ERINLE

Orisa Erinle is not an Irunmale, that is to say Erinle is not among the
igba/irun/otalelegbaje-imale that descended from ikole Orun (heaven or better put the
spiritual world) to Ikole aye (Earth or better put material world).
This Orisa is very popular and well known all over Yoruba land and of course among
the Yoruba Americans, Cubans, Trinidadian, Latinos and many more outside the Yoruba
nation in Nigeria. Many Erinle worshippers are in Remo, Ijebu, Abeokuta Egbado in
Ogun state. In fact there are families in the above areas that bear Erinle and Abatan
(known as a path in Erinle). Erinle is also known to be the patron Orisan to llobu an
Ijesha town in Osun state. The town lies along river Erinle that takes its source from
river Osun along Ogbomoso-Osogbo road. Ketu and Okuku are other towns where
people worship Erinle a lot.
Erinle means land elephant. This super human being turned Orisa is recorded in history
to be an herbalist, hunter and farmer of all kinds fishing, animal husbandry. He is
known to be an extremely wealthy and always well-dressed deity in refined garments
adore with cowries, coral beads and plumage from hunted game.
Erinle is known to be a male Orisa in Yoruba land. Erinles uniqueness is all about his
inhabitation of two worlds i.e. water and earth. Erinle heals with water (from ocean) and
leaves and herbs from the forest, he hunts on land for animals and for fishes in the
water.
Yemoja is known to be married to Erinle at one time. But Abatan, which some people
called a path of Erinle, is the power wife of Erinle. Some say Erinle is male while
Abatan is female. When someone takes initiation into Erinle and the Orisa is
consecrated for him\her, he\she would also receive Abatan just as in Obatala and Osun
in many parts of Yoruba land. Erinles color is white while Abatans color is
yellow\gold. Abatan is known to be Erinles perfect mix of female energies.
Erinles symbols are the clay pot called Ogun Erinle or Awo-ota Erinle. Erinles pot
comes in different sizes, shapes and designs, particularly the lid or cover of the pot
holding ota, omi etc., depending on where you are in Yoruba land. Some come with
a bust on the lid, some with a crown structure, some have raised relics where other
instruments like aaja two edged bronze or metal bell, agogo-flat edged

bronze\meal gong which is struck with stick are kept. The bust is usually adorned with
earrings, gele cloth or headscarf, etc. It is also very common to see Abatans container
placed next to Erinle, while some Erinles pot lid\cover is called Abatan or have Abatan
placed on them.
Another symbol at Erinles grove or shrine is the Opa Erinle i.e. Erinles staff. It is
considered to be an Orisa in itself like the opa in OBATALA. It is about 20-30cm in
height with one apical bird surrounded by four smaller ones each attached to the staff
separately at a lower level to the apical one in the center. An elephant image and metal
chains can also be found as Erinle symbol.
Erinle can be fed in a shrine where one or all of the above symbol exist and consecrated
as Erinle or by the side of a river, swamp or marshland where Abatan is believe to
reside, where two water bodies meet, such as river and ocean or sweet and salt water or
clean and dirty water.Erinle can be fed with one or all of the following oil (liquor), epo
(Palm oil) oyin (honey), Akara (Bean cake) dodo (fried plantain) ekuru and oole (made
from beans) eko (corn meal).