History of Iansã: itans about the orixá with Exu, Xangô, Ogun and more!

The Iansã orixá is the representative of movement, fire, displacement and the need for change. She also represents quick thinking, loyalty, courage, frankness, material transformations, fights against injustices and technological and intellectual advances. In addition to helping balance human actions.

In Catholicism Iansã is associated with Santa Barbara because of its influence on lightning and storms. The saint was murdered by her own father for choosing religion and after her death lightning hit her killer’s head. She is honored on December 4th, the same day that the Umbanda faithful make offerings to Iansã.

In this article you will know the details of the history of Iansã and its itans. Check out!

The cult of Iansã began in Nigeria, on the banks of the Niger River and arrived in Brazil along with enslaved peoples. During her youth, Iansã was very adventurous and knew several kingdoms, as well as being the passion of several kings, but to survive in these places she needed a lot of cunning and intelligence. Check below what happened throughout Iansã’s life.

This story tells that Iansã was barren and really wanted to have children, so she went after a babalao so that he could consult the oracle of Ifá and he advised her to make a red garment for the ancestors, and that she would still have to make a sacrifice of mutton.

Iansã did everything necessary and successfully gave birth to nine children, but was forbidden to eat mutton. After the birth of her children, she was recognized as the mother of ancestral spirits and the dominator of the egunguns, who are the spirits of very important people who return to Earth.

One day Iansã was very sad and Euá wanted to know what happened. She began to cry incessantly and said that she had been betrayed by the ram and that it almost cost her her life. Iansã explained that she had to turn into a pumpkin in the plantation, in order to survive and escape, being eternally grateful to the pumpkins.

The ram acted as if he were his most faithful friend, but in fact he committed the greatest betrayal. He took Iansã’s enemies to the place where she used to stay. Iansã was very naive and it was very difficult for her to accept that her friend wanted her death.

Odulecê was a hunter who lived in the lands of Keto. He took a girl to raise and made her his daughter. She was known to be very smart and quick. The child was Iansã. With her style, she soon became Odulecê’s favorite, which made her stand out in the village.

However, one day Odulecê passed away, leaving Iansã extremely sad. To honor her father, she took all his hunting instruments and wrapped them in a cloth, cooked all the delicacies he loved so much, danced and sang for seven days, spreading her song with the wind.

Iansã loved to be disguised as a sheep, but one day she was without the animal’s skin. Oxossi when he saw her, he soon fell in love and when he married her, he hid the sheep skin so that she wouldn’t escape him. Together they had 17 children, but Odé had a first wife, Oxum, who raised all the children of Iansã.

As it was Oxum who took care of the children, Iansã lived in Odé’s house, but one day they had a falling out and Oxum showed him where his sheep skin was hidden. Thus, Iansã took his skin and assumed his animal form again and fled.

At a party where all the orixás were present, Omulu-Obaluaê appeared wearing his straw hood. As he was unrecognizable, no woman agreed to dance with him, but Iansã was the only brave one to dance and as she danced, it was windy, it was then that the straws lifted and everyone saw that it was Obaluaê.

Obaluaê was a handsome man and everyone was shocked by his beauty. He was extremely happy with Iansã and as a reward he shared the kingdom with her. Iansã became the queen of the spirits of the dead, she was so happy that she danced to show her power to everyone.

The itans are legends that tell the deeds of the orixás. These stories are perpetuated through generations and are told in the same way as they were in the past. Check out the legends of Iansã.

Oxossi was known to be a great hunter and king of his village. He was tremendously in love with Iansã and gave her his purest love. He taught her hunting techniques so that neither she nor her children would go hungry.

He also gave her a power, that of turning into a buffalo, as this would make her able to protect herself even more. Iansã loved her husband very much, so much so that she immortalized him in her heart and was grateful for everything he provided her, but she had to leave to continue her mission.

King Logun-Edé was the lord of the forests and had great power over them. To Iansã he gave the most ardent love and the power to extract very succulent fruits from the waterfalls, so that she could feed her children and herself.

Just like Oxossi, Iansã never forgot Logun-Edé, because she also loved him very much and was eternally grateful for all the care he had for her, but continued her journey and went to the next kingdom.

Iansã arrived in the kingdom of Obaluaê wanting to discover his secrets and also see his face, since only his mothers had seen it. Iansã danced for him trying to seduce him, just like she did with the others, but it was no use. Obaluaê had never been related to anyone, so Iansã was unable to win him over.

Seeing that it wouldn’t work, Iansã tells him the truth and tells him that he just wants to learn something from the king. Thus, he teaches him to live with the eguns and to control them.

King Xangô, known as the great judge, already knew Iansã, but it was when she entered his kingdom that they fell in love and later got married. The king had two more wives, one of them was Oxum, a beautiful woman who made Iansã very jealous.

Xangô gave him eternal love and a high rank of justice, the power to use enchantments and dominion over lightning. Iansã loved him so much that when Xangô died, she asked that she be taken too, to live eternity alongside her great love.

In his adventures outside, Iansã found the kingdom of Ogun, who was a very friendly king who was enchanted by the beauty of the young woman and the vivacity that emanated from her. Iansã was in his kingdom to learn what he didn’t know.

She was Ogun’s great love and together they had nine children, Ogun gave her a beautiful and powerful sword as a gift, in addition to a copper rod. He taught her everything she knew and Iansã learned from him to defend herself and protect the righteous.

King Oxaguian was a young builder very well liked by his people, Iansã also went to his kingdom in search of knowledge. In addition to the young man’s love, she gained a very powerful shield, Oxaguian taught her to use it in her favor and also in favor of her allies and protégés.

Iansã for a long time loved him too much, and like the others, he immortalized him in his heart as a form of gratitude for everything that Oxaguian had taught him. After saying goodbye, he left like the wind.

King Exu is known for his sense of justice and for being a messenger of the orixás. He also loved Iansã in the deepest possible way and to her he gave her power over fire. She also knew how to fulfill her own wishes and those of her beloved children through good magic.

Iansã, always very loving, took Exú’s love and made it eternal in her heart, once again as a form of gratitude for the knowledge and care obtained.

The Ibejis are the term used to call the children that Iansã gave birth to, but abandoned by throwing them into the waters. These children were adopted and raised by Oxum, who felt very sorry for them. She raised them as if they were her own children, giving them lots of love and care.

Because of this, the Ibejis are greeted in rituals performed specifically for Oxum or also in sacrifices dedicated to the goddess.

Omulú was a king who had smallpox marks all over his body and this made his appearance hideous. He was not invited to a king’s party, precisely because of his appearance, but Ogun felt sorry for the young man and called him to go to the celebration.

Queen Iansã did not like the situation very much, but soon gave in, approaching the young man, she began to dance, and the wind that involved them made the straw that covered him fly away.

Still, the magical wind of Iansã healed all of Omulú’s wounds, then they became friends for all eternity and from him she received the power of dominion over her entire kingdom.

Iansã has a very strong warrior spirit and when Oxalá needed help in a battle, there she was. I hope she was waiting for the help of the other orixás, but no one was able to meet her demands.

He asked Ogun, lord of weapons, to help him, but Ogun was unable to please Oxalá. Iansã then offered to help in the manufacture of weapons by blowing fire to forge them.

Queen Iansã has fabulous stories and in all of them we can see her bravery and determination to acquire more and more power and knowledge. Always very attractive, charismatic and strong, everyone who looks at her is dazzled.

His temperament is not very easy, with a strong temper, as you can see in his stories that Iansã has a very characteristic personality, but his deeds and struggles make up for it. Iansã is the symbol of the warrior woman, who was not made to stay indoors or to take care of the home. She emanates claw and courage to win in life and achieve her goals.

She is certainly an example to be followed and her energy and vitality must be felt daily by her children, those who have her as an orixá and also by those who identify with her history and strength.