Olokun (

Yoruba The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute ...

: Olókun) is an

orisha 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. ...

spirit in

Yoruba religion The Yoruba religion (Yoruba: Ìṣẹ̀ṣe), or Isese, comprises the traditional religious and spiritual concepts and practice of the Yoruba people. Its homeland is in present-day Southwestern Nigeria, which comprises the majority of Oyo, Og ...

. Olokun is believed to be the parent of Aje, the orisha of great wealth and of the bottom of the ocean. Olokun is revered as the ruler of all bodies of water and for the authority over other water deities. Olokun is highly praised for their ability to give great wealth, health, and prosperity to their followers. Communities in both West Africa and the African diaspora view Olokun variously as female, male, or

androgynous Androgyny is the possession of both masculine and feminine characteristics. Androgyny may be expressed with regard to biological sex, gender identity, or gender expression. When ''androgyny'' refers to mixed biological sex characteristics in ...

West Africa

Water deities are "ubiquitous and vitally important in southern Nigeria"; Olókun worship is especially noted in the cities of the

Edo people The Edo or Benin people are an Edoid ethnic group primarily found in Edo State, Southern part of Nigeria. They speak the Edo language and are the descendants of the founders of the Benin Empire. They are closely related to other ethnic gr ...

in southwest Nigeria. In West African areas directly adjacent to the coast, Olokun takes a male form among his worshipers while in the hinterland, Olokun is a female deity. According to Yoruba traditions about their divine dynasty, Olokun - in her female incarnation - was the

senior wife Great Wife, otherwise appearing in West Africa as Senior Wife, is an honorific applied to contemporary royal and aristocratic consorts in states throughout modern Africa (e.g., Mantfombi Dlamini of eSwatini, who once served as the chief consort o ...

of Emperor Oduduwa. Her rivalry with one of his other wives is said to have led to her manifesting the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

Candomblé

In the

Candomblé Candomblé () is an African diasporic religion that developed in Brazil during the 19th century. It arose through a process of syncretism between several of the traditional religions of West Africa, especially that of the Yoruba, and the Roman ...

religion of Brazil, Olokun is venerated as the mother of Yemoja and the owner of the sea. She is recognized in Candomblé terreiros, but not during celebrations. In this respect, Olokun is similar to Odudua and Orunmilá; they held great importance in West Africa but play a minor role in Afro-Brazilian religion. There are no ''xirê'' chants dedicated to Olokun as with other orixás. Candomblé initiates recognize the divinity of Olokun but do not hold her as a personal deity. The veneration of Olokun has been revived in the late 20th and early 21st century through visits to Brazil by West African priests. Olokun is celebrated during the Festival of Yemoja (''Festa de Iemanjá'').

Santería

Olokun is an orisha in the religion of Santería. Olokun is an androgynous orisha, meaning Olokun is a man and a woman, depending on if it is the Olokun of Ifá or the Olokun of Ocha.Babalawo, Santeria's High Priests: Fathers of the Secrets in Afro-Cuban Ifa, Por Frank Baba Eyiogbe, Olokun
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Pataki

According to ''The Book Of Ifá'', Olokun became enraged and rose to the surface. As Olokun did this to drown the humans, the orishas went to Orunmila to ask him what to do. Orunmila told them that Ogun needed to create the longest chain he could possibly create. It was ultimately Obatala who had the responsibility of imprisoning Olokun in her/his domain. Knowing this, Obatala went to Ogun and asked him to make the chain and so he did. Obatala then went down into the ocean and trapped Olokun with it.

References

{{Orisa-Ifá Yoruba deities Water deities Health deities Abundance deities

West Africa

Candomblé

Santería

Pataki

See also

References