OGUN = God of Iron…

 

** A Deity That Strikes Heavily. He Has Water At Home, But Bathes With Blood. He Has Clothes, But He Prefers Palm Fronds…

**Ogun, as historical figure, a fearsome  warrior who fought constantly against the neighboring kingdoms. He made war against the city of Ara and destroyed it. He sacked and devastated many other states, seized the city of Ire, killed  King, installed his own son on the throne and returned all glorious,  even carrying him as Onire king of Ire but for reasons unknown to us, he never had the right to wear a crown, made of small beads of glass assembled, and decorated with fringes  of beads conceal the face, symbolizing royalty among the Yoruba.

***Many  years after placing his son on the throne of Ire and to be left to make  war elsewhere, Ogun decided to return to see and visit the scene of his  former exploits. Unfortunately,  the day of his arrival, the people of the city celebrating a festival  during which the participants cannot speak for any reason. Ogun was hungry and thirsty, he lifted jars that had contained palm wine but he knew they were empty. Nobody had welcomed nor had answered his questions. He did not recognize the scene after a long absence. Ogun whose patience is short, was angry, shocked by the general silence he took for a mark of contempt. He  began to break saber jars, then carried away by the action, he began to  cut the head of the closest people, until his son offered  him the foods he likes displaying prominently, dogs and snails, beans washed down with palm oil and a jar of palm wine.

Ogun  regretted his past violence and declared that he had lived long enough. He lowered his arm and directed the point of his sword to the ground and sank into the earth with a terrifying noise. Before disappearing, he uttered some words. When  these words are spoken during a battle, Ogun immediately appears and  helps to the one speaking; but these words cannot be said in other  circumstances because if his appearance.

Ogun is the God of iron, blacksmiths and all who use this  metal: farmers, hunters, warriors, butchers, barbers, carpenters and sculptors. Ogun is the spirit of dynamic creativity –  Often associated with the blacksmith or metalworker, Ogun is the energy of focus and work that brings our tools into form. Ogun often possess an incredibly fierce work ethic and tireless energy. Ogun is the energy that decides to do something and doesn’t stop until that task is completed.

We can learn more of Orisha Ogun from its relationship with Iron. The Iron Age was the beginning of humankind’s quantum leap into technology, which has helped us progress into the modern era. This Orisha is also associated with the spirit of the forest – a fecund and complex ecosystem full of medicines and organisms that sustain themselves and each other. Ogun provides us with the tools, creative ideas, and the sheer force of will that are needed to evolve and achieve our goals.

Ultimately to try to understand Ogun is to try to understand the white hot fire of the Blacksmith’s forge. This fire can create art, tools, weapons, or it can translate flesh into ash in a matter of seconds. This sacred power to create and destroy instantly- both are necessary in this world. Worshipers will go to Ogun’s shrine and honor him, in way of prayers, rituals and sacrifice. Ogun is a very important Orisha and it is said that he created the pathway for the divinities on their journey from heaven to earth. He protects and blesses his devotees. 

He who embodies the principle of transformation, by providing Ancestors with the technique to adapt the environment to collective needs. Father of technology whose inspiration & guidance has allowed humankind to master the planet but also evidencing the frailty of a species that is unable to master itself. Spirit of technology, war, hunting, blood sacrifice we hail you today. To avoid disasters on highways, air , water, war or to expect a great result under surgery among other things Ogun is usually appeased. This is due to him being the divinity of steel. Ogun is responsible for building cities, and towns, he is responsible for houses, bridges and tunnels, his importance to society rivals the air we breathe, Ogun is a very powerful Orisha.

Agbede -Blacksmith, anything which is made of Iron belongs to Ogun and are looked upon as his children, also included are stones, glass, or any sharp object, anything which can draw blood and cause damage. Ogun colors are green and black. Ogun, the strong one of the earth, Chief among the deities, the possessor of two machetes; with one he prepares the farm, and with the other he clears the road. The day Ogun was coming down from the hilltop, He was clothed in fire and bloodstained garment. Ogun, the owner of the house of money, the owner of the house of riches. The owner of the innumerable houses of heaven. He has water in the house but takes his bath with blood. Ogun whose eyeballs are rare, protector of orphans.

***There Are Seven Ogun Who Belong To Me!!!
Ogun Alara takes dogs – Ogun Onire habitually takes rams
Ogun Onikola surgery habitually takes snails – Ogun Elemona takes roasted yam – Ogun Akirun habitually takes ram’s horn – Ogun Gbena-Gbena takes tree sap (Carpenters) – Ogun Makinde has become the Ogun after the city wall. Transformation – through libations, prayers, offerings and sacrifices – may we always receive his favor & protection and never experience his wrath. 

*** The usual sacrifice offered to Ogun is a dog, together with fowls, palm oil, and minor articles of food. A proverb says – An old dog must be sacrificed to Ogun – meaning that Ogun claims the best; and a dog’s head, emblematic of this sacrifice, is always to be seen fastened up in some conspicuous part of the workshops of blacksmiths. The reason of this is that the blood is believed to contain the vital principle, and therefore to be an offering, particularly acceptable to the Gods.

In addition to his power over metal, Ogun holds special dominion over the forest. Some view him as the archetypal “Wild Man of The Woods.” For this reason, shrines to Ogun are often located outdoors, at the base of trees or near a forge. A sacred shrine may also be located on the floor behind the front door. It all depends on which tradition one is honoring. The forced migration of the middle passage is perhaps the most important explanation for the multiple incarnations of the Ogun spirit. Everyone needs a warrior. Ogun is his name among the Yoruba people. Among the Fon he is called Gu. In Cuban Santeria (Lukumi) he is known as Ogun, In Brazilian Candomble Ogum; in Haitian Vodou Papa Ogou.

Ogun, the God of iron and of metallurgic lore and artistry, was the first to succeed in conquering the transition. He crossed the gulf from Heaven to the human world by extracting iron from the earth and thus providing the human world with the source of its weapons and its tools. Ogun is also, the God of creativity, explorer, hunter, God of war, Custodian of the sacred oath.(Ogunda Irete)

” Never Say A Thing That Could Not Stand As The Last Thing You Have Ever Said.”

Strength… A River Cuts Through A Rock Not Because of Its Power But Its Resistance.

**OGUN = Many myths and legends exist as to the origin of Ogun. Much of the knowledge of the deity is because he was one of the earliest divinities. He cleared the thick impenetrable way with his iron implements for other the divinities when he was coming from heaven to possess the earth. Being a ruthless deity, he lived in seclusion at the top of the hill where he went about hunting. Tired of secluded life, he decided to go for a settled life, which he had rejected earlier on. He came down from the hilltop in a garment of fire and blood but could not find an abode in any community. So, he borrowed fronds from the palm-tree and headed for Ire where he was made king. Hence, the name Ogun Onire (Ogun, the Lord of Ire) was given to him.

Ogun takes part in our everyday activities & manifest in all human endeavors. The Orisha that made path for all the Orishas to come to earth when the way was blocked. The sword which has no respect for the head of the king is the name of Ogun, deity of Iron, we pray fervently, don’t let us die tragically.  Though we came into this world in a pool of blood, don’t let us sleep in a pool of our blood.

*** Orisha Ogun: Lord of Iron, God of War
Ogun is a protector, a healer, a warrior. He is the Orisha (God) of metals, the mighty lord of iron, the operator of the divine forge. By extension from his role as creator of tools, he is the father of all technology, and the patron saint of surgery. He is credited with a direct role in bringing civilization into being. Legend has it that when the gods first came to Earth their path was obstructed by dense shrubbery, but Ogun with his signature machete cut quickly through the obstacles.


In addition to his power over metal, Ogun holds special dominion over the forest. For this reason, shrines to Ogun are often located outdoors, at the base of trees or near a forge. Shrines for Ogun is usually Located outside, his sacred trees are Peregun, Akoko, Atori, and Iyeye and he is normally by the side of the wall, Ogun also love Mariwo, also known as Palm Fronds. Ogun is for Justice, as he is the bars which holds prisoners in, he can also release them. The forced migration of the middle passage is perhaps the most important explanation for the multiple incarnations of the Ogun spirit.   

**The priests of Ogun usually take out the hearts of human victims, which are dried, reduced to powder, then mixed with palm wine, and sold to persons who wish to be endowed with great courage, and who drink the mixture. The reason of this is that the heart is believed to be the seat of courage and to inherently possess that quality; and that when the heart is devoured or swallowed the quality with which it is inspired is also taken into the system.

 

 

Foods: Some of Ogun’s offerings are: Aja (dog), Agbo (ram), Akuko (cock), Ijapa (tortoise), Igbin (snail), Emu Ope (palm wine), Oti (gin), Epo pupa (red palm oil), Obi Abata (4 lobed kola), Orogbo (bitter kola nuts), Ataare (alligator pepper), Esun Isu (roasted yam) etc.
Taboos: Cricket (ire) Snake (ejo), Deer (agbonrin)

>>If you are not a hunter you have no business sacrificing dog to Ogun, unless Ogun himself specified what to collect from you.<<

Reference Sources: Google Search/Photo = Wikipedia = Odelobi Cristian Osoosi = Ifáfọnàhanmí Fátóògùn = Babalawo Obanifa = Ile Aro =

5 thoughts on “OGUN = God of Iron…”

  1. King Bolarinwa Olayemi Asa = Well said chief yagbe Awolowo Onilu, Ogun lakaaye osinmole the deity of creativity would enhance your artistic source. Ogbo ato baba

    Fataah Ewe = I call upon Ogun when I have to do work that seems just beyond my ability, ie, a real challenge, like fixing things, in the old days cars, but i seldom do that anymore. I still have my tools tho…push come to shove…i can, and i do call upon Ogun to give strength.

  2. Olu Folorunso = Thank you Baba…AO ma ri yin ba; MY lineage appraisal has its root from “Ogun Lakaaye oshin imole, oni Omi ni Ile o fi eje we, also o ni aso but Imo/palm-front lo fi bora….” My grandparents will say; Lakaaye ti o ba di oyin/honeybee ma ta mi & ti o ba di Odo ma gbe mi lo because awon ignorant said if Ogun takes over the river & the house they’ll move to the village, Authoritatively he who takes over the aforementioned can aswell take over the later. Ogun is Supportive of the rejected and backs the persecuted. Ogun constitutes 7 formidables & 7 categories

  3. Katherine Black Wolf = My Ifa reading said I am a daughter of OGUN, and many years later I receive the name of Black Wolf which is his familiar or black dog. I am not west African but I have north African blood and lived there. I have a special relationship to the Orisa and the birds are my messengers. i receive many dreams and feathers from them.

    Suky Moreno = Ogun es una deidad que admiro y respeto mucho. Es muy inteligente, es sabio, no solo es guerra, tambien hay paz en Ogun. Me ha defendido en incontables ocasiones, Te amo mi Rey. Gracias por estar en mi vida

  4. Son of OGUN…loves this Passage of information screen spotted it for review purposes give thanks to the editor for sharing the knowledge…

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