Characteristics of the children of each Orisha: Ogun, Oxossi, Xangô and more!

The orixás are widely known entities in Brazil, as the Afro-Brazilian culture is spread throughout the country. These entities represent forces of nature, but also carry extremely human characteristics. Among them, we have joy, ease of communication, sense of justice and motherhood, impulsiveness, aggressiveness and many others.

Since the orixás give a little of their energy and protection to humans, many people are curious to know which of them is the child, who influences their personality and takes care of themselves with more affection.

With that in mind, in this article, we explain what the orixás are, what their stories are like and what are their relationships with Candomblé and Umbanda. Learn about the characteristics of their children and learn how to find out whose child you are!

Orixás are entities of Yoruba African mythology. They are deities that represent the forces of nature, through which they make themselves present and order the world of the living. According to other sources, they are mythical ancestors or spirits of people who have already passed through the earth, but who evolved and ascended spiritually, becoming important entities.

Therefore, they are not perfect and, in the mythology of Candomblé and Umbanda, which tell the stories of the orixás, we see that they are very similar to humans, in their qualities and flaws.

According to Umbanda, orishas are entities that carry the energies of nature in themselves and are allies of people, seeking to help them in their spiritual evolution. However, in Umbanda, contrary to what is considered in Candomblé, the orixás are entities, not ancestral people. They are forces of nature and, therefore, they are too powerful for them to embody in a human.

In this way, they do not incorporate, or rarely do, but send their assistants, which are the entities known as Caboclos, Pretos-Velhos, Baianos, Pombagiras and so on. Therefore, it is these entities that bring the messages of the orixás and, thus, advise the people who seek them out.

According to Candomblé, the orixás are the entities that represent the energies of nature. As an example, we have Yansã, who governs storms and lightning, Oxóssi, who is lord of the forests, and Oxum, lady of waterfalls. They are the ones who govern the world in the name of Olorum, the supreme orixá, who represent the primordial powers and who are linked to mythical ancestors.

These orixás appear in cults through incorporations in the mediums of the terreiro and have many particularities, such as gestures, accessories, colors, dances, personalities and distinct skills.

The name of the supreme orixá may vary according to the nation or ethnic group of origin, as there are several. For Ketu (or Nagô), he is called Olorum; for Banto (or Angola/Congo) it is called Nzambi and for Jeje (or Dahomey) it is called Mawu.

The orishas come from the mythology of the Yoruba, one of the largest ethnic groups on the African continent. It originates from Nigeria, but can also be found in Benin, Ghana, Togo and Ivory Coast. According to mythology, the orisha Olodumaré, or Olorum, is the supreme god who created the world and the other orishas, ​​so that they would govern and be his intermediaries in contact with humans.

Olodumaré created the other orixás, so that they represented the elements of nature, being himself the junction of all these energies. However, according to other sources, the orixás are not forces of nature, but mythical ancestors, spirits of people who once lived on earth and who, due to their evolution, became ascended, assuming the title of orixás.

During the period of slavery in Brazil, large numbers of Yoruba were brought to the country and brought with them their native religious beliefs, Candomblé being the result of this. Contrary to what is believed, this is not an African religion, but a union of beliefs of different African peoples who were enslaved in the country. Therefore, it is a Brazilian religion with African roots.

In this way, enslaved people were able to maintain a belief that linked them to their roots. But religious practice that was not Christian was violently condemned, so that the cult of the orixás had to be disguised, placed under the veil of Catholic saints, which created the syncretism so cited in Umbanda. This allowed the cult to continue without reprisals from the authorities.

Although both religions are of Afro-Brazilian origin, each one has its particularities, so that, in some aspects, they take different directions. One of them is the issue of their deities, the orixás. In Yoruba mythology, which influenced both, there are hundreds of orixás, but the number in Afro-Brazilian religions is much smaller.

In Umbanda, only 9 orixás are worshipped, namely Oxalá, Ogun, Oxossi, Xangô, Yemanjá, Oxum, Iansã, Nanã Buruquê and Obaluaê. Candomblé has a much larger number of deities. This varies from terreiro to terreiro, reaching up to 72 orixás, but the main names are Oxalá, Ibeji, Nanã, Iemanjá, Obá, Logun-Edé, Yansã, Oxum, Xangô, Ewá, Oxumaré, Obaluaê, Ossain, Oxóssi, Exu and Ogun.

The orishas, ​​in addition to being nature’s energies, carry many human traits, such as stormy or serene, aggressive or diplomatic, communicative or introverted personalities. These traits are transmitted to their children, also forging their personalities. Next, find out what are the main characteristics brought by those influenced by orishas worshiped in Umbanda and Candomblé!

Exu’s children are cheerful, optimistic, extroverted, smart, ambitious and are always aware of everything around them. They are diplomatic, at the same time they have an immense ease of getting in and out of trouble. They are sociable and win many friends wherever they go, as well as enemies.

They have smooth talk and charm, so they get whatever they want. Your sex life is usually hectic and shameless. In general, they are the type to act first and think later. Just like Exu, they create a mess, leave unharmed and still have fun with the consequences.

They are contradictory, full of tricks, very helpful and intense, carrying charisma and passion for life. Exu’s children are great provocateurs, for good and for bad.

Those who are children of Ogum like constant changes and novelties, because they are conquerors and do not like the routine of a common life. They are also consistent, yet curious, and withstand life’s difficulties well.

They are courageous and owners of great concentration, in addition to being open to new ideas, provided that they are coherent and precise. They are extremely determined, with a heightened competitive instinct, and do not easily forgive those who hurt them. Also, they are not very picky about food or fashion.

Their sincerity can sometimes go beyond common sense and become rudeness when they want to impose their will and opinions. Ogum’s children have an impulsive temperament and can hardly achieve a balance in this regard.

The children of Oxossi have a peaceful and calm appearance, and are not used to expressing what they think. They can come across as arrogant and overbearing (and sometimes they actually act that way). They are extremely intelligent, cautious and suspicious. Therefore, they choose their friendships well.

They can be hurt by little things, they listen to advice and respect people’s opinion, although, in the end, they always do what they want. Because they are introverted and discreet, they find it easy to isolate themselves and observe everything that happens around them. The children of Oxossi are vain and, even if that is not their goal, their presence is always noticed.

Ossain’s son is usually very reserved, funny and easy to laugh, cheerful and obstinate. But he can become violent and dangerous when dissatisfied.

The children of this Orisha know how to win people over, they love loving adventures and, when they love, they are patient and very dedicated. They are hard workers, who are looking for stability and independence. They like moments alone, but they also appreciate the hectic parties. They are meticulous and go at their own pace.

They get sick easily and recover just as quickly. They are mysterious and don’t like to share their intimacy with anyone, not wanting to get involved in third-party issues. They are balanced and like harmony with themselves and the world. They have ease in individual work, being detail-oriented, meticulous and perfectionist.

Ossain’s children are sure of themselves, because they don’t care about other people’s opinion. Therefore, they have a quiet and reserved life.

The children of Obaluaê are perfectionists, they have a fragile appearance, perhaps due to sadness or illness, and they have a need to have friends around, to escape the loneliness that their introspective way carries. They like (and need) alone time and are very giving, yet pessimistic.

They have great difficulty giving themselves to love and, at work, they seek more than money: they want the satisfaction of knowing that they are doing something they love to help others. In terms of health, however, they tend to have emotional problems, as their pessimistic and solitary nature can lead them down that path. The children of Obaluaê are sweet, but complainers.

Oxumaré and his children have as their strongest characteristic the constant desire for change. From time to time, they feel the need to move house, job, city and friends. They love the fresh start and are always renewing themselves. In addition, they carry androgynous characteristics, being able to assume behaviors and activities said to be feminine or masculine throughout their lives.

They are also proud and like to show off, always walking a tightrope so as not to fall into arrogance. They are the ones who stand out and, therefore, are confident, also being great appreciators of material luxuries. The children of Oxumaré are dual, careful, easily irritated, indecisive, impatient, disdainful and seductive.

The children of Xangô like to please everyone and have as their objective, from a very early age, fortune and professional success, as they are great appreciators of the good things in life. They don’t like to be contradicted and always try not to make mistakes, because they don’t deal with it well. They are fickle in their emotions, and can be authoritarian or kind, severe or fair.

The children of Xangô are also…