May 22, Obba's day: Interesting facts about the Orisha and Santa Rita

Obba is an Orisha of which very little is talked about and not everyone knows its great initiation secrets, but it does not stop being very relevant within The Osha‐Ifá Rule (Santeria).

Syncretism Why is Obba celebrated on May 22?

The history of our religious legacy began when the black slaves brought from Africa saw their religion and culture in danger, since their masters did not allow them to practice their beliefs.

This caused our African ancestors to seek a way to save their customs and religiosity, which gave way to the process of transculturation and syncretism, since they discovered that if they related their deities to Catholic saints they could venerate them without suffering any danger.

This is how each Orisha adopted the name of a Saint, and the faith of both religions began to unite into one, a practice that continues to this day.

In the case of Obbá, it is syncretized with Santa Rita de Casia and Santa Catalina.

Saint Rita of Cassia in the Catholic saints it is celebrated on May 22, the day on which his devotees pay homage to him, for the same reason Obba is venerated on this date every year.

Offerings for the goddess What can we offer her?

You can offer Obbá adimus (offerings) on her day of celebration or when you want to venerate her:

Raw yam that he likes a lot,
fruits like grapes,
pink flowers or those you want to offer, as long as it is with faith
their sacrificial animals are the goat, the guinea fowl, the hen and the dove.

It does not matter if the offering is simple, the important thing is that it is from the heart, on its day you can light a white candle or a pink one, which is its color in Santería.

Characteristics of the Orisha Yoruba Obba

According to our Afro-Cuban tradition, Obba is an Orisha that represents that punished love and self-sacrifice for the loved one, symbolizes pain and marital loyalty.

Live in cemeteries together with Oyá and Yewá, also bold warriors. In the cemetery specifically Obba is the one who guards the tombs.

He speaks in Osha through Diloggun 8 (Eyeunle), 9 (Osa), 8-5 (Eyeunle Tonti Oshé) and 5-8 (Oshe Tonti Eyeunle).

In the Corpus of Ifá Obbá is spoken of in Oddu Ogbe Otura, Ogbe Oshe, Oddi Meyi, Oddi Iroso, Iroso Ate, Oggunda Leni and in other signs, where it is also very important to receive her.

The origins of their deity

The cult of Obbá spread in Oyó (city and capital of the Nigerian state), but this Orisha is originally from the land of Tapa.

She is the Orisha of the Oba River according to the Yorubas in Nigeria, the source of this river is near Igbon-Ora (southwestern Nigeria), where her veneration is born.

Since the wars that took place in the XNUMXth century, his place of worship has moved to Osi territory (Ogun region, in Nigeria).

Obba's family in the Yoruba pantheon

She is considered the daughter of Yemayá and the first wife of Shangó in Nigeria and in our Afro-Cuban tradition it is indicated that she is the daughter of Yembó and Obbatalá, sister of Oyá and Yewá and lover of Shangó.

While Nicolás Valentín known as Oba Tola and descendant of a long line of Olorishas says that Obbá is the daughter of Oduduwa and Boromú.

The love story of Obba and Shangó

The pataki tells that when Obba was Shangó's wife he offered him his ear in a soup by deceit of Oyá or Oshun; That is when Obbá is rejected by Shangó and becomes so overwhelmed that it becomes the Oba River, which borders Ifé (an ancient Yoruba city in southwestern Nigeria) where the Oshun River is.

Right in this place there are usually very agitated waters, which represent the competition between the Orishas Oshún and Obbá.

From the above pataki derives its name from Yoruba Obba (Òbè: soup-Obá: king), which word for word would translate as: king's soup, perhaps referring to the act of cutting the ear in the soup that Shangó did.

In fact, one of Obbá's secrets that goes inside his tureen is made with the Chiva's ear.

However, in a city in the southwest of Nigeria, belonging to the state of Oyo called Ogbomoso, Obba considers herself the wife of Aggayú Solá and is greeted by saying:

«Oba, who has the feathers of the parrot's tail and fights to the left».

After which it is assumed that this Orisha was left-handed.

Values that represent this Orisha

She is an Orisha with great values such as obedience, humility and patience. Obba was a beautiful woman, much loved by her parents, and she was the daughter of kings.

Although she was a princess with a lot of fortune, her love for Shangó led her to perdition and she became a slave to that love.

The children of Obba Nani in Santeria

It is said of the children of Obba that they have defined masculine features, they are courageous and misunderstood, very jealous, feminist defenders, and greedy in the material.

In my opinion, I do not think that this is the exact prototype of all the children of Obba, I know some children of this deity and they do not fully possess these characteristics, everything is relative.

I think it is a warning to their children to follow the beneficial aspects of the Orisha such as marital fidelity, sincerity, respect for home, dignity and, on the other hand, avoid harmful aspects such as sick jealousy, greed. , contempt in love, pride or resentment.

It is not only applicable with the children of Obba, but also with all the Orishas and characteristics of each one of them, we must always take the positive and disregard the negative.

In the Oddun of Ifá Ogunda Otrupon, he tells us how Obbá always offers economic well-being and stability to his children, gives them protection, defends them and opens doors to prosperity.

Receptacle, tools, necklaces and herbs of the Orisha

your tureen It is pink decorated with many flowers.

Inside the tools by Obba, which are made of copper, are:

The wooden anvil,
a dagger, a sword, a shield, an armor,
a hand of snails,
two keys (one goes in his tureen and the other in Oshun's),
a mask, two handles,
a rudder, a cogwheel,
a book,
an ear.

Their Elekes or necklaces They are made with 8 pink beads, 1 black, 8 purple, 1 black, 8 yellow and 1 black.

This confection of the necklace is depending on the saintly house, because Nicolás Valentín Angarica affirms that the colors of the flag of this Orisha are:

Matte (very bright red) and red, and they are adorned with coral.

The ewe or herbs They are the Caleta grape, the caobilla, the plum, the charcoal ebony, the chestnut, and the coast hazel.

The dance and clothing that Obba wears

Obbá's costume is lilac or pink and his head is always covered with a scarf of the same colors.

As for her dance, this Orisha does not dance, the Oddun of Ifá Ogbe She says that if an omo (son) rides her, it is an announcement of death.

But dances are held in their honor, for this they make a circle and in its center is a person with a mask on and during that time they simulate whipping the masked person, and the choir continues its song.

Sometimes the dancers also cover their left ear shielding a machete or cane.

His deity in the Yoruba pantheon is very powerful, and much respect is due to him as to all deities and Orishas. She greets herself saying: Obba Naní!