The Yoruba people have a large population in West Africa and broad dispersion through enslavement in the Americas.
The most prevalent West African religions, both in Africa and the Americas, are often those of the Yoruba people or those that were influenced by them. These West African religions also have intricate theologies. For instance, the Yoruba are thought to have a pantheon of up to 6,000 deities.
Yoruba deities are classified majorly into two groups: the Oriá¹£a (benevolent spirits) and the Ajogun (malevolent spirits). This article consists of a list of the Oriá¹£a and Ajogun.
The Oriá¹£a
The Ajogun
Supreme Deity
The Supreme Being in Yorùbá culture is known as á»Âlá»Ârun, Olódùmarè or Elédùa amongst other names.
Major male Oriá¹£a
- Aganjú - oriṣa that was a warrior king, walked with a sword as a staff, and is associated with fire. He is not associated with volcanoes in Yorùbáland in West Africa, contrary to what is believed in Cuban-style practice of Oriṣa.
- Agẹmá» - the chameleon servant of the Supreme God á»Âlá»Ârun.
- á»Âbalúayé - oriá¹£a of the Earth, strongly associated with infectious disease and healing.
- ÃÂṣù - the orisha of crossroads, trickery, duality, beginnings and balance.
- á»Âbàtálá - creator of human bodies; oriá¹£a of light, spiritual purity, and moral uprightness.
- Odùduwà- progenitor oriṣa of the Yoruba.
- ÃÂgún - oriá¹£a who presides over iron, fire, hunting, smithery and war.
- Okó - a hunter and farmer oriṣa.
- Osanyin - oriá¹£a of the forest, herbs and medicine.
- á»ÂÃÂá¹£á»ÂÃÂá»ÂÃÂsì - oriá¹£a of the hunt, forest, strategy and of the knowledge.
- Ṣàngó - oriṣa of thunder and lightning.
Major female Oriá¹£a
- á»Âbà- first wife of Ṣàngó and oriá¹£a of domesticity and marriage.
- á»ÂÃÂá¹£un - oriá¹£a who presides over love, intimacy, beauty, wealth, diplomacy and of the Osun river.
- á»Âya - oriá¹£a of the Niger River; associated with wind, lightning, fertility, fire, and magic.
- Yemá»Âja - oriá¹£a of water, women, the moon and of the Ogun river.
- Yemowo - wife of á»Âbàtálá and oriá¹£a of the water.
Metaphysical personifications or spirits
- Ara - personification of thunder.
- Ori - personification of one's spiritual intuition and destiny.
- - personification of death.
- Ajogun - each is a personification of negative aspects of life.
See also
References