Oya
In the sacred cosmology and oral traditions of the Yoruba people of West Africa, Oya is the powerful and fierce Orisha (deity) of the winds, violent storms, lightning, fertility, and the gateway between life and death. As the fierce guardian of the Niger River and the tempestuous companion of Shango (the thunder god), Oya commands the roaring winds that precede tropical tempests, sweeping away the old and making way for new growth. In traditional Yoruba spiritual narratives, Oya is celebrated for her unmatched courage, her fierce independence, and her vital role as a psychopomp who guides soul