los orishas

"The name by which the religion is now most commonly known, "Santeria," is a pejorative term first applied by the Spanish to the religious practices of the peasantry. It was used as a derogatory reference to the unusual amount of devotion and attention paid to the Catholic Saints, often in preference to Jesus Christ. This term was again used in Cuba to identify the "pagan" religion. The Yoruba devotion to the Orishas, who were often referred to as "santos" ("saints") by both slave and slave-owners, was mistakenly seen as the 'fanatical' worship of demigods and the neglect of 'God.' Therefore, the opprobrious and demeaning term 'Santeria' was extended to the religious practices of the so-called 'savages.' Only in recent years, after having the label applied by outsiders for an extended period of time, has the term begun to be used by members of the religion."
"The Lukumi Tradition" by Afolabi"
 

Odumare (la fuente de as fuerzas de la naturaleza que genera el espectro de la luz), también conocido como Olorun (Señor del Cielo) creó el universo y todo lo que en el existe. En la creación fue asistido por dos "ministros": Obatala u Oshanlá (orisa de los paños blancos) y Orunmila (Orisa de la inteligencia, la sabiduría y la adivinación). Oshanla, el primero de los ministros tenía como función moldear una criatura, dándole forma, a espera de Olodumare, para asignarle un soplo de vida. Un segundo ministro, cuya función fue la de ser testigo de la creación, se convirtió en conocedor de los misterios de la creación y el destino de cada ser vivo en el universo, Por eso el conocedor de los misterios de la creación y el destino de cada ser vivo del Universo. Por esta razón es visto como el portavoz de los deseos de Olodumare. Podemos hacer una comparación de esta trinidad como siendo Olodumare = Dios, Obatalá = Hijo y Orunmila el Espíritu Santo.
Después de la creación del mundo, este estaba totalmente cubierto por agua y solamente existía un mundo marítimo este era el reino y dominio de Olokun. Existiendo el dominio de las aguas, estaba impedida la vida a otros Orixas. Estos se reunieron y fueron a pedir a Olodumare que crease un nuevo mundo, una tierra sólida para que pudiesen ellos también usufructuar de un nuevo planeta donde pudieran participar de las casas y convivieran con otros seres humanos que serían los Eguns (Espíritus) en Orun (Cielo), a espera de un cuerpo (Ara) para así vivir en la Tierra (Ilé) y de ella aprender sus enseñanzas.Atendiendo a este pedido, Olodumare envió a Obatala al mundo a través de una corriente que ligaba a Orun con Ilé, le entrego una concha conteniendo tierra, una gallina con cinco garras y un pombo Esta entonces comenzó a esparcir la tierra, formando los continentes. El lugar donde Obatalá deposito la tierra y donde todo el trabajo comenzó, paso a llamarse Ile Ifé (Ilé, tierra, Ifé (que se alargó o se expandió), que vino a ser la Ciudad Sagrada de los Yorubas.Después de la creación de los continentes Obatalá volvió a Orun y anuncio a Olodumare que su misión había sido cumplida.
Fuente: Asociación Cultural Yoruba de Cuba
 

Elegguá 
Catholic Syncretism  
Holy Child of Atocha

Celebration: June 29 
Garments: Crimson; lately green, black, and red are gaining popularity as Ogún's garment's color 
Beads: Green & black; green, black, & red; brown & black  
Ritual implement: Machete 
Sacrifices: He-goats, dogs, agouties, turtles, roosters, pigeons, guinea hens, and any hunted animals 
Taboos: None 
Ritual Numbers: 3, 7, and 21
 Sacrificial Animals:
Small goats, roosters. On rare occasions, monkeys, sheep, bulls, ox and deer. Chickens should not be offered. Elegua is a glutton and will bother and torment the participants at a ceremony until he has had his fill of blood.
Sacrificial Foods:
Smoked fish and smoked jutia. He loves yams. His favorite fruit is sugar cane. Everything should be well spiced with corojo butter. He loves to drink aguardiente and he favors standing water
 

Ogún 
Catholic Syncretism: Saint Peter      

Celebration: June 29 
Garments: Crimson; lately green, black, and red are gaining popularity as Ogún's garment's color 
Beads: Green & black; green, black, & red; brown & black  
Ritual implement: Machete 
Sacrifices: He-goats, dogs, agouties, turtles, roosters, pigeons, guinea hens, and any hunted animals 
Taboos: None 
Ritual Numbers: 3, 7, and 21
Sacrificial Animals: Young bulls, roosters (especially white and red roosters). All other quadrupeds.
Sacrificial Foods:
Smoked fish and smoked jutia. Yam with blood. The sapodilla is his favorite fruit. All his food should be heavily smeared with corojo butter. Ogun drinks aguardiente. His water should come from a standing pond
 

 Oshosi (Ochosi) 

Catholic Syncretism: Saint Norbert  
 

Celebration: June 6 
Garments: Dark Blue and gold, ornamented with hides and cowries 
Beads: Dark blue, amber, & red, with coral and jet beads 
Ritual implement: Bow and arrow 
Sacrifices: He-goats, deer, agoutis, roosters, quails, pigeons, guinea hens, and all hunted animals. 
Taboos: None 
Ritual Numbers: 3, 7, and 21 
Sacrificial Animals: Deer, red roosters. Sheep, goat, pigs.
Sacrificial Foods:
Smoked fish and smoked jutia. Yams. Mango is his favorite fruit. All his food should be liberally covered with corojo butter. He drinks aguardiente. Oshosi's water should come from a well
 

INLE
Catholic Syncretism:
 Saint Raphael  
 

Celebration: October 24 
Garments: Turquoise blue & pink, ornamented with cowries 
Beads: Coral, jet beads, and gold; turquoise blue, with coral, yellow, and opal. A metal fish is strung into his eleké (necklace) 
Ritual implement: Fishing rod; bow and arrow. 
Sacrifices: Ram, sheep, fish, roosters, pigeons, and guinea hens 
Ritual Numbers: 7
 

Babaluaiyé (Babalú Ayé)
 
Catholic Syncretism: The popular Saint Lazarus worshiped by millions in Latin America, though not officially recognized as a saint by the Church 
 

Celebration: December 17 
Garments: Crimson and burlap 
Beads: Colors depend on the road, yet most use a white bead which has blue stripes, adorned with cowries and jet beads  
Taboos: Sesame seeds and peanut shells 
Ritual numbers: 7, 17  
Sacrificial Animals:
Gelded goat, spotted rooster. Also, chickens, guinea hens, snakes, quail and wild pigs.
Sacrificial Foods:
Fermented corn meal. Babalu-Aye loves to drink aguardiente and to smoke good cigars. Coconut butter (ori) is his favorite condiment. His water should come from a pond.
Babalu-Aye is an Orisha with simple tastes and will accept with a piece of stale brea
water, dry wine and a few peanuts if the petitioner cannot afford anything better.
 

Obatalá  
 
Catholic Syncretism:
Our Lady of Mercy 
 

Celebration: September 24 
Garments: White with silver trimming 
Beads: White with ivory and mother of pearl
Ritual implement: White horse or cow tail whisk; a cane 
Sacrifices: She-goat, he-goat, hens, roosters, pigeons and guinea hens 
Taboos: Salt, palm oil and liquor 
Ritual Numbers: 8 
Sacrificial Animals:
Female goats, white chickens, white canaries. In cases of grave illness, he will accept a white female calf.
Sacrificial Foods: Yam, rice flour paste, corn meal dumplings and black eyed peas. He hates alcoholic beverages. The only spice that Obatala likes is cocoa butter. He drinks chequete. His water comes from the rain. His favorite fruit is the sweet soursop (guanabana
Obá Moró; Ochagriñan y Obá Lufón, suelen sincretizarse con Jesús de Nazareno, que es la representación de Jesús en su camino al monte Gólgota con la cruz acuesta. Ochagriñan baja tembloroso y patético, Obá Lufón baja completamente encorvado y con las manos a ras del suelo y Obá Moró que cuando baja camina como si cargara la cruz.
Ayáguna, camino de Obatalá macho, es intrépido guerrero y combativo, Olofi lo mandó a poner paz en la tierra, pero al ver que no le hacían caso comenzó a cortar cabezas y se enamora de esa vida guerrera, por lo que suele sincretizarse con Jesucristo de treinta y tres años que fue la edad mas combativa de Jesucristo.
Igbá Ibó que es un camino de Obatalá que representa el pensamiento divino, el misterio del güiro que habla, no se deja ver y si alguien lo viera queda ciego, se sincretiza con el Ojo de la Divina Providencia.
Y así otros caminos más de Obatalá que se sincretizan con San José y con San Joaquín, pero la más generalizada es la de la Virgen de la Mercedes, en el argot popular, pero cuando se es conocedor y se profundiza en la religión yoruba se hace sus diferencias.
 

Osayín (Osaín)

Catholic Syncretism:
Saint Ambrose or Saint Sylvester
 

Celebration: December 31 
Garments: He has no specific colors 
Beads: Beads of all colors,
Ritual implement: Gourd 
Sacrifices: He-goats, rams, turtles, roosters, quails, pigeons, guinea hens, and all hunted animals 
Taboos: Women cannot walk under his gourd. He must not live close to Oyá’s attributes 
Ritual Numbers: 7, 21
Sacrificial Animals:
Goats and red roosters, turtles, turkeys, guinea hens, quail, black male doves, owls, monkeys. All reptiles, especially the crocodile. Osain will receive the feathers and the blood of pheasants, the heart of mockingbirds and the feathers and blood of hummingbirds. He also likes peacock feathers.
Sacrificial Foods:
The sap of trees and herbs. seeds, flowers and grains. Tobacco. He often appears to people with insomnia and asks them for a light. He drinks aguardiente.

 

Shangó
Catholic Syncretism:
 Saint Barbara
 

Celebration: December 4 
Garments: Red with gold trimming 
Beads: Red and white  
Ritual implement: A double-headed axe 
Sacrifices: Rams, young bulls, turtles, quails, roosters and guinea hens 
Taboos: None 
 

Celebration: None 
Garments: Dark blue, with silver or gold trimmings 
Beads: Dark blue, green, red, with coral 
Ritual implement: None 
Sacrifices: Rams, sheep, pigs, ducks, roosters, pigeons, and guinea hens 
Taboos: Requires full attire in his presence 
 Ritual Numbers: 7, 9, and 21
 

Celebration: April 27 
Garments: Crimson or pink and crimson 
Beads: Pink and red (or burgundy), with coral and mother of pearl. 
Ritual implement: None 
Sacrifices: She-goats, ducks, hens, pigeons, and guinea hens, and all must be virgin. 
Taboos: Sexual promiscuity and the use of foul language in her presence. She requires full attire in her presence. 
Ritual Numbers: 7, 9 
 

Celebration: April 30 
Garments: Burgundy ornamented with pink, and gold trimming 
Beads: Brown, with Opal and coral. A small, gold key hangs from her eleké 
Ritual implement: Chest and key 
Sacrifices: She-goats or castrated goats, hens, pigeons, and guinea hens 
Taboos: Oba forbids adultery 
Number: 8 
 

Garments: Red, ornamented with gold trimming. A second version is turquoise and pink, laced with gold trimming 
Beads: Turquoise, pink, some red and opal, with coral and jet beads 
Ritual implement: Ox-drawn cart and plow 
Sacrifices: He-goat, roosters, pigeons, and guinea hens 
Taboos: None 
Ritual Numbers: 7
Sacrificial Animals: Red roosters, monkeys.
Sacrificial Foods: Yams and all produce from the garden
 

Celebration: September 8 
Garments: Blue (all shades), white, with silver trimmings 
Beads: Blue (all shades), crystal or opal, with either red or coral  
Ritual implement: Black cow or horse switch; machete; anchor 
Sacrifices: Rams, sheep, roosters, ducks, pigeons, and guinea hens 
Taboos: None 
Ritual Numbers: 7 
Sacrificial Animals: Lamb, ducks, roosters, turtles goats. Fish and pigeons.
Sacrificial Foods:
Banana chips and pork cracklings washed down with chequete. Black-eyed peas. All her food should be liberally spread with sugar cane molasses. Yemaya's favorite fruit is the watermelon. Her water is seawater
 

Celebration: January 1  
Garments: White with silver trimmings 
Beads: Opal, with coral, mother of pearl, and ivory 
Ritual implement: Closed calabash 
Sacrifices: He and she-goats, roosters, hens, pigeons, and guinea hens, all white 
Taboos: Sexual pro miscuity
Ritual Numbers: 16 
 

Ibejí   

Catholic Syncretism:
Saint Cosme and
 Saint Damian 

 

Celebration: September 27 
Garments: The Lukumí dress the eré Ibejí—Ibejí dolls or carvings— in red and blue 
Sacrifices: Chickens and pigeons 
Taboos: None 
 Ritual Numbers: 2, 4 
Sacrificial Animals:
Pigs, sheep, goats, bull calves and donkeys. Men who suffer from impotency or other sexual problems only offer the testicles of these animals.
Sacrificial Foods: Candies and sweets.
Herbs: Palm, gourds, coco plum, corn, gemip, sago palm, sapodilla, tomato.
 

Beads: None 
Ritual implement: Two bull or buffalo horns 
Sacrifices: Pigeons, though some lineages sacrifice to Ogé together with Shangó 
Taboos: None 
Ritual Numbers: 2, 6
 

Orúnmilá (Orúnlá)  
  
Origin: Celestial 
 

Catholic Syncretism: None  
Celebration: None 
Garments: Dark blue, with silver or gold trimmings 
Beads: Dark blue, green, red, with coral 
Ritual implement: None 
Sacrifices: Rams, sheep, pigs, ducks, roosters, pigeons, and guinea hens 
Taboos: Requires full attire in his presence 
 Ritual Numbers: 7, 9, and 21
 

Celebration: September 12 
Garments: Yellow or amber, with gold trimmings  
Beads: Amber or honey colored beads, with yellow, green, red, with coral
Ritual implement: Brass bell; a fan ornamented with peacock feathers 
Sacrifices: Castrated goats, hens, pigeons, and guinea hens 
Taboos: None generic, though some of her roads do have specific proscriptions 
Ritual Numbers: 5 
Sacrificial Animals:
Neutered or female goat, white chickens, sheep, female calf, female pig, female rabbit. Oshun does not like any other type of bird. Her sacrifices should be made next to rivers or other sources of flowing sweet water.
Sacrificial Foods:
Ochin-Ochin (spinach with shrimp) and pumpkins. Her fruit is the lucuma. All of her food should be liberally garnished with honey. Oshun drinks chamomille tea. The water for the tea, and all water used in a ceremony for Oshun, should be river water.
All offerings to Oshun must be extremely clean and well prepared. She will not enter a dirty house
 

Oya wears a crown with nine points from which hang nine charms; a hoe, a pick, a gourd, a lightning bolt, a scythe, a shovel, a rake, an ax, and a mattock. A spear or a metal rendition of a lightning bolt
Sacrificial Animals: Chickens and guinea hens. Some hold that Oya does not eat any four legged animals, but others say that she likes female goats. Sacrificial Foods: Ekru-Aro (black-eyed peas unpeeled and cooked in a double boiler. Her favorite fruit is the star apple. Oya loves eggplant. All of her food should be liberally laced with corojo butter. She drinks chequete. Her water should be rain water.

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