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Orishas (singular: orisha) are spirits that play a key role in the Yoruba religion of West Africa and several religions of the African diaspora that derive from it, such as Cuban, Dominican and Puerto Rican Santería and Brazilian Candomblé. The preferred spelling varies depending on the language in question: òrìṣà is the spelling in the
Yoruba language Yoruba (, ; Yor. '; Ajami: ) is a language spoken in West Africa, primarily in Southwestern and Central Nigeria. It is spoken by the ethnic Yoruba people. The number of Yoruba speakers is roughly 50 million, plus about 2 million second-languag ...
, orixá in Portuguese, and orisha, oricha, orichá or orixá in Spanish-speaking countries. According to the teachings of these religions, the orishas are spirits sent by the supreme creator, Olodumare, to assist humanity and to teach them to be successful on ''Ayé'' (Earth). Rooted in the native religion of the Yoruba people, most orishas are said to have previously existed in òrún - the spirit world - and then became Irúnmọlẹ̀ - spirits or
divine Divinity or the divine are things that are either related to, devoted to, or proceeding from a deity.divine< ...
beings incarnated as human on Earth. Irunmole took upon a human identity and lived as ordinary humans in the physical world, but because they had their origin in the divine, they had great wisdom and power at the moment of their creation. Some believers and practitioners of the Ifá religion, where the
pantheon Pantheon may refer to: * Pantheon (religion), a set of gods belonging to a particular religion or tradition, and a temple or sacred building Arts and entertainment Comics *Pantheon (Marvel Comics), a fictional organization * ''Pantheon'' (Lone St ...
system of orishas originates, believe that orishas are a different class of divine beings who became deified, divinized or transformed ''after'' their departure from their human state on Earth. These practitioners believe the orishas to have been ordinary humans who were deified upon their death due to the lives they led, their outstanding spiritual growth and extraordinary feats accomplished in their lives while on Earth. The orishas found their way to most of the
New World The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. ...
as a result of the Atlantic slave trade and are now expressed in practices as varied as Santería, Candomblé, Trinidad Orisha, Umbanda, and Oyotunji, among others. The concept of òrìṣà is similar to those of deities in the traditional religions of the Bini people of
Edo State Edo, commonly known as Edo State, is a state located in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. As of 2006 National population census, the state was ranked as the 24th populated state (3,233,366) in Nigeria, However there was controvers ...
in southern Nigeria, the
Ewe people The Ewe people (; ee, Eʋeawó, lit. "Ewe people"; or ''Mono Kple Volta Tɔ́sisiwo Dome'', lit. "Ewe nation","Eʋenyigba" Eweland;) are a Gbe-speaking ethnic group. The largest population of Ewe people is in Ghana (6.0 million), and the second ...
of
Benin Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the nort ...
,
Ghana Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and Tog ...
, and
Togo Togo (), officially the Togolese Republic (french: République togolaise), is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, where its c ...
, and the Fon people of Benin.


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.


Beliefs

Practitioners traditionally believe that daily life depends on proper alignment and knowledge of one's ''Orí''. Ori literally means the head, but in spiritual matters, it is taken to mean a portion of the
soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest att ...
that determines personal destiny. Some orishas are rooted in ancestor worship; warriors, kings, and founders of cities were celebrated after death and joined the pantheon of Yoruba deities. The ancestors did not die, but were seen to have "disappeared" and become orishas. Some orishas based on historical figures are confined to worship in their families or towns of origin; others are venerated across wider geographic areas.


Ase

'' Ase'' is the life-force that runs through all things, living and inanimate, and is described as the power to make things happen. It is an affirmation that is used in greetings and prayers, as well as a concept of spiritual growth. Orìṣà devotees strive to obtain Ase through ''iwa-pele'', gentle and good
character Character or Characters may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''Character'' (novel), a 1936 Dutch novel by Ferdinand Bordewijk * ''Characters'' (Theophrastus), a classical Greek set of character sketches attributed to The ...
, and in turn they experience alignment with the ori, what others might call inner
peace Peace is a concept of societal friendship and harmony in the absence of hostility and violence. In a social sense, peace is commonly used to mean a lack of conflict (such as war) and freedom from fear of violence between individuals or groups. ...
and satisfaction with life. Ase is divine
energy In physics, energy (from Ancient Greek: ἐνέργεια, ''enérgeia'', “activity”) is the quantitative property that is transferred to a body or to a physical system, recognizable in the performance of work and in the form of ...
that comes from Olodumare, the creator deity, and is manifested through Olorun, who rules the heavens and is associated with the sun. Without the sun, no life could exist, just as life cannot exist without some degree of ashe. Ase is sometimes associated with
Eshu Èṣù is an Òrìṣà/Irúnmọlẹ̀ in the ìṣẹ̀ṣe religion of the Yoruba people. Èṣù is a prominent primordial Divinity (a delegated Irúnmọlẹ̀ sent by the Olódùmarè) who descended from Ìkọ̀lé Ọ̀run, and the Chie ...
, the messenger orisha. For practitioners, ashe represents a link to the eternal presence of the supreme deity, the orishas, and the ancestors. The concept is regularly referenced in Brazilian capoeira. Axé in this context is used as a greeting or farewell, in songs and as a form of praise. Saying that someone "has axé" in capoeira is complimenting their energy, fighting spirit, and attitude.


Pantheon

The orisa are grouped as those represented by the color white, who are characterized as ''tutu'' "cool, calm, gentle, and temperate"; and those represented by the colors red or black, who are characterized as ''gbigbona'' "bold, strong, assertive, and easily annoyed". Like humans, orishas may have a preferred color, food, or object. The traits of the orishas are documented through oral tradition. * Aganju * Ajaka * Ayangalu (The patron deity of drummers) *Ara (Ara in the
Yoruba language Yoruba (, ; Yor. '; Ajami: ) is a language spoken in West Africa, primarily in Southwestern and Central Nigeria. It is spoken by the ethnic Yoruba people. The number of Yoruba speakers is roughly 50 million, plus about 2 million second-languag ...
) * Babalu Aye (Obaluaye in the Yoruba language) * Egungun (The patron deity of the sainted dead) * Erinle * Esu (He is the animating principle of existence) * Ibeji (The patron deities of twins) *Iroko (Iroko in the Yoruba language) *
Iya Nla Ìyá Nlá is the primordial spirit of all creation in Yoruba cosmology. She is believed to be the source of all existence. ''Iya Nla'' literally means “Great Mother” in the Yoruba language Yoruba (, ; Yor. '; Ajami: ) is a language spoke ...
*Logunede (Logunede in the Yoruba language) * Moremi * Nana * Oba * Obatala *
Oduduwa Oduduwa was a Yoruba divine king. According to tradition, he was the holder of the title of the ''Olofin'' of Ile-Ife, the Yoruba holy city. He ruled briefly in Ife, and also served as the progenitor of a number of independent royal dynasties i ...
* Ogun (The patron deity of warriors and metalworkers) *Oke * Oko (The patron deity of farmers) * Olokun (The patron deity of the
Sea The sea, connected as the world ocean or simply the ocean, is the body of salty water that covers approximately 71% of the Earth's surface. The word sea is also used to denote second-order sections of the sea, such as the Mediterranean Sea, ...
) * Olumo (The patron deity of Abeokuta) * Oranyan * Orò (patron deity of justice & bullroarers) * Oronsen (The patron deity of Owo). * Orunmila (The patron deity of the
Ifa oracle IFA or Ifa may refer to: Organisations Economics * Independent financial adviser, a type of financial services professional in the UK * Index Fund Advisors * Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, representing actuaries in the UK * Institute of Ac ...
) * Ori (The personal patron of each individual Yoruba person) * Osanyin (The patron deity of herbalists) * Ososi * Osun (The patron deity of
Osogbo Osogbo (also ''Oṣogbo'', rarely ''Oshogbo'') is a city in Nigeria. It became the capital city of Osun State in 1991. Osogbo city seats the Headquarters of both Osogbo Local Government Area (situated at Oke Baale Area of the city) and Oloru ...
) * Oshunmare (Osumare in the Yoruba language, the patron deity of the Rainbow) * Otin (The patron deity of the Otin river) * Oya (The patron deity of the River Niger) * Sango (The patron deity of Oyo) * Yemoja * Yewa (The patron deity of the Yewa River)


See also

* Alusi, the Igbo pantheon. * List of Yoruba deities * Loa * Nkisi * Winti * West African mythology * Yoruba mythology


References


Further reading

* E. Bolayi Idowu, ''Olodumare: God in Yoruba Belief''. * J. Omosade Awolalu, ''Yoruba Beliefs & Sacrificial Rites''. *
William Bascom __NOTOC__ William R. Bascom (May 23, 1912 – September 11, 1981) was an award-winning American folklorist, anthropologist, and museum director. He was a specialist in the art and culture of West Africa and the African Diaspora, especially the Y ...
, ''Sixteen Cowries''. *
Lydia Cabrera Lydia Cabrera (May 20, 1899, in Havana, Cuba – September 19, 1991, in Miami, Florida) was a Cuban independent ethnographer. Cabrera was a Cuban writer and literary activist. She was an authority on Santería and other Afro-Cuban religions. Dur ...
, ''El Monte: Igbo-Nfinda, Ewe Orisha/Vititi Nfinda''. * Raul Canizares, ''Cuban Santeria''. * Chief Priest Ifayemi Elebuibon, ''Apetebii: The Wife of Orunmila''. * Fakayode Fayemi Fatunde (2004) ''Osun, The Manly Woman''. New York: Athelia Henrietta Press. * James T. Houk, ''Spirits, Blood, and Drums: The Orisha Religion of Trinidad''. 1995. Temple University Press. * Jo Anna Hunter, "Oro Pataki Aganju: A Cross Cultural Approach Towards the Understanding of the Fundamentos of the Orisa Aganju in Nigeria and Cuba". In ''Orisa Yoruba God and Spiritual Identity in Africa and the Diaspora, edited by Toyin Falola, Ann Genova''. New Jersey: Africa World Press, Inc. 2006. * Baba Ifa Karade, ''The Handbook of Yoruba Religious Concepts'', Weiser Books, York Beach, New York, 1994. * Gary Edwards (Author), John Mason (Author), ''Black Gods – Orisa Studies in the New World'', 1998. * John Mason, ''Olokun: Owner of Rivers and Seas''. * John Mason, ''Orin Orisa: Songs for selected Heads''. * David M. O'Brien, ''Animal Sacrifice and Religious Freedom: Church of the Lukumi Babalu Aye v. City of Hialeah''. * S. Solagbade Popoola, ''Ikunle Abiyamo: It is on Bent Knees that I gave Birth''. 2007. Asefin Media Publication * Robert Farris Thompson, ''Flash of the Spirit''. * Robert D Pelton, ''The Trickster in West Africa'' chapters on Eshu and Legba. 1989. University of California Press * J Lorand Matory, ''Black Atlantic Religion''. 2009. Princeton University Press


External links

{{Authority control Afro-American religion Afro-Brazilian culture Afro-Cuban culture Nigerian culture Nigeria mythology Yoruba culture Yoruba religion Yoruba words and phrases Conceptions of God