What Are The 7 African Powers?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Another common initiation is the intitiation into the Seven African Powers (

Elegua, Obatala

How many orisha are there?

Yoruba tradition often says that there are

400 + 1 orisha

, which is associated with a sacred number. Other sources suggest that the number is “as many as you can think of, plus one more – an innumerable number”. Different oral traditions refer to 400, 700, or 1,440 orisha.

What color is Yemaya?

Yemọja Color

Blue and White/Crystal beads
Region Yorubaland, Brazil, Cuba Ethnic group Yoruba people, Equivalents

What is African spirituality?

African spirituality is

a holistic concept that stemmed from the historical, cultural and religious heritage of Africa

, and includes among others, folktales, beliefs, rituals and culture.

Who is the most powerful orisha?


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.

Is Orisha a goddess?

Oshun is commonly called the river orisha, or

goddess

, in the Yoruba religion and is typically associated with water, purity, fertility, love, and sensuality. She is considered one of the most powerful of all orishas, and, like other gods, she possesses human attributes such as vanity, jealousy, and spite.

How many gods are in Yoruba land?

There are

at least 401 recognized Orisha, or

gods, in the Yoruba pantheon. Many of these Orisha are localized ancestral spirits or nature gods and are worshiped in relatively small areas.

Who is the oldest Orisha?


Obatalá (also known as Ochalá or Oxalá; Orichalá or Orixalá)

is the oldest “orisha funfun” (“white deity”), referring to purity, both physically and symbolically as in the “light” of consciousness. In Santería, Obatalá is syncretized with Our Lady of Mercy and Jesus Of Nazareth.

Who is the Orisha of the earth?

The Yoruba people believe that the orishas were sent by

Olodumare

, who is considered the Supreme God, to populate the Earth. Oshun, being one of the original 17 sent to Earth, was the only female deity.

Is Yemoja and Yemaya the same?

While Olokun is the Keeper of Secrets and rules over the depths of the ocean,

Yemaya presides over the surface waters

.

Is Yemaya real?

From the Yoruba religion, Yemaya was brought over to the New World by enslaved Africans as early as the 16th century. … Often depicted as a queenly mermaid, Yemaya is considered the Ocean Mother Goddess in

Santería

, an Afro-Caribbean religion practiced around the world.

What Orisha day is Wednesday?

ỌSẸ̀ in Yoruba calendar Day in Gregorian calendar Ọjọ́-Ìṣégun (Day of Victory) Tuesday
Ọjọ́rú

(Day of Confusion & Disruption) Wednesday
Ọjọ́bọ̀ (Day of Arrival) Thursday O̩jó̩-Ẹtì (Day of Postponement & Delay) Friday

Who is elegua?

Elegua (Yoruba: Èṣù-Ẹlẹ́gbára, also spelled Eleggua; known as Eleguá in Latin America and Spanish-speaking Caribbean islands) is

an Orisha, a deity of roads in the religions of Santeria

(Santería), Umbanda, Quimbanda, and Candomblé.

What is the oldest religion?

The word Hindu is an exonym, and while

Hinduism

has been called the oldest religion in the world, many practitioners refer to their religion as Sanātana Dharma (Sanskrit: सनातन धर्म, lit.

What is NDAU spirit?

Historical records describe the Ndau as “humble and non-violent” people and yet are known to use magic when offended or to deal with transgressors. Their spirits are also

known to fiercely revenge deaths due to murders or other unjust means

.

What is the African word for God?

With the advent of either Islam or Christianity, the word “

Mulungu”

was usually adopted to mean the Christian or Islamic God. Over thirty translations of the Bible in African languages use the word Mulungu to refer to the Father.

Maria Kunar
Author
Maria Kunar
Maria is a cultural enthusiast and expert on holiday traditions. With a focus on the cultural significance of celebrations, Maria has written several blogs on the history of holidays and has been featured in various cultural publications. Maria's knowledge of traditions will help you appreciate the meaning behind celebrations.