ORICHAS Male2/28/2019 Short Oru Cantado Orunmila Changó Obatalá Olokun Babalú-Ayé
Orula (Orúnmila) is a major Orichá, and he's unique in several ways. First of all, Orula only goes to the head of Babalawos, men who have been initiated into Regla de Ifá. Ocha and Ifá are parallel traditions in Cuba, and they often work together in the same religious community. Women can receive the cofá (or ikofá) de Orula, and any man can receive mano (abo faca) de Orula; this puts them under Orula's protection but doesn't fully initiate them into Ifá or make them a Babalawo. Orula is the master diviner. According to the patakís (sacred tales of Yoruba mythology), Changó cut down the Ceiba tree and carved a divination tray out of the wood giving the secret of divination to Orula, so he became the owner of the até (wooden divination tray) and the only Orichá who can work with the oracle of Ifá. Orula is the only Orichá who knows the future of everyone on earth and has the power to influence our destiny, because when Olodumare was creating the universe, Orula was the only one present to witness it all. He knows how we can find happiness, health, peace of mind, and success, because he was present when we came into the world, and he knows what future awaits us. He can help us avoid mistakes by keeping us on the right path. Orula communicates with humans through divination with a Babalawo. Babalawos don't use dilogún (cowrie shells) like Santeros/as do. They use either an epuele (divining chain) or ikines (kola nuts), a wooden divining board covered in cascarilla (eggshell powder), a piece of horn from a stag's antler to mark certain odu (sacred signs) on the tray. Orula possesses and personifies wisdom, but he's also a powerful healer using herbs and roots. Orula protects against mental illness and insanity.
His colors are yellow and green, and his eleke (beaded necklace) is made of yellow and green beads, alternating. Men and women who've received the mano de Orula or cofá de Orula wear a yellow and green beaded bracelet on the left wrist to protect them from premature death. In the Catholic religion, he's syncretized with St. Francis of Asis. Those who have received cofá or mano de Orula should attend to Orula in a formal way once a month, usually when the moon is new. The traditional gift for him is two coconuts and two candles. Every day of the week is Orula's. Changó, or Shangó, is the owner of fire, lightening, thunder, and war, but also the patron of music, drumming, and dancing. In fact is the owner of the sacred batá. He represents male beauty and virility, passion and power. The sound of thunder followed by lightening are a sign that Changó and Oyá are fighting together. He protects against burns and death by fire. Changó's symbol is the double headed ax, which represents swift justice. On his head he wears a crown because, in his human form, he was a king in Oyo, the Yoruba ancestral homeland. He's proud, fierce, brave, a magnificent warrior, intelligent, hardworking and, above all, he likes to be acknowledged as the leader, he's a master at divination, and he's a great healer, but, he also shows imperfections that remind us of his time on earth: he's a great womanizer, and wasteful with money. Changó's children are like their father, strong willed, energetic, full of fire, intelligent, arrogant, charismatic and like to be the center of attention. His colors are red and white, and his eleke is made of alternating red and white beads. His number is 6, and his day of the week is Friday and the 4th day of every month. He's syncretized with Santa Barbara (because she's portrayed as a fiercely independent and brave young woman, dressed usually in a red and white costume, holding a sword and wearing a crown like Changó and there are more similarities between their stories: Santa Barbara's torturer was struck down by a lightening bolt, which is Changó's favorite weapon; and according to a patakí Changó, one time had to dress in women's clothes in order to escape from his enemies). Santa Bárbara's association with Changó shows that females and males alike can wield Changó's power. His followers call him by shaking a maraca as they pray to him at his altar. Those who have Changó on their head salute him by lying face down on the floor with arms extended to their sides. Olokun is the orisha of great wealth and of the bottom of the ocean, is unfathomable and potentially dangerous, because no living thing can return from Olokun's realm. Olokun is seen variously as female, male, or androgynous. He is revered as the ruler of all bodies of water and for the authority over other water deities. Olokun is highly praised for her or his ability to give great wealth, health and prosperity. ù Babalú-Ayé, also Omolu, Obaluaye, Obalue, is among the most popular orishas. Is an Orisha strongly associated with infectious disease and healing including the body, wealth, and physical possessions, with epidemics of smallpox, leprosy, influenza, ebola, HIV. Although strongly associated with illness and disease, Babalú-Ayé is also the spirit that cures these ailments. Both feared and loved, Babalú-Ayé is sometimes referred to as the “Wrath of the supreme god” because he punishes people for their transgressions. use sack cloth in rituals to evoke his humility. Syncretized with Saint Lazarus and regarded as particularly miraculous, Both traditions The spirit also appears in Palo rituals. Because of his knowledge of the forest and the healing power of plants, Babalú-Ayé is strongly associated with Osain, the orisha of herbs. Oba Ecun (an oriate in La Regla de Ocha) describes the two orisha as two aspects of a single being, while William Bascom noted that some connect the two through their mutual close relationship with the spirits of the forest called ijimere.
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AuthorA journey into the world of rhythm through the drum and the "contaminated" music of a Neapolitan percussionist who became "Babalawo". History, knowledge, information and personal experience from Cuba to Partenope (Naples): from the ritual Batà drums, traditional music, santeria and Yoruba religion of the afrocuban culture to the "Napoletanity" and the Neapolitan traditional song. Archives
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