Supplementary reference of 2008 to the Glossary Ôrí
according to Prof. Fábio Leite – PhD
Cf. Book: Leite, Fábio – A questão ancestral (África Negra).
Ed. Palas Athena/Casa das Áfricas. São Paulo, 2008.
See bibliography for “a temática da ancestralidade negro Africana”
(the theme of the Black African ancestry).
ÔRÍ =It is one of the three vital principles that integrate the Yoruba
notion of an individual. They are: “ARA”, the body; “EMI”, which
would be the blow of “Olodumaré” (the Creator) in the man; it is
confused with the Western concept of the “soul”. It is “Emi” that
animates the bodies; and Ôrí, the vital principal of immortality, not
perishable, that features the “inner head” (do not confuse with “brain
mass”), the destiny’s thirsty, the realization. It is confused with the
very Orisha of each individual, and his will is sovereign over the
individual. With the individual’s death, or it goes to the ancestors’
space or returns to the same family of a determined group. See
more in the book, cap. 1 and 2. Important: Ôrí exists also in Brazil,
but it is more related to the rites of the Candomblé, where the
explanations are quite inefficient because of the “law of silence”.
Thus, the information above, are related to the Black African Yoruba.
