Spiritual Traditions: African Female Deities

The H3O/Art of Life Blog
Apr 30
6 min read

By Dr. Yaoundé Olu, PhD

Presented by Omni-U Virtual University

Think I hear my Mother calling

faint yet familiar

Lost to me in the Middle Passage of time

I vaguely recall her sound

alive in an ember of memory

afire with the bass and timber

of laughs and cries

of rich black earth and green green grass

wafting from the folds of woven wraps

dancing Lamban and Sabar and Yamama

she sounds like balafons, drums, and shakers

with the tin of Ogun’s bell

Her voice was the last heard

childnapped as I was

from Senegal, Gambia, Sierra Leone,

The Bight of Biafra, the Coast of Gold,

resold from Trinidad, Martinique, Cuba, & Haiti

Wolof/Fula/Jola/Twi/Sere/Mende/Ewe/Ga/Bakonga

Baoule/Serahuli/Yoruba/Balante/Temne/Mende, and Gola

all shaken together/molded/banded/and rebranded

As the African in America

She’s calling my name

though one long forgotten

misidentified as

slave-Nigger-Mammy-Jezebel-wench-

Jiggabo-Pickannie-Darkie-Coon

Colored-Spook-Shine, Negro&3/5ths human

child djelis recreate me in

flowing lyrics laid on funky beats

as Nigga-Bitch-Hoe-

Chickenhead-Baby Mama-Golddiggers and Skanks

unlovable and undesirable,

unwanted and unworthy

Your voice cuts like Oya’s knife

Speaking in syncopated rhythms

on new African drums

in handclapping, foot-stomping and shuffling

in glory shouting and soul possession

I hear you in my dreams

anxious to lull amnesia to sleep

begging ailing memories not to forget,

To open our eyes & see

you tell us

“Se wo were fi nawosankofa a yenki”

It is not taboo to go back &fetch what has been lost, stolen or forgotten

“Se wo were finawosankofaayenki”

It is not taboo to go back & fetch what has been lost, stolen or forgotten

“Se wo were finawosankofaayenki”

It is not taboo to go back & fetch what has been lost, stolen or forgotten

Mama Amira Millicent Davis, PhD

Gender is the Seventh Hermetic Principle

It is manifested in EVERYTHING. Masculine and Feminine principles are ever-present and active in all phases of phenomena on each and every plane of life. Gender in the Hermetic sense and Sex are not the same.
The word Gender is derived from the Latin root meaning “to beget;” to procreate; to generate; to create; to produce. Sex, on the other hand, represents Gender on the Great Physical Plane of organic life.

THE CONCEPT OF A SUPREME AFRICAN GOD

In African Mythology, the Yoruba people received the notion of an omnipotent sky god looking over all things that live on Earth. It takes the form of Olodumare, a celestial being that transcends the boundaries of space, time, gender, and dimensions.

HOW MANY AFRICAN GODS ARE THERE?

The pantheon of Orishas (traditionally followed by the Yoruba people) is a sequence of divine spirits dispatched by the supreme god Olodumare. It is said that there are 400+1 Orishas, where an ‘ stands as an incomprehensible number that implies infinity. The apostrophe ( ') was the symbol that was used as a substitute for the number "1". In other words, it could also be read as 400+1.There isn’t an exact number, but, sometimes, it goes up to 700, 900, or even 1440 Orishas. As for the “400+1” concept, the 1 is an incredibly sacred number that tells you that there are countless Orishas, but you will always be one count short if you try to comprehend it. So, you may think about the total as often as you like, but there will always be one more Orisha to consider.

THE CAPSTONE OF AFRICAN MYTHOLOGY

Most African traditional religions are very diverse and range over countless cultures and practices. The Yoruba religion and its beliefs influence human life in both the African continent and other regions. It can be seen as a capstone of African beliefs due to its wide acceptance. Of all the African religions, this remains one of the few on the rise. In present-day Nigeria, Yoruba mythology has evolved into a faith where its followers address the gods and goddesses in respect to the complex oral traditions passed down from generation to generation.

DEITIES VS ORISHAS

Deities vs Orishas: Are they the same? Orishas are not just deities, they are seen as emanations or avatars of the supreme being Olodumare, acting as intermediaries between humanity and the divine. In the Yoruba religion, the Orishas are supernatural entities considered to be emanations or avatars of Olodumare. They are seen as forces of nature, spiritual powers and intermediaries between humanity and the divine. Each Orisha is believed to have a specific role or domain. They are not considered immortal, but depend on human worship and offerings for their continued existence. Orishas are complex multidimensional unities linking people, objects and powers. Personal prayer and sacrifice to one’s Orisha is encouraged. You can identify your Orisha through Divination and Dreams. Divination utilizes shells, Ekin (palm nut) or Opon (divining board).

Sango (Shango) is seen as the most powerful of the orisha pantheon.

Note: "Gods vs Deities”

According to my sources Deities are the lesser beings that work beneath the god and are a fusion of several gods, or a tiny facet of one god. On the other hand, a deity is a god or goddess, or anything revered as divine. Different traditions interpret things in different ways.

FEMALE YORUBA DEITIES

OSHUN (OSUN): the Mother of Rivers

The natural world tends to flourish with life. This wouldn’t have been possible without bodies of water running through lush, dense forests, bringing much-needed vitality to all who benefit from it. Just about every culture associates rivers with something benevolent. They are essential natural resources giving way to life thriving within its banks. Being the Goddess of Rivers, Oshun is often attributed to being the lifeblood of the Niger River. In fact, her name comes from ‘Orisun,’ which was referred to as being the source of the Niger River. Oshun is also Shango’s favorite wife. Oshun’s aquatic skills over the rivers of West Africa immortalized her place as one of the most critical Orishas. Her blessings ensure that the water remains clean and fishes remain plenty, giving the people a peek into her somewhat empathetic side.

OYA, the Goddess of Weather

Good weather brings peace of mind momentarily. A great, lasting one makes way for a civilization to flourish. Crops may live or die due to changes in the skies above, and stomachs may be quenched for hunger or thirst. Weather is a fundamental aspect of any significant settlement. Oya is the Orisha of the weather. Defined as an embodiment of wind, she is Shango’s wife and hence the direct caterer of his will. Besides shifting the clouds, Oya is also connected to tending to the dead. The ‘dead’ doesn’t just include a human being; it consists of the natural world in the sense that dead trees would have to fall to make way for newer ones. Her Slavic god counterpart in Slavic mythology would be Stribog. So, in reality, Oya really is the goddess of change. Like the weather’s unpredictability, she also commandeers the essence of constantly changing the natural world so it may continue flourishing. Due to this, she also holds domain over psychological qualities such as intuition and clairvoyance.

YEMONJA: the Whisper of the Ocean

The ocean is vast and seldom cruel, and it is impossible to predict what lies beneath deep waves and endless stretches of water. Such is the need for a motherly figure to watch over all the uncertainty of this blue domain. Yemonja is the Orisha of the ocean. Not only does she hold control over it, but she also radiates the power of compassion and love. Her watch over the seas sustains life as it is and seals her importance as a motherly figure in the pantheon and the entirety of African mythology. Actually, Yemonja is the metaphysical mother of all the other gods in the Orisha pantheon. She is, therefore, very respected.

OBA, the Flow of the River

Orishas have emotions that flow gracefully like rivers. Oba, the Orisha of water and manifestation, is no exception to a story that is best linked to jealousy. Being the third and the most senior wife of Shango, Oba was one of his consorts. In the pantheon, Oshun was Shango’s favorite wife, which greatly affected Oba. When Oba asked Oshun about what she did to become Shango’s favorite, Oshun simply lied to her (knowing Oba’s children would inherit the kingdom). She said she once cut off her ear, turned it into powder, and sprinkled it into Shango’s food. Driven by the will to become Shango’s favorite, Oba followed Oshun and sliced off her ear into his food. Naturally, Shango noticed a floating ear in his food and exiled Oba from his home. Oba fell to Earth down below and morphed into the Oba River. Interestingly, the Oba River intersects the Osun River at an explosive speed, symbolizing a long-standing rivalry between two of Shango’s wives. Oba is linked to rivers, marriage, fertility, and restoration.

A BRIEF LISTING OF SOME OTHER AFRICAN FEMALE DEITIES