Ọya ( Yorùbá: ''Ọya'', also known as Oyá or Oiá; Yàńsàn-án or Yansã; and Iansá or Iansã in

Latin America Latin America or * french: Amérique Latine, link=no * ht, Amerik Latin, link=no * pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...

) is an

orisha Orishas (singular: orisha) are spirits that play a key role in the Yoruba religion of West Africa and several religions of the African diaspora that derive from it, such as Cuban, Dominican and Puerto Rican Santería and Brazilian Candomblé. T ...

of winds, lightning, and violent storms, death and rebirth. She is similar to the

Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...

an Lwa,

Maman Brigitte Maman Brigitte (English: ''Mother Brigitte'') sometimes also written as Manman Brigitte and also known by Gran Brigitte, Grann Brigitte, Manman, Manman Brigit, and Maman Brijit is a death loa (or ''lwa'') and the consort of Baron Samedi in Haiti ...

, who is syncretised with the Catholic

Saint Brigit Saint Brigid of Kildare or Brigid of Ireland ( ga, Naomh Bríd; la, Brigida; 525) is the patroness saint (or 'mother saint') of Ireland, and one of its three national saints along with Patrick and Columba. According to medieval Irish hagiogr ...

. In Yorùbá, the name Ọya is morphologically coined from "O ya" which means "she tore." She is known as Ọya-Ìyáńsàn-án – the "mother of nine" — because of 9 children she gave birth to all of them being stillborn; suffering from lifetime of barrenness. She is the patron of the

Niger River The Niger River ( ; ) is the main river of West Africa, extending about . Its drainage basin is in area. Its source is in the Guinea Highlands in south-eastern Guinea near the Sierra Leone border. It runs in a crescent shape through ...

(known to the Yorùbá as the Odò-Ọya)A Bahia de Santa Bárbara

Candomblé

Candomblé Candomblé () is an African diasporic religion that developed in Brazil during the 19th century. It arose through a process of syncretism between several of the traditional religions of West Africa, especially that of the Yoruba, and the Roman ...

, Oya is known as Oiá, lyá Mésàn, or most commonly, Iansã, from the Yoruba ''Yánsán''. Iansã, as in Yoruba religion, commands winds, storms, and lightning. She is the queen of the river Niger, and the mother of nine. She is a warrior and is unbeatable. Attributes of Iansã include great intensity of feelings, sensations, and charm. Another ability attributed to Iansã is control over the mysteries that surround the dead. Iansã is syncretized with

Saint Barbara Saint Barbara ( grc, Ἁγία Βαρβάρα; cop, Ϯⲁⲅⲓⲁ Ⲃⲁⲣⲃⲁⲣⲁ; ; ), known in the Eastern Orthodox Church as the Great Martyr Barbara, was an Early Christianity, early Christian Lebanese and Greek saint and martyr. Acc ...

. In the Candomblé ''nação'' (association) of Angola Congo, Iansã is associated with the colour red.

Characteristics

* Salutation: "Eeparrei!", or "Epahhey, Oia!" * Consecrated day: Wednesday * Colors: red, purple and black * Symbols: "Buffalo horn" ''eruquerê'', a ritual object; or a copper sword * Prohibitions: pumpkin, stingray, and mutton * Food: acarajé/àkàrà

Ritual foods

Acarajé Àkàrà (Yoruba)(English: Bean cake Hausa: kosai, Portuguese: Acarajé () is a type of fritter made from cowpeas or beans (black eye peas). It is found throughout West African, Caribbean, and Brazilian cuisines. The dish is traditionally encount ...

, a ball formed from crushed or peeled beans and fried in ''dendê'' (

palm oil Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from the mesocarp (reddish pulp) of the fruit of the oil palms. The oil is used in food manufacturing, in beauty products, and as biofuel. Palm oil accounted for about 33% of global oils produced from ...

) is a traditional offering to Iansã in the

tradition of Brazil. A simple, unseasoned form of acarajé is used in rituals, and a version served with various condiments is sold as a common street food in

Bahia Bahia ( , , ; meaning "bay") is one of the 26 Federative units of Brazil, states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo (sta ...

in the northeast of Brazil. Ipeté and bobo de inhame are also associated with Iansã. In Yorùbá, her food is pronounced 'Àkàrà".

Bibliography

* Judith Gleason, ''Oya'', San Francisco: Harper, 1992 (Shamballah, 1987), * Charles Spencer King, ''Nature's Ancient Religion'',

References

{{Authority control Brazilian deities Yoruba goddesses Death goddesses Fertility goddesses Fire goddesses Sky and weather goddesses Sea and river goddesses Magic goddesses Underworld goddesses War goddesses Thunder goddesses Commerce goddesses Santería Psychopomps

Candomblé

Characteristics

Ritual foods

See also

Bibliography

References