Shango, the Orisha of the powerful energies of Thunder, Fire, Music and Drums, is recognized and revered for his spirit of leadership and justice. He is a warrior Osha associated with rituals of dance, virility and the strength of life.
The natural elements that represent it obey the value and courage of this great orisha.
Shango is one of the kings of the Yoruba religion and his paths point to his different reigns, for this reason he is known as the King of Kings.
He represents the joy of living intensely, masculine beauty, love and passion, intelligence in life, riches and fortunes on the earthly plane.
The King of Kings Shango and his attributes:
The Yoruba stories tell that in life he was a king, a great warrior and a famous sorcerer, and as Orisha he considers himself a strong god, of great courage and above all a vigilante with all those who do evil.
Shango also represents the wise warrior who puts reason, knowledge and intellect first, in addition to the values of justice and law.
This great Orisha has very powerful attributes, and each one has a sacred meaning in the Osha, some of the most important are:
The crown and the axe that accompany Changó:
It is said that Shangó was born crowned and several patakíes indicate that he belonged to royalty and that Orunmila the fortune teller helped him to achieve the throne.
On the head of the orisha there is a peculiar crown that has the double ax that represents his status as monarch.
Shango's crown symbolizes that he is a warrior king because the Oshé, which is what the ax of the deity is called, indicates that Shango was born with war on his head.
Equally, the double ax or bipenne it is a symbol of justice, a quality of which the God of Thunder also possesses.
In Cuba, the crown with the Shangó ax is sometimes replaced by one that represents the crenellated wall of a castle, also to emphasize its status as nobility.
The Oshé of King Shango:
Shango's Oshé It constitutes a doll carved in cedar or mahogany, which carries the double-bladed ax and that all the children of Shango must have.
This element with great religious value always symbolizes the victory of the warrior in every confrontation and the two sides of the monarch, the tyrannical anger and the blessings of a just king.
This representative element of Shango has protective powers and is used as a sacred insignia of great respect within the Yoruba cult.
More about Shango, the King of the drum in the Osha:
Chronicle 12: Changó and Conrado's promise «Siete Rayos»
What color represents Changó? Its history and meanings
Pataki where the truth triumphs: Eleguá was the savior of Changó
6 Apples for Shango: Offering to make a special request
I greet Shango in Yoruba: Its meaning and religious stories
The 7 main Yoruba Orishas and the syncretized Catholic Saints
Are you looking for firmness and sweetness in your relationship? Work of Oshun and Shangó
What flower represents Shangó in Santería? Offering of courage and passion
