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African Traditions

Club African Traditions
Total Entries 25
Representative Orisha
The beliefs and practices of African people are highly diverse, and include various ethnic religions. Generally, these traditions are oral rather than scriptural and are passed down from one generation to another through narratives, songs, myths, and festivals. They include beliefs in spirits and higher and lower gods, sometimes including a supreme being, as well as the veneration of the dead, use of magic, and traditional African medicine. Most religions can be described as animistic with various polytheistic and pantheistic aspects. The role of humanity is generally seen as one of harmonizing nature with the supernatural. ~ African traditional religions – Wikipedia
Depiction of Òrìṣà in the style of Howard Pyle (2026) | Eidolon Station/DALL·E/CC BY-SA 4.0
Depiction of Òrìṣà in the style of Howard Pyle (2026) | Eidolon Station/DALL·E/CC BY-SA 4.0

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Abiku

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Category Abiku
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Abiku is a Yoruba word that can be translated as “born to die” and refers to the spirit of a child who dies young. It is derived from (abi) “that which was born” and (iku) […]

Entry Abiku
Description 

Abiku is a Yoruba word that can be translated as “born to die” and refers to the spirit of a child who dies young. It is derived from (abi) “that which was born” and (iku) […]

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Adze

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Category Adze
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The adze is a vampiric being in Ewe folklore, told by the people of Togo and Ghana. In the wild, the adze takes the form of a firefly, though it will transform into human shape […]

Entry Adze
Description 

The adze is a vampiric being in Ewe folklore, told by the people of Togo and Ghana. In the wild, the adze takes the form of a firefly, though it will transform into human shape […]

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Anansi

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Category Anansi
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Anansi is a West African god. He often takes the shape of a spider and is considered to be the spirit of all knowledge of stories. He is also one of the most important characters […]

Entry Anansi
Description 

Anansi is a West African god. He often takes the shape of a spider and is considered to be the spirit of all knowledge of stories. He is also one of the most important characters […]

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Babalu-Aye

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Category Babalu-Aye
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Babalú-Aye is one of the Oriṣa or manifestations of the Supreme Deity Olodumare in the Yoruba religion of West Africa. Babalú-Aye is a spirit of the Earth and is strongly associated with healing and illness. […]

Entry Babalu-Aye
Description 

Babalú-Aye is one of the Oriṣa or manifestations of the Supreme Deity Olodumare in the Yoruba religion of West Africa. Babalú-Aye is a spirit of the Earth and is strongly associated with healing and illness. […]

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Damballa

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Category Damballa
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Damballa is one of the most important of all loa, spirits in West African Vodun, Haitian Voodoo and other African diaspora religious traditions such as Obeah. He is traditionally portrayed as a great white or […]

Entry Damballa
Description 

Damballa is one of the most important of all loa, spirits in West African Vodun, Haitian Voodoo and other African diaspora religious traditions such as Obeah. He is traditionally portrayed as a great white or […]

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Egungun

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Category Egungun
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Egungun in the broadest sense is any Yoruba masquerade or masked, costumed figure. More specifically, it is a Yoruba masquerade for ancestor reverence, or the ancestors themselves as a collective force… Egungun is a visible […]

Entry Egungun
Description 

Egungun in the broadest sense is any Yoruba masquerade or masked, costumed figure. More specifically, it is a Yoruba masquerade for ancestor reverence, or the ancestors themselves as a collective force… Egungun is a visible […]

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Eshu

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Category Eshu
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Èṣù is the oriṣa of trickery, chance, crossroads, judgement, duality and languages in the Yoruba religion. Eṣu is a prominent primordial divinity (a delegated Irúnmọlẹ̀ sent by Olodumare) who descended from Ìkọ̀lé Ọ̀run, and the […]

Entry Eshu
Description 

Èṣù is the oriṣa of trickery, chance, crossroads, judgement, duality and languages in the Yoruba religion. Eṣu is a prominent primordial divinity (a delegated Irúnmọlẹ̀ sent by Olodumare) who descended from Ìkọ̀lé Ọ̀run, and the […]

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Loogaroo

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Category Loogaroo
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The soucouyant or soucriant in Dominica, St. Lucian, Trinidadian, Guadeloupean folklore, also known as Loogaroo or Lougarou in Haiti, Louisiana, Grenada and elsewhere in the Caribbean, or Ole-Higue (also Ole Haig) in Guyana, Belize, and […]

Entry Loogaroo
Description 

The soucouyant or soucriant in Dominica, St. Lucian, Trinidadian, Guadeloupean folklore, also known as Loogaroo or Lougarou in Haiti, Louisiana, Grenada and elsewhere in the Caribbean, or Ole-Higue (also Ole Haig) in Guyana, Belize, and […]

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Mami Wata

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Category Mami Wata
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Mami Wata or similar is a mermaid, water spirit, and/or goddess in the folklore of parts of Western Africa, Central Africa, Eastern Africa, and Southern Africa. Historically, scholars trace her origins to early encounters between […]

Entry Mami Wata
Description 

Mami Wata or similar is a mermaid, water spirit, and/or goddess in the folklore of parts of Western Africa, Central Africa, Eastern Africa, and Southern Africa. Historically, scholars trace her origins to early encounters between […]

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Nyame

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Category Nyame
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Onyame, Nyankopɔn (Onyankopɔng) or Ɔdomankoma is the supreme god of the Akan people of Ghana, who is most commonly known as Nyame. The name means “The one who knows and sees everything”, and “omniscient, omnipotent […]

Entry Nyame
Description 

Onyame, Nyankopɔn (Onyankopɔng) or Ɔdomankoma is the supreme god of the Akan people of Ghana, who is most commonly known as Nyame. The name means “The one who knows and sees everything”, and “omniscient, omnipotent […]

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Oba

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Category Oba
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Ọbà is the orisha of the River Oba, the source of which lies near Igbon, where her worship originates. During the wars of the 19th century, her centers of worship moved to the more secure […]

Entry Oba
Description 

Ọbà is the orisha of the River Oba, the source of which lies near Igbon, where her worship originates. During the wars of the 19th century, her centers of worship moved to the more secure […]

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Obatala

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Category Obatala
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Obatala (lit. ’King of White Cloth’) also known as Oriṣanla (lit. ’The Great God’) is the king of all oriṣa in the Yoruba religion, believed to have created the Earth (Ile Ayé) and humans. In some versions […]

Entry Obatala
Description 

Obatala (lit. ’King of White Cloth’) also known as Oriṣanla (lit. ’The Great God’) is the king of all oriṣa in the Yoruba religion, believed to have created the Earth (Ile Ayé) and humans. In some versions […]

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Ogun

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Category Ogun
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Ogun is a major Orisha in the Yoruba religion that is also adopted in several other African religions. Ògún is revered as a powerful deity of war, iron, hunting, metalworking, metallurgy, blacksmiths, technology, innovation, and […]

Entry Ogun
Description 

Ogun is a major Orisha in the Yoruba religion that is also adopted in several other African religions. Ògún is revered as a powerful deity of war, iron, hunting, metalworking, metallurgy, blacksmiths, technology, innovation, and […]

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Olokun

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Category Olokun
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Olokun is an orisha in Yoruba religion. Olokun is the deity of the bottom of the ocean and is believed to be the parent of Ajé, the orisha of great wealth. Olokun is revered as […]

Entry Olokun
Description 

Olokun is an orisha in Yoruba religion. Olokun is the deity of the bottom of the ocean and is believed to be the parent of Ajé, the orisha of great wealth. Olokun is revered as […]

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Olorun

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Category Olorun
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Ọlọrun is the ruler of (or in) the Heavens, creator of the universe, and the Supreme Deity or Supreme Being in the Yoruba religion and related syncretic religions… Ọlọrun is frequently perceived as a compassionate […]

Entry Olorun
Description 

Ọlọrun is the ruler of (or in) the Heavens, creator of the universe, and the Supreme Deity or Supreme Being in the Yoruba religion and related syncretic religions… Ọlọrun is frequently perceived as a compassionate […]

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Orisha

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Category Orisha
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Orishas are divine spirits that play a key role in the Yoruba religion of West Africa and several religions of the African diaspora that derive from it, such as Haitian Vodou, Cuban Santería, and Brazilian […]

Entry Orisha
Description 

Orishas are divine spirits that play a key role in the Yoruba religion of West Africa and several religions of the African diaspora that derive from it, such as Haitian Vodou, Cuban Santería, and Brazilian […]

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Orunmila

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Category Orunmila
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Ọrunmila is one of the most principal deities in the Yoruba religion, venerated as the Orisha of wisdom, knowledge, fate, prophecy, enlightenment, and divination. He is believed to be the creator of the Ifá system. […]

Entry Orunmila
Description 

Ọrunmila is one of the most principal deities in the Yoruba religion, venerated as the Orisha of wisdom, knowledge, fate, prophecy, enlightenment, and divination. He is believed to be the creator of the Ifá system. […]

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Osanyin

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Category Osanyin
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Ọsanyin is the orisha who has the omniscient knowledge of leaf, herb and matter. He is also known for healing and displaying magic and creating technological tools, and is popularly considered as a herbalist, magician, […]

Entry Osanyin
Description 

Ọsanyin is the orisha who has the omniscient knowledge of leaf, herb and matter. He is also known for healing and displaying magic and creating technological tools, and is popularly considered as a herbalist, magician, […]

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Oshun

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Category Oshun
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Oshun is the orisha associated with love, sexuality, fertility, femininity, water, destiny, divination, purity, wealth, prosperity and beauty, and the Osun River, in the Yoruba religion. She is considered one of the most popular and […]

Entry Oshun
Description 

Oshun is the orisha associated with love, sexuality, fertility, femininity, water, destiny, divination, purity, wealth, prosperity and beauty, and the Osun River, in the Yoruba religion. She is considered one of the most popular and […]

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Oya

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Category Oya
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Ọya is one of the principal female deities of the Yoruba pantheon. She is the oriṣa of winds, lightning, and storms and is the only oriṣa capable of controlling the Eégún (spirits of the dead), […]

Entry Oya
Description 

Ọya is one of the principal female deities of the Yoruba pantheon. She is the oriṣa of winds, lightning, and storms and is the only oriṣa capable of controlling the Eégún (spirits of the dead), […]

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Papa Legba

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Category Papa Legba
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Papa Legba is a Lwa in Haitian Vodou and Louisiana Voodoo, who serves as the intermediary between the Lwa and humanity. He stands at a spiritual crossroads and gives (or denies) permission to speak with […]

Entry Papa Legba
Description 

Papa Legba is a Lwa in Haitian Vodou and Louisiana Voodoo, who serves as the intermediary between the Lwa and humanity. He stands at a spiritual crossroads and gives (or denies) permission to speak with […]

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Sasabonsam

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Category Sasabonsam
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The Sasabonsam is a vampire-like folkloric being from the Akan people. It belongs to the folklore of the Akan of southern Ghana, as well as Côte d’Ivoire, Togo and 18th century Jamaica from enslaved Akan. […]

Entry Sasabonsam
Description 

The Sasabonsam is a vampire-like folkloric being from the Akan people. It belongs to the folklore of the Akan of southern Ghana, as well as Côte d’Ivoire, Togo and 18th century Jamaica from enslaved Akan. […]

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Shango

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Category Shango
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Shango is the Orisha (or deity) of fire, thunder, lightning, virility, dance, drumming, strength and justice in the Yoruba religion. Genealogically, Shango is a royal ancestor of the Yoruba as he was the third Alaafin […]

Entry Shango
Description 

Shango is the Orisha (or deity) of fire, thunder, lightning, virility, dance, drumming, strength and justice in the Yoruba religion. Genealogically, Shango is a royal ancestor of the Yoruba as he was the third Alaafin […]

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Tokoloshe

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Category Tokoloshe
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In Nguni mythology, the tokoloshe, tikoloshe, tikolosh, tonkolosh, tonkolosi, tokolotshe, thokolosi, or hili is a dwarf-like water spirit. It is a mischievous and evil spirit that can become invisible by drinking water or swallowing a […]

Entry Tokoloshe
Description 

In Nguni mythology, the tokoloshe, tikoloshe, tikolosh, tonkolosh, tonkolosi, tokolotshe, thokolosi, or hili is a dwarf-like water spirit. It is a mischievous and evil spirit that can become invisible by drinking water or swallowing a […]

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Yemoja

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Category Yemoja
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Yemọja is a major water deity in the Yoruba religion. She is an oriṣa, and the patron spirit of rivers, particularly the Ogun River in Nigeria, and of oceans in Cuban and Brazilian Orisha religions. […]

Entry Yemoja
Description 

Yemọja is a major water deity in the Yoruba religion. She is an oriṣa, and the patron spirit of rivers, particularly the Ogun River in Nigeria, and of oceans in Cuban and Brazilian Orisha religions. […]