Knowra Yoruba mythology Yoruba mythology Yoruba mythology comprises sacred narratives and beliefs about creation, deities, spirits, and human life among Yoruba communities. Its traditions vary across regions and religious practice.
Olodumare : The supreme creator in Yoruba religion, regarded as the source of existence and of the orishas. Creation narratives place Olodumare above the orishas and assign a role in shaping the world.
Oduduwa : A foundational figure in Yoruba traditions, associated with the origin of the Yoruba people and, in some accounts, the creation of the earth. Oduduwa appears in influential accounts of how land and Yoruba society came into being.
Yoruba people : A West African ethnolinguistic group whose largest populations live in southwestern Nigeria and neighboring countries. Yoruba mythology is rooted in the histories, languages, and communities of Yoruba people.
Santería : An Afro-Cuban religion that combines Yoruba-derived orisha worship with Catholic and other influences. Santería preserves and reshapes Yoruba divine figures and narratives in Cuba and its diaspora.
Èṣù : An orisha associated with communication, crossroads, choice, and the transmission of offerings. Èṣù mediates between humans and divine powers, making communication central to sacred practice.
Obatala : An orisha associated with creation, whiteness, moral clarity, and the shaping of human bodies. Stories of Obatala describe the making of the earth and the formation of humanity.
Yoruba religion : The religious traditions of Yoruba communities, including worship of orishas, divination, offerings, and ancestral practices. Mythological narratives form part of a broader lived religious tradition.
Candomblé : An Afro-Brazilian religion with traditions of orisha worship shaped by West and Central African heritage. Candomblé adapts Yoruba-derived sacred beings and ritual knowledge within Brazilian religious life.
Ifá : A Yoruba system of divination and sacred knowledge associated with the orisha Ọ̀rúnmìlà. Ifá preserves and interprets verses that recount divine histories and guide human choices.
Ọ̀rúnmìlà : An orisha of wisdom and divination who is associated with the Ifá tradition. Ọ̀rúnmìlà's narratives link divine knowledge with the choices and destinies of people.
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