Olokun

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Attributes of Olokun
 Colours White
 numbers
 Catholic saint Virgen de Regla

Olokun is a deity in the Yoruba religion , namely Orisha of the depths of the ocean, prosperity and fertility. Olokun is considered male or female, depending on the region.

In the Yoruba religion , the creator god Obatala had problems creating mainland because Olokun kept devouring it. Therefore Orunmila , the Orisha of wisdom, tamed him / her with golden chains. Olokun is responsible for floods and shipwrecks, but also gives strength and confidence and is iconographically associated with the mudfish, mirrors, corals and shells.

In the Edo religion he is the son of the creator god Osanobua and is considered to be closely linked to the supernatural power of Oba , the political and ritual head of the Kingdom of Benin.

In the Santería it is associated with Yemayá , the Orisha of the sea and motherhood and is also syncretized with the Catholic saint Virgen de Regla .

bibliography

  • Paula Ben-Amos: Symbolism in Olokun mud art . In: African Arts (Los Angeles), 6 (4), 1973, pp. 28-31; 95.
  • Alfred Burton Ellis: The Yoruba-Speaking Peoples . London 1894, pp. 70-72.
  • Alfred Omokaro Izevbigie: Olokun, a Focal Symbol of Religion and Art in Benin . University of Washington, 1978, 381 pp. (PhD).
  • John Mason: Olóòkun, Owner of Rivers and Seas, Yorùbá Theological Archministry . Brooklyn, NY, 1996, 118 pages + audio cassette ( ISBN 1881244059 ).
  • Mud Shrines of Olokun , Nigeria (Lagos), No. 50, 1956, pp. 280-295.
  • The Origin of the Olokun Cult . In: Ọsẹmwegie Ẹbọhọn: Life and Works of a High Priest of African Religion , Ẹbọhọn Cultural Center and Ẹbọhọn Hospital for Traditional Medicine, Benin City (Nigeria), 1989, chap. 5, pp. 21-28.
  • Norma Rosen: Traditional Uses of Pattern and Decoration in Olokun Worship. In: Benin Series (Benin City), 1 (3), 1986, pp. 34-40.
  • MR Welton: The Function of the Song in Olokun Ceremony. In: Nigeria Magazine (Lagos), No. 98, Sept. – Nov. 1968, pp. 226-228.

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Dr. Hans Gerald Hödl, script, lecture SS06: Afro-American Religions (PDF, 1.5 MB).
  2. ^ Met Museum New York: Then Benin, Owo and Ijebo Kingdoms