The goddess of love, sexuality, beauty and diplomacy. She is the owner of the sweet waters. With her sweetness, she overcomes the most difficult tasks. She is the protector of the abdominal area and the teacher of pleasure and happiness. She is a great giver, but when she is angry, it is very difficult to calm her down. She is often invoked in matters of love and money.
Shango
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Once the fourth king of Yoruba, and inmortalized as the thunder god, Shangó is legendary across the African Atlantic world.
Shangó's storms and lightning bring a purifying moral terror encapsulated by the boldness and grandeur of his likenesses.
Shangó attracts many followers, as his extensive entourage represented on his altar.
Shango is a sensual god. He is the god of drumming and enjoys feasting and drinking.
Even the gods must have their fun.
Shango is the fury in the sky as well as the heartbeat of the Earth.
 
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Yemaya
The goddess of the sea and the moon. She is the mother archetype and the provider of wealth. As the one who gives life and sustains the Earth, she is extremely generous and giving. She is the nurturing energy that sooth anyone. But like the ocean, when she is angry, she can be implacable. Therefore, she represents the mother who gives love, but does not give her power away. Yemaya is also the owner of the collective subconcious and ancient wisdom, since she holds the secrets that are hidden in the sea. She is often invoked in fertility rituals for women and in any ritual concerning women's issues.
Obatala
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The orisha of peace, harmony and purity. He is the father of most orishas and the creator of humankind. He is the owner of the world.
He represents clarity, justice and wisdom. Everything that is white on Earth belongs to him: the snow, the sky, the bones and the brain.
In some paths, Obatala manifests as a female. Some people see him as an androgynous deity that contained both male and female energies representing respectively heaven and earth. Obatala is invoked for health, peace and harmony.
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Oya
Oya is the goddess of the wind, fire and the thunderbolt. As the female warrior of the Yoruba pantheon, she represents female power. She is strong, assertive, courageous and independent and is always willing to take risks. When she is enraged, she can create tornadoes and hurricanes, but these also happened when she is ready to make changes. Oya is a great witch and the guardian of the gates of death. She is invoked when there are serious illness or when transformation is necessary.
For Oh So Much More About Oya and Listen to a Drumming Dedicated to Her
Some Orishas with no graphics :(
Eleggua
The owner of the roads and opportunities. He is the messenger between human beings and the other orishas. He is always the first one to be honored during any ceremony because without his approval, nothing can be accomplished. Also a healer and master magician, he can be extremely generous as well as cruel. That's why he is associated with the devil in the Brazilian Candomble tradition. However, in the Yoruba tradition he is not seen as evil. His tricks are simply opportunities to learn lessons. He is the trickster.
Similar to the trickster snake in the Old Testament(The Whole Genesis Thing With Eve), that some 1500 years later became.....hmmm....this sounds familiar......could he be......SATAN???????????(said in the Dana Carvey Church Lady Voice) Isn't that special? I guess you have to be here....... Most Old Religions have a trickster. The Lakota people have Iktomi the Spider and there are countless examples of others. But the Christians have made the tricksters into Satan. Got to have that entity plotting against them, you know. Great Scapegoat, that rotten Satan. Anyhoooooo...
In Santeria, Eleggua is the one who protects the home against dangers. Most santeras(priestesses of Santeria) keep him in the house close to the front door. They give him offerings every Monday and on the third day of the month. His favorite gifts are candies, candles, toys, rum and cigars.
Oloddumare
The central creative force worshipped in the Yoruba tradition and in the Yoruba-based religions such as Santeria and Candomble. He is the concept of God.
