Where did the word orisha originate from?
The term orisha refers to the deities of the Yoruba pantheon. According to Bolaji Idowu (1994), the word is a composite of two ideas: ori, “head,” and se, “source,” suggesting the relationship between the deities and God Almighty, Olodumare, from whence they came.
When did orisha originate?
between 500-300 BCE
Belief in the Orishas is thought to have developed between 500-300 BCE but is most likely much older, as this dating is supported by archaeological evidence and there are many West African sites still unexcavated.
What is orisha religion called?
Orishas (singular: orisha) are spirits that play a key role in the Yoruba religion of West Africa and several religions of the African diaspora that derive from it, such as Cuban, Dominican and Puerto Rican Santería and Brazilian Candomblé.
What is the history of orisha?
The roots of Orisha worship rest in Southwestern African indigenous rituals of the Yoruba-speaking tribes of Nigeria and Benin. The rituals were brought to the Americas (the Caribbean region, specifically Cuba) by enslaved people in the late 18th and early 19th century.
What does word orisha mean?
/ (əˈrɪʃə) / Save This Word! noun. any of the minor gods or spirits of traditional Yoruba religion and its S American and Caribbean offshoots such as Santeria and Candomblé
What is the oldest African religion?
Animism builds the core concept of traditional African religions. This includes the worship of tutelary deities, nature worship, ancestor worship and the belief in an afterlife.
Are orishas real?
orisha, also spelled orixa or orisa, any of the deities of the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria. They are also venerated by the Edo of southeastern Nigeria; the Ewe of Ghana, Benin, and Togo; and the Fon of Benin (who refer to them as voduns).
What does word Orisha mean?
How did the orishas get their powers?
Orisha Ogun merged through the crowd and caught powers that made him very strong, so strong no enemy could defeat him. He received a machete that could cut through any evil and make way for divine progression. He became the owner of the power of iron and metals, and was known as a powerful blacksmith.
Who is the most powerful orisha?
Ṣàngó
Ṣàngó is viewed as the most powerful and feared of the orisha pantheon. He casts a “thunderstone” to earth, which creates thunder and lightning, to anyone who offends him. Worshippers in Yorubaland in Nigeria do not eat cowpea because they believe that the wrath of the god of iron would descend on them.
What religion was Africa before Islam?
Forms of polytheism was widespreaded in most of ancient African and other regions of the world, before the introduction of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism.
Is Voodoo from Africa?
Vodun is an ancient religion practiced by some 30 million people in the West African nations of Benin, Togo and Ghana. With its countless deities, animal sacrifice and spirit possession, voodoo — as it’s known to the rest of the world — is one of the most misunderstood religions on the globe.
How to worship Orishas?
one cigar in half and offering half to the Orisha and the other half to the participants meets the ritual requirements. REQUIREMENTS FOR MEMBERSHIP The Orisha-worshiping religions are traditions that require initiation rituals for membership. There are degrees of membership; each is conferred during a different ritual. As the members progress from one
Are the orishas or vodun the same as angels?
Some Spirits that some have called Angels may be Orishas, but they are not really the same thing. In the west African Vodun Obatala is the king of the Orishas, and the Emissary of the Supreme God (Olorun). They have many attendants. In Jewish and Christian faith, these attendants are called Angels.
What is an Orisha religious leader called?
Basic Beliefs. Traditional Yoruba beliefs hold that all people experience Ayanmo,which is destiny or fate.
Are Orishas gods?
The orishas are the gods of Santeria, the beings that believers interact with on a regular basis. The number of orishas varies among believers. In the original African belief system from which Santeria originates, there are hundreds of orishas. New World Santeria believers, on the other hand, generally only work with a handful of them. Orunla