Ogun

Ogun Ogun lakaaye
Warriors, soldiers, smith makers, metal workers, craftsmen
Member of Orisha
Veve of Ogoun
Region	Nigeria, Benin, Latin America
Ethnic group	Yoruba people, Fon people

Ogun or Ogoun (also spelled Oggun or Ogou; known as Ogún or Ogúm in Latin America) is an Orisha, Loa, and Vodun, who is a warrior and a powerful spirit of metal work.^[1] In Santería and Palo, Ogún is syncretized with Saint Peter. In Haitian Vodou, Ogoun is syncretized with St. Jacques Majeur (St. James the Greater) in his incarnation as Santiago Matamoros (St. James the Moorslayer). In Candomblé, Ogúm is syncretized with Saint George or Saint Sebastian.^[2]

In Yoruba religion, Ogun is a primordial Orisha who first appeared as a hunter named Tobe Ode. He was the husband of Oya. He is said to be the first Orisha to descend to the realm of Ile Aiye, "Earth", to find suitable place for future human life. In commemoration of this, one of his praise names is Osin Imole or the "first of the primordial Orisha to come to Earth". He is celebrated in places like Ekiti, Oyo, and Ondo States. He is believed by his followers to have wo ile sun, to have disappeared into the earth's surface instead of dying, in a place named Ire-Ekiti. Throughout his earthly life, he is thought to have fought for the people of Ire thus is known also as Onire.

In Dahomey religion, Gu is the vodun of war and patron deity of smiths and craftsmen. He was sent to earth to make it a nice place for people to live, and he has not yet finished this task.

References

1. Sandra T. Barnes (1997). Africa's Ogun: Old World and New (2 Sub ed.). Indiana University Press. ISBN 0-253-33251-6. Retrieved 2012-04-10.
2. Matthias Röhrig Assunção (2005). Capoeira: The History of an Afro-Brazilian Martial Art. London: Routledge. p. 39. ISBN 0-7146-5031-5. Retrieved 2012-04-10.