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What does Olokun represent in Santeria? Healing and wealth in its waters

Olokun in Santeria

Olokun is an extremely important Orisha in the Yoruba cult and the Rule of Osha -Ifá (santeria), and very popular among devotees despite the mysteries that still surround his figure today.

He is related to the deep secrets of life and death and his cult is secret and highly respected, since his deity provides health, prosperity and material evolution to his devotees.

What exactly does Olokun symbolize in the Yoruba Pantheon?

He is the Orisha of the ocean, he represents the sea in its most terrifying state, due to the secrets that are hidden in the deep sea, to which no man has been able to access.

As the riches of the seabed are at the bottom of the sea, that is why his devotees pray to him seeking material abundance, as well as health.

Let's know some of its main characteristics:

  • Olokun, King of the Oceans, is androgynous, half fish half man, although many say he can also be male or female.
  • His character is compulsive, mysterious and violent and has the ability to transform into whatever he wants.
  • The god is symbolized by the depths of the sea and is the true owner of this, where no one has been able to reach and therefore represents the secrets of the seabed, known only to Olokun and Olofin.
  • Practitioners of the Yoruba religion know that Olokun can become fearsome when he gets angry and extremely impulsive in his actions, that is why it is so necessary to show him due respect and serve him according to his tastes and qualities.
  • In the Ocha Rule, he is one of the main Orishas that is venerated, as he is dangerous and extremely powerful.

It is said that the Olonas and Olosas are daughters of Olokun, these are the water nymphs, who lived with the deity in his palace at the bottom of the sea, but due to a betrayal, they were taken to earth.

They represent rivers, streams, lagoons, waterfalls, springs, puddles, marine extensions and rainwater in nature.

And like this there are many other Yoruba legends that tell us about Olokun, let's get to know one of them.

The story of Olokun demonstrating his wisdom in Santería or Osha Rule

It is said that Olokun never leaves the Ocean and if he does, he wears a mask so as not to be recognized.

This is because a Yoruba or Patakí legend says that Obbatalá the father Orisha He chained him to the bottom of the ocean, as he tried to kill humanity with the flood due to a trick by Orisha Oko.

On the seabed Olokun found two great warriors who fought alongside him daily and for their achievements, every time they won a war, he called them to grant them the rewards they wanted.

The first of them was vain and envious, and the other was humble and reverential, so Olokun gave the latter twice what the first asked for.

Seeing the envious and proud this situation, one day he asked Olokun to take out his eye.

Olokum understood that he would have to blind the warrior who had only shown kindness and resignation, so he ruled:

“From today I take out one of your eyes, but you will live on Earth, where you will see wars, miseries and tears and you will suffer needs. Your brother will live at the bottom of the Oceans with me and although he will not see on Earth because of you, in the Ocean he will have eyes to see everything that you will not be able to see. ”

"He will have peace and riches and you will have to bring proof of your good deeds to the Sea and so he will give you his Ashé."

This is how the King of the Oceans demonstrated his immense wisdom and his powers, so his designs are always followed, for the sake of obtaining well-being.

Attend to the mighty Lord of the seabed How is Olokun treated?

Olokun likes the attention, respect and demonstrations of faith and devotion from his followers, whom he blesses with his immense wisdom when they prove to be worthy of his guidance and help.

Let us remember that to pray to Olokun and obtain his guidance and support, we must offer him his favorite foods.

  • At the end of the article we leave some offerings dedicated to Olokun with the step by step procedure.

It is offered to him among his favorite foods:

  • Ground corn cooked with garlic, onion and butter,
  • sweet like coconut joy balls,
  • tape beans (face beans, also called Chinese beans or black heads),
  • pork meat,
  • cress, malarrabia,
  • corncobs,
  • parboiled yam balls,
  • fruits such as coconut and fried green plantains,
  • black sugar and molasses of caña, etc.

They immolate him animals such as the white rooster, chickens, pigeons, goose, duck, turtle, guinea fowl, ram, mutton, pig, cow and calf.

your ewe (herbs or plants) are copalillo del monte, guama hediondo (barbasco), golden mouse, romerillo, coralillo, fine grass, lock, maidenhair, sugar apple, wire, willow, paragüita and usually wears the Ewe of Yemayá, the goddess of the sea .

Altar and elements of power of the Orisha:

He likes to stay close to his altar, it is adorned with dark blue and black tones, and his attributes are always related to the Ocean such as:

  • Little boats, anchors, shells, seahorses, and starfish.

It also takes between its most powerful elements:

  • Mask or mask, which is an element that represents it in the Osha
  • 21 otás or stones (some dark, shell and reef),
  • 2 hands of snails (one inside the jar with the secret and the other loose in the jar),
  • other elements like a sun, moon, majá, chains, a mask, etc.
  • and others, always related to the ocean made of lead or silver.

Short prayer to the venerable and powerful Olokun

When praying to him we must also remember that Olokun is the basis of Osha and Ifá, and is related to the deepest mysteries of life and death.

We can ask him for health, abundance and financial well-being, but he will only help us if he considers us worthy and if we show him due respect.

  • This is how he is invoked to listen to us when we have problems or simply want to thank him for his blessings:

I idolize the spirit of the vast sea. I idolize the spirit of the sea, which is beyond all intelligence.

Spirit of the sea, I will idolize you, as long as there is water in the ocean.

Let there be harmony in the sea. Let there be harmony in my being.

To the spirit of the sea, whose years are not counted, I give my consideration.

So be it.

It is important not to anger this powerful deity and to know in detail the cult that is carried out around his figure so as not to fall into religious disrespect.

We share more about the great Olokun and his powers in the Osha:

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