Orisha
Orisha are effective spiritual energies worshipped in the religion of the Yorubas. Yoruba religion is known under many different guises, among them Santeria, Lukumi, Regla de Ocha, Candomble, etc. Yoruba practitioners believe in one god almighty, Olodumare. But he is beyond human comprehension. He manifests himself to us through orisha, with whom we directly interact.
My introduction to Santeria came in 1995. It is documented in the Spring 1998 issue of Shaman's Drum. You can read about my first experience with Santeria by clicking this link: Shaman's Drum. This
page will feature different essays and stories about Orisha. It will
change every two weeks. This week I feature my essay on Babalu, which first appeared in New Aeon about five years ago. It was one of the first times that I wrote publicly about my experience with HIV. To this day, it has proven to be the most rewarding piece I have written in terms of people's responses. I was very moved when my padrino told me that a drug addicted street-walker had come to him stating that reading the article enabled her to feel like a person for the first time
in her life. I don't credit myself with that achievement, but rather recognize once more the kindness and dignity that Babalu brings to so many. Anyhow, I hope you enjoy the article. Click on this link: Babalu. The first story I featured here tells of how Yemaya stole the secret of divination
from Orunla. in doing so, she ironically becomes the special intercessor for gay
men. The story probably never existed in Africa. (There it is told that Oshun,
not Yemaya, stole the secrets of divination from either Orunla or Obatala.)
An important recent political development in Yoruba religion is mirrored
allegorically here. There was a well documented dispute between the legendary
priestess of Yemaya, Ferminita Gomez, Oshabi, and the priests of Orunmilla, the
babalawo. To cut to the heart of the matter, people say either that she saved or
stole the religion from Ifa. (Ochani Lele, The Secrets of Afro-Cuban
Divination, (Rochester, VT: Destiny Books) 2000, p. 16.) Whether it is allegory or prophecy, the following story found actors in
Oshabi and her contemporary babalawos. It is during her lifetime, that
gay men began joining the religion in large numbers. According to noted
ethnologist Lydia Cabrerra, they were often children of Yemaya. Both women and
gay men are excluded from the priesthood of the babalawo. They could become
dedicated orisha priests, oloshas. Ferminita Gomez gave them powerful rights by
which they could claim to be peers rather than subordinates of babalawo.
Click here to go to Yemaya and Orunla.
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