Knowra Olodumare Olodumare Olodumare is the supreme creator in Yoruba religious thought, associated with the source of existence and authority. The name is also rendered Olorun or Olodumare-Olorun.
Yoruba religion : A religious tradition rooted among the Yoruba people, involving divinities, ancestors, ritual, and diverse local practices. Olodumare is understood within this tradition's varied accounts of creation and divine authority.
Yoruba creation myths : Traditional narratives explaining the formation of the world and the establishment of life and order in Yoruba cosmology. These narratives portray creation as proceeding through Olodumare's authority and the work of orisha.
Olorun : A Yoruba name for the supreme deity, often translated as “owner” or “lord of the sky.” Olorun is frequently used alongside or in place of Olodumare in descriptions of supreme divinity.
Olodumare and the orisha : The distinction between Yoruba supreme divinity and the divine beings who mediate particular powers and domains. Olodumare's supremacy differs from the more specialized roles and direct ritual attention given to orisha.
Orisha : A divine being or sacred force in Yoruba religion and related traditions, associated with aspects of nature and human life. Orisha act within the world under an authority commonly attributed to Olodumare.
Obatala : An orisha associated in Yoruba traditions with creation, human form, wisdom, and whiteness. In prominent creation narratives, Olodumare entrusts Obatala with shaping the earth or humanity.
Oriki : A Yoruba form of praise poetry that invokes names, attributes, lineage, and deeds. Praise names and devotional language articulate attributes associated with Olodumare.
Supreme deity : A deity understood as the highest or ultimate divine authority within a religious system. This broader category helps distinguish Olodumare's supreme status from claims specific to Yoruba traditions.
Aṣẹ : A Yoruba concept of vital power or authority through which words, beings, and actions can bring effects into being. Accounts of Olodumare connect divine authority with the power by which creation is sustained.
Oduduwa : A foundational figure in Yoruba traditions, associated with the origins of Yoruba kingship and, in some accounts, creation. Some creation accounts assign Oduduwa a role in establishing the earth under divine authority.
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