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Orixás
Overview
Introduction
During over 350 years black slaves were transported by boat from their native Africa to the transatlantic new world to work in the mines and on the plantations. The tradesmen from Bahia justified the cruel institute of slave commerce by converting the black souls, that were till then submurged in the darkness idolatry, to (mainly) catholissism. As such, all slave boats were baptised with the name of a christian saint, having the task to protect the slave merchant, his boats and the transported merchandise. Those saints, protectors of the slave merchants, allowed the slaves to mislead their masters regarding the signification of the danses they were allowed to perform on sundays during their reunions by originating country (in 1758 the count dos Arcos, 7th vice-king of Brazil, showed himself in favor of this kind of occupations, not by filanthropy, but because he thaught it was useful "that the slaves kept the memory of their origin alive, and that they wouldn't forget their mutual aversion that brought them to make war against each other in Africa". Divided as such, they wouldn't be able to organise a common rebellion against their master (as they would do 50 years later)).
They supposed that de danses their slaves performed, and the songs each chanted
in his own language, were but an innocent and nostalgic passtime. They couldn't know
that what they sang during those gatherings were actually prayers in honor of their
Orixas, Voduns or Inkissis.
When asked for explanations regarding their chants, the slaves stated that they were
hymns for the saints of the paradise (of the catholic church of course).
With time, the Africans began to create similarities between their Orixas ans the
saints of the catholic church. This religious synchretism came into being gradually,
and it is therefore very difficult to say when this mixing of religions and religious
convictions precisely took place.
Sometimes there is some concordance between the characteristics of an Orixa and
those of the corresponding saint, by their proprieties or their image. Every Orixa has
a corresponding saint, even when we don't know very well what relations there might
exist between the two of them.
Oxóssi
Oxóssi, god of the hunters, would be the youngest brother or the son of Ogum. In Africa, his cult is almost extinct, but in Brazil and in Cuba, it is still widespread. The reason is probably that Ketu, in Africa, was completely destroyed and pillaged by the troops of the Dahomean king in the 19th century, and that its residents, adepts of the cult of Oxóssio, were sold as slaves in Brazil and Cuba.
In Brazil, the many initiates wear light-blue necklaces. The day of the week that is dedicated to him is thursday. His symbols are a bow and arrows in wrought iron. One makes him offers of pigs and Axoxo (boiled beans with dried meat and vegetable), boiled corn, served with little pieces of coconut.
In Bahia, Oxóssi is syncretised with Saint-George, and in Rio with Saint-Sebastian. During public ceremonies in which the Orixas appear, he carries bow and arrow, his symbols, in one hand, and in the other an Erukere, animal tail, which, in Africa, is a symbol of royal dignity, that must remind us that he was a Ketu king.
Yansã
Oyá, better know in Brazil as Yansã, is the godess of the wind, of the storms and of the Niger river. She was the first wife of Xangô and was of an ardent and fiery nature.
In Brazil, her followers wear glass necklaces made of winecolored beads. Her day, wednesday, is the same as her husbands, Xangô. Her symbols are buffalo horns and a dagger, which are placed upon her altar. As offerings, one presents her with goats and acarajé (also called acará, black bean mash fritters, filled with ground dried shrimps and peppers). She hates pumpkin. She's not allowed to eat goats meat. When she manifests herself in one of her initiates, she wears a pearl crown that hides her face. In one hand she holds a dagger, in the other a horse tail (fly swatter). She performs a war danse, and if Ogum is present, she won't avoid a duel, probably as a reminder of their former inequities. Through her tortillating and fast movements, she also evoques storms and whirlwinds.
Oxum
Oxum is the goddess of the river of the same name in Nigeria, in the Ijexá and Ijebú region. She was, one says, the second wife of Xangô after having lived together with Ogum, Orunmila and Oxossi. Her father would be Oxalà. Women in want of a child address themselves to Oxum, as she is responsable for fertility.
The Axés of Oxum are little stones from the depths of the river of the same name, cupper jewels and a comb of tortoise.
In Brasil, her followers cary necklaces of goldyellow glass beads and a lot of tin bracelets. The day that's dedicated to her is daturday.
It is recommended to make her offerings of goats, Molukun (a mixture of ognion, fradinho-beans, salt and shrimps) and Adú (corn wheat whit honey and sweet olive oil). Her dance reminds of the behaviour of an idle, seducing woman going to the river to bathe. She pretties herself up with necklaces, shakes her amrs to make her bracelets resound, waves her fan and gladly admires herself in a mirror. The rithm that accompanies her danses is called Igéxa, the name of a region in Africa where the Oxum river flows. In Brasil, she is synchretised with Our Lady of Candeias (in Bahia) and Our Lady of Prazeres (in Recife), while in Cuba one assimilates her with Our Lady of the charity.
Omulú
Obalayê, the "King of the World", or Omulú, the "son of the lord" are the most common surnames of the god of pox and contagious diseases, Xapanam, whose name it is dangerous to pronounce.
He is synchretised with Saint-Lazarus and Saint-Rochus in Bahia and with Saint-Sebastian in Recife. His followers wear necklaces of black and red beads. The day that's dedicated to him is monday. That day, the ground of the church square of the Saint-Lazarus church is covered in popcorn, which people rub on their own body to protect themselves against contagious diseases. As such, during a single manifestation, the beliefs in the power of the African god and of the saint of the catholic church are coupled.
Foods forbidden for the adepts of Omulú are: mutton, freshwater fished with a smooth skin, bananas (from the prata species), fruit from climbing plants, pumpkin, melon, chuchu (tropical pumpkin species), the fruit of the bread tree, crabs, etc.
Ogum
In Yorubá territory, in Africa, Ogum is the god of iron, of blacksmiths, and of all those who use this metal like agriculturers, hunters, buchers, etc. In Brasil Ogum is principally known as the god of the warriors. He lost his role as protector of agriculture as the last centuries slaves weren't interested in an abondant and good harvest, and thus didn't seek his protection in the matter.
In Brasil, followers of Ogum wear necklaces with darkblue and sometimes green glass beads. His day is tuesday. His name is always mentioned at the occasion of offerings that one makes to different Orixás, at the moment the head of an animal is cut off with a knife - of which he is the lord - and the blood begins to flow. He is also the first to be greeted, after having departed properly from Exu. When the manifested Orixás enter in thei traditional clothing, Ogum always walks in front, "to open the way" for the other Orixás.
Xangô
Xangô is virile and powerfull, violent and the maintainer of justice. He punishes liars, thieves and criminals. That's why death by lightning is considerd honourless. The same with houses: when a house is struck by lightning, this is related to the wrath of Xangô. The owner has to pay heavy fines to the priests of the Orixás who come to seek the Edun Ara (lightning stones) in the debris, that Xangô threw and are found under the ground where lightning struck.
Those Edum Ara (in fact neolitical hammers) are placed on a sculpted wood mortar, Odo, dedicated to Xangô. These stones are considered to be emanations of Xangô and contain his Axé, his strength. Blood from sacrificed animals is partly poured over these lightning stones to preserve his strength and power. The animal that has his preference is the ram, because his head butts are fast as lightning. Other offerings are Amalá, a delicacy made with inhame wheat (kind of sweet potatoe), covered with a sauce of quiabos (small tropical vegetable). It is however strictly forbidden to offer him white beans of the Sesé species. This restriction is valable for all his initiates. The emblem of Xangô is the double styled hammer, Oxé, which the initiates carry in their hand during their trance.
Xeré is the shaker, made from a long calebas with seeds within, that is played in honour of Xangô. When played well during the veneration, this instruments imitates the sound of rain.
Xangô is synchretised with Saint-Jerome in Brasil and Saint-Barbara in Cuba.
The cult of Xangô is very popular, in Brasil as much as in the Antilles. In Recife, capital of the state of Pernambuco, the name stands for a series of African cults that are present in that state. In Bahia his believers wear redwhite necklaces, like in Africa. Wednesday is dedicated to him. During his danses, Xangô waves proudly with his double hammer, and as soon as the cadence accelerates, he pretends to take Labá (lightning stones) from a bag and throw them on the ground. The symbolism of the danse then shows his voluptuous and temerary nature.
Oxaguian
Oxaguian (Oxalá as a young man) is the son of Oxalufa (Oxalá as an old man) and was born in Ifè. After a long journey, he arrived in Ejigbô and made himself king, which yielded him the name of "Eléèjigbô" (king of Ejigbô).
One of the characteristics of this orixá is his unsatiable hunger for crushed yams root, which he eats day and night; this lead to the other orixá naming him "Orixá comedor de inhame pilado" (orixá eater of crushed yams root) which is said "Oisà-Je-Iyàn" in Yoruba, and becomes Òrìsàjiyàn orÒrìsàgiyàn after contraction. One says he invented the mortar to facilitate the preparation of his favorite dish.
His adepts wear necklaces of blue beads and white clothes. The day of the week that is dedicated to him is thursday and he is synchretised with the child Jesus. His symbols are the sword and the pestle. When he manifests himself in an adept, he performs an energetic dance and moves the hand as if he was using an imaginary pestle.
Oxalá
Oxalá or Obatala, the Orixá, the King in the white robe or still the Big Orixá, is the most important Yoruba god. He was the first creation of Olodumare, the Supreme God, who gave him the power of suggestion, Aba, and of realisation, Axé, reason why he is greeted with the title Alabalaxé
Oxalá is considered, in Brazil as well as in Africa, as the greatest of Orixás. His adepts wear necklaces of white beads and dress in white. The day of the week dedicated to him is friday. He's synchretised as Our Lord of Bonfim, only because his prestige is so important in Bahia and he inspires so big a devotion among all social layers of the population.
A synchretised version of the water of Oxalá is the yearly cleaning of the floor of the basilic of Our Lord of Bonfim in Bahia, the thursday before the feast of Bonfim, which takes place on a sunday. A number of devout catholics had the habit of cleaning the church zealously. Such outings of devotion occured not only in this church, but in Bonfim it evolved differently. The descendents of the Africans, moved bu a feeling of devotion towards christ and the African god, mixed the two cleanings: that of the Axés of Oxalá and that of the floor of the church that carries tha catholic name of the same Orixá. This is a very well-known feast in Brasil. From everywhere people come to participate in the cleaning on thursday. On that day, Bahian women, dressed in white, come in procession to the church of Bonfim. On the head they carry water jars to clean the floor of the church and flowers to decorate the altar. They are always accompanied by a huge crowd.
Grades and colours
Conforming the Afro-Brazilian roots of capoeira, the grades in our group follow the tradition of the Candomblé (Afro-Brazilian religion) and the color of the cordãos (ropes) is that which matches that of the corresponding Orixá
| Color | Grade | Orixá |
|---|---|---|
| Green | Aluno | Oxóssi |
| Brown | Aluno | Yansã |
| Yellow | Aluno | Oxum |
| Lilac | Aluno | Omulú |
| Blue | Instrutor | Ogum |
| Red-white | Professor | Xangó |
| Blue-white | Contra-mestre | Oxaguian |
| White | Mestre | Oxalá |