01
7 Powers
Obatala
also: Orisa-nla
King of the White Cloth; Sculptor of Human Bodies; Orisa-nla
Creation
Purity
Wisdom
Healing
+8 more
Obatala is the arch-divinity and creator of human bodies in the Yoruba pantheon — a primordial Orisa of immense antiquity, purity, and wisdom who scul
Air
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02
Oduduwa
also: Odudua
Progenitor of the Yoruba; First King of Ile-Ife; Owner of the Earth
Creation of earth
Kingship
Ancestry
Yoruba nationhood
+3 more
Oduduwa is the primordial Orisa and progenitor of the Yoruba people — the divine ancestor who descended from heaven on a chain, created the first dry
Earth
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03
7 Powers
Orunmila
also: Orunmila Baba
Witness to Creation; Grand Priest of Ifa; The Knower of All Destinies
Divination
Wisdom
Destiny
Prophecy
+6 more
Orunmila is the Orisa of wisdom, divination, and destiny — the divine witness who was present at creation and knows the ori (destiny) of every living
Air
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04
Aje
also: Aje Shaluga
Divine Wealth; Mother of Prosperity; Owner of All That Multiplies
Wealth
Prosperity
Commerce
Money
+4 more
Aje is the divine personification of wealth and prosperity in the Yoruba tradition — the Orisa who governs all forms of abundance, from cowrie shells
Earth
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05
Nana Buluku
also: Nana
The Ancient One; Original Mother; The Primordial Creatress Beyond the Gods
Primordial creation
Swamp
Mud
The earth's oldest memory
+4 more
Nana Buluku is the primordial creatress — the ancient, swamp-born mother who predates most of the Orisa and embodies the wisdom of the deepest, most a
Water
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06
Iyami Oshooronga
also: Iyami
The Terrible Mother; Owner of the Bird; She Who Holds the Àṣẹ of Life and Death
Female power
Life and death
The night
Birds
+4 more
Iyami Oshooronga are the collective divine power of the Great Mothers in Yoruba cosmic theology — the fearsome, awe-inspiring female force that govern
Night
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07
Ala
also: Ala Orisa
The Bright White; The Ground Beneath All Things; Divine Moral Order
Moral order
Purity
The earth
Divine law
+3 more
Ala is the Orisa of divine moral order and the sacred purity of the earth — a figure who spans Yoruba and Igbo traditions as the divine ground whose h
Earth
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08
Aje Saluga
also: Aje Shaluga
The Miserly One; Great Wealth Concentrated; Treasure of Olokun
Extreme wealth
Treasure
Olokun's gold
Miserliness as a form of sacred accumulation
+1 more
Aje Saluga is the form of the wealth Orisa that governs concentrated treasure — the vast reserves of Olokun's deep ocean. He is propitiated for access
Water
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09
Olofin
The Divine Lawgiver; Owner of the Crown of Creation
The Divine Lawgiver; Owner of the Crown of Creation
10
Obatala Oshagrian
also: Oshagrian
Obatala the Fierce Warrior; The Masculine War Avatar
War in Obatala's name
Fierce purity
Warrior purity
Righteous battle
Obatala Oshagrian is the fierce warrior avatar of Obatala — the aspect of the great creator that defends moral purity and righteous order through batt
Air
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11
Ajala Mopin
Divine Potter of Ori (Destiny-Head)
Ori
Destiny formation
Creation
Pre-birth symbolism
Ajala Mopin is the divine potter associated with shaping Ori (destiny-head) before incarnation in Yoruba cosmology.
Earth
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12
Omi Tutu
Cool Water Itself; The Fundamental Blessing
Cool Water Itself; The Fundamental Blessing
13
Obatala Ogiyan
The Pounding Obatala; He Who Pounds with the Pestle of Creation
The Pounding Obatala; He Who Pounds with the Pestle of Creation
14
Obatala Obalufon
The Highest Obatala; The Purity That Governs Ile-Ife
The Highest Obatala; The Purity That Governs Ile-Ife
About Primordial Orisa
These are the oldest Orisa ÔÇö the divine forces created before human beings walked the earth. They shaped the world, sky, and deep waters at the dawn of creation. Their power is vast and their taboos are among the most serious.
Browse all Orisa Yoruba categories or explore the Odu Ifa for sacred verses connected to these deities.