Who are the Orisha?

From West Africa to the New World, the Orisha are personifications of natural forces.

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It is often said that there are 401 Orisha. Traditionally, the Yoruba only count to 400, and 1 is added to represent infinity.

The Lucumí believe in one God, Olodumare, who is vast and remote. Olodumare is also known as Olorun and Olofin. Olodumare assigned the care of day to day issues to the Orisha.

The Orisha are facets of the aché, or energy, of Olodumare. They are deified aspects of nature - the mountain, the river, the thunder, the ocean. Some are also revered ancestors of the Yoruba people of Southwest Nigeria - such as Changó, who once walked the earth as Sàngó, the third Alaafin (Ruler) of Òyó. Before we’re born, each person goes before God and selects a head, a destiny, that is owned by one of the Orisha. This Orisha, whether we know it or not, acts as a parent for us, shaping our personality and our lives, and if we maintain a relationship with them, protecting us from some of the pitfalls of the particular destiny we chose.

Painting: Oñí pa’ Ochún by Javier Gonzalez Gallosa

Painting: Oñí pa’ Ochún by Javier Gonzalez Gallosa

The Orisha are worshipped through ceremonies that birth, feed, and maintain their aché in physical shrines that live in practitioners’ homes. Song, dance, and drum allow the Orisha to come to earth by mounting their priests, to give advice and provide assistance to their community. Orisha worship is all about creating and growing relationships - with the Orisha, the ancestors, our elders, and our own heads.