Five Orixas in African Religion - Essay Example

Five Orixas in African Religion Orixa is a spirit that shows the manifestation of God in Yoruba and Ifa religion. There are about 400 Orixas. It is apparent many of the Orixas are found all over the world due to the Atlantic slave trade. This has led the Orixas to be expressed in practices such as Candomble, Trinidad Orisha and Santeria. Originally each group worshipped its own ancestors in Africa and every town had its own local deity. It is evident that in African indigenous religions, the principle deities, gods and spirits are viewed as agents in the created world. This paper is a discussion of five Orixas in Africa in a clear and outright way. Deities inhabit a world primarily created for human beings and they exert influence over day-to-day human affairs. These pantheons often bear a collective name among the people. The Yoruba of Nigeria call it orisa while some tribes such as Baganda of Uganda call it baalubale. The most common practice by people is that they are committed to relationships of reciprocity with spirits. They tend to offer service and in return expect assistance in the time of need. Even though there are hundreds of Orixas people will often actively serve several or a few that they have inherited from the place of birth (Johnson, 175). Orixas tend to be the revelations of the spiritual power of the highest-ranking deity Olorun. They are the mediators between the Supreme Being of Olorun and believers. In Africa Oloron is referred by the Yoruba as the head to whom all the allegiance and authority belongs. It is evident that things happen when he approves and do not come to pass if he disapproves. Olorun is held by the Yoruba as the first and the last in worship. It is true that Orixas are ancestors as well as the forces of nature. The Orixas have their weaknesses and can make mistakes and errors. The Orixas are aligned to forces of nature, such as water and air. Also, it is connected to animals and mountains. Each deity is attributed to a color, a day of the week, a metal or a certain drum beat. In Africa the relationship between the many gods and the Supreme God is different in various religions. Some Africans view the Supreme God as the highest and most powerful being. Narrative from Zimbabwe and Nigeria depict an original deity who observes the creative process rather than participate in it directly. The complex interconnectivity between the Supreme God and the lesser divinities makes African religions difficult to classify as either monotheistic or polytheistic (Johnson, 182-185). One of the Orixas in African religion is Eleggua. Eleggua is the first spirit of protection that any nascent must consecrate in the religion. He is characterized as the sight that follows the way and a ferocious warrior that nothing can stop her. Eleggua is symbolized by rocks in the nature and is the messenger of Olofin. Africans view him as the one who opens or closes the astral ways for the happiness of men. Also he is referred as the doorman of the plains and the forests. It is apparent that the main sign of Eleggua is determined by its conversation and the sign of the angel of the guard. Eleggua is the Orisha of the crossroads (Santeria Church of the Orishas, par 1-2). Eleggua has been described as the unique one that has gone and come back in the world of Ara Onu. It is evident that his hand of snails is greater as it consists of 21 ways. Eleggua number is 3 while his colors are black and red. Eleggua is associated with the third day of every month and Mondays. Eleggua is from the family of Anagui and Okuboro who is the Kings of Egba region. He is greeted Laroye Eleggua. Eleggua dwells in stone of shell, a dry coconut and stone of reef. He is attributed with small balls, whistles, coins and a mouse trap. Eleggua tool of power is a stick. Some of the offerings given to Eleggua are chicks, goats and red mice (Santeria Church of the Orishas, par 7-10). The other Orixas in African religion is Yemaya. Yemaya is described as the mother of all the children in the earth as she represents the source of life, the maternity and the fertility. It is evident that she is symbolized by the waves of the sea in the nature. This resembles her dance which is the motion of the sea. Yemaya is a fortune teller and her names are derived from Yoruba Yemoja. Her number is 7 and all it multiples. Yemaya is characterized by color blue and is greeted Omio Yemaya Omolodde (Orish net, par 10). Yemaya attributes are a fish, rudder, sun, a star, shells, chorales and all related to the sea. Some of the Yemaya tools of power are a fan of duck pens, shells and an agbegbe. It is apparent that Yemaya dresses in a navy blue dress that has adornments of blue and white. Her body tends to move like the waves of the ocean. Offerings to Yemaya include eggs, black porotos, capers, hard shrimps, watermelon grapes and coconut. The Omo Yemaya are characterized by impetuous arrogant, rigorous, willful and maternales. They love the magnificent and the luxury. It is evident that they have a high degree of self-esteem. The other Orixas in African religion is Shango. He is the king of the religion and a great warrior. It is apparent that he portrays the necessity and the Joy to live. Also he is the masculine beauty and the intensity of life. Shango is described as the 4th king of Oyo after the destruction of Katonga. Shango led the people to live a clean life and follow the lessons of the unique God. After people rejected Shango as King he was hanged himself and died. He later returned came back in his twin brothers body and destroyed all his enemies. This led to him to be adored and be called the God of Thunder. It is evident that Shango was a warrior king and his followers saw him as a container of great creative potentialities (Cuban Yoruba, par 1-5). Shango’s day of the week is Saturday but Friday tends also to be popular. Shango number is 6 and all its multiples. It is apparent that his colors are white and red. He is from the descendants of Obbatala and Oddua. His tools are axes, rays, drums, glass, cedar and a mace. The dances of Shango involve him striking with his head when he comes down and gives three rounds to the drums. The dances of Shango are warrior like as they involve threatening gestures. Some of the offerings given to Shango are red wine, barley, bananas, quails, doves, toasted maize and sugar cane. It is evident that Shango dresses in a red trouser and a white shirt (Cuban Yoruba, par 6-8). The fourth Orixas in African religion is Obbatala. Obbatala is referred to the father of all people. He is the creator and rules over all the parts of the human body. Obbatala is referred to the owner of whiteness and all that symbolizes purity and peace. It is apparent that he is magnanimous and does not admit nudity in his presence or lack of respect. Obbatala is symbolized by mountains in the nature and is considered the owner of all heads. It is evident that his number is 8 and all its multiples while his color is white. Tools of Obbatala that are a representation of powerful objects are a silver bracelet, opa, iruke and an object done by a tail of horsehair. The offerings given to Obbatala are white hens, white doves, canary seed, a husk, maize and white goats. His taboos are beans, crabs and alcohol. As for his ewes they are acacia, saffron, lily, coconut and incense (Orish net, par 6). Oggun is the fifth Orixas in African religion. He represents the initial force and work that locks up the human body. Oggun is symbolized as iron and all the metals in the nature. It is evident that he has the right to sacrifice as the knife belongs to him. He is crowned on his children’s head and owns the forests along with Oshosi. Oggun is from Ilesha and was king of Ire. Black and green are his colors this is evident in the beads of his necklaces (De La Torre, 69-70). Oggun is greeted Oke Oggun. He is from the family of Oduduwa who is the brother to Oshosi, Shango and Osun. Oggun attributes are brake of horse, shovels, horseshoes, swords and a piece of railroad. The tool of power that he obtains is the machete. Oggun dresses in a purple trouser and vest with a cap flattened at the top. His shoulders he wears a purse of skin of tiger that is adorned with shells. Some of the offerings given to Oggun are smoked fish, tobacco, toasted corn, the maize flour, nuts of Kola and haricot beans. Oggun is known by his dance of the warrior where he swings the machete in the air as he advances with his feet (De La Torre, 73). In conclusion, it is evident that Orixas are ancestors as well as forces of nature. The Orixas have their strengths and weaknesses also they can make mistakes and errors. The Orixas are aligned to forces of nature such as water and air. The first Orixa is Oggun who is the god of iron, labor and war. Obbatala is the father of all humanity while Shango is the ruler of lightning and thunder. As for Yemaya he rules over the lakes and seas. It is evident that the Yoruba religion was a composition of diverse traditions and that is why it stood out in Africa. Work Cited Cuban Yoruba. Yoruba Religion: Shango. Web. Cubanyoruba.blogspot.com Retrieved on 25th April, 2015: http://cubanyoruba.blogspot.com/2007/05/shango.html De La Torre, M. A. Santeria: The Beliefs and Rituals of a Growing Region in America. USA: Wm.B. Eerdmans Publishing. 2004. Print. Johnson, P. C. Secrets, Gossip and Gods: The Transformation of Brazilian Candomble. USA: Oxford University Press. 2005. Print. Orish net. The Orishas. Web. Orishanet.org. Retrieved on 25th April, 2015: http://www.orishanet.org/ocha.html Santeria Church of the Orishas. Eleggua. Web. Santriachurch.org. Retrieved on 25th April, 2015: http://santeriachurch.org/the-orishas/eleggua/ Read More