Olokun - The Yoruban Goddess of The Deep Dark Sea - Goddess Inspired

02/05/2018 Olokun – The Yoruban Goddess of the Deep Dark Sea | Goddess Inspired
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Feminist Matristic Astrology, Tarot and Spirituality
Olokun – The Yoruban Goddess of the Deep Dark Sea
22 APR 2012 34 Comments
by Silvestra in Goddess-inspired Spirituality Tags: Goddess Spirituality
(h ps://goddessinspired.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/olokun-at-bo om-of-sea.jpg)
Olokun is the Goddess of the Bo om of the Ocean of the West African Yoruba People. [1] At one time
She was the Goddess of all Waters and all of the Oceans, for Her name means Owner (Olo) of Oceans
(Okun). Today, especially amongst the New World Yorubas, Olokun is generally associated with the
dark and cold bo om of the sea, while Yemaya, the Goddess in Her life-giving aspect, is linked to the
light top of the ocean where plants thrive and photosynthesis takes place.
To understand Olokun’s nature we need to look at the nature of the bo om of the sea, a vast mostly
unexplored dark habitat. The Abyssopelagic or Abyssal Zone lies 13,000 to 20,000 feet (4,000 to 6,000
metres) below the surface in perpetual darkness. The Hadal or Trench Zone lies deeper still. No
sunlight ever gets down there. The pressure at such depths is phenomenal, about 11,000 psi (for
comparison the atmospheric air pressure at sea level is 14.7 psi). Temperatures are just above freezing
and nutrients are scarce. The bo om of the ocean is sca ered with underwater geysers that belch
forth poisonous sulfides at temperatures of 400ºC or 750ºF.
The deep sea floor is a seemingly hostile environment and yet life thrives down there. In fact
scientists believe that there is more life in the dark abyss of the Earth’s oceans than in all of the
tropical rainforests put together. The only way to survive at such great depths is either through
chemosynthesis, hunting or scavenging.
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The Realm of Olokun is the Land of the Dead. All animal remains eventually drop down to the
bo om of the ocean as so-called “marine snow”. The bo om of the Abyssal Zone is covered in white
flakes that provide sustenance to thousands of sea creatures. Due to the vast pressure at such great
depth most of the life forms are severely distorted and look quite monstrous from our point of view.
Of course we would look quite scary to them, too! There are also many varieties of huge invertebrates
such as giant worms and almost plum-sized single cell amoebas.
To this day Olokun’s world remains Her Dark Queendom of the Untold, as only one millionth of Her
realm has ever been seen by human eyes.
Like Her world, so is Olokun the Keeper of Secrets. Anything that falls to the bo om of the sea floor
remains intact forever more, never to be laid eyes on by anyone other than Herself and Her
underwater children. Olokun is believed to hold the secrets of the past, the present and the future.
She knows all and guards that knowledge well. New World Yorubas believe that Olokun holds the
key to the mystery of exactly what happened to their ancestors on those fateful journeys across the
Atlantic. Many didn’t make it and thus entered the Realm of Olokun. For that reason still today their
descendants in the Americas give baskets of food to the sea.
Olokun is all-knowing, She is the Keeper of Wisdom and Divination. She is the Goddess of the
Unknown, the Darkness, the Realm of Dreams and the Unconscious.
Olokun is the Goddess of Death: Her Domain is the Graveyard of the Earth, its cold and dark nature
being the perfect environment for the suspended animation of Spirits.
Olokun is also the Goddess of Rebirth and Renewal: At the bo om of the deep sea from Her Dark
Watery Womb new life springs forth every moment, contributing to a vast and incredibly adaptive
ecosystem.
Olokun is associated with great riches, She is said to be a Goddess of Wealth and Abundance. Women
pray to Her to conceive a child as well as for good health and worldy possessions.
Olokun is often depicted as a beautiful black Mermaid.
One of the animals that symbolise Olokun is the mudfish, an amphibian that burrows deep into the
mud to survive the dry season.
The Goddess Olokun is also linked to the red coral, a beautiful red gem-like colony of tiny animals
that are joined together through the skeletons of their dead ancestors. As corals grow they form reefs
which purify the water, provide shelter for other sea creatures and encourange the growth of wildlife
habitats beneath the sea.
In the New World, especially amongst the Lukumi people in Cuba, Olokun and Yemaya are seen as
different aspects of the same Goddess. Yemaya at the surface of the ocean is exposed to sunlight and
the pull of the Moon. She is the Goddess’s life-giving and nurturing side, while Olokun in Her
impenetrable abyss is the Goddess’s mysterious, dark and unknowable aspect.
Yemaya-Olokun is said to have a violent nature and is associated with wisdom and the Realm of
Dreams. Some say She is a most powerful Goddess that can only be communicated with in Dream
Space and through Trance.
(h ps://goddessinspired.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/olokun-
yemaya.jpg)
Olokun, Maferefu!
Vast and deep is the sea as it flows, where it goes no-one knows.
Olokun, Keeper of Treasures, Secrets and Dreams – cast Your silver net to bring stability, wealth and
knowledge to me!
I respect Your awesome powers and mysteries, Olokun.
Preserve me always from danger in the ocean of this life.
Olokun, Olokun, how beautiful, strong and unfathonable are You – who brings abundant life from the sea.
I praise Yemaya, the Great Mother. The mighty ocean is the cradle of the Earth.
Hail to Yemaya, the nurturer of all!
– Invocation to Yemaya-Olokun from alocubano.com
NOTE
[1] Olokun is actually an Orisa or Orisha, which is a spirit or deity. The Yoruba religion is a nature-
based tradition that believes in one single source called Olòrún or Olódùmarè. The Orishas are the
various manifestations of the different aspects of Olòrún-Olódùmarè across the natural world.
Essentially Olòrún-Olódùmarè is the Goddess and the Orishas represent Her various aspects.
Olokun is both female and male and in a way neither. Some see Olokun as being female, while others
consider Her to be male. I have chosen to interpret the Orisa Olokun as being female, as it fits much
be er with Her a ributes, those of a Dark Moon Goddess of Death and Renewal.
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34 Comments (+add yours?)
1. Bellagenix
Jul 16, 2013 @ 04:39:56
This is very interesting, You are a very skilled

blogger. I have joined your feed and look forward to seeking more of your wonderful post.
Also, I’ve shared your website in my social networks!
REPLY
2. victoria aisien
Apr 30, 2014 @ 18:33:41
Thank, for the knowledge you passed to me.
REPLY
3. Fiestaestrella
Aug 12, 2014 @ 22:18:48
Reblogged this on Fiesta Estrella and commented:

I’m hoping this blogger shares more with us. I love her work here with Olokun. I also agree very
much with what she writes.
REPLY
4. Sue Dreamwalker
Aug 14, 2014 @ 10:28:45
Fascinating I had not heard of this Goddess before so it was an interesting read.. I came via
Fiestaestrella’s Blog
Blessings to you
Sue
REPLY
5. Dorathy
Mar 19, 2015 @ 08:25:50
Can she be seen physically
REPLY
Silvestra
Mar 19, 2015 @ 09:47:10
Not really, not as a being anyway. Olokun is the bo om of the sea. She is a poetic synonym for
a natural force.
REPLY
6. tina omage
Jun 19, 2015 @ 09:38:34
Olokun is part of west African tradition religion.She is recognized by many with celebrations
yearly, I think our traditions and culture should be revived and not seen as out dated
REPLY
7. Stacy Phillips
Mar 09, 2016 @ 07:40:49
A lady in one of the groups on Facebook I’m in posted about the male version and got me looking
for this. All I can say is WOW!! I love learning, and this really is a great blog!! Thanks. I wouldn’t
mind finding more about the male aspect.
REPLY
8. Trackback: Olokun – The Yoruban Goddess of the Deep Dark Sea – Mayapinion
9. Florence Edward
May 05, 2016 @ 09:14:56
Wow
REPLY
10. chynnadolltm
May 23, 2016 @ 16:56:29
Olokun is androgynous and is both male and female, in Yoruba there arent Gods or Goddesses
but instead Orisha which are the personification of forces of nature. Please please honor this
orisha and the african tradition it comes from properly, learn more before sharing a skewered
version of this beautiful Orisha.
REPLY
Silvestra
May 23, 2016 @ 18:40:38
Please read note [1] at the bo om of the post, where I’m saying exactly what you’ve said. I
actually did a lot of research for this post. It was exceedingly difficult, as presumably the
people who still worship the ancient Orisha aren’t writing about it online or in books. By the
way, when I use the word “Goddess” I’m also referring to a force of nature (or one aspect of
Mother Nature) rather than some fictitious humanoid figure.
REPLY
11. MD
May 24, 2016 @ 23:47:40
The origin of Olokun is not from Yoruba culture or ban. The origin is from Edo State. Olokun God
is not a female nor represented as such in Edo state. The Yoruba God of the sea is called Oshun.
Big different. This all article is full of lies and crap. Please go to YouTube and search Olokun
worship or dance you will quickly realised the origin. Olokun is not even celebrated or worship
amongst Yoruba people.
REPLY
Silvestra
May 25, 2016 @ 00:43:16
These were some of my sources:

River of Honey
Olokun Orisha of the Water
Lukumi Tradition
I don’t think the authors of those sites are telling “lies and crap”. The thing is, as I understand
it, the Orisha Tradition is an oral tradition, which means things change and evolve over time,
which is of course a strength. Then you get different branches evolving on different continents
even with no contact between the people. I really don’t think you can say there is a one and
only truth. If you google “olokun lukumi tradition”, which is the Caribbean tradition, you’ll
find quite a lot of differences between that and the African tradition. It is also the tradition I
focused on mostly. According to this site on Lukumi Tradition the “New World” forms of the
tradition are actually the more original ones!
“This is one indication that New World forms of Orisha worship are OLDER traditions which
were born of a common ancestry and remained intact, rather than, as is often proposed by
Neo-Africanists, the results of New World innovations.”
And finally I really don’t think I’ve done a terrible disservice to Olokun. People of African
descent now living in America have come to this site and have been inspired to find out more
about the ancient spirituality of their ancestors. That’s a wonderful thing in my book!
REPLY
Mildred
Feb 09, 2017 @ 12:30:27
truth is, this is a sore subject for the Yoruba and Edo people of present West Africa (Which
is the true origins of Olokun/Yemaja). Both tribes share very many aspects from language
to religion and obviously kindred (they’ll never admit it though). The Bini/Edo people are
originally descent from Thebes which has Nubia and Upper Egypt ancestry and
intermarried with the Yoruba people upon migration (This is history not commonly known
and requires thorough ‘academic research’).
The more Edo version of Olokun is simply the adaptation of the Yorubas’ Yemoja and
Olokun but introduces a ributes of Hapi (Egyptian Diety); one major a ribute is the
androgynous understanding of Olokun. These versions have however merged with time,
hence the perception of Olokun and Yemoja as being two sides to the same deity.
OLADELE- OLAOKUN
Sep 22, 2016 @ 20:48:00
You’re fool of lies.I just know understand you Edo people tying to claim what is not yours.like
your former kind also said oduduwa came from Benin city,Edo state.iam a Yoruba man.and
yes olokun is our orisha.we can also called her wife of orunmila.because when she was looking
for child,it was orunmila that consult IFA for her,and help her to bear children of her own.and
yes we Yoruba people we celebrate olokun festival. This 2016.we just celebrated her festival
across all Yoruba land.iam a son of olokun. That the deity we worship in our compound and
village. You Edo people don’t even have a beach let alone an ocean in your state.so stop
accusing or causing confusion for your self and your people. I know you worship her in Edo
state. But she is originally from southwestern state.Yoruba nation.
REPLY
Adeosun
May 02, 2017 @ 09:48:20
who told you that, you be er don’t say what you don’t…..olokun is celebrated and worshiped
very well among Yoruba
REPLY
Just me
Sep 17, 2017 @ 14:34:02
You are right….urhonigbe,Edo state
REPLY
ABIBOSE
Sep 29, 2017 @ 13:58:06
Have you ever spent a quite time at the sea shores,just listen to the waves,roaring,then the
peace,and calm of what the sea brings…… that’s the spirit of Olokun,its all GODS
creation,the divine master of the visible and,the invisible,He made Olokun so why say the
keeper of all waters of the earth is bad
12. Denise
Aug 30, 2016 @ 19:26:45
As a practitioner of Santeria, I would like to say that you did an awesome job of describing
Yemaya and Olokun.
REPLY
Silvestra
Aug 30, 2016 @ 19:41:15
Thank you for your kind words ! Many bessings to you, S. ♡
REPLY
13. Denise
Aug 30, 2016 @ 19:27:37
Reblogged this on The World According To Ms Hyde and commented:

Marefun Yemaya
REPLY
14. sheilambelekhama
Oct 23, 2016 @ 10:59:58
Reblogged this on sheila mbele-khama.
REPLY
15. Myra Bouvier Hervy

Dec 30, 2016 @ 02:40:16
I only knew of her as she appeared to me in a dream when I was just 13 or 14 years old. I was in
spirit traveling right over the ocean water. I could see the clear blue sky and clear blue waters of
the ocean. Suddenly there were bubbles in the water as I came to a stop. She then revealed herself
to me. She smiled at me and lifted one hand to me and showed me pearls. She wanted me to see
the pearls. And the dream ended.
REPLY
16. Umbel
Feb 17, 2017 @ 01:55:33
Who is the artist for the picture at the top? Lovely!
REPLY
17. Ingrid
Feb 22, 2017 @ 10:25:49
Do not be discouraged, while knowledge is something we are always seeking and well we should,
when it comes to this subject there is always somebody there to say you are doing it wrong. If they
have a be er article in them I invite them to write it. I love what you said about the coral, that is
very meaningful and well said.
REPLY
18. latoyacrick
Apr 05, 2017 @ 01:30:21
Reblogged this on Emerald Hearth and commented:

This is amazing
REPLY
19. Sylvia
Apr 14, 2017 @ 22:13:00
I did not know of Him. Yes he appeared to me as a man. I was drowning. As I sank to the bo om
of the ocean and gasped for air I saw his hand reaching out to me. As he touch me I could breath
again. He brought me out of the water to safety. That was approximately 45 years ago. Li le did I
know that this spring I would be one of his child. I believe in Olokun his powers and the
“dreams” that I have had all my life now have come to manifest itself. I love the Yoruba Religion.
It has come at the right time in my life.
REPLY
20. segun
Apr 16, 2017 @ 20:29:58
In yoruba we say! Ifa olokun, e le ri ipin ,a so oro da yo. Ma fi ibi pere oo, ma fi ololo fo hun.
REPLY
21. Amy
May 03, 2017 @ 09:29:49
Hmm, true and very beautiful. My great grandma served olokun
REPLY
22. Traci
Jun 10, 2017 @ 21:18:18
I found this to be so very intriguing. I am actually receiving Olokun this summer. I am so very
excited and reading everything I can on the subject. My Godmother’s told me so much already
but, I just love finding more!
REPLY
23. Adediwura
Jul 31, 2017 @ 16:24:01
Olokun, the mother of all, the beginning and the end… The secret behind world’s power, wealth,
fame and the likes.
Olokun is a spirit that can only be seen by immortals. So, the artistic imagination of olokun is a
misnomer, just as the artisic imagination of God is a misnomer.
Please, let the world know that Olokun is so divine, loving, caring and of no evil. Don’t let them
decieve u anymore. They just use the evil concept to deceive u, so as to be the only one benefiting
from Olokun’s wealth, fame, protection and power.
REPLY
24. SeeSee
Jan 24, 2018 @ 18:39:19
This is absolutely beautiful. Thank you for creating this blog and sharing your finding.
Bless up
REPLY
25. Michael
Jan 31, 2018 @ 23:40:29
Whenever the hurricanes come I think of our ancestors lost in the middle passage. I imagine them
rising out of the depth of the Atlantic and following us here. But never can they stay. I think I have
been looking for Olokun but I didn’t know it. Thank you for writitng this.
PS: I’m also fond of the places where rivers meet large bodies of water. (smile)
REPLY
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02/05/2018 Olokun – The Yoruban Goddess of the Deep Dark Sea | Goddess Inspired

Feminist Matristic Astrology, Tarot and Spirituality

Olokun – The Yoruban Goddess of the Deep Dark Sea

22 APR 2012 34 Comments

by Silvestra in Goddess-inspired Spirituality Tags: Goddess Spirituality

Olokun is often depicted as a beautiful black Mermaid.

Hail to Yemaya, the nurturer of all!

– Invocation to Yemaya-Olokun from alocubano.com

34 Comments (+add yours?)

This is very interesting, You are a very skilled

Thank, for the knowledge you passed to me.

Reblogged this on Fiesta Estrella and commented:

Can she be seen physically

These were some of my sources:

You are right….urhonigbe,Edo state

Thank you for your kind words ! Many bessings to you, S. ♡

Reblogged this on The World According To Ms Hyde and commented:

Reblogged this on sheila mbele-khama.

15. Myra Bouvier Hervy

Who is the artist for the picture at the top? Lovely!

Reblogged this on Emerald Hearth and commented:

Hmm, true and very beautiful. My great grandma served olokun

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