Skip to main content

Post 5: Ruler of the Heavens

Olorun

The Yoruban people inhabit Western Africa; they are both an ethnic group and a religious group. Olorun, who rules the heavens, is one of the Yoruban deities. Olorun is interpreted very differently across the different areas of Africa. Although there are some differences Olorun is widely known as the ruler of heaven. Olorun is half of the pair that created the planet we live on today, his other half being Olokun. Before Olorun, there was only the sky and the sea. Olorun is the equivalent of the Christian God or the Muslim Allah. Unlike Allah or God, Olorun is not directly worshipped by his followers.
Olorun creating life

There is nothing much to "judge" Olorun on, he is a creator and not much else. In Yoruban eyes, if it weren't for Olorun we would not exist.




Comments

  1. It was nice to learn about a culture and a creator. I think it was odd he wasn’t directly worshipped like a lot of other gods. How was he worshipped then? Was it like they took care of themselves and their land to worship him? If Ololorun was the creator of the heavens then what did Olokun create or rule?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow! Your images and details are neat. There are so many interesting facets of world religions with overlaps, as you explain.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Post 2: Phantom Queen

The Morrigan Mythology and religion are so widespread across the world that it is impossible for someone to not know of it, however, few have looked into the Celtic pantheon of Ireland. Not many know of the beings that reside within the stories of Celtic mythology. One such being is The Morrigan, a Celtic deity who governs over war, fate, and death. She is a congregate of three sister goddesses:  Anu, Macha, and Badb. The Morrigan could shapeshift into many things most often seen in the form of a crow; this is one of the reasons crows are seen as bringers of death or plague. She is a descendent of Danu and part of the  Tuatha Dé Danann, a superior form of beings hailing from the goddess of fertility and wisdom Danu. The Morrigan and a crow The Morrigan is perceived as an omen if she is seen prior to or during a battle. It is believed that if you see her cleaning in a river before a battle you will die. The Morrigan is an interesting goddess as her tale isn't one that would cau...

Post 3: Hound of Hades

Cerberus Cerberus is a being that most would be able to recognize but not name or describe the backstory of. He is depicted as a three-headed dog and as the pet of Hades, ruler of the underworld. Cerberus guards the gate to the underworld. One of the reasons he's so recognizable is because of his inclusion in film and TV. There is a film called Cerberus, but he is also included in productions such as Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone, Hercules (the Disney  one), and Clash of the Titans. He is the final labor of Hercules, who needed help from many to complete the labor  attesting to Cerberus' strength. Cerberus above dead I think Cerberus is cool because of all the pop culture references he garners yet so little is known about his backstory in ancient Greece. He is referenced in TV, film, music, podcasts, comics, and many books.

Post 1: The World Serpent

Jörmungandr   We are all familiar with many of the Norse Gods, as they have been popularized through the Marvel franchise; we know Thor, Loki, Odin, and many more. Loki has 3 children each sent to different locations: Hel sent to be the ruler of the underworld, Fenrir stayed in Asgard and Jörmungandr who was sent to the bottom of the sea. Jörmungandr is the child of Loki and Angrboða and is known as the World/Midgard Serpent. Jörmungandr survived by consuming some of the sea and growing to become a monstrous serpent. To escape he tricked Thor with the help of a king. The king challenged Thor to tasks that seemed easy, yet he failed both of them: lifting a cup and drinking all the liquid. Unbeknownst to Thor, the cup was actually Jörmungandrs restraints and the liquid was all of the seas. Jörmungandr escaped and the king told Thor the truth, infuriating him. Jörmungandr speaking to Thor Jörmungandr is one of the most terrifying beings in Norse mythology. With him...