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walkingwiththegods1 · 1 year

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Pagan Misconceptions Clarified: Why Oyá, is NOT "Only The Warrior Goddess of Violent Storms, and Also; The One That Hold The Keys Of The Cemetery?!"

This is the only atributes most people known about Oyá, and... I can't sincerely blame them: African Religions, are almost unknown; and... Unless you are an Historian, have growned up in Africa; or in one of the many nations of The Caribbean... You will be generally in the dark, knowing little to none; about African Deities, (excepting for Egypt and Carthage, the last being today's, Morroco) but... Since I was a kid, despite my parents wanting me to never get near of any beliefs outside Christianity; something of that came in local documentaries, and in some songs singed in the media; by devotees of Santeria. When I was in 4th of Elementary, I learned about my ancestors in school; and I felt pained for how much they suffered, so... I'm going to honor the African part of me, and to my African Ancestors than came at The Caribbean as slaves; by making this post, about the Goddess that catched my total attention; two years before I became a teenager: Oyá!

Oyá, is too: The Goddess of The Winds and The Air, The Goddess of Lightning; The Goddess of The Death, and... The Goddess of Rebirth!

Oyá, is an Yoruba Goddess and Orisha; that was married to Ogun, The God of War and Metals; until one day, she fall in love of Shango; The Warrior God of Thunder, and she left that Shango kidnapped her, which causes than Oggun and Shango; became into eternal enemies. She is the mother of The Eggunes, and she was given Total Dominion; over The Death. She wears bracelets and uses tools made of copper, as eternal gratitude to her sister Oshun; than losed her virginity, to saved her.

Before I talk more about Oya, an important note: The Yoruba Deities, in the time of the Atlantic Slave Trade in The Americas; traveled too with their followers, and The Yoruba Religion; was syncretized with Catholicism, knowned as: Santeria; (Spanish Caribbean) Candomblé, (Brasil, Argentina, Uruguay) Quimbanda, (Brasil's Urban Settlings) Trinidad Orisha, (Trinidad and Tobago Islands) Umbamda, (Brasil, Argentina, Uruguay) and others. The Orishas, are spirits than are mostly considerated as Deities, and; at the same time, as manifestations of the Supreme Deity; Olodumare. These Diasporic Religions, are closed practices; which means than you can't just wake up one day, and decides that you wants to be part of any of them: In the mayority, you have to be born inside that culture; in other cases, you must have at least one African ancestor in your family; or in others, you have to being initiated by a priest, and do rituals within the people of their community. (If you want to study the basic info about any of them, in a serious manner; go ahead, or... If you want to go to a ritual, asked to a practitioner if you can go; asked about the correct behaviour if you get invited, and above all... Be respectful with The Deities, and to anyone than is in this faith; in the same way than you are respectful when visiting to friends or older relatives, Okay?!)

And now... The other atributes and domains of Oyá!

The Goddess of The Winds and The Air: She is associated with the winds, and uses her powerful singing; to move them into action. It is said too, than she doesn't only control the winds; but than she also control, the air than humans need to breath! For this reasons; she is The Goddess of The Winds and The Air!

The Goddess of Lightning: She is represented, surround by lightning; and using them, when she goes to fight against difficulty situations; indomable and strong, as the lightning she controls.

The Goddess of The Death: She is the mother of the Egguns, (Spirits) and lives in the door of The Cemetery; position than recieved after her sister said, than her father left Oya out of the inheritance for not been there in that moment; which she considered to being unfair. Her father, (Once Oya, was rescued); said than there only was one place without an owner, than was the cemetery: Oya, accepted gladly; and she became the Goddess of Cemeteries; since then.

The Goddess of Rebirth: In all the ancient religions around The World, Death was seen as merely a passing from The Earthly World; into the The Spiritual World, (Paradise, Heaven; Hell, Only a Place of Rest for The Souls of The Ones than have passed away, etc.) before the Soul backed to Earth again; and because Oyá, is a Deity related with Death; which wasn't seen as The Final, but; as a new beginning... Oyá, represents the reencarnation of The Ancestors; and the lack of memory, than comes with rebirth, so... For all this, she is too; a Goddess of Rebirth!

Oyá, is the only female warrior Deity and Orisha too; which is an amazing fact in itself, because women in the Yoruba Society; only can do chores than are meant for females... And being a warrior, wasn't one of them: Is remarkable than people in the Yoruba society feels a great respect for her, maybe for both of her roles; as an very powerful warrior; and... For being the keeper of the mysteries, than lay beyond this life!

Curious Fact: One of the atributes of Oyá, is than she uses all the colors; except black, and is depicted as a beautiful woman; with weapons. So... If you see an african image of a beautiful dark skinned woman, holding swords; copper bracelets, and than uses all colors but black; (in her handkerchiefs, and/or in her clothing) then... You have already found, to Oyá!

My African Ancestors, once they arrived into The Caribbean; (The first place where Africans arrived, for to being used in force labors; in The New World) were the ones than survived the trip by the sea, than were turned into slaves; forcebly separated of their families and/or friends, and forced to don't speak in their maternal languages, being forcebly converted to Catholicism; and were severely punished; when they were found making offerings to their Gods, surprised speaking in their language; or... For trying to escaped. This gruesome practices, is called Ethnocide; which is when Colonialists, tries to destroyed the culture of the people they have conquered; and colonized. But... As a form of resistance, the African Slaves; makes two very brilliants moves, against their enslavers: First, combining their maternal languages and dialects; with the language of their owners, and they created a new dialect; that confused to their enslavers, while they were planning how to been freed of them; at the same time; the language is called, Creole. And, the second move was; than because their cults were forbidden by the enslavers and their owners, they combined figures of The Catholicism; than had similarities with their Gods, like for example; Oyá, was sincretized with Saint Teresa of Avila and The Virgin of Candelaria; in that way, the could still leaves offerings to their Gods; while they were in front of the image of a Virgin or Catholic Saint, without rising suspictions over them; and avoided been punished! (I was rejoiced when I had 10 years old, of hearing how my African Ancestors resisted conversion; and foughted with cleverness, [And, sometimes... With weapons and rebellions, too!] until Slavery; was abolished in all The Islands of The Caribbean, FOREVER!)

Despite than The Colonialism, destroyed most of The Arawak and African heritage; and I have found many people in my nation, than denies their Ancestry; for centuries of racial shaming indoctrination... I will take the chance to say this: Maybe I am a Pagan today, in part because my Ancestors had the courage to preserved their language and religion; the best way they could, and somehow; they passed me their strenght, so even if I don't looked like them, they inspired me enough to speaked to any person than tried than I shut up so I never speaked of my true origins; and when I told them with all my indignation and fury; even when a was I kid, than I’m wasn't white: I am of mixed origins and pale skin... But my heart and soul is Pagan, and I am forever linked by blood; DNA and pride, with my Pagan Ancestors of both sides of The Atlantic... (I have only saw one of my African Ancestors in dreams, but; wherever they are... This post, is for all of you; too: Thank you for have showned courage in those horrible times, in the faces of Slavery; Injustice and Death... And for showing me, than giving up of my beliefs is not an option; and doing it, is only a life full of cowardice; shame, pain, and than it lacks of all human dignity!)

This is all, about The Yoruba Goddess and Orisha; than has power over Lightning, Winds; The Air, Storms, Death and Rebirth: Oyá!

Have all of you, days full of Courage; Fearlessness, Pasion, and of winning all the battles; so you can always makes to your Ancestors, proud of you... So Be It!

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