Fá Oracle of Fon cosmology,2: 496
God/Gods as,2:496–497
Greek oracles and,2:496–497
ontological questions and,2: 496
Oracle of Kofi Gyemperem, Ohum festival and,
2:485–486
prophecy as,2: 498
sacred site as,2:497–498
Things Fall Apart(Achebe) and,2:496,2: 497
treatment of the sick, mesmerism and,2: 498
Oral text, 2:498–499
cosmos formed and fashioned using,2: 498
medu netcher“divine speech” and,2: 498
motivation and inspiration using,2: 498
mythological and practical applications
of,2: 498
as verbal energy vehicle of power and,2: 498
See alsoNommo
Oral tradition, 2:499–500
griot,court poet and,2: 499
literary, historical, and erudite orature
categories and,2: 499
oral literature, orature and,2: 499
rituals and ceremonies learned
through,2: 499
to speak is to perform concept and,2:499–500
verbal or spoken art and,2: 499
See alsoNommo
Ori, 2:500
essential personality and soul of each person
and,2: 500
Iwa pele and,1: 349
as predestination symbol,1:349,2: 500
as symbol of Olodumare,2: 500
Origin of religion, 2:501–503
animism theory of,2: 501
emotional theories of,2:502–503
environment explanations and,2: 501
fear, wonder, submission and,2: 502
intellectual theories of,2: 501
magicoreligious theory of,2:501–502
monotheismvs.polytheism and,2: 501
Oedipal complex and,2: 502
one creator deity concept and,2: 501
Primitive Culture(Tylor) and,2: 501
religion as the opium of the people and,2: 603
religion as the way people live their lives
and,2: 501
religion as the worship of the society and,
2:502–503
sociological theories of,2:502–503
See alsoOntology
Orisha(orisa),2:503–506
beads and,1: 117
Brazil and,1: 150
complex unity of,2:503–504
deified ancestors category of,2:505,2: 712
diaspora and,1: 201
Eshu messenger and carrier of sacrifices and,
2: 504
Exu intermediary gods and,1:152–153
Nana Buluku and,2: 441
natural phenomena category of,2:505–506
North American enslavement and,2:457–458,
2:503,2: 739
ori, visiblevs.invisible and,2:504–505
primordial divinities category of,2: 505
Santeria and,2: 591
sent to populate the Earth,2: 509
supremacy and chieftainship head metaphor
and,2: 505
witnessing objects and the priesthood
and,2: 506
Yoruba goddesses and,1: 294
Yoruba tradition of,1:13,1:147,1:179,1:180,
2:712,2: 739
See alsoIfa; Iyalorisha; Obatala; Orisha Nla
(Orisa-Nla);specific orisha
Orisha Nla(Orisa-Nla),2:506–507
arch-divinity of Yoruba and,1: 211
Mawu-Lisa and,1:411–412
origins of,1:209,1: 211
Oroun creation story and,2:506–507
Orunmila, 2:507–508
Babalawo alternate name of,1:86–87,
1:209,2: 507
as deity of divination,2:474,2:507,2: 508
as deity of wisdom, knowledge, and
omniscience,2:507,2: 712
Esu and,1: 247
Ife and,1: 329
Ikin and,1: 335
Ilé-Ifè site preparation and,2: 508
Iwa, good character focus of,1:347,1: 348
Obatala and,2: 489
Olokun as wife of,2:474,2: 490
oracle god of divination and,1:247,1:309–310
son of Olorun sky deity and,2: 474
wisdom and knowledge matters and,1: 211
See alsoBabalawo; IfaIndex 845