OBATALA
Obatala is the "King of the White Cloth". It is through the understanding of this title that much of
OBATALA's role in existence can be explained. OBATALA is the king. He is the king of the orisha because of his
great age. OBATALA is the old man and is symbolic of honored maturity. The orisa revere him because of his purity
of intention. He represents and enforces the idea of ethical rightness, which are his greatness and most persuasive
force (OBATALA is the king of power, but his arsenal is his wisdom). He is the force in nature which represents
the idea of moral code, which is the obligation to do what is right. He is the conscious feeling of doing the right
thing. it is here that OBATALA's great power becomes most evident. OBATALA demands and sanctions high morality.
OBATALA is the oldest of the orisa, and because of his humility, his calmness, his ethics, his clearness of thought,
and his purity, he was selected by God to be the larder. OBATALA is the head and owns all the heads, even of the
other orisha. He rules the head and the head rules the body. The head is the symbol of OBATALA and its God's greatest
creation. The soul of man exists in the head; therefore, the head is the seat of the soul. He is characterized
as a judge, and he is the one who was picked to make right decisions. This is not just because he is a calm, clear,
lucid orisa who represents coolness of thought, and rational deliberation.
Just as OBATALA owns all heads, he also attacks the head; His attacks being characterized by loss of sight, and/or
brain hemorrhages. His children must be careful of insanity of all types, for he is the father of insanity. OBATALA
is linked with the color white, because white is associated with the idea of purity of clearness and as the symbol
of something not to be touched. OBATALA is a mountain deity. OBATALA is an orisa who lives in the cool peaceful
woodland, because although he is radiant like the sun, he is old and can not staff long periods in the direct sun.
He is symbolized by the gorilla, the snail, the elephant, the boa constrictor, and the chameleon. Each of these
animals represents a specific aspect of OBATALA. The gorilla is an animal that has the highest mental ability of
all animals, despite its strength and power, is peaceful and sociable. The snail is a slow-moving animal. It represents
OBATALA because of its cool and medicinal secretions which are used to wipe one's brow and cool off one's head.
It is associated with Obatala because of power and wisdom. Also because it displays some of the characterististics
of the aged. It has poor vision, and limited hearing. The elephant because it is extremely intelligent. The boa
constrictor is the largest snake. It exists in the forest and kills its prey by crushing it to death. The chameleon
also lives in the low branches of trees in the forest. It defends itself not only by changing colors, which is
limit ability, by hiding in the trees. It will hide and change different colors. Therefore, when it is said that
OBATALA uses no witchcraft, it is meant that OBATALA brings the powers of wisdom, reason and ethics to a situation.
He encourages one to do the right thing, and if one refuses, ELEGBA steps in and fixes them, because it is he who
punishes those who don't do things right. He is represented with both sexes male and female, because reason and
judgment comes from both sexes. It is through wisdom that man is able to see the humor behind man's folly, and
it is through humor that the lessons of life become more palatable and easier to digest.
OBATALA Prayer
Aji-wa gun ka ilu on nikan soso,
Jagidi-jagan Orisa ti i ko'le s'arin igbe
Alo'ku-lowo gba omo re sile,
Ko je fi Oriki ti o dun fun eru je,
Ori l'onise, aboki ara Ejigbo,