Shango, the Orisha of fire who faced the feared Aggayú ≫ Pataki

Aggayu Solá is an older Orisha, the father of Shango and the giant of the Ocha. He is the deity of the dry land, of the desert and patron of walkers and porters. Protect motorists, airmen, and stevedores.

It is he who carries the small children on his shoulders, and moves them from one place to another with his long steps and strong stride, hence his syncretism with the saint Saint Christopher, both considered giants of magnanimous strength.

Let's see now, a patakí who relates him to his son Shango, the king of fire, thunder, dance and drums:

Pataki de Shango and his father Aggayú

Yoruba legends tell that of the union of Aggayú Solá, giant Orisha and Yemaya, Queen of the Seas, the god of Thunder, Shango, was born, although Aggayú did not know anything and therefore this story.

At that time they say that the giant was cruel and despotic and everyone feared him. Such was his authority that he left the door of his house open and crammed the entrance with meats and fruits, but no one dared to take a single one.

But Shango is the Orisha of Thunder and a fearless warrior, he entered the house of Aggayú and ate everything he found, even laying down to sleep on the same mat.

When Aggayú returned from the field, he saw the intruder in his house, without recognizing him as his son, and without thinking, he grabbed Shango and threw him into a bonfire. But of course, the God of Thunder did not burn, because he is a deity of fire.

Aggayú decided, then took him to the seashore to drown him, but his mother, the absolute owner of the sea, Yemayá, appeared and let him know that Shango was her own son, so she could not harm him.

Aggayú reaches an agreement with the King of fire

But Shango did not stop causing annoyance to his father Aggayú. One day he passed through the land of Orunzale and saw that the townspeople walked like zombies, without looking around, without eating and without sleeping.

Shango flew into a rage and decided to know who the king of the people was and, after many efforts, discovered that it was Aggayú.

So he went to visit him and, given Aggayú's questions about his visit, he told him that this people could not have such a strong king at the head because people do not hear, do not answer, do not speak.

He asked him to stop making people suffer and the two deities finally understood each other. Since then, Shango is at the head and Aggayú at the shoulders. That is why the children of Aggayú say: "Shango with orun for Aggayú".

Although we must point out that in other cults this deity is crowned, in Cuba, for example, Aggayú Solá is crowned in Matanzas, in Tierra Arará.