Hantao Ling ID#: 931937161 ANTH 210 2/7/13 Writing Assignment 1: Candomble Orixas The Candomble religion, mostly

practiced amongst the African-Brazilian peoples of Brazil, is centered on deities known as orixas. Individuals who believe in the Candomble religion identify themselves with a specific orixa, who controls their destiny and acts as their protector (Deities). Each orixa has its own set of preferences that include day of the week, symbols, and song. Also, due to the syncretic nature of the religion, each orixa is associated with a Catholic saint (McMurray 18). When an individual identifies themself with their orixa, they must also take into consideration the preferences of their orixa. In the Candomble houses of worship, individuals become possessed by their orixas when the orixas specific song begins to play, and they dance and move according to the personality of their orixa. These orixas play a major role in the lives of the individuals involved with Candomble when it comes to their daily practices and personal habits. Shango is the orixa of fire, the Saint of Justice, and a charmer. He was a powerful king who was defeated by his enemies and then hid out in the forest where he disappeared deep underground and became an orixa (Levy). Shango is unique in that he is at the same time an orixa as well as a man. He had three wives, Oba, Oshun, and Iansan. Oba was the eldest wife as well as the least loved. Oshun was originally the lover of another orixa, but Shango convinced her to follow after him instead. Iansan was kidnapped by Shango but is the most loved because she is a strong warrior and owned the lightening that she gave to Shango (Levy). Shango is the essence of power, fire, movement, life, and fertility (Levy). His preferred sacrifice is of the turtle

and his animal is the sheep, which attacks with violence like lightening (Levy). Shangos symbols, the double axe and painted leather bag, and colors, red and white, also represent this image of lightening. During the ceremony of worship, people who are possessed by Shango explode into happiness with a vigorous and beautiful dance while accompanied by claps, fireworks, and yelling, which also directly reflect this symbol of lightening (Levy). The general type of people who consider themselves Shangos children are physically strong with short necks and fleshy lips. Personality-wise, they are violent and proud, but their aggression is in response to evil due to Shangos role as the Saint of Justice (Levy). Wednesday is Shangos day of the week, and thus Wednesday is the day of justice from the perspective of the Candomble religion. His numbers are four and six (Levy). Shangos necklace is composed of six red beads alternating with six white beads and his favorite foods are apples, yams, red wines and hot or spicy food (Alvarado). He offers vengeance to the wronged and power over the enemies of his followers. Shango is represented by Saint Jermoe, the patron saint of translators, librarians, and encyclopedists, and Saint John the Baptist, patron saint of converts. Neither of these two saints portray the same image as Shango but were merely used to cover up the practice of Candomble (http://web.ccsu.edu). Osanyin is the orixa of leaves and medicine. He is the brother but also enemy of Shango. The main story is that, after attempting to steal away one of Shangos wives, Osanyin lost one of his legs in the battle between them. Other legends say that Osayin stole the fire from Shango and then gave it to men, which resulted in the hostility between the two (Levy). On top of this, Osayin was also born before any other deity and possessed the power to realize the ashe, or propelling force, of the world. However, he refused to share this knowledge with the rest of the orixas, which led to his fall (http://www.churchofthelukumi.com). As the orixa of the leaves,

Osayin has the ability to deal with every sickness and every type of distress, and the ability to obtain happiness, money, and long life (Levy). Osanyin is the master of vegetation and the essence of the earth. His animal is the bird and wears a silver crown adorned with a bird and always carries around gourds at his waist. He heals the sick and makes enchantments and good luck charms (Levy). The types of people that are naturally drawn to Osayin are the secretive and unpredictable. They are delicate, fragile, quiet, and to themselves. On the other hand, they are also sensitive, generous, compassionate, and love birds. Furthermore, they judge other people not based on their goodness or evilness like Shango but rather based on their efficiency (Levy). The worship ceremonies for Osayin are generally held in forested areas and the line that is repeated throughout the dance and song for Osayin are, Osayin holds no alliance, he lives by himself (Flores). Osayins day is Monday, his color is green, and his metal is iron (Levy). Osayin is represented by the Catholic Saint Sabastian (http://web.ccsu.edu). Again, the saint identified with the orixa does not have any real similarity. While Osayin is the orixa of leaves and medicine, Saint Sabastian is the patron saint of archers and of a holy death. The orixas of Candomble play an integral part in the lives of the people involved with the religion. They guide, protect, and even possess the individuals through song and dance. Even without the organized structure of an overarching hierarchy, the Candomble religion has thrived amongst the African-Brazilian population in Brazil because of the long history of the religion, the sense of group identity it creates, and the incorporation of song and dance. Shango, the orixa of fire, and Osayin, the orixa of leaves and medicine, are only two of a multitude of different orixas that exist in the Candomble religion. Each one offers its own, unique attributes that appeal to their own, unique people. Because of this, Candomble has been able to attract masses of African-Brazilians seeking to find a place in a world where they are generally marginalized.

Works Cited Deities." British Broadcasting Channel. British Broadcasting Channel, 2 Feb. 2007. Web. 5 Feb. 2013. Alvarado, Denise. "Chango/Shango." Planet Voodoo. Planet Voodoo, n.d. Web. 5 Feb. 2013. Dopamu, Ade. "The Yoruba Religious System." Africa Update 6.3 (1999): n. pag. Web. 5 Feb. 2013. Flores, Ysamur. "Osayin: The One Legged Man Worth Two." ASHE Newsletter Apr. 1996: n. pag. Church of the Lukumi. Web. 5 Feb. 2013. Levy, Carminha. "Candomble and Psychological Types." TranceForm. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Feb. 2013. McMurray, David. Music of Opposition/Music of Solidarity: Csae Studies in the Cultural and Political Uses of Popular Music. Corvallis, OR: Oregon State University, Print. Prandi, Reginaldo. "Candomble and Time." Brazilian Review of Social Sciences 2 (2002): 7-22. Web. 5 Feb. 2013.