CASA PAI ROGERIOCarapicuíba/SPOlodumarê: who he is, traditions and references
The supreme creative principle in Yoruba cosmology, which does not receive direct worship like the Orixás.
Who Olodumarê is
Belief / interpretationIn Yoruba cosmology, Olodumarê (also spelled Olodumare, Olorum or Olofim) is the principle from which everything proceeds. The Orixás are understood as his messengers, forces or manifestations; he is the one who sustains the axé, the vital force that allows things to happen.
Belief / interpretationHe lives in Òrun, the spiritual plane, while human beings live in Aiyê, the physical plane. Traditions generally state that Olodumarê does not maintain direct contact with people: the relationship happens through the Orixás, the ancestors and the oracles.
Teaching of a house or traditionThere is debate about the gender attributed to Olodumarê. Some narratives use the masculine, others the feminine, and some hold that, preceding creation, he is outside that division. The site records all three readings without choosing one.
Olodumarê in Umbanda and Candomblé
Teaching of a house or traditionIn Umbanda, the idea of a single creator God usually occupies the center, and the Orixás are frequently described as radiations or expressions of that greater force. In houses closer to Candomblé, the Orixás have their own personality and a direct relationship with ancestry. This difference of emphasis is one of the marks of diversity among traditions.
Documented historyThe terms used for the creator also vary by cultural origin: Olodumarê and Olorum come from Yoruba; Zambi appears in traditions of Bantu origin, such as Angola's. This plurality of names is a reminder that Brazil received peoples from diverse regions.
Traditional narrativeOlodumarê settles the Orixás' disputes
In several narratives, when the Orixás come into conflict or need a decision none of them can make alone, Olodumarê is the one who arbitrates. His is also the decision, in Oxalá's story, to pass the task of creating the world to Odudua. These narratives are oral tradition and appear with variations.
Narrative retold in summary, in the site's own words. Variations exist among houses and traditions; the bibliographic attribution, when available, appears at the end of the page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Olodumarê the same as God?
Many Umbanda practitioners answer yes, in the sense of a supreme creator. In Yoruba traditions, the concept has its own particularities. The site presents both readings and makes clear there is no single answer.
Is there direct worship of Olodumarê?
According to the sources consulted, he does not usually receive direct worship like the Orixás, being recognized instead as the origin of everything. Practices vary among houses.
Bibliographic references
- PRANDI, Reginaldo. Mitologia dos orixás. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras, 2001.