Ọba (orisha)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This article is about the spirit. For other uses, see Oba (disambiguation).
Ọba
River Ọbà
Member of
Santeria, Haitian Vodou, Folk Catholicism
Symbollightning, the sword or machete, the flywhisk, water buffalo
Colorpink
RegionNigeria, Benin, Latin America
Ethnic groupYoruba
Personal information
SpouseShango

Ọbà (known as Obá in

Saint Catherine of Siena
.

Worship in Ogbomosho

At her center of worship in Ogbomoso, Oba is described as the partner of Ajagun and is praised as "Oba, who owns parrot tail feathers and fights on the left".[4]

Oba is a very festival in odo-oba town in ogbomoso

Myths of Oba's Ear

Oba's humiliation by a rival co-wife is one of the most well-known tales associated with this Orisha. While William Bascom's study identified several unusual variations of it, the most popular myth found in West Africa, Brazil, and Cuba has Oba cutting off her ear to serve to her husband Shango as food, because one of her co-wives (most often Oshun) has convinced her this will secure Shango's attention. Once Shango sees the ear and realizes Oba has mutilated herself, he chases her from his house and into permanent exile. Bascom notes that though this story is known in many parts of Yoruba country, it was not recognized by her priest in Ogbomosho.[5]

There are a few variations of the myth in Cuba where Oya rather than Oshun tricks Oba. Another Cuban variation excludes the wifely rivalry entirely, explaining Oba's self-mutilation of both ears as an effort to feed Shango after they run out of goat and he is in need of food for his struggle against Ogun.[6] By comparison, in the verses of Ifá, the story is inverted somewhat. Oba cuts off her ear at the advice of Ifá and the measure successfully ties Shango to Oba, until Orunmila himself steals Ọba from Shango.[7]

Relationship to other Orishas

Santería

González-Wippler, in her study of

Iwo
, that is why the Iwo people are called the children of the River Oba (Iwo Olodo Oba).

References

  1. ^ Bascom 1976: 154
  2. ^ Bascom 1976: 153-54
  3. ^ Bascom 1976; Brown 2003; González-Wippler 1994
  4. ^ Bascom 1976: 154
  5. ^ Bascom 1976: 154
  6. ^ Bascom 1976: 151-52
  7. ^ Bascom 1976: 156-60
  8. ^ González-Wippler 1994

Bibliography

  • Bascom, William. "Ọba's Ear: A Yoruba Myth in Cuba and Brazil" in Research in African Literatures, Vol. 7, No. 2 (Autumn, 1976), pp. 149–165.
  • Brown, David H. 2003. Santería Enthroned: Art, Ritual and Innovation in an Afro-Cuban Religion. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
  • González-Wippler, Migene. Santeria: The Religion. Llewellyn: 1994.
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