In Yoruba, Santería,
Candomblé and other Orisha religions, Iansã is Orisha (Orixá)
of the Winds and Storms (2,7), lightning and fire (6,8) who brings great
changes (2) with her influence. She rides the winds into battles and wields
(depending on story told) a machete, two swords, lightening and/or an iruke.
An iruke is a great whip made from horsetail. She can raise armes of the
dead(2,3,7) (eguns) as her soldiers and it is said that tornados spring up
from the whirling of her skirts. (2,3)
She is a strong woman, a role model, who refuses to accept male domination.
She is sought in times of difficulty and leads followers through painful
transformations. (8)
Syncretized Catholic Saint – Our Lady of Candlemas, St. Theresa; AKA
The Virgin of Candelaría; AKA The Virgin of Carmen (2)
Background information:
What is Santería
(Yoruba is its predecessor and Candomblé a cousin)
Sometimes called Regla de Ocha or The Lucumí Religion. Originating
in Western Africa with the Yoruba people of Nigeria and Benin; moving with
the slave trade to Cuba as Santería and Brazil where it developed into
Candomblé. Today there are followers of each sect worldwide and of
all races. It is founded on a relationship of humans, natural world and the
divine. Living in harmony with these forces is a key component, balancing
energies and male/female forces. (3). According to the Yoruba, after the world
was created, each Orixá was given their individual power (axé
= pronounced ashe) over each aspect of the world. Humans can use power from
the divine for strength, energy and the ability to make things happen. The
orishas are the connection between the heavens (orun) and earth (aiyé)
(1) Candomblé is deeply spiritual and tolerant. Each person is marked
on the day of their birth by an Orixá, later confirmed by a priest
of the cult.(5)
Because the practice has followers world-wide, of many races and languages,
changes in terminology and spelling may vary depending on the source of information.
From Africa, to Cuba, to Brazil – Spanish, French, and West African influences
are seen in stories and spellings. This summary touches only on the surface
of the rich history of these religions and this fascinating Orixá.
Please forgive any errors in representation, as some sites were translated
from Portuguese and my phrasing shifts spelling, names, and terminology with
the region of the story’s origin. Her many names, and those of her fellow
Orixás are used interchangeably.
Oyá lives in the marketplace, where change is a constant and fortunes
are influenced. Although she is the guide for lost spirts (eguns), she does
not live in the cemetery. She escorts them to the threshold. (2,3,7,8)
She wears a mask to protect her privacy. (2)
She was married to Ogún and he forged her favorite weapon – the machete.
She is the ‘mother of nine’, who gave birth to nine stillborn children. She
harbors much grief over her loss and inability to bear live children, and
wears nine colored scarves in their memory. She took in and raised the twins
of Oshún as her own when Oshún kicked them out. (this story
varies by source). She is close in spirit to Oshún. When Oshún
was dying due to lack of worship, Oyá insisted Changó declare
ebó’ (sacrifice) to save Oshún life. (3).
Oyá and Yemaya cannot be in the same room when Oyá is worshiped.
While this is a whole story in itself, the short reason is that a ram once
betrayed Oya and the ram is sacred to Yemaya. (3)
Lovers:
She was lover to Changó (who was married to Oshún in this
version of the story –). She stole his skill with lightening and used his
fear of the dead to control him. (3) In another version of the story Shangó
(Changó) loved her passionately, gave her his heart and shared with
her the secret of the lightning (1) In yet a third version of the story, Xiangô
sent Iansã, the most important of his wives, to bring him a potion
that would let him breathe fire from his nose and mouth. Iansa~ disobeyed,
and tasted the potion so she too could breathe fire. Without Iansã,
he cannot make fire and became inseparable from her (5). Red is a special
color to her because Xiangô’ gave her the title “Mother of the evening”
or “Mother of the Rosy Sky”. (7). Her name is called after the thunder sounds,
because Xiangô Lord of Justice will not harm anyone who remembers his
beloved’s name (7). In yet another story, Oyá was married to Ogún
and Changó stole her away. He frequently cavorted with other orishas
wives which landed him in trouble. One of these times, he was locked up in
a jail and Oyá became concerned. She rushed in on a storm and released
him. Since that time, she has held his respect as a warrior and she fights
beside him. (2)
Worship:
Venerated in: Yoruba Religion, Umbanda, Candomblé, Santería,
Haitian Voodoo, Folk Catholicism
Dance: Two or three drums with constant quick rhythm, and surprising changes;
movement is quick, aggressive and strong. Dancers wear billowing skirts to
represent the wind and hold a symbolic iruke (8, see video link #1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGiqxlN9LDM
Children of Iansã:
Those influenced strongly by Iansã may suddenly change their entire
life on a dime, for the sake of love or an ideal. They are very extroverted
and direct. Passion, with frequent and sudden changes, are common in their
love lives. They cannot tolerate betrayal and are very jealous. (2,7) They
don’t like routine, get bored quickly (2) They are brave, stubborn, hard workers
who fight for the underdog. Women are strong and athletic,and prefer the
company of men over women not just in relationships. Their relationships are
tumultuous, often riddled with heartbreak and betrayal. They are strongly
drawn to the occult and may have connection with the dead (9)
Sacred to Iansã/Oyá:
Areas of Influence: wind, storms, lightning, marketplace/business, death,
cemetery, change, witchcraft/magic, athletics (9)
Greeting: “Eeparrei!” or “Epahhey, Oía” (4)
Day: Wednesday (1,4,5) or Friday when she punishes those who upset
her(2)
Festival dates: 4 December (1); In Cuba, 2 February (Candelaría)
(9)
Number: 9 (2)
Food: Sweet dark foods: plums, eggplants, red wine, chocolate pudding,
black shegoat, black hen, pigeons, guinea hen (1); acarajé (crushed
bean balls fried in palm oil) (4)
Colors: bright red (2,4,5); brown (2,3) or burgundy, plus nine different
colors (no black) (3)
Elements: Wind, Storms (1,3,4,6), Fire (6)
Aspects of life: Death and rebirth (4); Rapture and passion (7)
Animals: Water buffalo (4,9), birds (sparrows and martins), fireflies,
dragonflies, bats, deer (9)
Metal: Copper (1,2)
Stones: Amethyst, Garnet, Black Opal, Labradorite (9)
Regions: the marketplace, gates of the cemetery (2,3,4)
Tools: machete, mask, scythe, iruke (3); copper sword and eru of
oxtail or buffalo tail (1,5)
Symbols: buffalo horns, locust pod, fly whisk, machete, or special
beads (eleke of coral, brown glass beads with black and white stripes, alternating
with red beads)
Offerings: left in the marketplace (1); any of her sacred foods;
tobacco (9)
Prohibitions: pumpkin, stingray, and mutton (4)
Original
Ritual for Iansá by IllaraSilverbreeze
Offering To Iansã for Transformation
Timing: Wednesday in the waning moon
Iansã/Oyá is a strong woman who is never cowed nor controlled.
She is her true first to herself, then to those who are true to her. If there
was wisdom, power, or skill to be obtained, she took it and let no one stand
in her way. This ritual is designed for the purpose of asking Iansã
for courage of conviction to seek and embrace the truest version of ourselves,
and to allow her to spark with her lightening that transformative change
and fan it with her winds until we are completely remade as we wish to be.
For the Quarters we will call to the Elementals as we want the purest form
of its energy, untainted by the mundane world or colored by the other Deities
who associate with those energies.
Needed items:
Basic Altar set up (chalice, athame, censor, pentacle disc, bell, cauldron);
consider red or rainbow cloth
Sandalwood oil and incense for purification, blessing, protection and spirituality
Wintergreen oil for hex breaking
Palo Santo chips for sacred fire in fireproof bowl or cauldron
Elemental representations which can be used in ritual dry bath (Air: feather,
Fire: incense, Water, Graveyard dirt or Sacred Crystal above)
Mask made of paper, with combustible strings attached (recommend making this
yourself in advance) and a pen
A song of wind or fire that represents being free to be you (to you; mine
is below)
Offering for Iansã (see items above)
Before self-purification or stepping into your sacred space -using
black and red, write on the mask all the impediments to being your true self,
whether they are societal, personal, financial, etc. These are the things
that you are releasing or destroying symbolically in this ritual, to rid
yourself of barriers to being your most authentic self.
When you are done, don the mask and start your ritual process.
Before beginning, take a moment to center yourself and recall the reason
you have chosen to do this ritual. Hold that firmly in your mind.
Starting with your power hand, anoint the chakra in the center of your palm
with a drop or two of sandalwood oil. Repeat on the other hand. Rub briskly
together to generate a good burn. When the energy is high take a deep
breath of the oils and visualize clean bright fire cleansing away the filth
of the world that has seeped into your spirit. Then, as if you were smudging
yourself, from crown to tops of feet, brush way the negative energies clinging
to you with the oil coated palms just above your skin. Repeat with the back
side of you. Return your hands to prayer pose in front of your heart and
feel free to be your truest, purest self.
Cast your circle as you normally do
Elemental Quarters:
Elementals of Air, I call to you in the name of Iansã Orixá
of Transformation and Air. Bring clarity and wisdom, stir the air of change.
We ask you to lend your protection and your power to this rite.
Elementals of Fire, I call to you in the name of Iansã Orixá
of Transformation and Fire. Bring passion, purification and courage, stir
the embers of change. We ask you to lend your protection and your power to
this rite.
Elementals of Water, I call to you in the name of Iansã Orixá
of Transformation and Great Storms. Bring healing and cleansing, stir the
waters of mystery. We ask you to lend your protection and power to this rite.
Elementals of Earth, I call to you in the name of Iansã Orixá
of Transformation and Rebirth. Bring strength and endurance, stir not for
we need to be grounded. We ask you to lend your protection and power to this
rite.
By power of the Goddess, who is Spirt and Elements combined, this circle
is bound. No one who bears me ill may enter here.
Eeparrei, Iansã! Orixá who’s axé is the great
winds of change, sweeping storms with the lightning of transformation. I
greet you and welcome you to my circle. Tonight I honor you. I seek to free
myself from the trappings of the world, the masks and costumes I have donned
to be the face the world expects of me. Help me through the death of my old
self, guide me through this unknown void, and rebirth the spirit of my true
self. Let your bolt strike true, burn away that which is no longer serving
my best interests and with your gales blow them away forever.
Kneel before your altar and place your offerings to Iansã to the
East
— spicy dark chocolate and a glass of rich red wine (mine)
Iansã, please accept these rich sweets as a token of honor and gratitude
for your axé in my life.
Meditation or Dance: SJ Tucker’s Firebird’s Child
-Meditate during the song about the changes you wish to see in you and how
Iansã can help with this. Or, set yourself free and be that self in
the dance.
Move to the altar.
Place the chips of Palo Santo in the fireproof bowl or cauldron.
Remove your mask. Fold it nine times away from you and place it in the cauldron
on the wood. Light the wood beneath the mask.
Flesh of the earth, Fuel this transformation
Cauldron of change, be the crucible of transformation
Transforming Fire from Iansã, burn brightly for change
Breath of Iansã, blow away the old and in the new
As I will so mote it be.
(Watch the fire burn the mask completely away. Feel the barriers disintegrating
as the words turn to ash).
Self Blessing: Stand before the East -
(Head) Bless me, Iansã, this child of change.
(Feet) Bless my feet as the walk the path of my calling
(Knees) Bless my knees that bend as I toil, worship or play
(Root) Bless my womb, cauldron of creation
(Solar Plexus) Bless my gut, that I may trust my intuition
(Breasts) Bless my breasts, source of nourishment
(Hands) Bless my hands, which care and correct with compassion
(Heart) Bless my heart, and keep me true to myself
(Throat) Bless my throat, that I may always speak my truth
(Ears) Bless my ears, that I may hear the true voice of others
(Third Eye/Eyes) Bless my eyes, that I may see truly in life and in spirit
(Head) Bless me, Iansã, I am transformed!
Return your hands to prayer pose and focus. Visualize the bright flames
of change rising in a cone about you. Feel the heat, feel the winds. When
they reach their peak, release them into the universe to carry forward the
changes you have set in motion. (Iansã moves abruptly with sharp,
decisive motions. Use which ever motion conveys this sending out best for
you). Know that change will come.
Bend, as is comfortable to you, placing your hands on the earth. Feel the
earth and the water in the earth receiving the remnants of power and grounding
you.
Thank Iansã in whatever way feels right to you.
Link to a Youtube
video showing a popular song where the artist and the Goddess mirror each
other’s movements, a
relationship between earthly and divine. What I see in this video is the
artist channeling Iansã and Iansã sharing axé with the
artist. https://youtu.be/y46Qe4d0heM
