Erinlè is a hunter òrìshà. He is the patron deity of Ilobu. Ilobu is located in South western Nigeria, It lies along the Erinlè river, a tributary of the Òsun River, on the road from Ogbomosho to Oshogbo. Ilobu is a trade centre for the yams, corn, cassava, oil palms, pumpkins, beans, and okra grown in a savanna area mainly inhabited by the Yorùbá people. There are many variations on his name, he is commonly known as Eyinlè in Egbado, Erinlè in Ilobu, Enlè in Okuku. In Cuba and Trinidad he is known as Inlè or Erinlè 'Ajaja'. Ajaja is an honorific title, Ajaja meaning 'He who eats dog' and punned as Àjàjà 'The ferocious one' (Warner Lewis, 1994). In Brazil, Candomblé Ketu, he is known as Inlè and Òshóòsì Ibualama.
"Erinlè" means 'elephant (Erin) in-the-earth' (ilè) or 'land-elephant'. Erinlè is a hunter, herbalist and animal husbander. He has close ties with many òrìshà but especially Yemoja, Òsun, Òshóòsì, Ògún, Osányìn and Otin. He is envisioned as an extremely wealthy òrìshà, dressed in refined garments, adorned with copious amounts of cowries, coral beads and plumage from hunted game. In Colonial Cuba, ìlekè of Erinlè were comprised of coral, jet and gold beads, the very best they could give him. He grants abundance in the form of children as well as treasure from the ocean and rivers. He represents the gifts of land, sea and river by fishing and hunting.
"Erinlè" means 'elephant (Erin) in-the-earth' (ilè) or 'land-elephant'. Erinlè is a hunter, herbalist and animal husbander. He has close ties with many òrìshà but especially Yemoja, Òsun, Òshóòsì, Ògún, Osányìn and Otin. He is envisioned as an extremely wealthy òrìshà, dressed in refined garments, adorned with copious amounts of cowries, coral beads and plumage from hunted game. In Colonial Cuba, ìlekè of Erinlè were comprised of coral, jet and gold beads, the very best they could give him. He grants abundance in the form of children as well as treasure from the ocean and rivers. He represents the gifts of land, sea and river by fishing and hunting.
Erinlè is regarded as some what of an androgynous deity, he is principally worshipped as a male deity in Yorùbáland. He is thought by some to be a male aspect of Yemoja Mojelewu. His syncretism with the Archangel Raphael has helped to enhance his androgynous qualities. He is often referred to as the Patron of gay people, who honour him every-year on his feast day by burning a straw effigy of a fish and sacrificing to him as well as hosting a formal meal in his honour. He lives in the forest with his brothers Osányìn, Ògún and Òshóòsì, on the farm with Òrìshà Oko, in the sea with Yemoja & Otin, and in the river with Òshun. His 'true' residence is the point where the river meets the ocean, where sweet and salt waters mix.
It is very unusual for a deity to inhabit ‘two worlds’ that of the earth and the water. Erinlè’s cult symbolism is an amalgamation of these two, often disasociated spheres of existence; further discussed in “Iconography of Erinlè.” He uses Osányìn’s herbs to heal. He has the prowess of Òshóòsì to hunt, both on land and in the sea. As stated previously, in the New World he has been syncretised with Raphael, who is in actual fact an archangel. Reasons for this syncretism are obvious, Raphael is the patron of Healers. His lithograph shows a young man often dressed in pink and blue, standing on the edge of the river; holding a fish in one hand and a staff with a medicine gourd in the other.
It is very unusual for a deity to inhabit ‘two worlds’ that of the earth and the water. Erinlè’s cult symbolism is an amalgamation of these two, often disasociated spheres of existence; further discussed in “Iconography of Erinlè.” He uses Osányìn’s herbs to heal. He has the prowess of Òshóòsì to hunt, both on land and in the sea. As stated previously, in the New World he has been syncretised with Raphael, who is in actual fact an archangel. Reasons for this syncretism are obvious, Raphael is the patron of Healers. His lithograph shows a young man often dressed in pink and blue, standing on the edge of the river; holding a fish in one hand and a staff with a medicine gourd in the other.
Olòrìsà in Ilobu
In Ilobu, Erinlè has many roads/avatars, known as Ibú (pools), such as Ibu Ojútù, Ibu Alámo, Ibu Owáálá, Ibu Abátàn, Ibu Mòkín, Ibu Àánú, Ibu Ondun, Ibu Asunnara, Ibu Abadi, Ibu Ijesa, Ibu Pakolo, Ibu Ibusain, Ibu Agbandada, Ibu Apanla, Ibu Eleyele, Ibu Otin (Otin Ijabe omo okoye).
It is the oríkì of each ibú that distinguishes between the different paths or ‘personalities’ of Erinlè such as one dwelling on his prowess as a hunter, another on his drinking, another on the might of the deep river (K. Barber 1981.) Individual oríkì are chanted at the annual Erinlè festival, as well as being collectively invoked: Eníbúmbú, olódò-odò, olómi-omi, meaning all you pools, all you rivers, all you waters.
In Cuba, there is no distinction between the different personalities of Erinlè. This may be due to the fact that one path of Erinlè’s cult was prominent in Cuba, as only one or two priests may have given this òrìshà in the early days of the religion in the Americas. n Candomblé Ketu, Erinlè has two paths. One aspect is considered an old hunter, called Erinlè/Òshóòsì Ibualama.
The other path is younger and more delicate and beautiful, usually called Inlè. In the Lucumi tradition, Erinlè is accompanied by Ibojuto (discussed in Iconography of Erinlè) and Abátàn. Abátàn (or Abàtà = swamp) is the deity of the marshland. Abátàn is usually regarded as the female companion of Erinlè but some do recognise Abátàn as male. When Erinlè is received in ceremony, Abátàn also is received. She has separate songs and oríkì.
Her ritual colours are yellow, green, gold and coral (Some Lucumi lines of worship give an ìlekè of Abátàn incorporating these colours in patterns of 7 and 14.) Abátàn eats with Erinlè, and partakes in all his offerings. Offerings made specifically to Abátàn are taken to the marsh. Abátàn is also wealthy like Erinlè. In Nigeria, as can be seen from the above list of Yorùbá roads, Abátàn is an ibú of Erinlè.
In Ilobu, Erinlè has many roads/avatars, known as Ibú (pools), such as Ibu Ojútù, Ibu Alámo, Ibu Owáálá, Ibu Abátàn, Ibu Mòkín, Ibu Àánú, Ibu Ondun, Ibu Asunnara, Ibu Abadi, Ibu Ijesa, Ibu Pakolo, Ibu Ibusain, Ibu Agbandada, Ibu Apanla, Ibu Eleyele, Ibu Otin (Otin Ijabe omo okoye).
It is the oríkì of each ibú that distinguishes between the different paths or ‘personalities’ of Erinlè such as one dwelling on his prowess as a hunter, another on his drinking, another on the might of the deep river (K. Barber 1981.) Individual oríkì are chanted at the annual Erinlè festival, as well as being collectively invoked: Eníbúmbú, olódò-odò, olómi-omi, meaning all you pools, all you rivers, all you waters.
In Cuba, there is no distinction between the different personalities of Erinlè. This may be due to the fact that one path of Erinlè’s cult was prominent in Cuba, as only one or two priests may have given this òrìshà in the early days of the religion in the Americas. n Candomblé Ketu, Erinlè has two paths. One aspect is considered an old hunter, called Erinlè/Òshóòsì Ibualama.
The other path is younger and more delicate and beautiful, usually called Inlè. In the Lucumi tradition, Erinlè is accompanied by Ibojuto (discussed in Iconography of Erinlè) and Abátàn. Abátàn (or Abàtà = swamp) is the deity of the marshland. Abátàn is usually regarded as the female companion of Erinlè but some do recognise Abátàn as male. When Erinlè is received in ceremony, Abátàn also is received. She has separate songs and oríkì.
Her ritual colours are yellow, green, gold and coral (Some Lucumi lines of worship give an ìlekè of Abátàn incorporating these colours in patterns of 7 and 14.) Abátàn eats with Erinlè, and partakes in all his offerings. Offerings made specifically to Abátàn are taken to the marsh. Abátàn is also wealthy like Erinlè. In Nigeria, as can be seen from the above list of Yorùbá roads, Abátàn is an ibú of Erinlè.
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