illustrates Dalton Muniz
edition Felipe van Deursen
This set of beliefs that inspired candomblé is based on living in harmony and in community. There is no separation between men and animals, which even act like humans. Solidarity and prosperity come from working in the field. The cult of ancestry is also important, which is why the continuity of life is praised through the female figure. Humans and deities are equally susceptible to uncertainty (sort of like in Greek mythology). There is no “evil”, but there are consequences for actions that do not contribute to personal and overall balance.
the creation of the world
Here, we too come from clay
1. In the beginning, Olorum, the supreme being, ruled over Orun, the sky. Earth was nothing more than an immensity of swamps ruled by Olokun, the great mother, guardian of ancestral memory. So Obatalá, the deity of creation, came up with the idea of putting solid earth over the swamps.
2. Instructed by Orunmila, divinity of prophecies and destiny, Obatalá worked four days and built Aiyê, our world, with mountains, fields and valleys. For the new place to have life, Olorun created the Sun, sent a palm tree and made it rain, so that the tree would sprout. Forests and rivers appeared
3. In order to populate the place, Obatalá modeled humans in clay with the help of Oduduá, with whom he formed the driving couple of life. Once the dolls were finished, they placed the emi, the breath of life, in them. The first city in which humans lived was called Ifé. Obatalá returned to Orun and told the news to the orisa
4. The orisa (or orixás) are divine beings who personify the elements of nature and are indispensable to the balance and continuity of life. They went to live with the humans, and Olorum guided them: there would only be harmony if the orixás listened to the humans and guided them – they would be their protégés
5. Harmony in Ife grew monotonous, and people began to desire bigger houses and more fertile crops. They asked Olorum, who warned that the end of this balance would bring conflicts. The people insisted and Olorum gave what they asked. The city was filled with contrasts. Unable to dialogue, the people separated into tribes
SEE TOO?
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+ What is Mayan mythology like?
+ What is Chinese mythology like?
+ What is Polynesian mythology like?
Most worshiped deities
How is Yoruba “Olympus”
Xangô – Owner of lightning, lightning, rocks and justice. He had three wives: Iansã, Oxum and Obá
Exu – The messenger orixá between deities and men, who transports the offerings
iansa
Iansã – Warrior. She is the deity of winds and storms, she takes care of the souls of the dead. Impulsive and full of passions, she prefers the battlefield to housework.
Yemanja – Represents motherhood and fertility, as well as being a deity of the seas
Oxumaré – Live six months as a man and six as a woman. Transports water between heaven and earth using the rainbow
oba – Deity of clay and floods, carries weapons and cooks food
oxum – The most beautiful, always represented with a fan, mirror and showy clothes. Deity of fresh water, fertility and love
ossaim – Deity of forests, leaves and medicinal herbs
Ogun – Deity of iron and war. Strong and adventurous, he is associated with Saint George in Catholic mythology.
Ochosi – Hunter, orixá of the forests
Mother Africa
Yoruba people dominated much of the continent
The Yoruba would originate from the Upper Nile region. Around the 6th century, they settled in the city of Ifé, in present-day Nigeria. In the 15th century, they were a mighty empire, whose domains spread across Africa. Because of this, its mythology spread across the continent and later reached the Americas with enslaved people. Thus, the communities that emerged in the New World served as a nursery for the birth of other religions, derived from Yoruba. This is the case of our candomblé. As the record of myths was only oral, many underwent changes over time. Today they have different versions
READ TOO
– What is an exu?
– What is the connection between Catholic saints and orixás?
– What is macumba?
– What is the pombagira?
Consultancy Luana R. Emil (Oiá Gbemi), anthropologist from the Graduate Program in Social Anthropology at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (PPGAS/UFRGS)
Sources Book Yoruba Myths, by José Beniste; and website ocandomble.com