OBATALA

The next in importance after Orissa Ifa is Obatala, who

is popularly described as "the great god." He belongs to
psychic system, and deserves the adoration and respect of a large
number were crying. He easily recalls his religious feelings.
The anthropomorphic description of his character leads him close to
the imagination of the simple peasant, who never gets excited about
abstractions. The higher and becomes hazy conception of
Olorun most popular is the worship of Obatala. The tradition
said that Obatala is really the representative of Olorun, and as
such, he must take precedence over all other deities. In the
Current practice, however, the importance of not eclipsed Obatala
of any of the animist gods described in Chapters
precedents.

MYTHS

Obatala myths are numerous. Presents one of these

as the representative of Olorun. It has been said that all I Olorun
things, including the god Obatala. But he did not complete the
job. Before retiring to heaven to live like a god
absentee, he instructed Obatala the task of completing the creation.
For example, is said to Olorun has made man as a tough guy
and solid, but has left Obatala put the finishing touches to give
man a face, mouth, nose, eyes, ears, and a skull.

Another myth represents Obatala as the sole creator of the first

man and first woman to which formed the mud. Another myth we
attributed the task of training the child in the womb and, therefore,
physical defects is regarded as a punishment for mistakes
previously committed or as sure signs of his desire to
punish some guilty people. People with defects
physical (eg albinos) are dedicated to him. Another function that
generally attributed in myth is the Protector of
gates of the city. It is, therefore, represented
often by a rider with a spear, accompanied by a
snake, fish, turtle and a leopard.
WORSHIP

Obatala is the Yoruba deity only imposed uniformity of color

with respect to their worship. His worshipers should wear clothes
white, and white foods using butter (shea ¿-
butter?), instead of the usual red palm oil in your kitchen,
refraining from eating meat, and using and offering up the cola
white (or "bitter") instead of a red.

His worship is very simple. They make offerings of inexpensive

edible snails. On important occasions his worshipers
the luxury of parties and dances. Prayers for him to have children
are often offered up by aspiring mothers.
One of the Yoruba gods worshiped outside the country. Among the
EWE speaking peoples in Porto Novo, serves as arbiter of
disputes, especially to determine a person guilty. This
is done by means of an oracle known as Omise (messenger,
Ambassador). Colonel Ellis gives the following description of the oracle:

"Consists of a hollow cylinder of wood, approximately 3'5

feet in diameter, one end of which is covered with fabric and
other closed shells of edible snails. "

Yoruba god Obatala is purity. He represents the highest

moral conception achieved by crying. His influence may
explains the superiority of crying for many of its neighbors,
a fact attested by several observers

TITLES

The titles of God are:

1. Obatala: this word is translated as the "King of the

Purity, "" Lord of the White Clothes, "" Lord of Visions "
depending on the nature of stress placed on the last two vocal
for each translator. The real meaning of the word will be given more
later.

2. Orissa Popo: "The Orissa kneading the mud" or Orissa

Hamorere "The Orissa has the best mud", these two titles will
are given in the myth that describes him as the creator of the first
man and first woman he formed the mud.

3. Oj'Emia Orissa "Orissa makes the man alive," this

is what gives life to man, and thus brings the
existence.
4. Praise-my-Broil "which proposes and disposes". This
title refers to his great power.

5. Orisa Nla "the great Orissa"

6. Obaba Orugbo, "the old Father-King" or "the Ancient Father"

7. Gbigbiniki Orissa, "the Huge (or bulky) Orissa

HISTORICAL ORIGIN

The historical origin of Obatala can be easily found

applying the theory explained and applied in Chapters
precedents.
The first point to be considered is the name of Obatala, which can
be divided into three parts, namely Oba-ti-wing. Oba word has
been explained previously. She notes a King. The word `you '
means `to 'or` like'. The word 'wing' was wrong
interpreted as `white '. This is only one meaning
derivative from it by investing their acute accents (Allah)
to severe (ALA). Another secondary meaning is 'a border'.
What then is the meaning of `wing '?

The ideas associated with the god whose name bears the word 'wing',
suggests, frequently, an Egyptian origin. As soon as this
suggestion was taken seriously, leading to the discovery of
that Obatala was once a god of the Nile The word 'wing' is
a modified form of latur `-an ',' laur-an ', which is the name given
by the ancient Egyptians the Nile Ancient Egyptian word
becomes 'Laro, side' in the Coptic language. The mathematical Timon,
used the same word 'wing' to describe the sources of the Nile
he called `Phi-wing ', Phi being the masculine article language
ancient Egyptian, and 'wing' a modified form of `side '. Obatala
it means "King of the Nile" in the religious sense.

Which of the gods of the Nile is the prototype of Obatala?

Once you understand the true meaning of the name,
not far to seek the god of the Nile, which is Obatala
survival.
Obatala has been described as 'the potter' (Orissa-Popo, Alamorere)
and 'Old Father' (Obaba Arugbo). Obatala is the prototype without
Khnum `doubt ', who has been given to identical or similar titles
those of Obatala in Egyptian mythology.

At Philae, Khnum described himself as' the potter who molds

men and caster of the gods'. Therefore, it
described as' the creator of all these, the molder of all
there, the father of fathers, mothers 'mother', `the
creator of heaven and earth, the lower world, water and
mountains, which has created male and female birds and
fish, wild beasts, cattle and creeping things. ' It
function assigned to him to infuse life to babies.

This clear from the above observations, that the ideas

associated with Khnum and associated with Obatala are identical in almost
all the details. The conclusion that can be done is therefore
that Obatala in a survival of ancient Egyptian god Khnum.
You can add some other facts to support this conclusion.
Egyptologists say that a large number of blacks residing in
Elefantine. It is likely that contact with blacks
Religion of the ancient Egyptians took place here, with the
the worship of Khnum result under the name of Obatala.
Khnum has been described as 'the father of the gods', which is the
itself, that shapes and molds men (masu) to the gods'. Now
there are two words in Yoruba meaning `shape 'or` model' and
are `m 'and` su'. Note that both words are derived from
the ancient Egyptian word 'masu', meaning `model '.

Khnum The same word has been incorporated into the Yoruba language. Its
Egypt is fully Khnu-mu, and the Yoruba word derived from
Okun or she is Oku (n) ri (n) or Okunri (n) meaning 'a man'. The
derivation is as follows: the ending-mu is removed, leaving
Khun.

All Yoruba name begins with a vowel, therefore it

added the initial vowel 'O', Kh K becomes, and is inserted into the
appropriate vowel between K and N, as it is a phonetic language Yoruba, N
is changed to R (a change to a liquid nasal consonant is
phonetic feature well known in some languages). A
appropriate for vowel is added to R. The vowels in the language of
Ancient Egyptians often are traded in different
books on Egyptology. Is thus achieved as
Okuri `word 'or` okunrin' or `okonrin '.
The use of white in relation to the worship of Obatala must have
suggested by the White Nile River are likely to
cried live on the banks where the White Nile flowing without
mixed with the Blue Nile.
The survival of Obatala, who is considered by crying
as a great god, strongly suggests that Elefantine must
have been one of the cities where the culture of the Ancients
impact on the early Egyptians Yoruba culture.