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Xii / Baba Karade: S Sophy Burham, (New York: Ballantine Books, 1990), P. 82

1) The Yoruba religion's concept of orisha (angels) who serve as intermediaries between humans and God have been misinterpreted in the New World as occultism rather than their intended purpose of seeking divine essence. 2) The orisha existed in Yoruba religion for thousands of years before Judeo-Christian influences and were seen as messengers and helpers sent by the supreme God Oludumare to assist humanity. 3) While some view traditional religions like Yoruba as pagan, all world religions incorporate recognition of supernatural beings and transcendental worlds that shape their cultural expressions.

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Xii / Baba Karade: S Sophy Burham, (New York: Ballantine Books, 1990), P. 82

1) The Yoruba religion's concept of orisha (angels) who serve as intermediaries between humans and God have been misinterpreted in the New World as occultism rather than their intended purpose of seeking divine essence. 2) The orisha existed in Yoruba religion for thousands of years before Judeo-Christian influences and were seen as messengers and helpers sent by the supreme God Oludumare to assist humanity. 3) While some view traditional religions like Yoruba as pagan, all world religions incorporate recognition of supernatural beings and transcendental worlds that shape their cultural expressions.

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xii / Baba Ifa Karade universe.

Those beings which are deemed angels by western def-


have been largely misinterpreted in the New World. The inition are known to the Yoruba as orisha. The aspirant is
mysticism has been overshadowed by the occultism. Basic directed to see the orisha as emanations of the One Source or
misconceptions result from this. In the Old World it has not been Oludumare. The orisha are not simply mythological con-
forgotten that the aim of the mystic or priestly orders is not to structions designed to satisfy the lower mind and intent of
dwell upon occult powers but to seek the divine essence. humans. As "angels" in all religious context they (the
From a conceptual standpoint this is all-pervasive and all- orisha) were created and sent by Oludumare to assist in the
important. Seekers, or aspirants of the Yoruba religion, need to spiritual evolution of humankind.
be constantly reminded, as reiterated throughout the book, "In the Judeo-Christian culture, the word for angels
that Yoruba is not a cult nor is it "occult." Yoruba is a divine signifies their work as messengers, but other words for
journey to the inner self and to God-Consciousness. Yoruba is a angels signify their essence. They are called gods, the sons of
religion. gods, ministers, servants, watchers, the holy ones. They
"The indigenous Yoruba has a belief in the existence of a constitute the court of Heaven."3 Although the Judeo-Christian
self-existent being who is believed to be responsible for the emphasis is clear, it need be fully realized that concepts of
creation and maintenance of heaven and earth, of men and angels existed long before their arrival. For example, the
women, and who also brought into being divinities and spirits Yoruba concept of ancestors and orisha as messengers of
who are believed to be his functionaries in the theocratic world Oludumare were in effect thousands of years prior to Judeo-
as well as intermediaries between mankind and the self- Christianity. Native people throughout the world speak of
existent Being. "2 The Yoruba word for God is both being shown rituals by holy messengers and of being
Oludumare and Olorun. There is no doubt that the African shown how to farm and domesticate animals. Ancient peoples
conceived the One God theosophy eons before external of all world cultures depict angelic beings as seen
foreign influence. through their cultural eyes. They were helpers in the survival
In regard to traditional systems in general-and and the raising of their nations.
specifically in Yoruba religion-it is said that they are The reality of angelic forces is based on faith and con-
pagan and heathenistic. Clearly, the absurdity of such viction. In the Yoruba religious system one must believe in the
views are relative to the lack of spiritual-religious sub - orisha in order to ascend to God-Consciousness-in order
stance of those who hold them. To say that one religion is to reach the divine state of human being. Yet, a disruption of
pagan is to say that they are all pagan. Inscribed within the very this endeavor has been brought about by Christian and Islamic
scriptures of religious cultures throughout the world there influences. Burnham states, "Islamic angels fell after the
exist variants and strata of substantial recognition of creation of humans, but Christian angels fell
insubstantial forms of feelings, thought processes, super-
natural beings, transcendental worlds, and forces that
direct the creation and destruction of all things. s Sophy Burham, A Book of Angels (New York: Ballantine Books, 1990), p.
82.
These forms materialize as structural tangible objects
shaped by the culture that expresses them. Statues, sym

2Omosade Awolalu, Yoruba Beliefs and Sacrificial Rites (White Plains, NY:
Longman Group, 1979), p. 3.
THE HANDBOOK OF YORUBA RELIGIOUS CONCEPTS / xiii

bolic religious artistic creations, and sacred physical posi-


tions, all demonstrate the human need and ability to make
concrete the multiplicity of realities that exist within the

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