Orishas and Lwas

From 2020 to 2022, I produced a collection of dreamlike stories, in the style of Dada and surrealist poets. Each was associated with a mythological or legendary character, which I then illustrated.

The orishas, or orixás, are deities originating from West Africa, and more precisely from Yoruba religious traditions. They are found in several African countries as well as in many American countries, where they were introduced by the slave trade. They are revered in Africa, especially in Nigeria and Benin. In the Americas, they are found especially in Brazilian candomblé, under the name of orixás. They are also the santeria deities of the Caribbean. The orishas are close to the vodun of Dahomey, which is found in Haitian voodoo. These spirits are the fruit of a great syncretism between various animist traditions and Catholic symbols.

  • Baron Samedi master of the cemeteries.
  • Iemanja is the protective goddess of women.
  • Legba is the intermediary, the messenger of the gods, he reigns over passages and crossroads.
  • Osun rules the sweet waters, considered the lady of beauty, fertility, money and sensitivity.
  • Shango presides over force, justice, lightning and thunder.
  • Virgen de la Mercedes is particularly venerated as a spirit of creation, an activist for peace and harmony.