Who is Oya?
Oya is an Osha and is closely related to Iku, the divinity of death. She is the promoter of storms, hurricane winds and sparks. She symbolizes the violent and impetuous character. Oya lives at the door of the cemeteries. Represents the intensity of the mournful feelings and the world of the dead. In nature she is symbolized by the spark. Together with Eleguá, Orunla and Obatalá she dominates the four winds. She is called with the sound of the flamboyant pod. Represents the reincarnation of the ancestors, the lack of memory and the feeling of regret in the woman. Oya's flag, skirts and cloths carry a combination of all colors except black.Oya is the Orisha of the Niger River, formerly called Oya, by its 9 tributaries. She was born in Ira. Oya is one of the so-called Orishas of the dead with her sisters Obba and Yewa. Oya exercises a special power over the eggúns, because she is the mother of 9 of them. Lover of war she fought with Oggun and Shango in the campaigns that these carried out. Accompanied Shango when he left Òyó and was named queen of Kosso. Her cult is of territory Tapa, Kosso and Òyó. Her name comes from Yorùbá Òyá (Oló: Mistress - Oya: Darkness) meaning "Mistress of Darkness" also known as Yansá from Yorùbá Iyámsá (Iyá: mother -Omó: sons - Mesá: nine) "Mother of nine".
The children of Yemaya and Shango do not receive her during the Sodo Orisha and when she is established as a tutelary Orisha, her children must receive Yemaya with a special ritual. Her stpmes are 9 of brown color that are collected in the river.
Oya's number is 9 and its multiples. In the syncretism she is compared with the Holy Virgin of the Candelaria and Santa Teresa (February 2). Her color is wine red or brown and 9 colors except black. She is saluted: Greetings, Jekua Jey Yansá!
Family of Oya.
Daughter of Obbatala and Yembó, wife of Oggun, Shango. She kissed Babalu ayé for the first time, she is also Ayaó's sister who is a virgin and does not settle.
Diloggún in Oya.
Speaks in the diloggún for Osá (9).
Oya's tools.
Her receptacle in an earthen vessel with a lid or a tureen of brown or various colors. Normally she lives dry, in some cases in river water and in others only a little river water is sprayed on its ota. Her attributes are 9 adanes (handles) of copper, flamboyant sheaths, Irukes (horse's tail), a hand of snails, tools of work and war, swords, shields, lightning swords, crown, handkerchiefs of 9 different colors except black, guataca, peaks, arrow, ray, scythe, stick, hoe, rake, ax, saber, etc. Her elekes are of 1 brown account with black and white stripes for every 9 browns, in some Osha houses they are made of lilac beads with yellow stripes or alternating 9 white and 9 black beads.
Offerings to Oya.
She is presented with colored fruits, mainly eggplant, sweet potato, Indian plantain, buns of beans, white rice with eggplant, corojo butter, grapes, cocoa butter, toasted corn, coconut, etc. He is immolated goats, chickens, guineas, pigeons. Her ewe are flamboyán, caimitillo, pump fruit, yucca, pomegranate, marigold, thousand flowers, geranium, purple coralillo, pacific sea, cucumber cucumber, verbena, cemetery flower, dead scarecrow, change voice, plantain, shameful, mugwort, cordovan, camphor, curujey, croto, cherimoya, mongoose, etc.
Objects of power of Oya.
A tool made with black mane of horsetail, called Iruke. Nine copper bracelets.
Oya's costumes.
Oya wears a dress wine and a skirt with 9 stripes of different colors. She can also dress in a dry fiber dress from the top of the royal palm, called yagua. Nine-colored ribbons cover his head.
Dances of Oya.
When Oya dances, her iruke wiggles to clear the bad air influences. Her dance is very frenetic and very fast. It's delirious, a bacchanal. Sometimes she charges with a burning torch in her right hand, making fiery circles as she turns to the left.
Crowning Oya. Kari-Osha.
To crown this Osha one must have received before the warrior Orishas. Then during the coronation the following Oshas and Orishas must be received:Elegguá, Oggun, Oshosi, Obbatalá, Oke, Yemayá, Shangó, Ogué, Oshún and Oya.
Roads of Oya.
Her paths are:Oya Yansa Bà Funkó.
Oya DumÃ.
Oya De.
Oya BumÃ.
Oya Bomi.
Oya Nira.
Oya Igbalé.
Oya Nike
Oya Tolá.
Oya Dira.
Oya Funké.
Oya Iya Efon.
Oya Afefere.
Oya Yansá Mimú.
Oya ObinÃdodo.
Oya Yansa Duma
Oya Yansa Doco.
Oya Tombowa.
Oya Ayawá
Oya Tapa.
Oya Tomboro.
Oya Yansa Odó.
Oya Yansá OrirÃ.
Characteristics of the Omo Oya.
They are reserved people, of calm character like a breeze but when they get angry they are a tempest. They are like the wind, they do not like to be locked in a place, they tire easily with the everyday and monotonous behaviour. They are in extremely faithful in some cases, but in others are given to extra conjugal adventures. In all cases they are very jealous.
Patakies of Oya.
A long time ago three sisters lived in a tribe: Yemayá, Oshún and Oya, who, although very poor, were happy. Yemayá was the oldest and kept her two sisters fishing in the sea. Oya was the youngest and Oshun took care of her, while doing this she also fished in the river and collected stones, which they sold. Love among the three sisters was very big. One day the tribe was invaded by enemy troops. Oshún could not hear the cries of Oya, which she tied so that she would not get lost doing her usual pranks since she was submerged in the river, nor heard her Yemayá, which was far away from the coast. Thus, the enemies took Oya as a captive.Oshún when she discovered the loss of her beloved sister, sick of melancholy began to slowly consume. However, she managed to find out how much the enemies were asking for the rescue of Oya and little by little began to keep copper coins, until she had enough money to rescue Oya. The head of the tribe, who was madly in love with Oshun and who knew the poverty of her, doubled the price of the ransom while the negotiations were being made. Oshún knelt, wept and begged, however the Oba asked her for her virginity in exchange for her sister's freedom. Because of her love for Oya, Oshún agreed. When she returned home with Oya, they told everything to Yemayá, and the older sister in recognition of the generous gesture of Oshún never forgot the sacrifice of her sister, she adorned the head and her arms with coins of copper.
While Oya was captive, Olofin had distributed the earthly goods among the inhabitants of her tribe: to Yemayá she made her absolute mistress of the seas, to Oshún, of the rivers; Oggún, metals, and so on. But since Oya was not present, she did not received anything. Oshun implored her father not to omit her from his earthly representation. Olofin, was thoughtful to realize the fairness of the request and remembered that there was only one place without an owner: the cemetery. Oya gladly accepted, and thus became mistress of the cemetery. This is why Oya has copper tools to show his eternal gratitude to Oshun's sacrifice and eats by the river, as a reminder of her childhood. Moforibale Oshún, Moforibale Yemayá, MoforÃbale Oya.
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