The Objects of Power of the Orishas Do you know these sacred attributes?

The objects of power of each Orisha They are extremely important in the Yoruba religion, since each one of them represents the gifts and forces of the different deities of the Yoruba Pantheon.

Through these powerful objects, the Orishas support each other to be able to carry out their actions and help the believers on their path of life.

This is why these elements associated with the Orishas are so sacred in Cuban Santeria. In addition, they have numerous spiritual uses and each deity is always represented accompanied by these objects that embody their strengths and energies.

Orishas power objects can be used in holy practices to perform consecrations, cleanse, to collect currents and dark energies, to eliminate the spirits that are bothering and to protect us in general from bad vibes.

What are the objects of power that represent the Yoruba deities?

The deities of the Yoruba pantheon protect their energies in their object of power, let's see below, some of these elements and their representation in each Orisha:

Obatalá is cleaning with his iruke

Power Items: White Iruke

Obbatalá is Father Orisha, sculptor of the Human Being and owner of purity. When Obatala comes down, he cleanses those around him with his iruke, which is a mule or cow tail preferably white or gold symbolizing the color of the orisha father, the same one that is consecrated to cleanse the santero.

The Iruke is also known as the Obatalá Tail, and among its sacred uses the santeros use it to clean the box of the deceased Iworo or Oluo, although it is always indicated that for this task it must be well consecrated by specialized priests.

Obbatalá also wears as an attribute the scepter of power called opa and a silver bracelet.

Orunmila the soothsayer of men's fate

Object of Power: Iruke and the Ifa board

orunmila He is the diviner of the Ocha and great benefactor of humanity, who predicts and governs the destiny of men, through the oracle of Ifá and the reading of the past, the present and the future.

The Iruke of Orunmila can be of a horse, bull or mule, the same one that is consecrated to be the instrument of the babalawo in his daily work and supports it as a divinatory symbol.

Also the Iruke of the Diviner is used to cleanse bad energies.

Eleguá removes obstacles from the path with his doodle

Power Item: Guava Squiggle

Eleggua He is the Orisha who opens the roads, the messenger of the Ocha. The Eleguá scribble is a cane mainly made from the stick of the guava plant, although in several countries where this tree is not cultivated, other similar types of wood have had to be adopted.

The original scribble is 37 inches tall and is red and black in color. However, today it is difficult to find a doodle that has the original characteristics.

When Elegguá goes down, he uses the scribble to simulate that he makes his way through the vegetation of the mountain and for this reason today this element is used in numerous ceremonies to clean and avoid bad energy. By doing the movement of driving away with this element we can do many powerful rituals in the Osha.

Oggún makes his way through the mountains with his machete

Power Objects: Machete Embelelobo

Oggun He is the patron of the Blacksmiths and Owner of the Irons and his symbol is the Embelebobo machete, a tool with which he faces all his enemies, but which he also uses to make his way through the mountains, since he lives and works in his forge there.

This machete is made of the material that represents most of the Oggún warrior's tools, iron.

Ochosi hunts the good and also the bad

Power Items: A bow, an arrow, and a cage.

ochosi He is the hunter of the Ocha, sorcerer and defender of divine justice. As a hunter, Ochosi uses objects that help him carry out this activity in the mountains.

Its objects of power are included in its receptacle so that the Orisha of divine justice is always guiding us through life. With the bow and arrow he hunts injustices, evils and enemies, he is a hunter by nature who skillfully drives away the adversities of life.

Oshún attracts the go with his fan

Power Items: She uses a yellow sandalwood or peacock feather fan, five gold bracelets, a crescent, two oars, a star, the sun, and five little bells that go with her dress.

Oshun She is the goddess of Love and Rivers, the most beautiful of the Yoruba pantheon. The objects of power of the Yoruba Goddess of Love and Rivers, can change according to their path.

She fans herself when she dances and distributes her blessing to all those who observe her, in addition, she rings her bells and bracelets to delight her audience. With that delicious sound, remove sadness and bad energies from the world.

Yemayá hides its powers in the sea

Objects of Power: Yemayá's object of power is an agbegbe, a fan of duck or peacock feathers decorated with mother-of-pearl and shells.

Yemayá flaps her fan to calm the sea or to curl it according to her wishes and cleanses the negativity of the world with her waters.

Among her attributes she is also accompanied by an object made with horse tail hair with blue and white beads and a bell that is rung to be called and invoke the mother of the world.

Yemaya She is the Mother Orisha and the Goddess of the Sea. Her objects of power also represent the salty waters and the different paths of the deity. She is the orisha that dances with the waves on the surface of the waters, the protector of the universe. She is the womb that gave birth to all men, justifying that she protects the children of the world with her mantle.

Shango, the warrior who offers firmness with his weapons

Power Items: Shango's power items are a two-headed ax, a cup, and a sword.

Shango He is the Orisha of Fire and Owner of Thunder, the king of the Yoruba pantheon. As one of the greatest warriors of the Ocha, Shango wields his ax and sword in battle, then pours himself a drink when he celebrates victory.

Oyá clear the way with his winds and iruke

Power Objects: A tool made from black horsetail mane, called Iruke. Nine copper bracelets.

Oyá the warrior, the Goddess of the Centella and Mother of Eggunes (spirits), when she comes down carries in her hand a horse's tail or iruke, a symbol of authority and domination.

The black Iruke (hair stick made from the tail of a horse) which is the weapon of Oyá, comes tied to a wooden or metal bone end. The same is used in the ceremonies of invocation to the eggunes and spiritual rites.

Aggayú Solá, the giant of Osha defends the world

Power Objects: A two-headed ax and a staff.

Aggayu Solá He is the giant of the Ocha and powerful warrior, also known as the one who represents the great forces of nature and the boatman who crosses people by the river.

Aggayú carries his ax into battle in eternal relationship with Shango and then uses his staff to cross the river with leaps and bounds, protecting the world.

Babalú Ayé with his aha drives away diseases

Objects of Power: An aja, corojo or coconut palm, a branch with a piece of bag tied and adorned with beads and snails.

Babalu Aye He is the Orisha of the Plague and representative of diseases, therefore his objects of power are related to the gadgets used by those who suffer from leprosy.

The objects of power of Babalú Ayé are used for all santera healing ceremonies and also, with them, the bad energy of the disease is driven away.

Yewá, between life and death balance the world

Power Objects: A doll and a basket

Yewa She is the Orisha of loneliness, the containment of human feelings, she is that powerful deity who owns the grave, she is among the tombs and the dead and lives inside the coffin, in the sepulcher.