What you should know: Orisa Olokun

 Olo+Okun = Owner+Oceans.


In traditional Yoruba lineage, Olokun is one of the oldest irunmole (primordial orisa). Olokun is a feminine orisa who’s an owner of Aje (as all feminine beings are). Olokun is the orisa of wealth, mystery, and all oceans. It is said that Olokun sailed from Orun (heaven/Invisible reality) to this planet before the crust of the earth was formed by the Irunmole. Olokun is said to be the keeper of unfathomable wisdom and secrets. Everything that exists at one point ends at the bottom of the sea.


In the Diaspora Olokun’s aspects became conflated to Yemoja (Yemaya/Lemanja). Yemoja in traditional Ifá is the Orisa of maternity, motherhood, and the amniotic fluids (fluids that cushion the fetus during pregnancy). In the Diaspora they received Yemaya/Lemanja as an ocean orisa, while accepting Olocun as a male orisa of the bottom of the sea. 


Olokun in the Diaspora also has a particular perspective on Her/Him. They believe that Olokun would catch the slaves as they jumped off the ships to die.

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