Iyami Aje
Revered female power in Yoruba cosmology.
Last updated
Iyami Aje is a Yoruba term of respect for a woman believed to possess àjẹ́, a force of biological, spiritual, and cosmic power. The name honors her as "my mother," reflecting the divine creative and sustaining role of women in Yoruba cosmology.
Quick Facts
- Etymology of ìyàmi
- the super-powerful ones or My Mysterious Mother
- Primary principles
- Do not dabble in herbalism
- do not display wealth
- share everything
- Praise name ẹgbẹ́ ọ̀gbà
- a collective of equals
Facts from the source article.
Did You Know?
- Like mother gods in other cultures, Iyami have a triune function as creators, sustainers, and destroyers of life, and historically they were assigned the role of resurrecting the dead to determine cause of death.
- All birds, especially owls, vultures, and parrots (particularly the African Grey), are associated with Iyami.
More in Yoruba Religion
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Iyami Aje (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced
Comments
Loading…