Hadithi ya Orisha

Hadithi ya Orisha

introduction:
An Orisha (also spelled Orisa or Orixa) is a spirit or deity that reflects one of the manifestations of
Olodumare (God) in the Yoruba spiritual or religious system. (Olodumare is also known by various
other names including Olorun, Eledumare, Eleda and Olofin-Orun.) This religion has found its way
throughout the world and is now expressed in several varieties which include Candomble,
Lucumi/Santeria, Shango in Trinidad, Anago, Oyotunji as well as some aspects of Umbanda, Winti,
Obeah, Vodun and as well as many others. These varieties or spiritual lineages as they are called are
practiced throughout areas of Nigeria, the Republic of Benin, Togo, Brazil, Cuba, Dominican Republic,
Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States and Venezuela
among others. As interest in African indigenous religions (spiritual systems) grows, Orisha
communities and lineages can be found in parts of Europe and Asia as well.
Itan / Pataki (singular and plural) is the Yorùbá term for the sum total of all Yorùbá myths, songs,
histories, and other cultural components. Yorùbá who accept itan as historical fact may rely on itan as
absolutes in the settlement of disputes.
The following is a Itans are those concerning the creation myth of the Yorùbá of ILE IFE.

maudhui (content)
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mwanzo (genesis: the beginning)

 olodumare
When we ascend into the Yoruba religion, We must first look at the source of all living creatures within
our universe and beyond. Thus it brings us to Olodumare , Oló-dú-ma- ré [Olo-run, Elédumare]
meaning . Owner of the universe, supreme god.
"Olodumare was transferred into Olorun. Literal meaning: ‘owner’. The head of the Yoruban pantheon,
which contains 1,700 divinities. He is Olofin-Orun, ‘lord of heaven’; also he is Olodumare, ‘almighty’
and ‘supreme’. To the Yoruba of Nigeria, this sky god is the discern-er of hearts—‘he who sees the
inside and the outside of man’. Active in celestial and terrestrial affairs, Olorun is able to do all things;
he is the enabler of all who achieve any ends. No one has ever seen this ‘king who cannot be found by
searching’, yet as Olodumare he is omnipotent : a mighty, eternal rock, forever constant and reliable.

Olorun created the universe, appointed night and day, arranged the seasons, and fixed the destiny of
men. When ever a misfortune befalls a bad person, the Yoruba say ‘he is under the lashes of god’.

Death was his creation too. At first men did not die. They grew to an immense size, after which they
shrank into feeble old people. Because there were so many of them around, men prayed to Olorun,
begging him to free them from long life, and in this way the old ones died." defined by the

World Mythology Dictionary

There are several stories to the creation myth of the Yoruba People of Nigeria depending on the area
that one would travel and which cities they heard the stories. Complicated by the oral traditions of the
Regla of Osha from the Cuban People.

I am going to re-account a Itan of the creation myth told by those of Ile Ife , the holy city and womb of
creation in Nigeria; later on in my blog . Which says to us that Olodumare transferred his spirit into a
new soul that he named "Oddua" (eldest path , avatar of the Orisa Nla Obatala ).

But first we must define who is OLODUMARE and what is his role within the African Nigerian
Religion "Osha" ( way of the saints )

Olodumare
Olodumare is the Yoruban supreme being , creator of Heavens and earth - time and day and night. He
is the creator that has existed since the beginning of time itself.

He is a impartial God who controls the destinies of mankind in his palm. It is widely accepted that the
Orisa are the ones that punish mankind when natural laws are broken; However it is Olodumare who
judges man on his innermost feelings , his Iwá Pélé ( good character) and his personality. For he knows
a mans utmost desires, feelings and innermost thoughts . Olodumare is the judge of mankind that at the
end of their life , they stand before him and he judges the mans soul on his morality and one does
receive his just rewards, in his end.

By the same token, Olodumare is the supreme regent in the kingdom of the heavens and earth and thus
he is as well the judge of the Orisa themselves. Nothing can be done against his will since it is because
of him that the elements and the everyday life on earth is controlled.

The major difference between the Orisa and Olodumare , is that Olodumare is the supreme being
( natural force, elemental; principal ) and therefore represents a more pure abstract concept of human
nature and human qualities.
Historians of the Yoruba Mysteries have always contemplated and debated the subtle differences
between Olodumare and the Orisa. Not able to understand the the significance that Olodumare holds
over our religion . Olodumare was utmost the complex spiritual being of our religious lives. Compared
to the Ancient Egyptians the concepts of Olodumare where very similar to those of the people rooted in
the northern Sudan or Northern territories of the Egypt, that under the First Dynasty of Egyptian rule ,
they abandoned the Sudan and brought with them the Cosmetology of Religion to the Egyptian people
in the cities of Thebes and Waset ( Noted: that the city of Thebes was also called the "city of Amun"
Affiliated with the sun god "Amon-Ra" in the late New Kingdom, as noted: from the text of the bible in
the story of Moses )

Thus bringing fourth a account that supreme deity within the Yoruba accounts could derive the
thoughts and a possibility that a Supreme Being revealed itself before to other people besides the
Israelite Jews.

As, I had accounted before Olodumare is also known as Olorun, and he allows himself to be seen in the
heavens during the daylight hours in his highness ( references to the sun and why this plays a important
role in all Yoruba ceremonies of giving reverences to Olorun with the mid-day sun : i.e.; Liberation).

The African Cubans and Americans have brought him closer to mankind with the title and name of
"Olofi".
This name Olofi-Olofin is the most common name used by the African Cubans for God, the origins of
this name is obscure. Santeros make a distinction between Olodumare and Olofi. Olodumare is a
transcending being, who is the essence of all there is and more. Olofi is the creation Manifesto itself,
rather than the creator .
He is Olodumare, manifested through Olorun, the true creator. Olodumare , Olorun and Olofi are
different aspects of the same spiritual being. Olodumare is the divine essence, the creative will; Olorun
is the creative act, and Olofi is the creation.
Eledá, is the God spirit manifested in mankind . Orí, is the driving force, and the awareness of that
spirit . - Migene González-Wippler - 1994 - Body, Mind & Spirit

This deity has no temples of worship nor is does he have consecrated priests, But all priests may give
offerings and should give reverences to him. The most qualified priests to Interpret his will and words
are through the Oracle of IFA , which he conveys his will and order to the children consecrated to the
deity of Orunmila.

The Black Afro-American population, who grew up in the churches and christian beliefs in the late 60's
and 70's. Who turned to the "Motherland"- Nigeria in "the awakening" of the civil right movement in
the United States, perceived the religion from their own point of view.

For them it was easy to base the presence of a remote supreme being of high spirituality and always
willing to help man in exchange for offerings and prayers. It was not difficult to start adoring the
Supreme being, and this humanized him to the extreme that in some houses of Orisa , he is worshiped
as any other deity of the Pantheon Yoruba. (O.Ecun)

Thus Olodumare, the creator essence brings us the story of the creation myth and how he formed our
world and the spirits therein and the spirits "Iborá"/Irunmole spiritual forces -demi gods children of the
creator came to be on the earth (Ode Aye) .
Olodumare, had passed time creating the universes . In the Lucumi language Olodumare means : The
beginning and end . and forms the foundations of where this planet was based upon.

One day , Olodumare began thinking of a world he could call his resting place , and he could create a
mighty kingdom , here his vision was attracted to a gaseous mass of hydrogen that contained oxygen
particles. He noted that this nebulous cloud contained all the desirable facets that this new world would
need in order to create his ALAFI ( house of God) . This area of the universe could allow the perfect
climate and future vegetation allowing for his children (Orisa) to live during the colder temperatures.

So he reached out and cupped the mass in his hands and he formed them into a ball and he lent his asé (
breath of life) , together the ingredients of this new formation exploded and erupted into a ball of
flames that soon cooled and the mass was a marvelous creation in his eyes . This new world held only
gases and fog that rose from the earths crust as the steam vaporized into a fog from the hot molten core
within. Unknown to Olodumare , at this point he had given life to this molten core in the form of Orisa
Oro Iña the orisa who along her sister Araiña ( they together control the fire elements of the earth along
with Agayu , as well learn later on . Oro Iña, is known as the mother earth , her number is represented
by nine (9) . She isn't what we call a popular Orisa , although without her there would be a huge hole in
the history of the Orisa worship. (In fact there are no volcanoes in Yorubaland, but yet to the south and
southwest boarders are two major volcanoes ; For the Yoruba to ignore this element of nature seems
contradicting).

According to the Nigerian Itan of creation is was here in the Republic of Nigeria and what is now
known as the city of ILE IFE, is where the world was created and begun. Olodumare decided to begin
populating the newly formed planet . He created the first man represented in his material form and
named him Obatala Nla "Oddua /Oduduwa" which means the beginning of the human race .

Olodumare decided that his kingdom needed inhabitants capable of multiplying and was then he
became determined he would form the earth a body and he would call it "Oddua/Oduduwa" ( the
beginning and end , In Lucumi his name means Longitude or Longevity). "Oddua" would have inside
his body the carnal spirit of Olodumare and he would be able to physically act as Olodumare on earth .
He would be in charge of governing the planet being the highest authority for all future generations to
pay tribute to him.

"Oddua/Oduduwa" has everything to due with from the beginning at birth to the end at death ( when I
say all, I mean all that concerns the planet). He is the father of the Yoruba people , the first inhabitant
of the planet earth , it is through him the planet would shape itself as we know it today and its round
shape. It was on the highest mountain that "Oddua/Oduduwa" was born and took shape of the material
body of man ( as man was born and formed from the earth) .

***One has to remember that there are several stories to the creation myth of the earth this is only one
of many ......

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