Forging Fire: The Metallurgical Arts Of Africa

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnVhYzjPmWum1ppPGC1KOXw8E0xc9D5Wb7cVR1n2_CpGJW9snadMGajIwkdndUPbhEkw8-21luYC8bHMBLDXnvfNadehiDA_U4mWXuno_FJDrwb8mp6bmVz05uJVNue5hNeuSQTa2rzko/s1600/Forging+Fire+Metallurgical+Arts+of+Africa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnVhYzjPmWum1ppPGC1KOXw8E0xc9D5Wb7cVR1n2_CpGJW9snadMGajIwkdndUPbhEkw8-21luYC8bHMBLDXnvfNadehiDA_U4mWXuno_FJDrwb8mp6bmVz05uJVNue5hNeuSQTa2rzko/s1600/Forging+Fire+Metallurgical+Arts+of+Africa.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div> <span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div> <span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">While it has been advanced past times many European as well as European-descent scholars that the atomic issue 26 historic catamenia began inward Eurasia circa. one one thousand BCE, recent archaeological discoveries inward Nigeria suggests that atomic issue 26 smelting as well as blacksmith move was performed at a much before fourth dimension -- equally early on equally 2000-2500 BCE -- at high-levels of production as well as involving broad merchandise distribution alongside the ancient Igboland peoples inward West Africa. </span><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsCHR-imGt2miB7_d7F4ejZvB-Zh5EyP3ejO8UldvmjftBzh1tqtALeDFH7h_JzlRNbd1qsoymFJoQH3Yhjjrpu-BUnfedVfWUR7eyhWHca_Cx_o7TPfh99CVkNBsNIT8GslCPvGCL83I/s1600/Igbo,+Nsude+pyramids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsCHR-imGt2miB7_d7F4ejZvB-Zh5EyP3ejO8UldvmjftBzh1tqtALeDFH7h_JzlRNbd1qsoymFJoQH3Yhjjrpu-BUnfedVfWUR7eyhWHca_Cx_o7TPfh99CVkNBsNIT8GslCPvGCL83I/s1600/Igbo,+Nsude+pyramids.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">A row of 10 Igbo iron-smelting pyramids at Nsude, Enugu State of Nigeria, Africa. </span><br /> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Carbon dating data has been unattainable to date. </span></td></tr> </tbody></table> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpkWTKcaq8xBXs097astRjqNYdlaGHKJhKWk3xbHKV3AlkE7iY0-jo_Z3j77AByy5guujrNYZhkfshKvKLUnAviP9jsJmQtHhN7othBLSAa_XfE11EtbVaKbpLUaQM9LV_VWgV3SeGq88/s1600/Nok+Nigeria+Map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpkWTKcaq8xBXs097astRjqNYdlaGHKJhKWk3xbHKV3AlkE7iY0-jo_Z3j77AByy5guujrNYZhkfshKvKLUnAviP9jsJmQtHhN7othBLSAa_XfE11EtbVaKbpLUaQM9LV_VWgV3SeGq88/s1600/Nok+Nigeria+Map.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; text-align: left;"></span></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Prior to this, the earliest known African advances inward metallic plant were found alongside the Nok, who appear to accept been the cultural ancestors of the Yoruba who developed the Ife sculptures centuries later. According to Roger Atwood, writing for <a href="http://archive.archaeology.org/1107/features/nok_nigeria_africa_terracotta.html" target="_blank">Archaeology magazine</a>, "Carbon dating of charcoal within the [Nok] furnaces revealed dates equally far dorsum equally 280 B.C., giving Nok the earliest dates for atomic issue 26 smelting inward sub-Saharan Africa upwardly to that time." H5N1 collection of Nok terra cotta heads as well as figures were found alongside tin mines as well as many of these plant are housed at a museum at Jos inward key Nigeria. Other carbon dating established that items were deposited inward the portion from 500 BCE to 200 past times the Nok. By the 13th century, nosotros meet the Ife cultural arts develop into a sophisticated courtroom fine art that represented specific figure heads such equally kings. </span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Also about 500 BCE, <a href="https://conaircurlingiron.blogspot.com//search?q=queen-tiye" target="_blank">Nubia</a> was inward her Meroitic stage as well as was producing as well as trading iron. By 270 CE, at electrical flow twenty-four hours <a href="https://conaircurlingiron.blogspot.com//search?q=queen-tiye" target="_blank">Ethiopia</a>, coins inward gold, argent as well as bronze were produced past times the <a href="https://conaircurlingiron.blogspot.com//search?q=queen-tiye" target="_blank">Aksumites</a> nether King Endubis.  </span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7mkNuBhh9u7BX2RhgPDuOKcTW8Onhvahes3P9fSrmxqSakALIU6pZK8mWgwcR6PFrB7Y-7nv3ExGWiIGJBU3y4AVFGnBpMJ4lnd9e22TJNcOQGfUfadoRPOkd9tr_LOxNNMifGGqwbkA/s1600/Egyptians+artisans+smelted+copper+and+gold+for+artistic,+architectural,+and+even+military+purposes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7mkNuBhh9u7BX2RhgPDuOKcTW8Onhvahes3P9fSrmxqSakALIU6pZK8mWgwcR6PFrB7Y-7nv3ExGWiIGJBU3y4AVFGnBpMJ4lnd9e22TJNcOQGfUfadoRPOkd9tr_LOxNNMifGGqwbkA/s1600/Egyptians+artisans+smelted+copper+and+gold+for+artistic,+architectural,+and+even+military+purposes.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Egyptians artisans smelted copper as well as aureate for artistic, architectural, as well as fifty-fifty armed services purposes.</span></td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;">At i indicate inward Western scientific literature, it was idea that sub-Saharan Africans did non invent atomic issue 26 independently. This notion was abandoned to a greater extent than than a century ago. High German scholar, Ludwig Beck, who published a five-volume history of atomic issue 26 betwixt 1884 as well as 1903, wrote inward his foremost volume: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 19.5px;">". . . [w]e meet everywhere an master copy fine art of producing atomic issue 26 alongside the numerous native tribes of Africa, which is inward its entire essence non imported but master copy as well as . . . must survive really old."  </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 1.5;">The American linguist Christopher Ehret asserts the following:</span><br /> <blockquote style="background-color: white; color: #3b3b3b; line-height: 1.5;"> <i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Africa S of the Sahara, it right away seems, was domicile to a split upwardly as well as independent innovation of atomic issue 26 metallurgy . . . To amount upwardly the available evidence, atomic issue 26 engineering across much of sub-Saharan Africa has an African beginning dating to before one one thousand BCE.</span></i></blockquote> <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.5px;">"More as well as to a greater extent than numerous datings are pushing dorsum the get-go of atomic issue 26 production inward Africa to at to the lowest degree the middle of the minute millennium BC, which would acquire inward i of the world's oldest metallurgies," states Hamady Bocoum, Senegalese archeologist. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.5px;">Gaston Maspéro, a French Egyptologist, concluded that ancient Arab Republic of Egypt learned atomic issue 26 plant from Africans to the south. This persuasion was corroborated past times the High German Felix von Luschan, who also idea sub-Saharan Africans originated atomic issue 26 technology, equally did the British metallurgist William Gowland.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /> </span><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0UbGMPp64jSr0etfh0U8QMR4TsZxANIjRI6LBRCV_6xbYaBeXzs0o6FnSYhXbqsYhfdqyWwPsIWnyy5BJA44qSnk3pmCpF8h26OUM3mZ9-2h6gUBR38DFCgELLxJXoQVZ7jO4qyaMGQ/s1600/Ibgo+Nigeria+Map.jpg" width="320" /></span></div> <span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The to a greater extent than recent scholarship of physician Pamela Eze-Uzomaka, Nigerian scholar, states that the study of the prehistoric atomic issue 26 smelting site at Lejja, Nigeria has found the existence of a thriving atomic issue 26 smelting community with hundreds of furnaces, tuyeres as well as slags visible from the surface at the primary hamlet square. Interrupted past times modern history, this atomic issue 26 smelting Lejja site has been reported past times physician Eze-Uzomaka equally extinct, no active atomic issue 26 smiths inward the community. The debris from the atomic issue 26 smelting site has, however, been radiocarbon dated to around 2000 BC. </span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">As early on equally precolonial times, atomic issue 26 move inward ancient Igboland was highly ritualized. Supernatural forces were solicited past times the smiths as well as smelters to participate inward as well as supervise the production procedure for metals. This is described past times Onwuka N. Joku equally the "magico-religious context of atomic issue 26 production" that releases the powers of iron. </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Joku writes:</span></div> <blockquote class="tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Traditional atomic issue 26 working involved considerable technical as well as artistic science equally good equally brawn. However, to the Igbo, a lot to a greater extent than was required, namely, the possession of esoteric powers. Such esoteric powers were deemed inevitable equally atomic issue 26 was believed to possess inherent mystical qualities. Iron was 'charged' as well as consequently unsafe to all persons except those who had the uncommon gift of knowing how to get got it. The heart as well as soul of this noesis was 'acquired past times blood'; that is, it was inherited past times birth.</span></i></blockquote> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The apprenticeship grooming was long as well as rigorous throughout Igboland. The atomic issue 26 smithing guilds held varying strickness inward allowing entrants from non-smithing lineages. An aspiring apprentice from a non-smithing identify unit of measurement could survive required to undergo a issue of associated practices as well as rituals before attempting to practise smithing. Without the mystical powers obtained from the atomic issue 26 deity through blood lines, the mysterious human activeness of turning public into atomic issue 26 as well as atomic issue 26 into tools, ornaments as well as other items was to a greater extent than oft than non idea to survive adjacent to impossible, within the guilds. Again, entry into a social club without beingness inward the identify unit of measurement job was possible alongside some guilds, with additional rituals as well as tests for the aspirant.</span></div> <div> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div> <div> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Dr. Eze-Uzomaka's query also links prehistoric Igbo atomic issue 26 smith as well as smelting take away to ancient Nile Valley civilizations. She asserts that many of the same deities were beingness employed on the West as well as East coasts of Africa inward prehistoric times. She states that the ancient Lost City of Heliopolis, referenced past times the <a href="https://conaircurlingiron.blogspot.com//search?q=queen-tiye" target="_blank">ancient Egyptians</a>, was located inward Igboland where atomic issue 26 move was produced take away for distribution to locations equally far equally the Nile Valley portion of Africa. The Igbo-Kmt connecter existed at Lejja, states Eze-Uzomaka. This ancient Igboland was the Lost City of Heliopolis, the <a href="http://maatlaws.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Ancient Egyptian Duat</a>, Temple of the Sun.</span></div> <div> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div> <div> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The tape provides prove that the ancient Africans enjoyed a sophisticated agreement as well as human relationship to natural metals. These metals were employed inward their arts, coins, tools as well as weapons. Metallurgical guilds arose to develop as well as protect the noesis attained alongside the people of dissimilar regions. The existence of highly sophisticated inter-Africa merchandise inward metals is in all probability the close exciting seem of the electrical flow scholarship. If West Africans were supplying atomic issue 26 equally far equally the Nile Valley regions, the relationships alongside African peoples on the continent is sure enough inward its infancy stages of discovery.</span></div> <div> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>References: </i></b></span><br /> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Scenes from Papyrus Book of Coming Forth past times Day of Hunefer, cir. 1300 B.C. Dover Edition: 1967, pp. 283, 289, 368 (reference to retrieving Amen-Ra's atomic issue 26 from a double bight, 2 bodies of water. See West Africa's river bights of Biafra (nka Bonny) as well as Benin; meet also, double plume plums of Osiris representing 2 river bights). </span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Eze-Uzomaka, Pamela. </span><a href="http://www.academia.edu/4103707/Iron_and_its_influence_on_the_prehistoric_site_of_Lejja" target="_blank">Iron as well as its influence on the prehistoric site of Lejja</a><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> (whitepaper available equally gratis download, concluding visited 10/13/14).</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Joku, Onwuka N,</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><a href="http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/1580821?" target="_blank">Magic, Religion as well as Iron Technology inward Precolonial North-western Igboland</a><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, Journal of Religion inward Africa XX, three (1991) (Jstor access required, concluding visited 10/13/14).</span></span></li> </ul> </div> <div> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Further reading</i></b>: </span><br /> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;">Acholonu, Catherine Obianuju, </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L3W6JPY/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00L3W6JPY&linkCode=as2&tag=crosswriting-20&linkId=ZMX6REP3CMU33BZN" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;" target="_blank">Eden inward Sumer on the Niger</a><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;"> (Kindle Edition).</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Alpern, Stanley B., </span><a href="http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/history_in_africa/v032/32.1alpern.pdf" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Did They or Didn't They Invent It? Iron inward Sub-Saharan Africa?</a><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> History inward Africa, Volume 32 (2005) </span></li> </ul> </div> </div>

Forging Fire: The Metallurgical Arts Of Africa

While it has been advanced past times many European as well as European-descent scholars that the atomic issue 26 historic catamenia began inward Eurasia circa. one one thousand BCE, recent archa…

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A Due West African Folktale Of The Even Out Of Oshún's Flying To Olodumare

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJA9_qNgWo5FvOmL01p2_Ix90VbastpwVIr7liTZ1N1QnvlvV4Vb20lsNuvQ4WOl1icJaG2vT9zBqRwO1RZy-koCa6Owyx0iv0Us49tBb1-niJvoouhX1wq7hclPpvWO5bc67mAgFRi-g/s1600/oludumare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJA9_qNgWo5FvOmL01p2_Ix90VbastpwVIr7liTZ1N1QnvlvV4Vb20lsNuvQ4WOl1icJaG2vT9zBqRwO1RZy-koCa6Owyx0iv0Us49tBb1-niJvoouhX1wq7hclPpvWO5bc67mAgFRi-g/s320/oludumare.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oludumare is ane of iii manifestations of the Supreme God inwards the Yoruban pantheon</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span id="text_1_wrapper"><span id="text_1"><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span id="text_1_wrapper"><span id="text_1"><span><span><span style="font-size: small;">It has been said inwards the sacred stories of our West African Yoruba tradition that Oshún (sometimes written Oshun or Osun) is the solely Orisa able to approach Olodumare (aka Olorun) directly, carrying prayers from the oral fissure of humanity to Olodumare's ears. This is the flush of Oshún's flying as well as how she became the messenger of Olodumare. </span></span></span></span></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span id="text_1_wrapper"><span id="text_1"><span><span><span style="font-size: small;">In the early on days of the world, as well as of Ilé Ifé, the orishas became tired of serving Olodumare. They began to resist the Lord of Heaven's edicts as well as to fifty-fifty plot the overthrow of Olodumare's kingdom inwards sky as well as earth. They felt they didn't demand Olodumare as well as that every bit the Lord of Heaven was thence distant anyway, they could but dissever the aché or powers alongside themselves as well as that things would operate much ameliorate that way.<br /><br />When Olodumare caught air current of this mental attitude as well as their plots, the Lord of Heaven acted simply as well as decisively. Olodumare simply withheld the pelting from the earth. Soon the public was encompassed yesteryear a staggering drought, the basis became parched as well as cracked, the plants withered as well as died without water. And it wasn't long earlier all on earth, orishas as well as their children alike began to starve.<br /><br />After a brusque time, growling bellies as well as sallow faces began to verbalise louder than pride as well as rebelliousness. They unanimously decided to operate to Olodumare as well as beg for forgiveness inwards hopes that this would convey pelting dorsum to the world. But they had a problem: none of them could accomplish the distant habitation of Olodumare. They sent all the birds ane yesteryear ane to endeavor the journeying but each as well as every ane of them failed, tiring long earlier reaching the palace of the Lord of Heaven. It began to appear that all promise was lost.<br /> </span></span></span></span></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcHWnVHQlqJotir4Kv-J0RyTxC2KfZMAT7_CtQMWtIp6RZOXKIYvPk2PT32Uc96d48WX8N6rWJ3lWgkLXfhw8IR5DOqdxfLiIg0iSghtmqxZxgPJbK06simh6KiyhgtBMPJfU1d6C7tqE/s1600/west+african+folk+tale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcHWnVHQlqJotir4Kv-J0RyTxC2KfZMAT7_CtQMWtIp6RZOXKIYvPk2PT32Uc96d48WX8N6rWJ3lWgkLXfhw8IR5DOqdxfLiIg0iSghtmqxZxgPJbK06simh6KiyhgtBMPJfU1d6C7tqE/s320/west+african+folk+tale.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div> <br /> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span id="text_1_wrapper"><span id="text_1"><span><span><span style="font-size: small;">Then ane day, the peacock, who was inwards reality Oshún herself, came to offering her services to salve the public from this drought. Once again, at that topographic point was full general upheaval as well as fifty-fifty to a greater extent than laughter every bit the orishas considered the sentiment of this vain as well as pampered aeroplane task such a courageous as well as unsafe journey. "You mightiness intermission a nail," said one.<br /> </span></span></span></span></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span id="text_1_wrapper"><span id="text_1"><span><span><span style="font-size: small;">But the footling peacock persisted. As they had naught to lose, they agreed to allow Oshún continue the world's behalf. So the footling peacock flew off towards the Sun as well as the palace of Olodumare. Oshún presently tired of the journey, but she kept flying always higher, determined to accomplish the Lord of Heaven as well as to straight plea for the world.<br /><br />Going withal higher, Oshún's feathers began to operate scraggly as well as dark from the withering oestrus of the sun, as well as all the feathers were burned from her head.<br /> </span></span></span></span></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span id="text_1_wrapper"><span id="text_1"><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>But she kept flying.</i><br /> </span></span></span></span></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span id="text_1_wrapper"><span id="text_1"><span><span><span style="font-size: small;">Finally, through sheer volition as well as decision she arrived at the gates of Olodumare's palace. When Olodumare came upon her she was a miserable sight. Oshún had lost much of her feathers as well as the ones that remained were black. In all truth, Oshún was looking quite scraggly. To larn to sky she had to wing thence around the Sun as well as sacrifice her beautiful feathers. The Lord of Heaven took compassion on Oshún as well as brought her to the Palace where she was fed as well as given water, as well as her wounds were treated.<br /><br />He asked Oshún why she had made such a perilous journey. She explained the Earth of public as well as went on to say Olodumare that she had come upwards at adventure of her ain life thence that humanity mightiness live.<br /> </span></span></span></span></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span id="text_1_wrapper"><span id="text_1"><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG5P_0Rf0OdhDiHs3VOs3a2zqiRNkmEHv4J4T4-TJcmYzbrm1j-Zr6RZS9QOpQjGDXGdZ9dMZhd_e_7lx537T0JuvfB9BuBQsh6YQ88NWQI1SWMsefXxNHKkvPeko-iFjHk6NLcRQd98o/s1600/olodumare+God+in+Yoruba.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG5P_0Rf0OdhDiHs3VOs3a2zqiRNkmEHv4J4T4-TJcmYzbrm1j-Zr6RZS9QOpQjGDXGdZ9dMZhd_e_7lx537T0JuvfB9BuBQsh6YQ88NWQI1SWMsefXxNHKkvPeko-iFjHk6NLcRQd98o/s400/olodumare+God+in+Yoruba.jpg" width="400" /></a> </span></span></span></span></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span id="text_1_wrapper"><span id="text_1"><span><span><span style="font-size: small;">Olodumare looked to the world. He as well as thence looked to Oshún's plaintive face. It was obvious that everything she had said was truthful as well as he was moved yesteryear </span></span></span></span></span><span id="text_1_wrapper"><span id="text_1"><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="text_1_wrapper"><span id="text_1"><span><span><span style="font-size: small;">Oshún</span></span></span></span></span>'s capacity to love. The Lord of Heaven turned to the peacock, who wasn't a peacock anymore. The flying for humanity turned Oshún's outer cast into that of a vulture. </span></span></span></span></span><span id="text_1_wrapper"><span id="text_1"><span><span><span style="font-size: small;">He ordered the rains to autumn from heaven.<br /><br />Then Olodumare looked deeply into Oshún's eyes as well as into her heart, as well as thence announced that for all eternity she would live on the Messenger of the House of Olodumare as well as that all would select to observe her every bit such. From that twenty-four hours forward, inwards this path, Oshún became known every bit Ikolé, the messenger of the House of Olodumare. Ikolé also is the lift for the vulture inwards Lacumí. And from that twenty-four hours the path of Oshún known every bit Ibú Ikolé was revered as well as became associated with her bird, the vulture. The vulture as well as thence returned to earth, bringing with her the rain, where she met with slap-up rejoicing.<br /><br />As benefits a Queen or Iyalodde, </span></span></span></span></span><span id="text_1_wrapper"><span id="text_1"><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="text_1_wrapper"><span id="text_1"><span><span><span style="font-size: small;">Oshún</span></span></span></span></span> graciously refrained from reminding them of their jibes as well as abuses every bit she could encounter the shame on their faces. This is why, whenever a someone is to operate initiated every bit a priest inwards the Yoruban religion, no affair which orisha they are having seated inwards their heads, they must starting fourth dimension operate to the river as well as give an employment organization human relationship of what they are to create -- every bit Oshún is the Messenger of Olodumare.</span></span></span></span></span></div> </div>

A Due West African Folktale Of The Even Out Of Oshún's Flying To Olodumare

Oludumare is ane of iii manifestations of the Supreme God inwards the Yoruban pantheon  It has been said inwards the sacred stories of our West African Yoruba tradition that Oshún (sometimes writ…

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