By Aderemi Michael Sunday

According to Yoruba mythology, Olokun was the Orisha (Deity or Spirit) of the waters of the earth and the depths of the ocean where the light never shone. Although most people believe that Olokun was a male deity, Olokun was venerated as male, female, or androgynous. Therefore, Olokun’s gender usually depends on the religion in which the orisha is worshipped.

According to the myths, Olokun was said to be the father of Aje, the Orisha (Deity) of wealth and the bottom of the ocean. Olokun is revered as the ruler of all bodies of water and for the authority over other water deities. Olokun is highly praised for its ability to give great wealth, health, and prosperity to its followers.

In Yoruba religion, Olokun, in the form of a female, was said to be the wife of the great Emperor Oduduwa. She was often angry and jealous of her husband’s many other wives and it is said that she created the Atlantic Ocean in a fit of rage.

In some accounts, Olokun was said to be the husband or lover of Yemoja, the great mother goddess of the ocean and they had several children together. However, some sources state that Olokun had no lovers, wives, or children and lived alone in his palace under the sea.

Olokun was a powerful orisha who was highly respected and feared since he had the power to destroy anything he wanted by unleashing the depths of the ocean. Crossing him could mean the destruction of the world so no deity or human dared to do it. Although he was a very aggressive and powerful orisha, he was also very wise and considered the authority of all the other water orishas in Yoruba mythology. He also controlled all the bodies of water, big or small, since it was his domain.

Worship of Olokun

Olokun is an important orisha in Yoruba religion, but he only played a minor role in the religion of the Afro-Brazilians. The people worshipped Olokun and made altars in their homes in honor of the orisha. It is said that fishermen would pray to him daily, asking for a safe journey at sea and they worshipped him faithfully for fear of incurring his anger.

Even today, Olokun is venerated in regions such as Lagos.

Known as the owner of great waters, Olokun symbolizes the most unfathomable depths of the ocean and the seas. Olokun is often associated with Yemoja (Yemonja), the Mother of Fishes, and together they represent the abundance, fertility, wealth, healing, and source of life and its mysteries. Olokun worshippers are found in Nigeria among the Edo and the Yoruba, as well as in the Republic of Benin. In Nigeria, Olokun worship is found mainly along the southern regions of the Nigerian and West African areas directly adjacent to the coastlines, Benin Republics, etc. In the Candomblé religion of Brazil, Olokun is venerated as the mother of Yemoja and the owner of the sea.

Ori Olokun is referred to as the head that was dug up in the late 19th century in the Olokun Grove in file-ife, Osun State, and used in annual rites to honour Olokun.

Ori-Olokun monument was discovered in the early 20th century by German explorer Leo Frobenius. Frobenius could not imagine that such works were of African origin and came up with the theory that this great art was evidence of the lost Atlantis of the Greeks. He further declared that the Yoruba deity, Olokun, was the same god as the Greek Poseidon. The monument was further identified as a modern sand casting of brass, which comprises copper and zinc.

Ori Olokun is a Bronze artifact but is also found in other art forms like Terracota (Baked Clay) and wooden forms.

The name, Olokun, attached to this head refers to the fact that it was dug up in the late 19th century in the Olokun Grove and used in annual rites to honour Olokun.

An Ife priest, Chief Faloba Fagbenro, described Olokun as the goddess of the sea and patron of bead making, which makes glass beadwork an important industry in Ile-Ife.

He recalled that the head of Olokun (Ori Olokun) remained in the hands of the family responsible for the Olokun cult until Ooni of file-ife brought it to the palace for safekeeping in 1934.

The terra-cotta head of Olokun has been replicated in strategic places of the world, including Latin America and Europe. The image always brings back to memory the civilization in the areas of art and technology that took place in Nigeria and Africa before the British invasion.

Even though Olokun is believed to be a female and also a male, at the same time, among different worshippers and tribes around the world, most of the features of typical Olokun Heads are very similar, except for the fact that some of the faces are feminine, smiling and without the holes which represent the pores for beard growth or shaven male beard.

These are some of the common features of an Olokun Head:

Scarifications: Facial scarification or facial marks are common on all Olokun heads. This symbolizes the Yoruba traditional body and facial ornament-like tribal marks. The Scarifications on Olokun heads are usually straight and diagonal marks from the tip of the head, down from both cheeks, nose, and down to the chin. They are beautifully crafted and ornamented.

Crown: A typical Olokun Crown has a crown-like covering on the head. Although, there is no historical backing, to support any information about Olokun being a king, some of the historical accounts suggest Olokun as being a queen (as a female) and a king (male) of the ocean.

Tiny Holes: Some Olokun heads have tiny holes along both cheeks, upper parts of the lips, neck, and the areas of the jaw, to represent beards in men.

Holes under the eyes: It has been noticed that some Olokun heads have wide holes under the two eyes, though this is not a common feature of a typical Olokun Head, but must be observed and noted. Researchers believe this may have been a result of making Olokun Heads in the form of masks to cover the face, in some cultures and worship in some parts of the world. There is no proof yet if Olokun Masks are worn during Olokun worships or festivals.

In conclusion, Olokun is still a revered and respected deity in Yoruba land, and some other parts and festivals are still celebrated by Olokun worshippers to date, in Ile-Ife and many parts of the world.