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 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.
A couple of believers and practitioners of the Ifá religion, where the pantheon 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.[2]
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.[4][5][6]
BeliefsEdit
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 that determines personal destiny.[3]
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.[3]
AseEdit
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, and in turn they experience alignment with the ori, what others might call inner peace and satisfaction with life. Ase is divine energy 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, the messenger orisha.[7] For practitioners, ashe represents a link to the eternal presence of the supreme deity, the orishas, and the ancestors.[8]
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.[6]
PantheonEdit
Statues of Orishas in the water at Dique do Tororó Park, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
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.[5]
^ abKevin Baxter (on De La Torre), Ozzie Guillen secure in his faith, Los Angeles Times, 2007
^ abc"Orisha". Encyclopædia Britannica. Chicago, Ill.: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
^Clark, Mary Ann (2002). "Children of Oduduwa". Then We'll Sing a New Song: African Influences on America's Religious Landscape. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 93. ISBN9781442208810.
^ abFalola, Toyin (2016). Encyclopedia of the Yoruba. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. pp. 84–85. ISBN9780253021441.
^ ab"African Religions". Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions. Merriam-Webster. 1999. p. 20. ISBN9780877790440.
^Robert D. Pelton (1989). The Trickster in West Africa: A Study of Mythic Irony and Sacred Delight. University of California Press. ISBN978-0-520-06791-2.
Chief Priest Ifayemi Elebuibon, Apetebii: The Wife of Orunmila. ISBN0-9638787-1-9
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. ISBN0-87728-789-9
Gary Edwards (Author), John Mason (Author), Black Gods – Orisa Studies in the New World, 1998. ISBN1-881244-08-3
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 linksEdit
October 06, 2023
orisha, other, uses, disambiguation, singular, orisha, spirits, that, play, role, yoruba, religion, west, africa, several, religions, african, diaspora, that, derive, from, such, cuban, dominican, puerto, rican, santería, brazilian, candomblé, preferred, spell. For other uses see Orisha disambiguation Orishas singular orisha 1 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 Santeria and Brazilian Candomble The preferred spelling varies depending on the language in question oriṣa is the spelling in the Yoruba language orixa in Portuguese and orisha oricha oricha or orixa 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 Aye Earth Rooted in the native religion of the Yoruba people most orishas are said to have previously existed in orun the spirit world and then became Irunmọlẹ spirits or 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 A couple of believers and practitioners of the Ifa religion where the pantheon 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 2 The orishas found their way to most of the New World as a result of the Atlantic slave trade and are now expressed in practices as varied as Santeria Candomble Trinidad Orisha Umbanda and Oyotunji among others The concept of oriṣa is similar to those of deities in the traditional religions of the Bini people of Edo State in southern Nigeria the Ewe people of Benin Ghana and Togo and the Fon people of Benin 2 3 Contents 1 Number 2 Beliefs 2 1 Ase 3 Pantheon 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksNumber EditYoruba 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 4 5 6 Beliefs EditPractitioners traditionally believe that daily life depends on proper alignment and knowledge of one s Ori Ori literally means the head but in spiritual matters it is taken to mean a portion of the soul that determines personal destiny 3 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 3 Ase Edit 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 Oriṣa devotees strive to obtain Ase through iwa pele gentle and good character and in turn they experience alignment with the ori what others might call inner peace and satisfaction with life Ase is divine energy 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 the messenger orisha 7 For practitioners ashe represents a link to the eternal presence of the supreme deity the orishas and the ancestors 8 The concept is regularly referenced in Brazilian capoeira Axe in this context is used as a greeting or farewell in songs and as a form of praise Saying that someone has axe in capoeira is complimenting their energy fighting spirit and attitude 6 Pantheon Edit nbsp Statues of Orishas in the water at Dique do Tororo Park Salvador Bahia BrazilThe 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 5 Aganju Ajaka The patron deity of earthquakes Ayangalu The patron deity of drummers Ara Ara Ara Ara in the Yoruba language Alaafia The patron deity of peace Aroni The patron deity of beauty of nature spirit of the forest owner of plants and trees Arun The patron deity of diseases and affliction Aye The patron deity of passion for environmentalism nature Aja The patron deity of the wild Ela The patron deity of passion for charity Obba The patron deity of passion for homemaking domestic policies Biri The patron deity of darkness and night Dada The patron deity of mischief and stubborn Edi The patron deity spirit of evil whisperer of undoing and corruption Babalu Aye Obaluaye in the Yoruba language Egungun The patron deity of the sainted dead Erinle Esu He is the animating principle of existence 9 Ibeji The patron deities of twins Iroko Iroko in the Yoruba language Iya Nla Iku The patron deity of death Imole The patron deity of sunlight and soothsayers Logunede Logunede in the Yoruba language Moremi Nana Oba Obatala Oduduwa Ogun The patron deity of warriors and metalworkers Oke Oko The patron deity of farmers Olokun The patron deity of the Sea Olumo The patron deity of Abeokuta Oranyan Oro patron deity of justice amp bullroarers Oronsen The patron deity of Owo Orunmila The patron deity of the Ifa oracle Ori The personal patron of each individual Yoruba person Osanyin The patron deity of herbalists Osoosi The patron of the forest the hunter amp marksmen Osun The patron deity of Osogbo 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 The major patron deity of water Yewa The patron deity of the Yewa River See also EditAlusi the Igbo pantheon List of Yoruba deities Loa Nkisi Winti West African mythology Yoruba mythology nbsp Traditional African religion portalReferences Edit orisha deity Britannica www britannica com Retrieved 2022 04 22 a b Kevin Baxter on De La Torre Ozzie Guillen secure in his faith Los Angeles Times 2007 a b c Orisha Encyclopaedia Britannica Chicago Ill Encyclopaedia Britannica Inc Clark Mary Ann 2002 Children of Oduduwa Then We ll Sing a New Song African Influences on America s Religious Landscape Rowman amp Littlefield Publishers p 93 ISBN 9781442208810 a b Falola Toyin 2016 Encyclopedia of the Yoruba Bloomington Indiana University Press pp 84 85 ISBN 9780253021441 a b African Religions Merriam Webster s Encyclopedia of World Religions Merriam Webster 1999 p 20 ISBN 9780877790440 Robert D Pelton 1989 The Trickster in West Africa A Study of Mythic Irony and Sacred Delight University of California Press ISBN 978 0 520 06791 2 Cynthia Duncan Ph D About santeria Araujo Alex Pereira de 2021 08 17 EXU THE LANGUAGE AS A CROSSROAD IN BLACK DIASPORIC CULTURE Academia Letters doi 10 20935 AL3098 Further reading EditE Bolayi Idowu Olodumare God in Yoruba Belief ISBN 9781881316961 J Omosade Awolalu Yoruba Beliefs amp Sacrificial Rites ISBN 0 9638787 3 5 William Bascom Sixteen Cowries Lydia Cabrera El Monte Igbo Nfinda Ewe Orisha Vititi Nfinda ISBN 0 89729 009 7 Raul Canizares Cuban Santeria Chief Priest Ifayemi Elebuibon Apetebii The Wife of Orunmila ISBN 0 9638787 1 9 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 ISBN 0 87728 789 9 Gary Edwards Author John Mason Author Black Gods Orisa Studies in the New World 1998 ISBN 1 881244 08 3 John Mason Olokun Owner of Rivers and Seas ISBN 1 881244 05 9 John Mason Orin Orisa Songs for selected Heads ISBN 1 881244 06 7 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 PressExternal links Edit Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Orisha amp oldid 1173920029, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
