The Warriors are the 4 Orishas who have the power to open the roads and defend, protect and guide those who travel them.
They are the first to be awarded to the believers, since they are in charge of starting the Yoruba religion and fostering the basis for it.
For the initiate, there is a ceremony of preparation to receive the warrior Orishas, because they open the roads and give you the strength to face life and the challenges that they bring.
When we refer to “Receive the Warriors” it means starting a new religious life and accepting Elegguá, Ochosi, Oggún and Osún to be our protectors and give us strength along the way.
Names of the Orishas Warriors:
|Elegua||It is the first protection, it is the beginning and the end of all paths, birth and death, good and evil.|
|Oggun||It is the strength, the violence and the impulse, it represents the rough and initial work and strength.|
|oshosi||He is a hunter by nature and vigilante, protector of the persecuted with his bow and arrow.|
|Osun||He is the watchman and custodian of the believers in religion, from on high he watches over the roads and foresees the dangers.|
Preparation to receive the Warrior Orishas
Before receiving the first Orisha Elegguá, in the preparation to receive the warriorsOne must consult with the Babalawo to determine which is the path that the Orisha has.
Afterwards, the ceremony that includes a stone (otá) and yefá de orunmila (Orula powder), plus established symbols and receptacles. After mixing these ingredients, they come together in the shape of a human head and cowries or snails are added as eyes and mouths.
Above the head is a parrot feather, among other secrets, all blessed by the Ifá signature. Then we proceed to do osain or the bath of herbs and other substances where the warriors wash and sacrament themselves.
At the preparation to receive the 4 Orishas warriors, the animals are sacrificed for each one of them. Elegguá is offered a rooster, Oggún, Oshosi and Osun, pigeons.
And if Elegguá wishes to speak with the initiate, a divination ceremony or Itá must be prepared, and a quadruped animal, probably the goat, must be immolated.
The sacrifice is accompaniedañado of aguardiente, corojo butter, honey from bees and lighted candles.
Delivery and worship of the four Orichas Warriors
At the preparation to receive the Orishas warriors, the delivery and the prayer is also carried out.
To whom the warriors will be handed over (aleyo or initiate) kneels on a mat in front of his godfather and he pours water while praying:
Omi tuto, ile tuto, Tuto Laroye. Omo tutu (name of the aleyo)
Elegba tuto, Oggun tuto, Oshosi tuto, Osun tuto. Ariku baba Wa.
Moyugba Olofin, mayugba Orun, ayugba iku enrapture Olodumare.
Grill my iyare, grill my ya tuff.
Ase my oyubonacan, grill my oluwo and all the ori s'iro oloshas, babaloshas that cover my ilé.
Igba e tonú bogbo elco de ara onú (lie all deceased relatives of religion and blood)
The prayer is always done in Yoruba and then the Orisha Oddé are given, starting with Elegguá, and then Oggún, Oshosi and Osun, in that order.
Finally, the initiate gets up and greets his godfather, clasping their respective opposite shoulders, while he gives him the blessing.