Ogun – Meet the Orixá of courage and battles – Blog

Symbol of struggle and conquests, Ogun is one of the most worshiped Orixás in Brazil. Highly respected, he represents the “supreme commander”. When in need of protection in times of danger, it is he who should be called and asked for help. After all, he is the Orisha of battles, who fights ahead of everyone with his strength.

It was Ogun who passed on to humanity the knowledge about battles and working with metal. In this way, he brought evolution to all of humanity. Son of Iemanjá, he is the older brother of Exú and Oxóssi, being very close to the latter.

Given his war history, he became a warrior feared by all. The Orisha carries with him the responsibility of having always fought against all who challenge him. In this way, he is also the Orisha of courage, protector of paths, houses and also temples.

Knowing the story of Ogun

If Ogun is a warrior, the legend of how he became Orisha could not have a different scenario. One day, he was requested for a battle with no end date. In view of this, he asked his son, owner of the throne of Irê, to reserve a day of the year in his honor, in which the population should fast and be silent while he was fighting. After the request, he left and was absent for seven years.

When he returned, he was very hungry and thirsty. When he knocked on several houses asking for food and drink, he was ignored. Silence reigned in the city. Faced with the situation, he was enraged by the lack of consideration and lost control, decimating the entire village with his sword. He stopped only when his son appeared with Exú controlling his fury. As they did not understand the reason for Ogun’s actions, the Orixá explained and said that he expected to be received with a party and gifts, however, he was ignored.

It was then that his son reminded him of the request for a day of homage and silence he had made. And, coincidentally, that was the day. Faced with so much shame and regret, the Orisha opened the ground with his sword and buried himself standing right there.

I understand the children of Ogun

The children of this Orisha are extremely determined people. If a son of Ogun wants to conquer something, he will spare no effort to achieve something desired. Fighters, they have a tireless spirit. Despite being a virtue, this gift for leadership can be unpleasant at times. Becoming people who let arrogance take over.

Momentary satisfaction is a strong feature. Therefore, whenever they earn a sum of money, they soon spend it to satisfy a desire. They will hardly be people who accumulate wealth. Overall, they are very cheerful and communicative. They like to share stories, laughs and good times with family and friends.

Therefore, the children of this Orixá are people who are always at parties, celebrations and “binges”. Enjoying life is up to them. However, they are also very quarrelsome people, have a strong temper and are impatient. It is rare to see them dialoguing, talking and trying to understand. Even if they are not directly involved in a conflict, they will find a way to join the fight.

In love life, they are difficult people. They always change partners, as they don’t find it easy to get attached to someone. In general, the children of this Orisha are feisty people who run after their dreams. They appear to be ambitious, but in fact, they contain themselves with a simple life.

Syncretism of Ogun with Saint George

In the Catholic tradition, Saint George is the correspondent of Ogun. The relationship is due to the fact that both are considered warriors who traditionally fight with a sword in hand against the oppressions of the world. In fact, the official date of commemoration of the Orisha is April 23, the day Saint George was beheaded while defending Christians in Rome.

In some states of the country, mainly in the northeast region, it is common for the Orixá to be syncretized with Santo Antônio, the “matchmaker” saint. This relationship between a new phase of life, marriage, is the link with the Orisha, since he is also associated with new paths.

Important informations

The characteristic colors of Ogun are shades of dark blue and green, although red is the representative color at times. The day of the week dedicated to the Orisha is Tuesday and its greeting is “Ogunhê”.

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