In the Beginning
In the beginning, there was no earth as we know it. There was only Orun (Heaven), where Olodumare the Supreme God lived, and below, there was only water—endless, formless water covering everything. There was no land, no trees, no people, and no life on earth.
Olodumare looked down and saw that the earth was empty, and He decided it was time to create a place where life could exist.
Olodumare Chooses Orishanla
Olodumare called for Orishanla – the very first spirit He had ever created, the Great Orisha, the one who was closest to Him and carried His pure power.
He said to Orishanla:
“You are the eldest, the purest, and the one I have chosen above all others. I am sending you down to turn this empty water into a solid, beautiful world. You will be the one to create the land, shape all living things, and bring order to everything. I give you my power and my authority to do this work.”
The tools of creation
- A long golden chain to climb down from heaven to the waters below.
- A small snail shell filled with sacred sand – this sand would become the solid earth.
- A five-toed white hen – which has the power to spread things out and make them wide.
- A black cat to keep him company and protect the work.
- A palm nut that would grow into trees and forests.
Coming Down from Heaven
Orishanla took these things, bowed before Olodumare in respect, and began his journey. He climbed down the golden chain from heaven, down, down, down, until he reached the surface of the great waters.
When he arrived, he poured the sacred sand from the snail shell onto the water. Then he placed the white hen on top of the sand. The hen began to scratch and scatter the sand in all directions. Wherever the sand spread, solid land appeared. It rose up out of the water, forming mountains, valleys, plains, and rivers.
Orishanla planted the palm nut, and it grew into a great forest, bringing trees, plants, and shade to the new land. He named this place Ile-Ife, which means “the place where the world spread out” or “the home of the beginning.”
Creating Human Beings
Once the land was ready, Orishanla began his next work: creating people to live in the world. He took soft, clean clay from the earth and began to mold it with his hands. He shaped the bodies of human beings – forming their heads, their arms, their legs, and all their parts.
He worked with great care and love, because he wanted his creation to be beautiful and good. When he had finished shaping the bodies, he called up to Olodumare in heaven. Olodumare then breathed the breath of life (Ẹmí) into the clay forms, and they became living, breathing people. This is why Orishanla is called the “Maker of All Bodies” and the one who shapes every child in the womb even today.
The Difference Between Orishanla and Obatala
Now, remember what we have said before:
Orishanla is the divine spirit sent by Olodumare. He is the one who did this great work of creation from heaven, using the power given to him.
Later, when the world was established, a man was born in Ile-Ife. That man was Obatala. He was a human being, born of parents, who grew up to be king of Ile-Ife. He saw the great work that Orishanla had done, and he chose to serve Orishanla with all his heart, to worship him, and to teach the people how to follow the ways of the Creator.
Because Obatala served so faithfully and lived such a pure life, the power of Orishanla came to dwell in him completely. This is why sometimes people speak of them together – but the truth is clear: Orishanla is the divine creator from heaven; Obatala is the human king from Ile-Ife who served him.
“My dear people, let us hear the true history so no one can mislead you:
In the beginning, there was only water below and heaven above. Olodumare, the Supreme God, sent Orishanla—the first spirit He ever made—to come down and create the world.
Orishanla came down from heaven on a golden chain. He poured the sacred sand on the water, and the white hen spread it out, making the solid land we stand on today. He molded human beings from clay, and Olodumare gave them life. That is the work of Orishanla—the Great Orisha, the creator sent from heaven.
Later, long after the world was made, a man was born right here in Ile-Ife. His name was Obatala. He was not the one who created the world—he was a human being, born and raised here. But what made him great was that he saw the wonderful work Orishanla had done, and he decided to serve him with all his strength. He became our king, he worshipped Orishanla, and he taught us how to live in peace and purity.
So when we speak of creation, we speak of Orishanla—the power from heaven. When we speak of service and leadership here on earth, we speak of Obatala—the man from Ile-Ife who showed us how to honor that power.
This is the truth that has been passed down to us from our ancestors. Let no one confuse you again.”