The Orishas

The orishas are the emissaries of Olodumare or

God almighty. They rule over the forces of
nature and the endeavors of humanity. They
recognise themselves and are recognised
through their different numbers and colors
which are their marks, and each has their own
favorite foods and other things which they like
to receive as offerings and gifts. In this way we
make our offerings in the manner they are
accustomed to, in the way they have always
received them, so that they will recognise our
offerings and come to our aid.
The orishas are often best understood by
observing the forces of nature they rule over.
For instance, you can learn much about Oshn
and her children by watching the rivers and
streams she rules over and observing that
though she always heads toward her sister
Yemay (the Sea) she does so on her own
circuitous route. Also observe how the babbling
brook and the flash flood reflect her changeable
moods. As you observe the orishas at work in
the world and in your own lives you will gain a
better understanding of them and their ways.
Yes, they are complex, but no more so than any
other living being such as you or I. We are also
blessed from time to time in the religion with
the opportunity to meet the orishas face to face
during a wemilere (drumming ceremony) where
one or more of their priests will be mounted (see
trance possession).

Eleggu
Eleggu is the owner of the roads and doors in
this world. He is the repository of ash. The
colors red and black or white and black are his
and codify his contradictory nature. In
particular, Eleggu stands at the crossroads of
the human and the divine, as he is child-like
messenger between the two worlds. In this role,
it is not surprising that he has a very close
relationship with the orisha of divination,
Orunmila. Nothing can be done in either world
without his permission. Eleggu is always
propitiated and called first before any other
orisha as he opens the door between the worlds
and opens our roads in life. He recognises
himself and is recognised by the numbers 3 and
21.

Prayer for Eleggua: Echu ob lon tos gbogbo

ona ir o ach

Ogn
Ogn is the god of iron, war and labor. He is the
owner of all technology and because this
technology shares in his nature, it is almost
always used first for war. As Eleggu opens the
roads, it is Ogn that clears the roads with his
machete. He is recognised in the numbers 7 and
the colors green and black.

Prayer for Ogun: Ogn oko dara obanich

aguanile ichegn ir

Oshosi
Oshosi is the third member of the group known
as the Guerreros or Warriors, and is received
along with Eleggu, Ogn and Osun in order to
protect the Guerreros initiate and to open and
clear their roads. Oshosi is the hunter and the
scout of the orishas and assumes the role of
enforcer of justice for Obatal with whom he
has a very close relationship. His colors are blue
and yellow.

Prayer for Ochossi: Ochosi Ode mata ob akof

ay o uns ir o wa mi Ochosi omode ach

Obatal
Obatal is the kindly father of all the orishas and
all humanity. He is also the owner of all heads
and the mind. Though it was Olorun who
created the universe, it is Obatal who is the
creator of the world and humanity. Obatal is
the source of all that is pure, wise peaceful and
compassionate. He has a warrior side though
through which he enforces justice in the world.
His color is white which is often accented with
red, purple and other colors to represent his/her
different paths. White is most appropriate for
Obatal as it contains all the colors of the
rainbow yet is above them. Obatal is also the
only orisha that has both male and female paths.

Prayer for Obatala: Obatal ob lay ela iwo

alara ach

Oy
Oy is the ruler of the winds, the whirlwind and
the gates of the cemetery. Her number is nine
which recalls her title of Yans or "Mother of
Nine" in which she rules over the egun or dead.
She is also known for the colors of maroon,
flowery patterns and nine different colors. She is
a fierce warrior who rides to war with Shang
(sharing lightning and fire with him) and was
once the wife of Ogn.

Oshn
Oshn rules over the sweet waters of the world,
the brooks, streams and rivers, embodying love,
fertility. She also is the one we most often
approach to aid us in money matters. She is the
youngest of the female orishas but retains the
title of Iyalode or great queen. She heals with
her sweet waters and with honey which she also
owns. She is the femme fatale of the orishas and
once saved the world by luring Ogn out of the
forests using her feminine wiles. And,in her
path or manifestation of Ib Ikol she saved the
world from draught by flying up to heaven
(turning into a vulture in the process). Ikol
means Messenger of the House (of Olodumare).
For this reason all who are to be initiated as
priests, no matter what orisha rules their head,
must go to the river and give account of what
they are about to do. She recognises herself in
the colors yellow and gold and her number is
five. Peacocks and vultures are hers and we use
them often to represent her.

Yemay
Yemay lives and rules over the seas and lakes.
She also rules over maternity in our lives as she
is the Mother of All. Her name, a shortened
version of Yey Omo Eja means "Mother
Whose Children are the Fish" to reflect the fact
that her children are uncountable. All life started
in the sea, the amneotic fluid inside the mother's
womb is a form of sea where the embryo must
transform and evolve through the form of a fish
before becoming a human baby. In this way
Yemay displays herself as truly the mother of
all. She partakes of Olokun's abundance as the
source of all riches which she freely gives to her
little sister Oshn. She dresses herself in seven
skirts of blue and white and like the seas and
profound lakes she is deep and unknowable. In
her path of Okutti she is the queen of witches
carrying within her deep and dark secrets. Her
number is seven for the seven seas, her colors
are blue and white, and she is most often
represented by the fish who are her children.
Prayer for Yemaya: Iy ey ayaba okun om ir
gbogbo awani Iy
 Shang:
Perhaps the most 'popular' of the orishas,
Shang rules over lightning, thunder, fire, the
drums and dance. He is a warrior orisha with
quick wits, quick temper and is the epitomy of
virility. Shang took the form of the fourth
Alafin (supreme king) of Oy on Earth for a
time. He is married to Obba but has relations
with Oy and Oshn. He is an extremely hot
blooded and strong-willed orisha that loves all
the pleasures of the world: dance, drumming,
women, song and eating. He is ocanani with
Eleggu, meaning they are of one heart. When
sees the quickness with which lightning makes
short work of a tree or a fire rage through an
area, one has witnessed the temper of Shang in
action. Though he traded the Table of If to
Orunmila in exchange for the gift of dance, his
children have an innate ability for divination. To
acknowledge the greatness of this king, all in
the religion raise up on the toes of our feet (or
rise out our chairs if we are sitting) at the
mention of his name. His colors are red and
white and he recognises himself in the numbers
four and six. He is most often represented by a
double headed axe.

Prayer for Shango: Shang ob ad oko, ob

ina, Alafin Oy ach o

Orunmila
Orunmila is the orisha of wisdom, knowledge
and divination. He was the only orisha allowed
to witness the creation of the universe by Olorun
and bears witness to our destinies in the making
as well. This is the source of his title of Eleri
Ipin or "Witness to Destiny in its Creation". His
priests, the babalawos or "Fathers of the
Secrets" must devote themselves entirely to the
practice of divination and the accompanying
arts. Through the Table of If his priests unfold
the secrets of the universe and the secrets of the
unfolding of our lives. His colors are green and
yellow which reflect Orunmila's relationship
with Osayn (the secrets of the plant world) and
with Oshn, who is his apeteb with whom he
has an extremely close relationship.
Prayer for Orunmila: Orunmila Ibikeyi
Oludumare ela isode ach