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This article is about a type of spirit. For other uses of Orisha / Orixa , see Orisha (disambiguation).

An Orisha (also spelled Orixa and Orixá) is a spirit which reflects one of the manifestations of Olodumare (God) in the Yoruba spiritual or religious system. The Yoruba religion is the religious beliefs and practices of the Yoruba people both in Africa (chiefly in Nigeria and Benin Republic) A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos This religion has found its way throughout the world and is now expressed in several varieties which include Anago, Oyotunji, Candomblé, Lucumí/Santería, and the Orisa religion of Trinidad, as well as some aspects of Umbanda, Winti, Obeah and Haitian Vodou, although these last two generally follow a non-Yoruban tradition. His Royal Highness Oba Efuntola Oseijeman Adelabu Adefunmi (born Walter King) ( 5 October 1928 - 11 February 2005) was the first Candomblé (pronounced /kɐ̃dõˈblɛ/is an African-originated or Afro-Brazilian religion practiced chiefly in Brazil. Santería, also known as La Regla de Lukumi (Lukumi's Rule and The Way of the Saints is an Afro-Cuban religious tradition derived from traditional beliefs Basic beliefs and practices The Umbanda creeds and practices are an eclectic mixture from three main sources from Catholicism Umbanda adopted the ideas of Winti is the Afro-Surinamese traditional Religion that resulted from the coming together of different elements of the religious luggage of the slaves that were brought to Obeah (sometimes spelled "Obi" is a term used in the West Indies to refer to Folk magic, sorcery, and religious practices derived from Central vodoo, vodun, or vodoun may refer to any of West African vodun, a west African religion Haitian vodou, mostly derived These varieties or spiritual lineages as they are called are practiced throughout areas of Brazil, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States, the West Indies and Venezuela. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la The Dominican Republic ( Spanish: República Dominicana;) is a nation located in the Caribbean region and shares the island of Hispaniola with Guyana (ɡaɪˈænə or /ɡiːˈɑːnə/ officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and previously known as British Guiana, is the only Nation state Jamaica (ˈdʒəˈmeɪkə} is an Island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width situated in the Caribbean Sea. Puerto Rico (ˌpwertoˈriko officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ("Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico" {{lang-en|"Associated Free State of Puerto Rico"}} Suriname ( Dutch: Suriname; Sranan Tongo: Sranan) officially the Republic of Suriname (traditionally spelled Surinam by The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (ˈtrɪnɪdæd ən təˈbeɪgoʊ is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying northeast of the South American The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the As interest in African indigenous religions (spiritual systems) grows, Orisha communities and lineages can be found in parts of Europe and Asia as well. While estimates vary, there could be more than 100 million adherents of this spiritual tradition worldwide.

Contents

Beliefs and Rituals

The most common depiction of the orisha Santa Barbara Africana is derived from this variant of the sacred icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa.
The most common depiction of the orisha Santa Barbara Africana is derived from this variant of the sacred icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa. An icon (from Greek εἰκών eikōn, "image" is a religious work of art most commonly a painting from Eastern Christianity. The Black Madonna of Częstochowa ( Czarna Madonna or Matka Boska Częstochowska in Polish, Imago thaumaturga Beatae Virginis Mariae Immaculatae

The Orisha are multi-dimensional beings who represent the forces of nature. They have attributes and stories similar to the stories and attributes used to describe the ancient Greek and Roman pantheons. To the followers of Santeria, however, the Orisha are not remote divinities; on the contrary, they are vibrant, living entities who take an active part in everyday life. The Orisha faith believes in an ultimate deity, Olorun or Olodumare, who is removed from the day-to-day affairs of human beings on Earth. Ọlọrun also referred to as Olodumare as well as Eledumare, and Eleda among other names is a word for God (the Supreme Being) Ọlọrun also referred to as Olodumare as well as Eledumare, and Eleda among other names is a word for God (the Supreme Being) Instead, adherents of the religion appeal to specific manifestations of Olodumare in the form of the various Orisha. Ancestors and culture-heroes held in reverence can also be enlisted for help with day-to-day problems. Faithful believers will also generally consult a geomantic divination specialist, known as a babalawo or Iyanifa, to mediate in their problems. A Babalawo (also Babaaláwo in full and pronounced Baba-a-láwo literally meaning 'father or master of the mysteries' in the Yoruba language is a Yorùbá title that denotes A Babalawo (also Babaaláwo in full and pronounced Baba-a-láwo literally meaning 'father or master of the mysteries' in the Yoruba language is a Yorùbá title that denotes This practice is known as Ifa, and is an important part of life throughout West Africa and the rest of the diaspora world. Divination process Special instruments are used to assist in the Divination to transcribe Orunmila 's wisdom through the diviner UNESCO, the cultural and scientific education arm of the United Nations, declared Ifa a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2005. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity is a list maintained by UNESCO with pieces of Intangible culture considered relevant by that Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. An important part of the traditional Yoruba faith is that the Yoruba believe their ancestor Oduduwa fell from the sky and brought with him much of what is now their belief system. Oduduwa, phonetically written as Odùduwà, and sometimes contracted as Odudua, Oòdua, is generally held among the Yoruba to be the ancestor Part of this is the belief that daily life depends on proper alignment and knowledge of one's Ori. Ori literally means the head, but in spiritual matters is taken to mean an inner portion of the soul which determines personal destiny and success. Ase, which is also spelled “Axe,” “Axé,” “Ashe,” or “Ache,” is the life-force which runs though all things, living and inanimate. Ase is the power to make things happen. It is an affirmation which is used in greetings and prayers, as well as a concept about spiritual growth. Orisha devotees strive to obtain Ase through Iwa-Pele or gentle and good character, and in turn they experience alignment with the Ori, or what others might call inner peace or satisfaction with life.

New World

Yoruba people were brought to the Americas during the Atlantic Slave Trade, along with many other ethnic nationalities from West, Central, and parts of East Africa. The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America The Atlantic Slave trade, also known as the transatlantic slave trade, was the trade of African people supplied to the Colonies of the New World Yoruba religious beliefs are among the most recognizable African-derived traditions in the Americas, perhaps due to the comparatively late arrival of large numbers of Yoruba in the Americas and the conglomerative and spiritually tolerant nature of the faith. The Orisa faith is often closely aligned to the beliefs of the Gbe ethnic nationalities (including Fon, Ewe, Mahi, and Egun), and there have been centuries of creative cross-fertilization between the faith communities in Africa and in the Americas. The Gbe languages (ɡ͡bè form a cluster of about twenty related Languages stretching across the area between eastern Ghana and western Nigeria. This is an article about the Fon people for the article about the Fon chieftains of Cameroon see Fon (Cameroon. The Ewe are a people located on the southeast corner of Ghana, east of the Volta River, in an area now described as the Volta Region. The Mahi are a people of Benin. They live north of Abomey, from the Togo border on the west to the Zou River on the east and south to Cové between the Zou and Ouemé In many countries of the African diaspora, Yoruba and Gbe beliefs have also influenced and become influenced by Catholicism and faiths which originate in the Kongo-Angolan cultural region of West-Central Africa. The term Diaspora (in Greek, διασπορά &ndash " a scattering or sowing of seeds " refers any population sharing common ethnic These include Palo in Cuba and the Dominican Republic, Umbanda in Brazil and, according to some sources, the Petro rites of Haitian Vodou. Palo, or Las Reglas de Congo are a group of closely related denominations or religions of largely Bantu origin developed by slaves from Central Africa in Basic beliefs and practices The Umbanda creeds and practices are an eclectic mixture from three main sources from Catholicism Umbanda adopted the ideas of The Petwo (also Pethro, Petro loa) are a family of Loa (spirits in Haitian Voodoo mythology vodoo, vodun, or vodoun may refer to any of West African vodun, a west African religion Haitian vodou, mostly derived

Santeria (or Lukumĺ) is a set of related religious systems which use Catholic saints as a mask to hide traditional Yoruba beliefs. Santería, also known as La Regla de Lukumi (Lukumi's Rule and The Way of the Saints is an Afro-Cuban religious tradition derived from traditional beliefs Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Saints and other Catholic religious figures are used as disguises for Orishas. A saint (from the Latin sanctus) is a human being to whom has been attributed (and who has generally demonstrated a high level of Holiness and Sanctity This practice of syncretization was used to allow the indigenous Yoruba beliefs to survive in the New World.

Pantheon

The Orisha pantheon includes Aganju, Babalu Aye, Erinle, Eshu/Legba, Iemanja, Nana Buluku, Oba, Obatala, Ochosi, Ochumare, Ogoun, Oko, Olofi, Olokun, Olorun, Orunmila, Oshun, Osun, Oya, Ozain, and Shango, among countless others. In Yoruba mythology, Aganju is the Orisha of volcanos and deserts In the religious system of Orisha worship Babalu Aye (also known as Omolu Shonponno Obaluaye and Sakpata is the spirit of illness and disease Erinle, also known as Inle is an Orisha in the Lukumi religion Yemaja is an Orisha, originally of the Yoruba religion, who has become prominent in many Afro-American religion. Nana Buluku is the Supreme Deity of the Fon from Dahomey. Nana Buluku is an androgynous deity Obatala is also a genus of spiders ( Amaurobiidae) In Yoruba orisha (also spelt orisa Oshosi, (also spelt Ochosi Ososi Oxosi Osawsi is the deity or Orisha, (also spelt Orisa or Orixa of the forest and one of the three warrior orishas "Ibori" Candomblé is an Afro-American religion widely practised in Brazil. Olokun is considered the patron Orisa of the descendants of Africans that were carried away during the Maafa, or what is Ọlọrun also referred to as Olodumare as well as Eledumare, and Eleda among other names is a word for God (the Supreme Being) Divination process Special instruments are used to assist in the Divination to transcribe Orunmila 's wisdom through the diviner (or Oshun) (ɔʃún in Yoruba mythology, is a spirit - Goddess ( Orisha) who reigns over love intimacy beauty wealth and diplomacy In Yoruba mythology, Oya (Alternative spellings Oiá, Iansã, Iansan) is the Goddess of the Niger River An Orisha (also spelled Orisa or Orixa) is a spirit or deity that reflects one of the manifestations of Olodumare (God in the Yoruba spiritual In the Lucumi tradition, Osun and Oshun are different Orishas. Oshun is the beautiful and benevolent Orisha of love, life, marriage, sex and money while Osun is the protector of the Ori, or our heads and inner Orisha. The Yoruba also venerate their Egungun, or Ancestors, and Ibeji, or the orisha of Twins (which is no wonder since the Yoruba have the world's highest incidence of twin births of any group). Egungun is a part of the Yoruba pantheon of divinities The Yoruba religious system is sometimes referred to as the ' Yoruba Religion ' or simply ' Orisa Worship' Ibeji is a term in the Yoruba language meaning "twins" Overview The Yoruba are a major African ethnic group in their culture twins are traditionally The Yoruba (Yo•row•ba ( Yorùbá in Yoruba Orthography) are one of the largest ethno-linguistic or Ethnic groups in West Africa

Partial list of Orishas


Eshu/Eleggua

Iansan/Iansã, Orixá of wind, change

Nanã, The oldest Orixá in Candomblé

Pair of Ibeji

Babalu Aye/Omolú

Iansan/Iansã

Ogoun/Ogum

Further reading

External links

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