Sango is the son of Aganju and Obatala. As the story goes, Obatala, the king of the white cloth was travelling and had to cross a river.

How old is Yemaya?

With anchored roots in the Yoruba religion, Yemaya was brought over to the New World by enslaved Africans as early as the 16th century.

What is Oshun number?

associated with the number five. Oshun often carries a mirror so that she can admire her beauty. She loves honey, sunflowers, oranges, cinnamon, and pumpkin, and her favorite birds are peacocks and vultures.

Does orisha believe in god?

There are five levels in the cosmology: Orisha worshipers believe in a creator who is called Olodumare or Olorun (God), the Orishas, human beings, human ancestors, and the lowest group, plants and animals.

Who is the orisha of death?

Ọya (Yorùbá: Ọya, also known as Oyá or Oiá; Yàńsàn-án or Yansã; and Iansá or Iansã in Latin America) is an orisha of winds, lightning, and violent storms, death and rebirth.

Who is the youngest orisha?

Ayagunna is the youngest path, or avatar, of the undergod Obatala in the Lukumi (Santería) pantheon. In this manifestation, Obatala is a youth who battles with a scimitar. He is credited with having spread gunpowder throughout the world.

Which orisha number is 11?

Number 11 is considered to be the number of the Ibeji. This is because the twins are complimenting as well as opposing forces. One Ibeji holds the human personality and the other holds the spiritual personality.

Can you have more than one orisha?

An individual may over the course of a lifetime worship several Orisha. In fact, according to Bascom, most Yoruba worshiped a group of five or six deities acquired under different circumstances, and regardless of how one came to the worship of an Orisha, he or she was eligible to become a priest of that Orisha.