Completion Date: 07 Feb 2019
Medium: Paint & ink on cardboard
Dimensions: 16 X 20 inches
In the Yoruba (present-day Southwestern Nigeria and the adjoining parts of Benin and Togo) pantheon, Olorun is the Supreme God or Supreme Being, i.e. King of the Heavens, Supreme King of the Gods, Sky, Earth and the Universe
He has three manifestations:
[1] Olodumare, the creator
[2] Olorun, ruler of the heavens
[3] Olofi, who is the conduit between Orún (Heaven) and Ayé (Earth).
Olorun rules the Orún (Heavens) and works through the Orishas (Yoruba gods), and thus reaching humans on the Ayé (Earth).
The vital energy of Olorun manifests in humans as Ashé, which is the life force that runs through all living things.
Olodumare carries the responsibility of coordinating the Universe by way of it, while Olofi brings existence to earth on orders from Olodumare.
He is venerated in the Yoruba religion, Umbanda and Candomble (Afro-Brazilian religions), Santeria (an Afro-American religion of Caribbean origin), Haitian Vodou and Folk Catholicism. Georgraphically the regions that venerate him are Nigeria, Benin, the Caribbean and South America.
Humans do not worship Olorun directly, there are no sacred areas of worship or ordained person. Olorun is outlying, distant and does not partake in human rituals. There are no shrines or sacrifices dedicated directly to him, although followers can send prayers in his direction.
For Yoruba traditions there is no centralized authority, because of this and the way the traditions were spread through the slave trade to other areas of the world, there are many different ways that Yorubans can understand the idea of Olorun.
