AGANJU: Òrìshà Of Antiquity

April 20, 2017

Deity is an offspring of Obatala and Odudua. Aganju, a male Deity (Orisha) representing the
land. The word Aganju means ”a desert,” the worship of the Deity has fallen into disuse. He
is syncretized with Saint Christopher. Aganju is strongly associated with Shango, both
Deities (Orishas) being members of the deified royal family of Oyo. In the Yoruba areas of
Nigeria and Danxome, Aganju is known as a deified warrior king from the town of Shaki in
the present-day Oyo State of Nigeria. He was said to walk with a sword. Shaki is in the
northern part of Yorubaland that is hilly and rocky. Aganjú is a Deity (Orisha) of great
antiquity.

Lukumi followers of this religion believe that Aganjú is a force that, like the sun that is his
symbol, is essential for growth, as well as a cultivator of civilizations. Like the volcano with
which he is also associated, he forms the foundation upon which societies are built and is
the catalyst for the production of vast amounts of wealth and commerce needed for
advanced development. He is most highly regarded by Lukumi practitioners for his role in
assisting humans in overcoming great physical as well as psychological barriers. Like the
volcano, Aganjú is noted for his legendary strength and his ability to bring about drastic
change. His significance in Cuba in the past is most probably due in part to the fact that he
was said to have delivered people out of bondage and helped one to carry the heaviest of
burdens.

As Lord of Caves, he owns all the mineral wealth of the earth and can be appealed to part
with some. He also acts as the god of untamed lands, from deserts to mountains and is the
navigator, knowing the safe passages and fords across rivers.

His patterns consist of nine beads: two brown, one red, one yellow, one blue, one yellow,
one red, two brown is one pattern. He likes offerings of beer and beef. He may try to eat
the beer bottles however. It’s one of his favorite tricks. Mediums carrying Aganju may well
try and eat glass as well. The name Aganju means uninhabited tract of country, wilderness,
plain, or forest.

Aganju is the bearer of burdens, the defender of the helpless, down trodden and enslaved.
Aganju is a force of life that overcomes obstacles and does the impossible. Because of this,
he was a major symbol of African resistance against the enslaving European culture. In the
future, may people everywhere who are persecuted and marginalized be inspired by Aganju
and overcome oppression.
Aganju is credited with assisting humans overcome physical as well as psychological
barriers, Argayu is regarded as the healer. Agayu is depicted as this great rough giant, that
has no rhythm when dancing, when in fact he is one of the most docile, humble and
generous Orishas in the Yoruba Pantheon.

Creator of civilization – Defender of the helpless & the oppressed.

Aganju the third sitting king of Oyo empire is a very brave king. He is a lover of nature and
animal. History have it that Aganju domestic a Leopard and keep it in his palace. He hate
oppression, he likes to visit the wilderness and rivers. He normally walk to anywhere with
his double edge sword. He loves beads majorly with color red, yellow, light blue, dark blue,
green, deep brown,, milky white. Aganjú’s role as a mediator is further developed in his
capacity as the ferryman who takes souls from the material to the spiritual plane after they
experience death. A ferryman has to know the river he travels very well; he must chart the
safest course and keep his passengers out of harm’s way. Aganjú personifies the wise guide
who takes people to new places.

*** Aganju is the Orisha of Volcano & Wilderness ***

In Cuba, Aganju is a volcano deity for the practitioners of Santeria-Lukumi religion. But
there are no volcanoes in Yorubaland, nor is Aganju associated with volcanoes among the
Yoruba people.

In the Afro-Brazilian tradition of Candomblé, Aganjú is worshiped as a manifestation or

quality of the Orisha Shango, often called Xango Aganjú. Aganjú represents all that is
explosive and lacking control. He is the embodiment of the volcanoes.