BASED ON A CONCISE RESEARCH:

Sango was a mighty king with magical powers. Sango is the king of thunder just as the lightning flashes to show indistinguishable landscapes, Sango has the ability to show one the truth immediately. He has theability to move people and things with might. He has the “gift of gab”.. He is the God of Male fertility. He is the master of strategy and tactics. The spirit of Sango rises to confront and meet challenges. Sango is the symbol of courage. He believes the truth can hurt like fire.

Sango as a king in Yoruba LandSango was a powerful king in Yoruba Land and held the throne in Old Oyo Empire. He was known as a kingof thunder, because whenever he is angry, he spits fire from his mouth. Sango’s hair-do is called Suku in Yoruba language, meaning “the oya’s Craft”; he would put o red apparel lined with cowries. Sango eats bitter kolam, because he was a strong king.

He always held a axe called, “Ose” in  his hand and he ruled powerfully and successfully in the land.

The king is a major character in the divination literature of the Lukumi religion. Stories about Sango’s life exemplify some major themes regardingthe nature of character and destiny.

In one set of stories, Sango is the son ofAganjuandObatalawhenin female form. As the story goes, Obatala, the king of the white cloth was travelling and had to cross a river. Aganju, the ferryman and Undergod of fire, refused him passage. Obatala retreated and turned himself into a beautiful woman. He returned to the river and traded his/her body for passage.

Sango was the result of this unusual union. The tension between reason represented by Obatala and fire represented by Aganju would form the foundation of Sango’s particular character and nature. In further stories of the faith, we find that Sango goes in search of Aganju, his father, and the two of them play out a drama of conflict and resolution that culminates with Sango throwing himself into thefire to prove his lineage.

All of the stories regarding Sango tend to revolve around dramatic events such as this one.

Sango had three wives; Oshun, (a river goddess) was his favorite because of her excellent cooking, Oba (another river goddess) offered Sango her ear to eat. He scorned her and she became the Oba River, which merges with the Oshun River to form dangerous rapids. Lastly, Oya (Sango’s third wife) was a crafty woman who stole the secret of Sango’s powerful magic.

Oba was Sango’s first and legitimate wife, Oshun; his second wife, and Oya; his third wife,whom he made his queen. Oshun played a trick on Oba, out of jealousy. She deceived Oba that if she can cut a piece of her ear and offer it to Sango as part of his meal, he would love her the more. Oba, excited by this information, ran home to prepare Shango’s “amala”, his favorite meal. She sliced off her ear and stirred it into Sango’s food.

While Sango was eating, he saw the ear in the food and was infuriated thinking that Oba was trying to poison him. Sango drove her from his house and Oba ran out crying. She fell to the ground and turned into a river which is still being worshipped till date. She became the patron of matrimony (as “Orisha”) and it is believed that she destroys marriages that abuse either partner.



Veneration of Sango

The religious ritual of Sango was possibly designed inorder to help the devotees of Sango gain self-control. Historically, Sango brought prosperity to the Oyo Empire during his reign. After his deification, the initiation ceremony of the cult of his memory dictates that this same prosperity be bestowed upon followers, on a personal level.

According to Yoruba and Vodou belief systems, Sango hurls bolts of lightning at the people chosen tobe his followers, leaving behind imprints of stone axeblades on the Earth’s crust. These blades can be seen easily after heavy rains.

Veneration of Sango enables—according to Yoruba belief—a great deal ofpower and self-control.

Stories about Sango’s life exemplify some major themes regarding the nature of character and destiny. In a set of stories, Sango is the son of Aganju and Obatala. As the story goes, Obatala, the king of the white cloth wanted to cross a river when travelling, which Agaju the ferryman and god of fire refused him passage. It was said that Obatala retreated and changed to a beautiful woman.

The beautiful woman returned to the river and seduced Agaju who later allowed her to cross over the river. The result of the uneasy union between Agaju and the beautiful woman (Obatala) was Sango. Sango went in search of Aganju, his father, and the two ofthem play out a drama of conflict and resolution that made Sango threw himself into the fire to provehis lineage.

Historically, Sango brought prosperity to the Oyo Empire during his reign. He is associated with the sacred animal, the ram, and the colors of red and white.

Sango is venerated in Haiti, as a god of thunder and weather; in Brazil, he is known asXangô; in Umbanda, as the very powerful loa Nago Shango; in Trinidad as Shango god of Thunder, drumming and dance ; and in Cuba, Puerto Rico and Venezuela – the Santeria equivalent of St. Barbara, he is known as Changó.

Sango displayed his magical powers by directing lightning unto his own household killing his wives and children. He hung himself after the incidence; he was deified as the god of thunder and lightning. His followers refuted that Sango hung himself. It was said that Sango’s followers went to another village toacquire magical powers and returned furiously to destroy the enemies of Sango.