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Chapter Two (Awosope)

The Yoruba people of West Africa have an elaborate system of religion and cosmology. They believe in a supreme deity called Olodumare or Olorun as the creator. Below this supreme deity are over 400 lesser deities called orishas, who each have specific duties and roles. The orishas can be divided into two main categories - primordial divinities that existed before creation, and deified ancestors who were important historical figures honored as deities. The most important orisha is Obatala, the father and archdivinity who was responsible for molding humans from clay, though Olorun gave them life. Obatala is seen as benevolent, just, calm and compassionate,

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212 views2 pages

Chapter Two (Awosope)

The Yoruba people of West Africa have an elaborate system of religion and cosmology. They believe in a supreme deity called Olodumare or Olorun as the creator. Below this supreme deity are over 400 lesser deities called orishas, who each have specific duties and roles. The orishas can be divided into two main categories - primordial divinities that existed before creation, and deified ancestors who were important historical figures honored as deities. The most important orisha is Obatala, the father and archdivinity who was responsible for molding humans from clay, though Olorun gave them life. Obatala is seen as benevolent, just, calm and compassionate,

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Awosope Segun
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Just as most beliefs, the Yoruba culture includes a world of myths, allegories, poetry and the

love and wisdom of the Ifa divination system which helps to remind the Yoruba people of their

past and customs that have survived through history and have helped shape their literature and

religion as we know it today. Yoruba cosmology consists not only of a Supreme Being and

numerous divinities called orisa, but also a conglomeration of spirits, ancestral forces and

psychic agencies*.

The Yoruba have an elaborate hierarchy of deities, each with special duties and functions. They

believe in a supreme but remote spirit, Olodumare, also known as Olorun, the lord of heaven

and the creator. Some four hundred lesser gods and spirits, known individually and collectively

as orisa, are recognized. An orisa is a person who lived on earth when it was first created and

from whom present-day people are descended.*

*J. Omosade Awolalu divided the orishas into three categories: primordial divinities, deified

ancestors, and personified natural forces and phenomena. The deities in Yoruba religious

beliefs are classified into two groups i.e, Primordial deities and diefied ancestors. Primordial

divinities are those that existed long before the creation of the world as it is now known. Some

of these orishas are primordial in the sense that they existed before the creation of human

beings. They emanated directly from God without any human aid, they are ara orun, people of

heaven. Orunmila (god of wisdom) alongside Esu (god of sacrifices), Ogun (god of iron), Obatala

the archdivinity (god of creation), and Osun (river and fertility goddess) belong to the

Primordial group of Yoruba deites. The other group I.e, deified ancestors they are people who

lived in this world after it was formed and had such a significant influence on it that their
descendants have continued to honor them are known as deified ancestors. They were rulers,

cultural heroes and heroines, warriors, and city founders who, by their contributions to culture

and social life, had a significant impact on the lives of the populace and on Yoruba society.

According to Yoruba legend, they were persons who had the ability to take charge of a natural

force, form a connection of dependency with it, and draw its beneficial action toward

themselves and their community while directing its destructive elements onto enemies.*

Each divinity played different roles in the creation of the universe in Yoruba creation myth, they

also play different roles in the lives of the people. The benevolent father and archdivinty of all

orishas and all people is Obatalá also known as Orisha nla. He was charged with the creation of

earth by Olodumare but Additionally, he is the creator of all minds and heads. Obatalá is the

moulder of humans, but Olorun is responsible for giving life to these forms moulded by

Obatala. All that is clean, knowledgeable, calm, and compassionate originates from Obatalá. He

does, however, have a warrior side through which he upholds justice in the world. His color is

white, and to symbolize his/her various routes, it is frequently highlighted with red, purple, and

other colors. Obatalá is best represented by the color white which symbolizes his purity and

cleaness The only orisha with both male and female paths is Obatalá.*

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