Ayagunna
Encyclopedia
Ayagunna is the youngest path, or avatar, of the undergod Obatala
in the Lukumi (Santería
) pantheon. In this manifestation, Obatala is a youth who battles with a scimitar. He is credited with having spread gun powder throughout the world. In addition, he travelled to Asia, where he warred against and defeated his enemies, bringing their slain heads along with him as evidence of his destruction. The normally peaceful and calm Obatala manifests a fierceness and thirst for peace by way of domination in this aspect.
In the Lukumi system, Ayagunna can turn out to be one's governing orisha
. His receptacle contains the requisite items of Obatala as well as additional ones that are designated only to that path. When one receives Ochanla, one must already be in possession of Ayagunna or receive him alongside with her. Although Obatala eats female animals due to his duality and age, after receiving Ochanla the adherent must now feed Ayagunna male animals and Ochanla female. Ayagunna is often envisioned in a similar fashion to Shango
. He is a member of the fun-fun (white) court of Obatala as a divine king, as are all of his other manifestations. When his adherents manifest his energies during religious trance sessions, Ayagunna behaves with swift, strong, and battle like movements. Hence, he is the paladin among orishas.
His children are often mistaken for children of Shango.
Ayagunna wears all white with the exception of a diagonal red sash that bisects his tunic. The patakis or stories of the faith state that Olofin put Ayagunna in charge of bringing order to the Earth since Man had been left to his own devices. At first, Ayagunna asked the people to bring their lives in line with the laws of Olofi but they ignored his requests. After a while, Ayagunna grew less and less patient and finally stopped making requests and took more punitive measures by executing those who refused to obey. Word got back to Olofi, and he travelled to our World from Ara Onu to see for himself what Ayagunna had wrought. When Ayagunna saw Olofi coming, he wiped his scimitar across his chest to clean the blood from its blade. Olofi scolded Ayagunna for causing such confusion, but Ayagunna then responded in a lawyerly fashion "Father without conflict, there can be no progress". Olofi considered his words and subsequently agreed.
Ayagunna is also known for being the breeder of conflict and war. His name literally means "war dog".
Ayagunna said the day he lays down his sword, the world will cease to exist.
Ayagunna is a Spanish mispronuciation of the proper Yoruba Ajaguna. In Spanish, the j sounds like a y.
Obatala
In the religion of the Yoruba people, Obàtálá is the creator of human bodies, which were supposedly brought to life by Olorun's breath.Obàtálá is also the owner of all ori or heads. Any orisha may lay claim to an individual, but until that individual is initiated into the priesthood of that orisha,...
in the Lukumi (Santería
Santería
Santería is a syncretic religion of West African and Caribbean origin influenced by Roman Catholic Christianity, also known as Regla de Ocha, La Regla Lucumi, or Lukumi. Its liturgical language, a dialect of Yoruba, is also known as Lucumi....
) pantheon. In this manifestation, Obatala is a youth who battles with a scimitar. He is credited with having spread gun powder throughout the world. In addition, he travelled to Asia, where he warred against and defeated his enemies, bringing their slain heads along with him as evidence of his destruction. The normally peaceful and calm Obatala manifests a fierceness and thirst for peace by way of domination in this aspect.
In the Lukumi system, Ayagunna can turn out to be one's governing orisha
Orisha
An Orisha is a spirit or deity that reflects one of the manifestations of Olodumare in the Yoruba spiritual or religious system....
. His receptacle contains the requisite items of Obatala as well as additional ones that are designated only to that path. When one receives Ochanla, one must already be in possession of Ayagunna or receive him alongside with her. Although Obatala eats female animals due to his duality and age, after receiving Ochanla the adherent must now feed Ayagunna male animals and Ochanla female. Ayagunna is often envisioned in a similar fashion to Shango
Shango
In the Yorùbá religion, Sàngó is perhaps one of the most popular Orisha; also known as the god of fire, lightning and thunder...
. He is a member of the fun-fun (white) court of Obatala as a divine king, as are all of his other manifestations. When his adherents manifest his energies during religious trance sessions, Ayagunna behaves with swift, strong, and battle like movements. Hence, he is the paladin among orishas.
His children are often mistaken for children of Shango.
Ayagunna wears all white with the exception of a diagonal red sash that bisects his tunic. The patakis or stories of the faith state that Olofin put Ayagunna in charge of bringing order to the Earth since Man had been left to his own devices. At first, Ayagunna asked the people to bring their lives in line with the laws of Olofi but they ignored his requests. After a while, Ayagunna grew less and less patient and finally stopped making requests and took more punitive measures by executing those who refused to obey. Word got back to Olofi, and he travelled to our World from Ara Onu to see for himself what Ayagunna had wrought. When Ayagunna saw Olofi coming, he wiped his scimitar across his chest to clean the blood from its blade. Olofi scolded Ayagunna for causing such confusion, but Ayagunna then responded in a lawyerly fashion "Father without conflict, there can be no progress". Olofi considered his words and subsequently agreed.
Ayagunna is also known for being the breeder of conflict and war. His name literally means "war dog".
Ayagunna said the day he lays down his sword, the world will cease to exist.
Ayagunna is a Spanish mispronuciation of the proper Yoruba Ajaguna. In Spanish, the j sounds like a y.