orishas and egyptian gods
As the god of wisdom, Thoth was said to possess knowledge of magic and secrets unavailable to the other gods. Its important to note that his behavior can also lead him to unnecessary fights. Interestingly, most of them share things in common in one way or another. To perform it, Obatala was given a shell full of earth, a five-fingered hen, and a pigeon. Some say Shango had 3 wives. He lived with his mother, Yemaya. Learn Religions. Now, you. Before Orung could find her, she died and her body created mountains, valleys, and all the ways water could flow to flood the vast land. They recognise Each region has their own main Orishas and stories may also vary. Yes, they are His most notable role is that of the psychopomp (guardian of the dead). In this region, the powerful Oyo Empire flourished. His youngest son, Obatala, asked if he could create a new realm made of earth. all riches which she freely gives to her little sister Oshn. Osiris, also called Usir, one of the most important gods of ancient Egypt. Though he traded the And he spat more fire. Beyer, Catherine. She hid among rams. His colors are green and yellow which reflect Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Creation stories are found throughout the world. Up there, he put the red powder in his tongue and started spitting fire. He ran off with the clothes and left Obatala naked. On his head was the atef-crown, composed of the white crown of Upper Egypt and two ostrich feathers. Ogn out of the forests using her feminine wiles. The two animals started to spread the earth, covering a large area. He is the owner of all almost always used first for war. Osiris was also identified with Soker, an ancient Memphite god of the dead. Their union gives birth to Aganju (earth, in a way we can walk upon it) and Yemaya (water). Oshosi is the hunter and the scout of the orishas and assumes with quick wits, quick temper and is the epitomy of virility. Orisha Oshumare is calm and tranquil. One day, Shango Oguns brother wanted to have Oya as a wife. Orisha Omulu is quiet and vengeful. He is recognised in T. Erinle by Mod Nomad Rituals invoking his spirit require the rapid beating of drums, which often cause his followers to fall into a deep trance. Osiris festivals symbolically reenacting the gods fate were celebrated annually in various towns throughout ancient Egypt. He is ocanani with Elegba, meaning Shes a crone who knows all the secret spells and hidden knowledge out there. The saint is a mask of the orisha, and it does no work the other way around. Obatal is also the only orisha that has both male Most had a principle association (for example, with the sun or the underworld) and form. Oya traveled back to deliver the medicine to Shango but during the journey, she stopped to rest and wondered how that strange red power tasted. 4, 2021, learnreligions.com/who-are-the-orishas-95922. No one wanted to dance with him as usual. themselves and are recognised through their different numbers and Orisha Oshun, also known as Osun, is the Orisha of Rivers and Love. African Pantheons and the Orishas: Crash Course World Mythology #11 CrashCourse 14.5M subscribers 1.2M views 5 years ago World Mythology So, today we're talking about African Pantheons. over the forces of nature and the endeavors of humanity. She also had an important funerary aspect, being known as the lady of the west. (Tombs were generally built on the west bank of the Nile.) The orishas are the emissaries of Olodumare or God almighty. they are of one heart. He takes an active role in the affairs of both heaven and earth. There are stories that explain how he became a hunter, as well as how he started living in the forests. He wears light-green and light-blue clothes and he also has the seven colors of the rainbow around him. Obatala became albine. lightning, thunder, fire, the drums and dance. Later, the sprouting grain symbolized the vital strength of Osiris. I also wrote about it, focusing on the aspect of life and death, in the article Orishas and the Balance Between Life and Death for Folklore Thursday. Olorun by Sanjana Baijnath Article written by Simon E. Davies, Contributor to Ancient Code. Back to Oyo, Oya delivered Shango the red powder. the door between the worlds and opens our roads in life. orisha rules their head, must go to the river and give account of what Obatala became aware of the situation and decided to punish Omulu for spreading the disease among the Orishas. Obatala noticed Eshu but I was too late. The challenge, however, WAS a lie itself. Yoruba mythology involves the presence of the supreme being and other more minor "gods" or "spirits" known as orishas (which are both male and female). Res cult was centered in Heliopolis, now a suburb of Cairo. Shes also the wife of Obatala, the Creator. Elegba is always Osiris was not only the ruler of the dead but also the power that granted all life from the underworld, from vegetation to the annual flood of the Nile River. One day, Olorun, the supreme creator, thought about creating firm land. Seven days after, Shangos wife Oya (Ians) traveled to Eshus house to get the medicine. Eshu used to roam free with no destination at all. In many Nigerian mythologies, it is believed that the gods once walked this earth and even lived . 1630 bce) the gods festivals consisted of processions and nocturnal rites and were celebrated at the temple of Abydos, where Osiris had assimilated the very ancient god of the dead, Khenty-Imentiu. In the New World, Africans from many city-states were thrown together into common slavery. (2021, March 4). Instead were going to focus on Yoruba religion from west Africa, and the Orishas that populate Yoruba stories. this reason all who are to be initiated as priests, no matter what As an immortal, he was unable to die, so he chose instead to descend into the earths surface, in a place named Ire-Ekiti. In the end, all those who wish to offer something to Nana must use wooden tools. Orisha Ogun is the blacksmith, the one who creates weapons for the other Orishas. His colors are blue and yellow. Oya wears a red dress and holds a sword in one of her hands. Only Obatala knew how to use it because he was taught by Orunmila, the one responsible for divination, advice, and general knowledge. they rule over. mother's womb is a form of sea where the embryo must transform and He is known as the omnipotent ruler of the Yoruba pantheon, whose light brings life and vitality to all living things. Now, Oshun became the first woman able to play the Bzios and to obtain the power of divination! streams and rivers, embodying love, fertility. In a sense, all offerings and rituals were made using these metals, so all of them needed Oguns permission to be carried on. Simply water. Chinese Yu-huang Shang Ti, the Jade Emperor. This If kingdom is utterly important for us here. Osiris was not only ruler of the dead but also the power that granted all life from the underworld, from sprouting vegetation to the annual flood of the Nile River. In many ways, therefore, understanding an orisha is like understanding another human being. When Omulu knew that Obatala was going to his house, he fled to the forests and hid there. Table of If to Orunmila in exchange for the gift of dance, his way Yemay displays herself as truly the mother of all. Sky Woman: The Overlooked Iroquois Influence on America. most often approach to aid us in money matters. She asked what had happened and he told her how Eshu had tricked him. The answers are given according to the way the shells fall on the surface. In this The Orishas - Gods of Santeria - Learn Religions Olokun presides over this watery abyss, an aquatic realm populated by sea spirits. Theres a story explaining how Ossain become knowledgeable about the power of plants and eventually became a great healer. In her path of Okutti He inspires humans to overcome their physical and psychological barriers which impede their growth. He is most often represented by a double headed Mustatils in Saudi Arabia: Gates for Animal Sacrifice to Unknown Gods? Shango called Eshu, then. One story suggests that Osumare disliked this changing nature because he couldnt have any stable relationships. His son Horus successfully fought against Seth, avenging Osiris and becoming the new king of Egypt. Obatala knocked Eshu down three times and Eshu got back on his feet after all of them. Orisha Oya, also commonly known as Ians, is the Orisha of storms, thunder, and strong winds. If youre interested in the religions themselves, I suggest reading the following articles: Though differences will always occur, all the 12 main Orishas Ill present here are mainly worshiped in Umbanda and Candombl. He stood up using his walking stick and touched each one with it. To start, Yoruba is a name that encompasses a group of people who live in the region of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo in West Africa. Beyer, Catherine. In the Middle Kingdom (1938c. His animal symbols were the ram and the goose. He got a job, a house, and everything he wished for. He took Eshus words seriously and entered his mothers castle in the shape of a terrifying snake. Eshu did it differently. And by nothing, we can understand no knowledge at all, no job, no riches, no place to live. The orishas are often best understood by observing the forces of nature They were about to kill him too! In that sense, they work more like Western pantheons like those of the Greeks or Romans. We also have lots of syncretism involved which contributed to the spread of their worship inside Christian beliefs too. Differently from the Hindu Religion and Mythology, for example, there are no ancient books telling the foundations of its beliefs or describing the creation of the world according to them. Orunmila is wisdom and Humans provide ashe through blood or other ritual actions, and the orisha becomes a conduit of ashe from Olodumare to the petitioner to assist in the petitioner's endeavors. When she offered mud, he was finally able to create perfect human beings. Orisha Nana Buruku, also known as Nana Buruque or simply as Nan, is the most respected Orisha of all. Obatala created trees, animals, and many other things. He is said to live in the forest with his Orisha brothers part of the time. While he was bathing, Eshu, the trickster, appeared and saw the situation. Humans and orishas, however, provide ashe to each other through a variety of rituals. It is common in all pantheons, religions, and mythologies to find different tales for the same story. He was also the embodiment of the divine kingship, and in some eras the reigning king was considered to be a manifestation of Horus. Eshu is intrusive and sometimes aggressive. The party was over. Elegba (also referred to Eleggua or Eleggu) is the owner of the Eshu accepted the task and said he would produce a kind of medicine capable of granting Shangos wishes. The association of jackals with death and funerals likely arose because Egyptians would have observed jackals scavenging around cemeteries. As Elegba opens the roads, it is Crash Course is on Patreon! On this page, Ill present you all you need to know about Orishas and how to understand them in and out from their original context the Yoruba Religion. numbers four and six. In isolation he learned humility, becoming Babal-Ay. The goddess Hathor was usually depicted as a cow, as a woman with the head of a cow, or as a woman with cows ears. Anyway, Orisha Omulu used to be a quiet one. From her death, many Orisha children were born (now comes the conflicting information): I said there is conflicting information because there are several stories that suggest Yemaya, Oshun, and Oya are sisters too. One tradition holds that Horus lost his left eye fighting with Seth, but his eye was magically healed by the god Thoth. One day, in the depths of the forest, he eventually meets Ossain who gives him a potion to drink. So she challenged him by saying she wouldnt use a knife anymore and her children and followers would not use them either. Were going to focus on a dozen or so. The Meaning Of The Orisha Deities - AfrikaIsWoke.com The Orishas: Orunla, Osain, Oshun, Oya, and Yemaya - Learn Religions humanity. Yoruba is no different. Youd be right. The heaven realm is the domain of Olorun, a sun god. People asked him to calm down and forgive Oya. Because the right and left eyes of Horus were associated, respectively, with the sun and the moon, the loss and restoration of Horuss left eye gave a mythical explanation for the phases of the moon. After the rulers of Thebes rebelled against a dynasty of foreign rulers known as the Hyksos and reestablished native Egyptian rule throughout Egypt, Amon received credit for their victory. Olodumare Ochossi develops such a passion for hunting and feeding others, that he enters the forest every day. Omissions? As a spirit of Chaos and Trickery, he frequently tempts mortals from their moral path. These Are The 10 Avatars Of Vishnu, One Of The Main Ancient Hindu Deities, 14 Massive Monoliths Of The Ancient World. An Orisha is a God or a Goddess from the Yoruba Religion and Mythology. The stone was actually a thunderstone known as edum ar. She uses this transformation to attack those who threaten her children and the ones she protects. He is renowned for his skills in witchcraft and is a good friend to the nature spirits of Africa. Catherine Beyer is a practicing Wiccan who has taught religion in at Lakeland College in Wisconsin as well as humanities and Western culture at the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay. Suddenly, one of the Orishas stumbled upon him and he fell on the floor, exposing his wooden leg. Yemay lives and rules over the seas and lakes. For example, one of the most famous ones tells how the seas and oceans were created. Today we can find them, alongside branches of their cult and worship practices, outside from Africa.