Obatala Like Greek, Middle Eastern, and Indian mythologies, West African mythology offer a sophisticated view of creation and humanity. African mythology has been carried through slavery to Brazil, Cuba, Trinidad, Guyana, and Haiti among other South American and Caribbean nations. African mythology, filled with artistic fables and true stories, presents a pantheon of gods and goddesses.
Like Indian Brahma, Olorun (also known as Olodumare or Olofi) is the creator god who crafted the universe; Chango is Baal’s counterpart as the god of thunder and storm; Oshun shares many similarities to Aphrodite in Greek mythology as the goddess of beauty, love, sexual ecstasy; there’s even an Oshun River that flows into Lagos Lagoon in Nigeria! Obatala: Child of God
Obatala, the most powerful and sweetest god, is a beloved deity to millions. Much like Christian Jesus, Obatala was created from the heavens by Olorun the father. According to the Qur’an (3:49), Allah created humans from popo (mud and clay), although science is currently working towards proving that human life began in Africa; nonetheless, Obatala holds the mythological credit for creating our physical form.
Similar to angels in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic religions, Orishas are divine beings that govern various aspects of human life in Africa’s spiritual tradition.
Obatala has considered the godfather of these Orishas such as Chango and Oshun; just like the Levant is central to Middle Eastern religions, Yorubaland plays an equally significant role.
Just as Banaras is a sacred city in India, Ile-Ife holds similar spiritual significance for Yoruba believers: upon Obatala descended from heaven he first settled here to found what would become known as the Mother City of humanity.
Obatala is an androgynous being, married to Yemaya, the goddess of oceans and patron of Orishas. Without gender restrictions, Obatala could be male, female, or neither – making him truly the god of all humans without regard for gender. He shows no patience when disputes break out between human communities over gender issues.
Obatala is free from all colors even though he is associated with whiteness, as white light is polychromatic. He’s often referred to as the god of white clothes due to his absorbency of wavelengths from 700 nm at the red end to 400 nm at the violet end.
When offering offerings to Obatala, visitors must wear costumes made out of white material and offer coconut milk or pumpkin along with burning sandalwood incense for him to accept. Silver and ivory are popular charms associated with Obatala’s presence.
Compassion drives his heart, inspiring compassion in almost all spiritual traditions. Allah particularly shows compassion when Allah states: “Peace be upon you. Your Lord has decreed upon Himself mercy”(Qur’an 6:54).
Judaism affirms Yahweh’s words: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion” (Exodus 33:19). Jesus instructs a demon-possessed man in Christianity: “Go home to your people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, how He has shown mercy on you” (Mark 5:19). Similarly, Lord Krishna in Hinduism states that those who demonstrate benevolence and mercy towards all living beings will be beloved by Lord Krishna Himself.
(Bhagavad Gita 12:13-14). Obatala’s mercy lies within his self-awareness, according to Yoruba spiritual tradition. By using his divine power to shape humanity, Obatala has created beautiful human beings. Unfortunately, while under the temporary influence of Palm wine,
Obatala breached his duty of care and created some flawed human beings. When an individual suffers due to an existential defect such as an organ or limb malfunction, genomic disorder, or hereditary flaw, Obatala shows empathy despite knowing that he shares part of the responsibility.
Yoruba compassion differs from most spiritual traditions in that it stems not from a perfect god toward perfect and error-prone created beings, as is common in most religions; rather, Obatala’s mercy comes from his self-awareness of being powerful but negligent towards frail yet blameless beings.
Whereas other faiths show compassion because someone else makes an error, in Yoruba culture Obatala shows mercy because he himself has made one. This remarkable self-concept makes Obatala the fairest god of the pantheon.
When West Africans were forcibly enslaved and transported across the oceans to Cuba, Brazil, Haiti, and beyond, their Orishas did not desert their devotees – nor were the devotees abandoning them either. Even when Catholic colonists forced these “heathens in chains” to accept new faiths and “be saved”, Obatala never left their hearts and heads of believers.
Through Santeria religion – named after Jesus the god of muteness, blindness, and sick – which ironically enough was appropriated by white whip-holders while Obatala continued comforting slaves working on white cotton fields.
In Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, devotees celebrate Obatala through September festivals.
Worshippers dressed in white costumes march through streets beating drums and singing songs as they worship all Orishas with offerings made and food shared. It’s an occasion when humans come together to honor a community of divine beings.
Back home in Ile-Ife, believers wearing silver jewelry and white garments enter an Obatala shrine where they sing devotional songs while playing sigbin bells – a classical instrument invented centuries ago to honor Obatala as the goddess of thoughts dreams, and purity.
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