Olorun

(African mythology)

Literal meaning: ‘owner’. The head of the Yoruban pantheon, which contains 1,700 divinities. He is Olofin-Orun, ‘lord of heaven’; also he is Olodumare, ‘almighty’ and ‘supreme’. To the Yoruba of Nigeria, this sky god is the discerner of hearts—‘he who sees the inside and the outside of man’. Active in celestial and terrestrial affairs, Olorun is able to do all things; he is the enabler of all who achieve any ends. No one has ever seen this ‘king who cannot be found by searching’, yet as Olodumare he is omnipresent: a mighty, eternal rock, forever constant and reliable.

Olorun created the universe, appointed night and day, arranged the seasons, and fixed the destiny of men. Whenever a misfortune befalls a bad person, the Yoruba say ‘he is under the lashes of god’. Death was his creation too. At first men did not die. They grew to an immense size, after which they shrank into feeble old people. Because there were so many of them creeping around, men prayed to Olorun, begging him to free them from long life, and in this way the old ones died.

Like the other gods in the Yoruban pantheon, Olorun is served by priests. They enjoy an important social status, virtually nothing being done without their ministration. The training period for priests can last as long as three years.

In Yoruba mythology, Ọlọrun (Olodumare) is the Sky Father and creator of the universe. Occasionally androgynous or female, he is a god of peace, purity and harmony. He is strongly associated with the color white, and controls everything that is white, such as bones, the brain, and clouds. He is the father of Odudua and Obatala.

Ọlọrun literally means "Owner of the Rainbow Womb" in Yoruba, and represents a concept similar to the Brahman of Hindu cosmology - being not an Orisha or Deity per se, as much as the sum total of all divinity, and the source of all Ashe (that is, the life-force or divine power; compare to the ancient roman concept of "numen" or the oriental Chi/Ki). While the title may imply femininity Ọlọrun is seen as gender neutral.

In many respects, he is equivalent to the Palo Mayombe Nsambi.

Occasionally Ọlọrun is given an anthropomorphic depiction in myth, but in general this is not the case.

References in popular culture

Alice Coltrane has recorded a song named "Galaxy Around Olodumare" in 1972 for her album World Galaxy.

Paul Simon makes reference to this god under the name "Olodumare" the song "Rhythm of the Saints", which first appeared on his 1990 album of the same title.

Other names

• Ogus
• Olorun
• Olodumare

Afro-American Religions
Religions	Candomblé · Hoodoo · Kumina · Obeah · Palo · Quimbanda · Santería (Lukumí) · Spiritual Baptist · Umbanda · Vodou/Voodoo · Winti
Deities	Babalu Aye · Eshu · Iansan · Mami Wata · Obàtálá · Ogun · Ọlọrun · Orunmila · Ọṣun · Shango · Yemaja
Roots	Ifá, Oriṣa (Yorùbá) · Lwa (Dahomey) · Nkisi (Kongo) · Catholicism (Portugal, Spain)

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)