Comments About Sufism, Brujas, Mysticism, & Romani In The Discussion Thread For Jidenna's Video "Sufi Woman"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a three part pancocojams series on the 2019 song "Sufi Woman" by Nigerian-American rapper/singer Jidenna.

Part II presents selected comments about Sufism, and other mystical religious beliefs and practices from the discussion thread of Jidenna's official YouTube video "Sufi Woman". This post also includes examples of comments about the referent "Gypsy". 

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/07/nigerian-american-rappersinger-jidenna.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. Part I presents partial lyrics for Jidenna's song "Sufi Woman: and showcases the official YouTube video of that song. Part I also presents selected general comments about that singer/rapper and that song/video from the discussion thread of that video's official YouTube video.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/07/comments-from-nigerians-and-other_25.html for Part III of this pancocojams series. Part III presents selected comments from Nigerians and other Africans from the discussion thread of Jidenna's official YouTube video of "Sufi Woman"

The content of this post is presented for cultural, educational, and religious purposes. All copyrights remain with their owners. Thanks to Jidenna for his musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who were associated with this music and this video. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. **** SELECTED COMMENTS ABOUT RELIGION AND MYSTICISM IN THE DISCUSSION THREAD OF JIDENNA'S SONG "SUFI WOMAN" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7_Yg2BHVpU

Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

2019
1.Issa Sesay

"This is so brilliant. This album is literally an expo of African culture and our belief systems especially in regards to spirituality. Sufism is a section of Islam that is more spiritual and gives leeway to self-discovery. It's mostly practiced in the middle east, east Africa and West Africa. Some tribes merge it with voodoo and hoodoo."

**

2. Harun Shields

"MY brother this is an inaccurate representation of sufism"

**
3. mujtaba aliomer
"Sufism, mystical Islamic belief and practice in which Muslims seek to find the truth of divine love and knowledge through direct personal experience of God.. most African countries from Sudan to Morocco believe on Sufism as well as me ."

**
4. Porousha Al-Sayyad
"We hav always n still n forever will practice our Persian sufi culture"
** 5. Kirk Taurean
"Shout outs to all the Brujas out there"

**

6. Lala Lady VK
"I recently found out that my great grandmother was a bruja. I found out after slowly finding myself head in that general direction on my way to finding out who I am(what I enjoy, what I understand about the world, how I understand it, how I want to grow and work on myself). My parents let themselves be whitewashed so I didnt grow up speaking my grandparents language and I grew up in a church which taught me to be ashamed of myself and ruined my younger years of having an exciting, fun, and healthy sex life. I am still healing from all of that and still figuring out who I am. This video is beautiful. Jidenna is amazing for reminding everyone about these parts of the culture that have been forced away."

**

7. Raya Cotton
"This song is for our culture 🙌🏾 our Majik is real and original 👁💃🏿🧚🏾‍♀️✨"

**
8. Madeline A. Green
"la hija de la diaspora! bless evry bruja and daughters of yemoya and osun."
-snip-
Google translate from Spanish to English
"la hija de la diaspora" = The daughter of the diaspora"...

"Yemoja" and "Osun" are female orisas (orisha) in the traditional Yoruba religion (Ifa) and its offshoots Santeria, Candomble, etc.

**
REPLY

9. afrochica

"Yes...👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾"

**
REPLY 

10.  Shin
"Asé"

**

11. Conscious Wave
"BIG thanks to Jidenna for showcasing the magick of indigenous spiritualism! BIG UPS TO ALL THE INTUITIVES OUT THERE WORKING THAT MAGICK BY JUST BEING YOU! Brujas y Brujos! ASE'"

**

12. Brooke Danielle King
"This is soooo HOT! Thank you for showing positive vibes toward spirituality! This is awesome for my Ifa and Santería brothers and sisters! Ase! Love you Jidenna you should be more popular though your music is better than drake!! Frfr!!"

-snip-
A number of comments in this discussion thread were the single word "Ase" (pronounced ah-SHAY" by people in the United States). Here's some information about Ase from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%E1%B9%A3%E1%BA%B9#:~:text=Ase%20or%20ashe%20(from%20Yoruba,things%20happen%20and%20produce%20change.
"Ase or ashe (from Yoruba àṣẹ)^[1] is a West African philosophical concept through which the Yoruba of Nigeria Nigeria conceive the power to make things happen and produce change. It is given by Olodumare to everything — gods, ancestors, spirits, humans, animals, plants, rocks, rivers, and voiced words such as songs, prayers, praises, curses, or even everyday conversation. Existence, according to Yoruba thought, is dependent upon it.^[2]

In addition to its sacred characteristics, ase also has important social ramifications, reflected in its translation as "power, authority, command."

** 

13. Fatima Haneef
"Is this not an insult to sufis??"

**
14. _HairFairyGodMother

"Soy la bruja an proud this shyt is the dopest mi gitana baila conmigo"
-snip"
My translation of this comment from Spanish to English
I'm a witch and proud. This shyt is the dopest. [the very best]. My Gypsies dance with me.

 **

15. Foster Ukah
"I dont believe in juju but I love the fact that because ethnic women are being represented well in this video.  Big ups Jidenna."

**
16. Gabby the Goddesss

"Where my fellow brujas? Like if you a bruja."

-snip-
This comment had 400 likes & 37 comments as of 4/23/2020 at 11:50 PM EDT, including argumentative comments about "witchcraft" and Christianity which I didn't include in this compilation.

**
17. REPLY

BLUE COSMIC DREAMS

"One Badass Bruja here🙋🏾‍♀️"

**
18. REPLY

Briante Jones

"La bruja ❤️"

**
19. REPLY 

Alexis Valeria Bolivar

"bien bruja AYE"

**
20. REPLY
Maya Rego

"Hola 🌙"
-snip-
The moon is a symbol of brujas.
**
REPLY

21.  azareya19

"; ) IFa"

**

22. azareya19
"Ifa ; ) here"-snip-

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If%C3%A1
"Ifá is a Yoruba religion and system of divination. Its literary corpus is the Odu Ifá. ...

Ifá is practiced throughout the Americas, West Africa, and the Canary Islands, in the form of a complex religious system, and plays a critical role in the traditions of Santería, Candomblé, Palo, Umbanda, Vodou, and other Afro-American faiths, as well as in some traditional African religions."
**
REPLY
23. BrownSuga Babe
"Asè sistars!"

**REPLY24. Melanin Moet, 2020

"Squaaaaaad, Àseooo!

-snip-
"Aseooo" is the Nigerian Yoruba word “Ase” + 3 “o’s” for emphasis

**

25. Joshima M
"But uhhhh Rumi was persian and so is the sufi culture. Turkey if we are tryinf to be real generous. Caribbean witchcraft has nothing in common with middle eastern mysticism"

**
26. Reina Teixeria

"I Love this music you are Amazing its about time that witches and Brujas get recognised and respected.  Coming from a Bruja much Love and Light."

**
27. Black Rose

"As a black Muslim woman who is from Afro-Caribbean descent, I didn't like him conflating Sufism/Islamic mysticism with brujería and even using the term "gypsy" for Roma/Sinti. I did like the part with the dark skinned West-African sister with the pretty earrings. His intentions probably were good but parts of the clip were problematic........."

**

28. M Hassan
"An actual Sufi Woman here! ❤️"

**
REPLY

29. foxylady246
"Where are yall from?"

**
REPLY
30. M Hassan

"foxylady246 Sufism is Islamic mysticism. I’m East African and come from a long line of Sufis."

**
31. Piper Marie
"I’m adopting this as MY anthem 💁🏾‍♀️"

**
REPLY

32. Maryam•Ethereal Movement Productions, 2020

"Do you even know what a Sufi woman is? Please don't combine Sufism and brujas. They are not the same."

**
REPLY

33. Lexusfelder, 2020
"Maryam - Master of Movement lol it can be her anthem regardless do not be negative"

**34. maria e
"sufism ...a nice reminder that its practiced all over the world, Asia and Africa! love it"
** 35. Thejujubaby

"Im so happy about this song. More and more people are embracing age old practices and im happy we have a song we can jam too. I cant wait till i hear this on the radio"

**
36. Khalilah G

"I get the song it's super cute but facts are that a SUFI is a Muslim ascetic and mystic. There is no muslim sufi  chick belly dancing in this video. GORGEOUS women yes but no sufis.... I'm a bit confused about the title of song. Why not call is Siempre Bruja since its embracing the Brujas que practica magia o Santeria (witches that practice magic or santeria )????? My brain hurts".

**

37. SyL 201
"Love this dude I just wish this song was about AFRICAN women instead of woman of Arab descent. No offense but I don’t see no one making songs about our beautiful woman...oh yeah they also enslaved our people. I’m not racist at all... I love all but when you go African you GO AFRICAN."

**

REPLY 

38. poot lovato

"its not about women of arab descent lol....sufism is a practice in west africa as well thats why there was both arab and african women in the video"

**
REPLY

39. SyL 201
"poot lovato it’s an Arab creation adopted by African people like Christianity for example. Sufi is a Muslim term for mystic ...Sufi it’s self is not an African word so how could the practice be of African origin???

**

40. Djelem Djelem
Why do you not have real Roma women or the slur ”Gypsy” you say. We are not a free spirited lifestyle we are an ethnicity! Gypsy is a Word with a horrible history including holocaust and slavery not a Word for someone that does magic.

** 41. Carlzmatic
"This made the gypsy I am very happy :) I will be blasting this again later I just love you x"

**
REPLY

42. Djelem Djelem

"Carlzmatic are you a Gypsy for real or our real Word romani or do you just think it is an lifestyle?"

**
REPLY

43. Carlzmatic

"@Djelem Djelem I have it in my blood, I'm not going to give you my history but, I live it love it and I breath it.

**

44. Sunkissed Mami
"The women he has in all his videos are so mesmerizing and beautiful 🥰 I love a gypsy vibe"

**
REPLY 

45. Djelem Djelem

"Sunkissed Mami this video is problematic. The Word ”Gypsy” is a slur made for us romani people in europe during slavery and holocaust. We are usually christians but you non romani stereotypes us being witches and having a ”Gypsy” vibe. Millions of us got killed for that ”Gypsy” vibe and non romani just take our culture and think it is an lifestyle.

**
REPLY 

46. Sunkissed Mami

"Djelem Djelem It’s funny you tell me about my own history as if I’m unaware. I still find the beauty in things that are problematic not every gypsy is assumed to be a witch although it is common to think so by most people. I still find beauty in slavery I find beauty in all of the terrible things that has happened in the world because through all of it you get to teach others on the history especially those who are not so open minded. You can take a word someone used for you to slander you and turn it into something beautiful with a beautiful meaning rather than it being something that hurts you or makes you feel terribly. Stop assuming other people aren’t like you I didn’t come to slander the word I clearly came to say polite heartfelt things I’m sorry you’re hurt by the word but I am not my family is full of voodoo witch doctors do you see me upset about people calling them names do you think it stopped them from having a life? Do you think they even give af about what other people call them no they don’t.

So I’m sorry this word still hurts you but coming from someone who is literally mixed with almost all the races that everyone bashes I could care less about a negative word because I’ll turn it into something positive. Being called a mutt all your life upon other things opens your eyes to not be so stuck up on the past. And no I’m not saying it’s a good thing other people take from the culture but all cultures are taken from and this artist comes from a line of this history so why not talk about it turn into something powerful rather than scum. And yes I liked your comment because I don’t slander others with the overwhelming feeling of past. My first 8 years I grew up in Europe as well and I had to deal with racism being called this and that I clearly overcame it. But as I was saying I find it beautiful that he is uplifting these women.

-snip-
I reformatted this comment to enhance its readability.

**

47. guadalupe gonzales

"Lawd this whole time I didn’t know he was singing about witches"
** 48. Juju: The Web Series

"We love this song so much that we made a music/promo video to go with our web series that follows three Black witches and other Black and Brown supernaturals!

We would love for you to check it out.

https://youtu.be/yzxLdbDmkuY

** 49. Gbuddha10
"NGL I had to Google what a Sufi woman was when I first heard it. It's a catchy banger."

-Snip-
NGL= not gonna lie [gonna= going to]

**

50. cicelia corbin
"This song has such a mystical feel, i absolutely love it! jidenna neverrr disappoints

**

REPLY

51. Porousha Al-Sayyad

"Because our muslim sufi religion is literaly a mystical religion"

**
52. Kasia Randall

"Okay -- first of all, as a tarot reader, I would like to know the name of the deck used in this video! That definitely adds a layer of mysticism to the video (that I am absolutely in love with!) 😍

And I cannot say enough about all of the beauties showcased in this video! So many shades of earth! I get the feeling that several African countries had a representative."

**
REPLY 

53. ashjaymak3

"I was thinking the same thing! Very interesting deck."

**
REPLY 

54. Selina Cooper

"She Wolfe deck 3rd edition"

**

55. Kiwi The Beauty

"The African Boho vibes in this video my scene! I love this and this is definitely one of my favorite songs off the album. You need any more black Boho chicks for your next video I’m your girl!!

I love the black carefree black girls in the videos we are on the rise (not just hot girls)."
-snip-
"Boho" is short for "bohemian"

**
REPLY

56. Suyama cole

"I love the boho fashion vibes too such a classic style

**
REPLY
55. Djelem Djelem

"This video is still problematic for us real ”Gypsy” or romani people that was born with this ethnicity. This ”boho” style is my culture that we got killed for during our slavery and holocaust in europe, we are not an lifestyle we are a ethnicity!"

**
REPLY
56. Porousha Al-Sayyad

"This is not boho its literaly called sufi women its our 5k yr old persian tradition it's our religion we are muslims"

**
REPLY
57. aura nikole

"@Porousha Al-Sayyad  i agree with most of your comment...but romani people are from india originally..not europe. So..ope.

As a mixed romani/ethiopian who practices magick, has a lot of muslim beliefs, as well as beliefs in hinduism...this song speaks to me"

**
REPLY
58. "@Djelem Djelem  i am also romani, but no one is stealing our style or culture in this video. We happen to have a lot of sufi influence in our culture due to the fact we traveled through places that practiced. The same way we picked up influence from christianity."

**
REPLY
59. peachesandpoets

"@Djelem Djelem Hi, I'm african from a line of black spiritual healing women who have a lot of influence from persian and north african cultures and practice sufism.

This is literally not about you. Him saying gypsy doesn't make it about you. Don't do this."

**
REPLY
60. peachesandpoets

"What the hell is african boho vibes? lol."

**
REPLY
61. Djelem Djelem

"peachesandpoets so you mean i dont know my people and culture? Google gypsy. Theres only one type of Gypsy and thats us"

**
REPLY
62. Djelem Djelem

"peachesandpoets we are the gypsys in persia and north Africa we are all over the world"

**
REPLY
63. peachesandpoets

"@Djelem Djelem OK girl. Find a ridiculous reason to be a victim if you want to. Take care."

** 

64. Kelly Walker - CDLE

"This is a gorgeous ode to all the women who practice their magic with grace and love. We are out here and we will take care of you if you honor us."

**** 2020

65. Thani Moinamkou

"Tho Sufi are Muslim, Sufism has nothing to do with witchcraft and magical thing. It's about spirituality, but there's no witchcraft in it. I love the song but as a Muslim knowing that witchcraft is a big sin and suffi are Muslim I'm confused by this video."

**
66. shataura duncan

"Sufism  mystical Islamic belief and practice in which Muslims seek to find the truth of divine love and knowledge through direct personal experience of God."

**
67. Maryam•Ethereal Movement Productions

"A SUFI IS NOT A WITCH. I HOPE YOU ALL REALIZE HE IS TALKING ABOUT A SECTOR OF ISLAM BUT TOTALLY TAKING IT OUT OF CONTEXT. COMBINING WITCHES AND SUFISM. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME. SPIRITUAL, YES, BUT BRUJA AND SUFI WOMAN??? GET THE [abbreviated profanity deleted] OUTTA HERE. Starry eyed ignorant ass fools. Praising what you don't understand.

Sufism is getting closer TO ONE GOD, FINDING LOVE THROUGH ONE GOD. Worshipping other spirit is considered "shirk" in Islam. So I don't know who wrote this dumb ass song, but I don't like that they throw around "Sufi woman" as if a Sufi woman is a witch."

** REPLY

68.  J-Lynn

"Maryam - Master of Movement thanks for saying this cuz I was wondering what it is about.

But maybe if you would teach with love instead of caps and cussing?! I think that people would appreciate the knowledge?"

**
REPLY

69. Lovebug

"@J-Lynn yeah he is mixing a few cultures here... sufi, bruja voodoo he mentioned gypsies... but we get the gist."

**
REPLY
70. Lovebug

"@J-Lynn would have been better If he named the song voodoo woman"

**
REPLY

71. Maryam•Ethereal Movement Productions

"Idk where you got that last part of the info, but hoodoo is different than voodoo, and Sufism is way different than voodoo, Sufism is the inward search of or the getting closer to ONE God. Combining Voodoo and Sufism would be totally shirk and haram. It would just be going against and/or contradicting Islam and Sufi teachings."

**
REPLY

72. Issa Sesay
"@Voracious Child I come from a line of sufis and I have just recently started practicing it and in line with my ancestral connection( african spirituality).

**
REPLY 

73. Issa Sesay

"@Maryam•Ethereal Movement Productions They do seek for protection and guidance in both dear. Voodoo and Hoodoo is not evil, it is the intention of the individual."

**
REPLY

74. H A

"There is no voodoo in Sufi 😂 that’s shrik , Sufism does not exist outside the realm of Islam"

**
REPLY
75. Hak Clk

"@Issa Sesay it is still shirk, and committing shirk excludes you from being a Muslim/Believer immediately. When one neglects the pillars of Islam and starts interpreting/mixing other cultural aspects into it, he/she excludes themselves from the Ummah of our beloved Prophet s.a.v. Sufism is not that magical/superspiritual thing most people think it is. It merely is a Philosophy about the love towards Allah. Thats it."

**
REPLY
76. Mercedes Brixton

"She’s right. There is many Islamic witchcraft with Sufi philosophy"

**
REPLY
77. [REC] - Reserva Espiritual de Corvus

"@Maryam•Ethereal Movement Productions Not everybody seeks Orthodoxy in Spirituality 🤷🏻‍♂️

If I recall correctly, Sufism made an impact in Al-Andalus back in the days in the Iberian Peninsula, where I am from."

**
REPLY
78. Maryam•Ethereal Movement Productions

"@[REC] - Reserva Espiritual de Corvus huh? Sufism may not be all orthodox and it has more spirituality but we still believe in one God. It's not voodoo or witchcraft."

**
REPLY

79. Maryam•Ethereal Movement Productions

"@H A exactly I'm trying to tell these poor people"

**
REPLY
80. Maryam•Ethereal Movement Productions

"@Issa Sesay what?? Since when? Idk if you're thinking of a different cultural but it's totally Haram to mix those two. It would go against it all. I repeat, voodoo and Sufism are not the same! As a Sufi myself, you just sound ignorant, I'm sorry! I did see you say you are "reclaiming" your African ancestory, but you really should learn more about Sufism."

**
REPLY

81. Ariana Omnomnom

@Maryam•Ethereal Movement Productions She never said they were the same thing. She said that some tribes incorporate it. Meaning regardless of how you as an individual practice Sufism there are others who practice it alongside hoodoo and voodoo practices.

**
REPLY
82. A. Adeze

"Facts🔥🔥🔥"

**

83. Diana Muniz

Es hijo de Shango definitivamente 🤍❤️ la primer mujer de amarillo “Oshun” la morena que sale después 1:27 podría ser “Oyá” me enamoré de este video y el cantante está guapísimo 🤤
-snip-
Google Translate from Spanish to English
"He is the son of Shango definitely 🤍❤️ the first woman in yellow

"Oshun" the brunette that comes out after 1:27 could be "Oyá" I fell in love with this video and the singer is beautiful 🤤 -snip-
“guapísimo”= Standard English correction= “very handsome”

**

84. Kevin

"Thanks bruh for teaching, sharing and spreading knowledge that was written millennia ago, our ancestors knew the importance of being a holistic human being - spiritually, mentally, physically.

Proud to see Jidenna reaching out to these ancient truths."

🙌🏾🔥🕺🏽💃👊🏾

**** This concludes Part II of this three part pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Information About And YouTube Videos Of The Orishas Shango, Oba, & Oya

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides some information about the orishas (orisas) Shango, Oya, & Oba.

Some YouTube videos of these orishas are also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for cultural and religious purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Maferefún orishas.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to all those who are featured in these videos.
-snip-
*Here's a definition for the word "maferefún" from a 1997 announcement about a Cuban cultural performance http://www.afrocubaweb.com/ccsmaferefun.htm
"Maferefún Cuba (the word is Yorubá and has many meanings -- it is a greeting, it confers a blessing, it invokes the power of the spirit world) is a multi-media exhibit of Cuban art that uses the symbols and practices of African-based religions as part of its aesthetic. Afro-Cuban culture draws on a wide variety of traditions like the Lucumí of Yoruba origin (often referred to as Santería in the U.S.), the Bantú of Congolese origin, the Abakuá from the Calabar region of West Africa and the Dahomey-based tradition of the Arará. It represents one of the richest manifestations of African traditions in contemporary Latin society and its influence reaches well beyond the borders of Cuba to the rest of the Americas, especially New York."

****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
I was motivated to publish this pancocojams post after watching Nigerian singer Davido's video "1 Milli". That video which is given in the Addendum below features elements of traditional Yoruba orisha/Afro-Brazilian culture.

A number of commenters in that video's discussion thread wrote that the women who were prominently shown in that video represented river goddesses. From my reading about Nigerian Orishas I think that the women wearing yellow or gold (including the fiance wearing a yellow wedding veil) represented adherents of the orisha Oshun and the women (and males) wearing white represented the orisha Yemaya.*

I wonder whether one of the three women briefly shown at .53 in that "1 Milli" video represent Oba, the first wife of the orisha Shango. (Shango later married Oshun and Oya.) That woman wears red with her face covered by a veil. According to the excerpts about the Orisha Oya given below, one of Oya's colors is red and she is often depicted wearing a veil. Another woman in that scene her entire body covered with a blue and white cloth, and the other woman wears blue and doesn't have her face covered. Unlike the other people who are shown joyously celebrating in this video, the woman whose face isn't covered has a stoic or sullen facial expression. If that woman represents Oba, who do the other two women represent?

I also wonder if the man in that video shown at 1:02 who is wearing a red hat and holding the reins to a horse that a woman is seated on is a representation of Shango. And is the woman riding the horse a representation of Oba or Oya?

As of the date of the publication of this pancocojams post I've only read one comment in the discussion thread for the official video of Davido's "1 Milli" that mentions Shango. And I haven't read any comments in that discussion thread that mentions the Orishas Oya, Oba, or Yemaya.

If these guesses are incorrect, this post still provides an opportunity to share information about and videos of the orihas Shango, Oya, and Oba.

****
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/04/youtube-discussion-thread-comments.html for Part II of a pancocojams series about Davido's "1 Milli" song/video. That pancocojams post is entitled "YouTube Discussion Thread Comments About Orishas & Afro-Brazilians Influences In The Official Video Of Nigerian Singer Davido's Song "1 Milli" ".

****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE ORISHA SHANGO
Excerpt #1:
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shango
"Shango (Yoruba language: Ṣàngó, also known as Changó or Xangô in Latin America; and as Jakuta or Badé) is an Orisha. Genealogically speaking, Shango is a royal ancestor of the Yoruba as he was the third Alaafin of the Oyo Kingdom prior to his posthumous deification. Shango has numerous manifestations, including Airá, Agodo, Afonja, Lubé, and Obomin.[1][2]...

In the New World, he is syncretized with either Saint Barbara or Saint Jerome.

[...]

Veneration of Ṣàngó
Nigeria
Ṣàngó is viewed as the most powerful and feared of the orisha pantheon. He casts a "thunderstone" to earth, which creates thunder and lightning, to anyone who offends him. Worshippers in Yorubaland in Nigeria do not eat cowpea because they believe that the wrath of the god of iron would descend on them.[6] The Ṣàngó god necklaces are composed in varying patterns of red and white beads; usually in groupings of four or six which are his sacred numbers. Rocks created by lightning strikes are venerated by Ṣàngó worshipers; these stones, if found, are maintained at sacred sites and used in rituals. Ṣàngó is called on during coronation ceremonies in Nigeria to the present day.[7][8][4]

The Americas
Ṣàngó is venerated in Santería as "Chango". As in the Yoruba religion, Chango is the most feared god in Santería.[7]

In Haïti, he is from the "Nago" Nation, and is known as Ogou Chango. Palo recognizes him as "Siete Rayos".

Candomblé
Ṣàngó is known as Xangô in the Candomblé pantheon. He is said to be the son of Oranyan, and his wives include Oya, Oshun, and Oba, as in the Yoruba tradition. Xangô took on strong importance among slaves in Brazil for his qualities of strength, resistance, and aggression. He is noted as the god of lightning and thunder. He became the patron orixa of plantations and many Candomblé terreiros. In contrast Oko, the orixá of agriculture, found little favor among slaves in Brazil and has few followers in the Americas. The main barracão of Ilê Axé Iyá Nassô Oká, or the terreiro Casa Branca, is dedicated to Xangô. Xangô is depicted with an oxê, or double-sided ax similar to a labrys; and a brass crown.[9][4][10]"...
-snip-
Italics were added to highlight that portion of that sentence.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE ORISHA OYA
Excerpt #1
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%BB%8Cya
"Ọya (Yoruba: Ọya, also known as Oyá or Oiá; Yansá or Yansã; and Iansá or Iansã in Latin America) is an orisha of winds, lightning, and violent storms, death and rebirth.[1] She is similar to the Haitian god Maman Brigitte, who is syncretised with the Catholic Saint Brigit.

In Yoruba, the name Oya means "she tore."[2] She is known as Ọya-Iyansan – the "mother of nine" — due to the Niger River (known to the Yoruba as the Odo-Ọya) traditionally being known for having nine tributaries.[3]

[...]

Colors: red, purple and black"...

****
Excerpt #2
From https://thesevenworlds.wordpress.com/2014/09/27/oya-shango-oya/
...Oya is the third wife of Shango, the Orisha of fire, lightning, dance, and martial arts. It is said that after the big rivalry between Oba (Shango’s first wife) and Oshun (Shango’s second wife) blew up into an all out war, Shango banished them both, determined that his next companion, if at all, would be a balanced and supportive woman.

[...]

There are seemingly conflicting views on the appearance of Oya. Some say she is incredibly beautiful, and wears a veil or mask so that men aren’t distracted by it. Some say she is so horribly scary and hideous that she wears a veil or mask because otherwise, people would die from seeing her. I personally think it may be a bit of both. Perhaps she wears a veil or mask because how she looks depends on who is looking, and she would rather be in control of what reaction she gets from whom.

Oya’s Symbols

Oya has a few symbols associated with her. Among them are the lightning bolt with crossed arrows, the vector or hurricane symbol, nine violet feathers carried by a spiralling wind, nine veils each of a different color, a necklace or skirt with nine colors, and a spiral wind chime made of nine ornamental spearheads.

Oya’s Colors

Oya’s colors vary from place to place, but the main one is purple or dark burgundy or maroon. She is also symbolized by the nine colors, purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, red, black, white, and brown. Depending on her function at a given time, she may wear purple and orange to work a storm, dark red to motivate a group of warriors or sportsmen to work as a team, all colors to make a tornado, etc."...

****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE ORISHA OBA
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%BB%8Cba_(orisha)
"Ọba (known as Obá in Latin America) is the Orisha of the River Oba whose source lays near Igbon where her worship originates.[1] During the wars of the 19th century, her centers of worship moved to the more secure town Ogbomosho.[2] She is traditionally identified as the senior wife of Shango (the third king of the Oyo Empire and an Orisha). Oba was tricked by Oya or Oshun into cutting off her ear and trying to feed it to Shango.[3] She is syncretized with Saint Catherine of Siena.

[...]

Myths of Oba's Ear
Oba's humiliation by a rival co-wife is one of the most well-known tales associated with this Orisha. While William Bascom's study identified several unusual variations of it, the most popular myth found in West Africa, Brazil, and Cuba has Oba cutting off her ear to serve to her husband Shango as food, because one of her co-wives (most often Oshun) has convinced her this will secure Shango's attention. Once Shango sees the ear and realizes Oba has mutilated herself, he chases her from his house and into permanent exile. Bascom notes that though this story is known in many parts of Yoruba country, it was not recognized by her priest in Ogbomosho.[5]

[...]

Symbol lightning, the sword or machete, the flywhisk, water buffalo
Color purple or burgundy, the rainbow"...
-snip-
I haven't found any YouTube videos of the Orisha Oba.

****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS OF OYA AND SHANGO
Video #1: OYA. Callejon de Hamel. 2010



solea1038, Sep 21, 2010

****
Video #2: Yoruba Andabo - Changó



AyvaMusica, Jan 11, 2014

****
Video #3: Chango, Santeria



Anibal Lopez, Jan 11, 2014

Regla, Havana, Cuba

****
ADDENDUM- Davido - 1 Milli (Official Video)



DavidoVEVO, Mar 3, 2020

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Information About & Videos Of The Orishas Yemaya & Oshun

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides some information about the orishas (orisas) Yemaya & Oshun (Osun).

Some YouTube videos of these orishas are also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for cultural and religious purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Maferefún orishas.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to all those who are featured in these videos.
-snip-
*Here's a definition for the word "maferefún" from a 1997 announcement about a Cuban cultural performance http://www.afrocubaweb.com/ccsmaferefun.htm
"Maferefún Cuba (the word is Yorubá and has many meanings -- it is a greeting, it confers a blessing, it invokes the power of the spirit world) is a multi-media exhibit of Cuban art that uses the symbols and practices of African-based religions as part of its aesthetic. Afro-Cuban culture draws on a wide variety of traditions like the Lucumí of Yoruba origin (often referred to as Santería in the U.S.), the Bantú of Congolese origin, the Abakuá from the Calabar region of West Africa and the Dahomey-based tradition of the Arará. It represents one of the richest manifestations of African traditions in contemporary Latin society and its influence reaches well beyond the borders of Cuba to the rest of the Americas, especially New York."

****
I was motivated to publish this pancocojams post after watching Nigerian singer Davido's video "1 Milli". That video features elements of traditional Yoruba orisha/Afro-Brazilian culture.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/04/youtube-discussion-thread-comments.html for Part II of a pancocojams series about Davido's "1 Milli" song/video. That pancocojams post is entitled "YouTube Discussion Thread Comments About Orishas & Afro-Brazilians Influences In The Official Video Of Nigerian Singer Davido's Song "1 Milli" ".

I think that the orisha Oya is also featured in the official video for Davido's song "1 Milli". A pancocojams post on the Orisha Oya will also be published ASAP and the link to that post will be included here.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT YEMAYA
From http://www.thaliatook.com/AMGG/yemaya.php
"Yemaya is the Yorùbá Orisha or Goddess of the living Ocean, considered the mother of all. She is the source of all the waters, including the rivers of western Africa, especially the River Ogun. Her name is a contraction of Yey Omo Eja, which means "Mother Whose Children are the Fish." As all life is thought to have begun in the sea, all life is held to have begun with Yemaya. She is motherly and strongly protective, and cares deeply for all Her children, comforting them and cleansing them of sorrow. She is said to be able to cure infertility in women, and cowrie shells represent Her wealth. She does not easily lose Her temper, but when angered She can be quite destructive and violent, as the sea in a storm.

Yemaya was brought to the New World with the African diaspora and She is now worshipped in many cultures besides Her original Africa. In Brazilian Candomblé, where She is known as Yemanja or Imanje, She is the Sea Mother who brings fish to the fishermen, and the crescent moon is Her sign. As Yemanja Afodo, also of Brazil, She protects boats travelling on the sea and grants safe passage.

In Haitian Vodou She is worshipped as a moon Goddess, and is believed to protect mothers and their children. She is associated with the mermaid-spirits of Lasirenn (Herself a form of Erzulie) Who brings seduction and wealth, and Labalenn, Her sister the whale.

Yemaya rules over the surface of the ocean, where life is concentrated. She is associated with the Orisha Olokin (Who is variously described as female, male, or hermaphrodite) Who represents the depths of the Ocean and the unconscious, and together They form a balance. She is the sister and wife of Aganju, the God of the soil, and the mother of Oya, Goddess of the winds.

Our Lady of Regla in Brazil may be linked to Her, and She is equated elsewhere in the Americas with the Virgin Mary as the Great Mother. In parts of Brazil She is honored as the ocean Goddess at the summer solstice, while in the north east of the country Her festival is held on February 2nd (a day that is also associated with Her daughter Oya, as well as being the feast day of the Celtic Bride), with offerings of blue and white flowers cast into the Sea.

Yemaya's colors are blue and white, and She is said to wear a dress with seven skirts that represent the seven seas. Sacred to Her are peacocks, with their beautiful blue-green iridescence, and ducks. The number seven is Hers, also for the seven seas.

Alternate spellings: Yemanja, Yemojá, Yemonja, Yemalla, Yemana, Ymoja, Iamanje, Iemonja, Imanje"...

****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS OF YEMANJA
Video #1: Festa de Yemanjá 2011



Alessandra Fratus, Feb 5, 2011

Festa de Yemanjá 2011. Rio Vermelho. Salvador, BA. Brasil. Odoyá!

****
Video #2: Honoring the Sea 2011: Offering to Mother Ocean



TheSambaYogi, Oct 11, 2011

Offering to Yemanja, the Afro-Brazilian deity of the Sea, at Santa Monica Beach, led by Swing Brazil Tribe and elders from Bahia, Brazil. Part of Honoring the Sea, the opening ceremony to the 2011 World Festival of Sacred Music in Los Angeles. In Brazil, offerings to Yemanja take place each year on February 2 in Salvador, Bahia. In Rio de Janeiro, offerings to Yemanja are a highly celebrated New Year ritual.

****
Video #3: Yemanja Festival



Richard Hunt, Nov 1, 2012

This is a clip from the film 'Slave to the Rhythm' soon to be released on Blu-ray disc with full Surround Sound.

****
Video #4: Niñas bailando Yemaya en Cuba



Anier Sanchez Sandoval, Sep 11, 2017

Niñas bailando la orisha Yemaya en San Miguel Del Padrón, La Habana, Cuba.

Compañia: Estrellitas Bailan
-snip-
Google translate: Girls dancing the orisha Yemaya in San Miguel Del Padrón, Havana, Cuba.

Company (name) - Little Stars Dancers

****
Video #5: RAICES PROFUNDAS Rare Performance! YEMAYA (HD)



Cali2 Cuba, Oct 10, 2017

CALI2CUBA brings you a rat performance with Cuba's top dance company Raices Profundas! Live in Juan Bencomo's house in Jesus Maria, La Habana

****
INFORMATION ABOUT OSUN (OSHUN)
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oshun#Ceremonies_and_Ritual_Colors
"Oshun (known as Ochún or Oxúm in Latin America) also spelled Ọṣun, is an orisha, a spirit, a deity, or a goddess that reflects one of the manifestations of the Yorùbá Supreme Being in the Ifá oral literature and Yoruba-based religions. She is one of the most popular and venerated orishas. Oshun is an important river deity among the Yorùbá people, divine feminine, fertility, beauty and love.[1][2] She is connected to destiny and divination.[3]

During the life of the mortal Oshun, she served as queen consort to King Shango of Oyo. Following her posthumous deification, she was admitted to the Yoruba pantheon as an aspect of a primordial divinity of the same name.

She is the patron saint of the Osun River in Nigeria, which bears her name. The river has its source in Ekiti State, in the west of Nigeria, and passes through the city of Oshogbo, where Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove, the principal sanctuary of the deity, is located.[1] Oshun is honored at the Osun-Osogbo Festival, a two-week-long annual festival that usually takes place in August, at the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove on the banks of the river.[4][5]

Oshun is syncretized with Our Lady of Charity, patron saint of Cuba, and Our Lady of Aparecida, the patron saint of Brazil. In Trinidad she is associated with St. Philomena and the Hindu deity Ganga Mai or Mother Ganges.[6][7][8]

[...]

She is associated with the colours gold/deep yellow in most of the diaspora and in Nigeria, white, yellow and green. In Trinidad, she is associated with the colour pink.[11]"...

****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS OF OSHUN
Video #1: Oshun Dancing, Havana, Cuba



eguinkolade, Mar 18, 2009

Performance of Dance of Oshun, Havana, Casa de Africa, 1992, by David H. Brown, (c) Folkcuba 2007. Complete film including dances of Elegua, Ogun, Oya, Shango, and Babalu Aye, as well as Oshun, available from Folkcuba.com's music store.

****
Video #2: Ochun, Santeria



Anibal Lopez, Jan 11, 2014

Regla, Havana, Cuba

****
Video #3: Osun Oshogbo Festival 2016




Yorubaxtra, •Nov 14, 2016

Watch and enjoy the best of African Cultural Festival "Osun Oshogbo" .

****
Video #4: Oshun



qince15, Sep 13, 2018

At the Gran Palenque, Havana.

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

YouTube Discussion Thread Comments About Orishas & Afro-Brazilians Influences In The Official Video Of Nigerian Singer Davido's Song "1 Milli"

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series about Nigerian singer Davido's 2020 video "1 Milli".

Part II showcases Davido's 2020 video "1 Milli" and includes selected comments about how the video's concept reflects the cultural influences of the river orishas Oshun and Yemanja, as well as the cultural influences of Afro-Brazilians in Lagos, Nigeria.*

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/04/youtube-discussion-thread-comments.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. Part I presents information about Davido and showcases the official video of Davido's song "1 Milli". The lyrics for that song are also included in that post.

The content of this post are presented for cultural and entertainment purposes.

All copyrights remained with their owners.

Maferefún orishas.

Thanks to Davido for his musical legacy. Thanks to all those who were associated with this video and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Here's a definition for the word "maferefún" from a 1997 announcement about a Cuban cultural performance http://www.afrocubaweb.com/ccsmaferefun.htm
"Maferefún Cuba (the word is Yorubá and has many meanings -- it is a greeting, it confers a blessing, it invokes the power of the spirit world) is a multi-media exhibit of Cuban art that uses the symbols and practices of African-based religions as part of its aesthetic. Afro-Cuban culture draws on a wide variety of traditions like the Lucumí of Yoruba origin (often referred to as Santería in the U.S.), the Bantú of Congolese origin, the Abakuá from the Calabar region of West Africa and the Dahomey-based tradition of the Arará. It represents one of the richest manifestations of African traditions in contemporary Latin society and its influence reaches well beyond the borders of Cuba to the rest of the Americas, especially New York."

Some information about the orishas Yemaya and Oshun is found in this 2020 pancocojams post https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/04/information-about-videos-of-orishas.html.

Some information about Afro-Brazilians in Lagos, Nigeria is presented in https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-history-of-african-brazilian-careta.html.

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO - Davido - 1 Milli (Official Video)



DavidoVEVO Mar 3, 2020
-snip-
Selected comments from this video's discussion thread
(All of these comments are from March 3 through April 20th, 2020, with numbers added for referencing purposes only).
1. Bol Ayul
"This song is very traditional the
Clothing is all Nigerian"

**
2. Oluwasanmi Omoshola
"Isale Eko... Afro-Brazilian garments and beautiful women. Much love! I am so proud...

**
REPLY
3. I thought those are osun worshippers garments

**
REPLY
4. Akinpelu Idowu
"They are actually Osun worshippers , of which the osun worshippers in Brazil dresses same way."
-snip-
Osun (Oshun) is a Yoruba river orisa (orisha) of love (among other things). Among the Yorubas in Nigeria In color is honey gold as is depicted in this video by the attire of Davido's real life fiance, Chioma and by the gold/yellow attire of some other women in this video.

I believe that the women wearing white dresses (sometimes with blue necklaces) are adherents of Yemanja. I think that the man with the red hat (and the red masquerader?) are adherents of the orisha Shango, Oshun's husband.

**
5. Arthur Francis
"Oh that red masquerade killed me with his first moves, I kept skipping back to get it more"

**
6. Oluropo Akinbolade-Jones
"This is like the Eko Culture(Lagos) and outfits. This video must have been shot somewhere in CMS or Broadstreet or Marina environ of Lagos state."
-snip-
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Lagos
"Eko was the land area now known as Lagos Island where the king's palace was built. ... the southern part of Eko, called Isale Eko. "Isale" literally means "bottom", but must have been used to indicate downtown (as in Downtown Lagos)."...
-snip-
As indicated above, some information about the history of Afro-Brazilians and Afro-Cubans in Nigeria will be presented in the aforementioned upcoming pancocojams post.

**
REPLY
7. Dammy Joe Akisanmi
"No bro! This is Osun family not Eyo of Eko"

**
REPLY
8. Oluropo Akinbolade-Jones
"@Dammy Joe Akisanmi I am correct because they both are like riverine worshippers culture. I wasn't talking about Eyo. These are river worshipper outfits. Which is typical of Eko women and Osun women river worshippers"

**
REPLY
9. Dammy Joe Akisanmi
"@Oluropo Akinbolade-Jones Right!"

**
REPLY
10. Aregbe Taofeek
"Brazilian quarters of Lagos island. Afro Brazilian outfits."

**
11. Beautiful Places
"In this video I see the rich culture of Nigeria, the lyrics also makes a lot of sense. Thanks Davido"

**
REPLY
12. BB McKinlay
"We have over 230 distinct 'cultures' in Nigeria.
This video showcases Downton Lagos Fanti Culture."

**
13. Mikey Mike
"These Yoruba aunties give me joy 👸🏾👸🏾👸🏾"

**
14. Bold&Black MuvA
"I definitely picked up the OSHUN and Shango vibe❤️❤️

**
REPLY
15. Bolanle Emmanuel
"Yes all thru! I love how he represents our culture!! so beautiful"

**
16. Samuel Akinbo
"Using Osun deity undertone is a great idea. It makes me happy. Finally, a wedding song with neither pastors nor imams, but our indigenous priests. 😭"

**
REPLY
17. AdukeAde Adesoye
"He is Honouring The Elders. Omo Agba Ni Davido."

**
REPLY
18. Vanessa B
"Love it so much! African tradition is so rich and beautiful"

**
19. D double D Double D
"This is fantastic African spirituality concept. Rare. Whoever conceived this concept is woke. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️👍🏼👌🏽"

**
20. Earthly GoddessOya
"Sweeeeet,I love it! It's about time the continental Africans openly celebrate their original belief system,instead of shunning it for their colonized indoctrination."

**
21. Nigel Hinds
"I love the oshun vibes"

**
REPLY
22. O
"It's not oshun vibes anything. It's just nigeria culture. Oshun is just a small part of the culture"

**
REPLY
23. Dami
"@O Nope, those women are river worshippers,they're everywhere in Lagos since lagos has lots of water. They're oshun worshippers or other water orishas, This isn't all Nigerian culture but Yoruba one,don't even go there."

**
REPLY
24. Gloria Chizi
"Yea"

**
REPLY
25. Akinpelu Idowu
"4 weeks ago
Dami, good explanation there. Love u bro."

**
26. OMOLOLA BANJO
"I was passing through CMS when this video was shot and if i had known it was a video by my favorite Davido I would sat on the side walk just to watch the entire shoot. Loved the women in the white dresses. They all looked regal. Love love the video."


**
27. Meli Queen
"CULTURE❤️✨"

**
28. abenaappiah1
"The video is really nice, what I like the most is how it respect Mothers, may God Bless all our Mothers and may they enjoy the fruits of their hard work ❤️"

**
29. Lytesha
"At first I thought this was Cuban"

**
REPLY
30. Afri Media
"Tea No, but this was where the Afro Cubans (Amaros) came from , right here in Lagos !"

**
31. Star light Kid
"Which culture is bring displayed here? This is not Yoruba or Igbo. On a side note, Chioma is beautiful😍"

**
REPLY
32. Leader Of New School
"Star light Kid lol it is yoruba."

**
REPLY
33. Yinka Olu
"Star light Kid. It’s Yoruba. That’s how they dress at Oshun festival"

**
34. PRANKS NIGERIA
"All the women on white are elders of the land ..deep message davido"

**
35. Salt Of the Earth.
"This is real traditional! Ile-ife stand up! ♥️"
-snip-
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If%E1%BA%B9
"Ife (Yoruba: Ifè, also Ilé-Ifẹ̀) is an ancient Yoruba city in south-western Nigeria. The city is located in present-day Osun State. Ife is about 218 kilometers northeast of Lagos[2] with a population of 509,813.

According to the traditions of the Yoruba religion, Ife was founded by the order of the Supreme God Olodumare by Obatala. It then fell into the hands of his sibling Oduduwa, which created enmity between the two.[3] Oduduwa created a dynasty there, and sons and daughters of this dynasty became rulers of many other kingdoms in Yorubaland.[4] The first Oòni of Ife is a descendant of Oduduwa, which was the 401st Orisha. The present ruler since 2015 is Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, Ooni of Ife who is also a Nigerian accountant.[5] Named as the city of 401 deities, Ife is home to many worshippers of these deities and is where they are routinely celebrated through festivals.[6]

Ilé-Ifè is famous worldwide for its ancient and naturalistic bronze, stone and terracotta sculptures, dating back to between 1200 and 1400 A.D.[6]"...

**
36. James Cole
"Give some accolades to the director"

**
37. Nkiruka Adelaide Ikeolumba
"Okay, I had tonpuse this video to give props to the Mamas/ Queens giving major dance moves with so much love and joy! The beginning where they were escorting Davido to meet/welcome Chioma is soooooo touching! It takes a village to raise a king and they are ready to protect him at all costs!
-snip-
I think "tonpuse" is a typo for "to pause".

**
38. M.A.P. RECORDS
"African Tradition & Religion all day IF YOU KNOW YOU KNOW!"

****
This concludes this two part pancocojams series about Davido's 2020 song & video "1 Milli".

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Songs For Haitian Loa Papa Elegba (information, YouTube sound files, and comments)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about Haitian Vodoun and an explanation about the term "loa". This post also showcases three YouTube sound files with information about the Haitian loa Papa Legba along with some comments from some of these sound files' discussion threads.

The content of this post is presented for religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and all those who contributed to these embedded YouTube sound files. Thanks also to all the publishers of these examples on YouTube.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT HAITIAN VODOUN
From https://www.britannica.com/topic/Vodou
"Vodou
HAITIAN RELIGION
Alternative Titles: Vaudou, Vodun, Voodoo, Voudou, vodon
Vodou, also spelled Voodoo, Voudou, Vodun, or French Vaudou, a religion practiced in Haiti. Vodou is a creolized religion forged by descendents of Dahomean, Kongo, Yoruba, and other African ethnic groups who had been enslaved and brought to colonial Saint-Domingue (as Haiti was known then) and Christianized by Roman Catholic missionaries in the 16th and 17th centuries. The word Vodou means “spirit” or “deity” in the Fon language of the African kingdom of Dahomey (now Benin).

Vodou, a traditional Afro-Haitian religion, is a worldview encompassing philosophy, medicine, justice, and religion. Its fundamental principle is that everything is spirit. Humans are spirits who inhabit the visible world. The unseen world is populated by lwa (spirits), mystè (mysteries), anvizib (the invisibles), zanj (angels), and the spirits of ancestors and the recently deceased. All these spirits are believed to live in a mythic land called Ginen, a cosmic “Africa.” The God of the Christian Bible is understood to be the creator of both the universe and the spirits; the spirits were made by God to help him govern humanity and the natural world.”...

****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE TERM "LOA"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loa
"Loa (also spelled lwa) are the spirits of Haitian Vodou and Louisiana Voodoo.[1]:229 They are also referred to as "mystères" and "the invisibles" and are intermediaries between Bondye (from French Bon Dieu, meaning "good God")—the Supreme Creator, who is distant from the world—and humanity. Unlike saints or angels, however, they are not simply prayed to, they are served. They are each distinct beings with their own personal likes and dislikes, distinct sacred rhythms, songs, dances, ritual symbols, and special modes of service. Contrary to popular belief, the loa are not deities in and of themselves; they are intermediaries for, and dependent on, a distant Bondye.[1]:"

****
INFORMATION ABOUT PAPA LEGBA
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papa_Legba
"Papa Legba is a loa in Haitian Vodou, who serves as the intermediary between the loa and humanity. He stands at a spiritual crossroads and gives (or denies) permission to speak with the spirits of Guinee, and is believed to speak all human languages. In Haiti, he is the great elocutioner. Legba facilitates communication, speech, and understanding.

Appearance
He usually appears as an old man on a crutch or with a cane, wearing a broad brimmed straw hat and smoking a pipe, or sparkling water. The dog is sacred to him. Legba is syncretized with Saint Peter, Saint Lazarus,[1] and Saint Anthony.[2]

Alternative views
In Benin, Nigeria and Togo, Legba is viewed as young and virile trickster deity,[3] often horned and phallic, and his shrine is usually located at the gate of the village in the countryside. Alternatively, he is addressed as Legba Atibon, Atibon Legba, or Ati-Gbon Legba.

In popular culture
[...]

In his study of the Delta blues, Robert Palmer discusses the appearance of Legba in blues lyrics and lore. Palmer notes that Legba can be referred to/identified as "the Devil", "Papa Legba", and "The Black Man" throughout the history of the blues.[5] This is also made clear in ethnomusicologist Bruno Blum's text for the CD box set Voodoo in America (scroll for English version),[6] where reference to Papa Legba, deity of roads and crossroads, in Robert Johnson's iconic song "Crossroads" is explained.

[...]

In the 1986 film Crossroads, blues musicians Robert Johnson and Willie Brown sell their souls to a "Mr. Legba" at a Mississippi crossroads. Later in the film Legba takes the name "Scratch".[citation needed] In this movie, however, Legba is mistaken for the Christian devil (or the popular notion of the devil), who takes the main character's soul in exchange for a successful musical career in blues.”...
-snip-
Additional information about Papa Legba is found in the YouTube sound file summaries and comments that are given below.

****
SHOWCASE YOUTUBE SOUND FILES
Example #1: Papa Legba



Vodouspirit, Published on Feb 18, 2009

In honour of Papa Legba, the great Voodoo spirit who opens the way so that we may pass.

From https://hermitsjourney.wordpress.com/2012/08/22/a-song-for-legba
-snip-
Here's the lyrics to the song that is given on that page:
"A song for Legba
Here is an easy song for Legba that anyone can learn, even if you don’t speak Kreyol. It’s pretty repetitive, so once you get it down it’s not difficult to remember. I sing this one regularly when I give him offerings.

Legba nan baye-a
Legba nan baye-a
Legba nan baye-a
se ou ki pote drapo
se ou ki pare soley pou lwas yo

Translation:

Legba in the gate
Legba in the gate
Legba in the gate
it is you who carries the flag
it is you who shades the sun for the lwa
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Here's one comment about that article:
Velvetbehr, 2012
"Ayibobo Papa Legba!"
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From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayibobo
Ayibobo is one spelling of a Haitian Creole word that means "amen" or "hallelujah". However, the majority of mainstream Christian Haitians refrain from using the word Ayibobo as it is more commonly used among Vodou practitioners. Therefore, "Amen" and Hallejujah or "Alelouya", in its creole spelling, are used by mainstream Christians and "Ayibobo" are for those that practice Vodou

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Example #2: Papa Legba Haitian Meditation Music ( Very Powerful )



Darklordism, Published on May 26, 2016

Papa Legba Ritual Meditation Music

Papa Legba is a mighty Loa (God) from the New Orleans and Haitian Vodou Traditions. He is seen as an elderly black man with a cane, wearing a straw hat and either smoking a pipe or sprinkling water upon the ground. He is sometimes accompanied by a black dog or a rooster.

His colors are black and red and his number is 3. His day of the week is Monday and he is associated with St. Lazarus and St. Peter. Papa Legba governs over choice and the paths that we all walk. He presents us with opportunities and also tests our progress with challenges as we travel through earth life. This responsibility has given him the title of being the ultimate trickster god. He challenges us to step out of ourselves and to examine the habits and beliefs that we identify with. The choice is to either examine our lives or continue to fail the tests that Papa Legba sends to us over and over again. To Papa Legba, choice is of the utmost
importance for it is choice that displays the maturity of the heart and mind.

Papa Legba is one of the very oldest Loa and has been around since the beginning of time. He has seen everything which is why he is the Master Story Teller and the keeper of man’s history. He is like the Kemetic/Egyptian record keeping God Tehuti in this light for he has an unimaginable amount of data stored in his memory. He is the griot with the tales of heroes and the origins of all things. He can speak these stories to anyone on the planet for he is King of all linguists and therefore knows all languages.

Papa Legba: Keeper of the Crossroads
-snip-
Here are some comments from this sound file's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
1. Nadime Miller,2016
"I love this lovely song to my father Papa Legba.Since i was a little girl I felt love to the culture ,songs ,dance and Voodoo in Haiti...I used to hear so many lovely songs from the Haitian coconut cutters in the Dominican Republic...I sensed very early how they put down voodoo....I never knew why?...if voodoo to me as a child was a very suiting and pleasant experience.....I grow up respecting Voodoo, even that the nuns in catholic school considered it "witchcraft ".When I arrived toThe United State I encounter Voodoo in my dreams, and since then I fallow my intuition and my heart!!!..This song is "MARAVILLOSA". It brings me to my African Ancestors where I dance in the realm of the Magical world of The Spirits!!!...Thank you !!"

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REPLY
2. Mr LMMO, 2016
"Nadime Miller I think your referring to houdo from Haiti."

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3. Nadime Miller, 2016
"Well in Haiti is voodoo???...a very ancient Religion from Dahomey...West Africa ???? HAITI Its the country that preserved all these rituals in the caribbean Haiti is the neighbor of The Dominican Republic.... Thank God for Haiti!!!"

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4. Mr LMMO, 2016
"Nadime Miller hatian voodoo isn't houdo? voodoo being the new Orleans style?"

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5. Nadime Miller, 2016
"I know...Haitian voodoo is unique in Haiti....new orlean s voodoo is commercial ..i saw many references to hoodoo"

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6. Dave Lopes, 2017
"Perry, Hoodoo is black magic from Louisiana. Vaudou is the religion practiced in Haiti. There is no houdo in Haiti."

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7. Dave Lopes, 2017
"Also the name is Vaudou or Vaudoun. Voodoo is the American bastardization of the word."

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8. IyaEarthseeds, 2017
"Actually it's Vodoun or Vodou or Vodun... No "a"..."

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9. Amen Ra, 2016
"Yall know this is an African spiritual system that's inherited right?"

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10. A I, 2016
"Yoruba to be precise. its been spread by trans Atlantic slavery"

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11. Reza Z, 2017
"Omo Ogun it's not Yoruba. Yoruba is Santeria religion not Vodou. Vodou spread by West African Fon and Ewe people"
-snip-
"Omo Ogun" was the screen name for another commenter.

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12. IyaEarthseeds, 2017
"Young Brotha! Ogun is an Orisa from Yoruba Ancestral/Cultural Tradition and it's actually called IFA. Not Yoruba. Yoruba are the people, a language and culture... IFA is the name of our spiritual/religious and cosmological system.

Santeria, Lucumi, Candomblé, Sango (and many other versions throughout the world) are Diaspora "bi-products" of the IFA. Vodoun has many IFA influences and synchronizations as well as its own very distinct cultural/spiritual elements. Dude, Ogun is an Orisa from IFA — Yorubaland!!!
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"Orisa" ["orisha"] is the same concept as the Haitian "loa"
From https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/orisha
"any of the minor gods or spirits of traditional Yoruba religion and its S American and Caribbean offshoots such as Santeria and Candomblé

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13. Stanley Dougé, 2017
"Sango is known as Sogbo and Heviosso us Haïtians inherited the vodun from our Gbé ancestors the Adja,mina,Goun,Fon,ewe and also the Nago a Yoruba speaking people were among the people sent to Haïti and of course other tribes as well such as the Igbo,Bakongo,Fulbe,Wolof etc"

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14. Stanley Dougé, 2017
"Fun fact Legba is the Fa version of the Ifa Orisha Elegbara."

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15. Stanley Dougé, 2017
"Vodun is Fa Orisha is Ifa."

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16. Naija guy, 2018
"Let me clear this debate by saying legba is a yoruba diety just as it's fon's."

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17. Namie Namie, 2019
"@Stanley Dougé i believe Elegbara is the son of Esu and there are many Esus or papa Legbas."

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18. Papa Sèpan, 2019
"Namie Namie they are not the same entity. The Fon/Ewe did not get influenced by the Yoruba. The Yoruba are nomads from those predating tribes. That’s why Isese and Vodun share so many similarities. And the Yoruba people can be traced back to coming from the line of the Fon/Ewe people or the Dahomean kingdom. Also Ifà is an Oracle which is the Vodun Fa and since I’m African Spirituality Animism is a very loud principle. The way the Orisa are like the Vodun of the Land the Yoruba moved to and inherited. Why you think you will see there water spirit is Oshun because they have the oshun River but in Benin they don’t have Oshun they have Azili(Ezili) . But in Ghana in their Vodun they don’t have Azili because they don’t have that River. We have to remember where these spirits manifested as and from on earth. Oshun physical body is her River same for the Azili. No they aren’t the same entity they may manifest from the same energy or similise energies and principle but are not the same . Same with Eshu Elegbara and Elegba and Papa Legba."

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19. D. Roulie, 2016
"that's Haitian Creole they are speaking I'm Haitian"

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20. A I, 2016
"D. Roulie sounds similar to Yoruba.

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21. Eloï Jacques-wood, 2017
"The image in the video are so wrong... Thanks anyway"

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22. Susan Sheppard, 2018
"Nice but Legba is not scary looking. He appears as an older men in a straw hat, wearing overalls and smoking a corn cob pipe. People are confusing him with Papa Samedi..."

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22. acres homes, 2018
"Ok what makes it wrong?communicate with your people.."

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23. subsystem101, 2018
"the images are Baron not Legba and other image are just wrong"

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24. yiehom, 2018
"There is no "baron" without naming which one you mean. There is no wrong whithout showing the right."

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25. EazyHelper, 2018
"@yiehom baron samedi......as some have already pointed out legba is an elderly man"

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26. Stanley Dougé, 2019
"Exactly Baron Samedi isn't Legba but they seem to confuse it in Louisiana though for some reason Vodun Legba doesn't dress like that."

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Example #3: Papa Legba



Blokis Mizik 509, Published on Oct 28, 2016

When one says the word Vodou, the first spirit that comes to mind is Legba. Legba is undoubtedly the most important spirits in the hierarchy of Vodou; he is the guardian of the gates, crossroads, courtyards and all Vodou temples (Peristil). He is the necessary intermediary between the livings and the spiritual world, his powers are absolutely a must for any kind of interaction with the Loas. No Vodou ceremony of any sort can take place without his permission. Because of this important privilege Legba is always the first invoked in all Vodou ceremony.

Although his possession are extremely violent, his caring nature and politeness earned him the affectionate nickname "Papa Legba" He is a small, crooked lovable old man, his body covered with sores and his crutch or cane is always presented to him for support , old age prevents him from standing on his own. He wears a straw hat and carries his djakout (straw bag) full with rare herbs and plants that he uses and, his favorite drink clairin.

During his celebration, either a goat or a grey rooster, with yam and other roots vegetables are prepared for him as offerings, put inside the djakout, then hung on trees. In Haitian Vodou, the image of Saint Lazarus for the crutch that he uses for support or St Peter for the keys that he holds, are used to represent Papa Legba.
If you are a non initiate, you MUST acknowledge Legba and ask for his permission and guidance when addressing other Loa(s), by lighting a yellow candle and place it at the entrance of the door.

Alternatives: Atibon Legba, Alegba, Legba Sanyan, Legba Zankliyan, Legba Mizè ba.

Color: Yellow.
-snip-
Here are some comments from this sound file's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
1. Cel Middleton, 2017
"Can you put the creole words to the song as well! Please and thank you!!!!"

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2. Peace & Love, 2017
"Cel Middleton im Haitian born and raised. Hard to understand the whole thing. A lot of West African stuff in it"

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3. AlexanderMccarthey87, 2017
"Does anyone know the lyrics?"

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4. Jah E, 2017
"AlexanderMccarthey87 it is not hard have someone who speaks creyol write them down for u as u play the song..."

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5. margine louis, 2018
"@Jah E it involves some old African words that the typical Haitian will not recognize"

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6. Jah E, 2018
"@margine louis lol u right ..i dont even understand some of the words sometimes"

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